The Packing List is a weekly travel newsletter that helps you plan smarter, spend less, and explore more. Each issue delivers practical tips, destination ideas, and tools real travelers use to make every trip easier.
The simple way to turn PTO into real getaways
|
The Packing List | Kevin Payne
The Packing List is a weekly travel newsletter that helps you plan smarter, spend less, and explore more. Each issue delivers practical tips, destination ideas, and tools real travelers use to make every trip easier.
Hey Reader, If you’ve ever used online reviews to search for the perfect hotel or activity, you’ve probably run into this:One reviewer calls it a hidden gem. Another says it’s overrated. A third found bugs in their bed. The next reviewer says they’re booking again next year. I love planning our trips, but I often spend way more time researching than is necessary. When that happens, I usually end up in analysis paralysis. It happens when comparing hotels, destinations, vacation rentals, tours...
Hey Reader, Both Skyscanner and Global Hotel Alliance, in partnership with Skift, recently released their 2026 travel trend reports. One of the clearest themes they agree on: travelers are still spending, but they’re being more intentional about it. Skift calls this trend selective splurging. In their joint report with GHA, they found that 34% of travelers expect to increase their travel spending in 2026, with most prioritizing better room types, more convenient locations, and personalized...
Hey Reader, It’s hard to scroll through travel content these days without feeling like you’re doing something wrong. My Instagram and TikTok feeds are obviously travel-heavy. Lately, it feels like every post is a creator flying first class to bucket-list destinations, staying in luxury hotels, and booking aspirational round-the-world trips for what looks like $1.86, despite rising costs. If you don’t have a travel credit card, or don’t use it the way influencers say you should, it’s easy to...