One of Canada’s Oldest Airports

If the name “Montreal Metropolitan Airport” (or MET) doesn’t ring a bell, you might recognize its former title: Montreal Saint-Hubert Airport. Inaugurated in 1927, it actually ranks among the oldest airports in Canada. However, a lot of history unfolded between its early Saint-Hubert days and the modern MET era.

As an aviation pioneer for the Montreal region and the country at large, the airport started out handling commercial flights and mail runs. That was until it was “requisitioned” during WWII, transforming into a military base in 1941—a status it maintained throughout the Cold War.

During that same era, the site became a major hub for aerospace manufacturing and flight training. Eventually, civilian operations crept back in, bringing charter flights, business aviation, and minor regional routes. Despite this mishmash of activities—often heavily relying on helicopters and small aircraft—Saint-Hubert consistently held its ground as one of Canada’s top 20 busiest airports for years.

Fast forward to the 2010s, when plans for a new terminal were finally set in motion. In 2024, the facility was officially rebranded as the MET, aiming to serve as a modern complement—if not a downright alternative—to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). That ambition became a reality last month when Porter Airlines joined Pascan Aviation on the tarmac, focusing heavily on regional passenger transport. More airlines are expected to follow suit soon.

Getting There: Closer Than Trudeau

Located in Longueuil, roughly 9 miles (15 km) from downtown Montreal, the MET is arguably more accessible than Trudeau. A dedicated shuttle service, the METbus, links the terminal directly to the Longueuil-Université Sherbrooke metro station every 35 minutes, seamlessly dropping you right into the heart of the city.

What Travelers Need to Know

For passengers, the MET experience revolves around a brand-new, 215,000-square-foot (20,000 m²) terminal equipped with nine boarding gates, which officially opened its doors on June 15. Once fully ramped up, the facility expects to handle up to 4 million passengers a year.

Important Connection Notice for US Travelers:

Currently, the MET is exclusively cleared for domestic Canadian flights. All international operations—including all incoming flights from the United States—remain strictly at Montreal-Trudeau.

If you are flying in from the US or overseas and plan to connect to another Canadian destination out of the MET, be aware of this split in operations. You will need to build enough time into your itinerary for a ground transfer to switch airports in the middle of your journey.

Currency Exchange in Brazil: How Does It Work?

First things first: the local currency is the Brazilian Real (plural: reais), symbolized as R$. It’s divided into 100 centavos. You’ll handle coins (5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos, plus the 1 R$ coin) and, more commonly, banknotes (2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 R$).

Exchanging major foreign currencies is a breeze, much like in neighboring South American countries. You’ll find exchange counters at most major banks in cities and tourist hotspots, along with dedicated currency exchange offices (casas de câmbio). ATMs are practically everywhere, though withdrawal limits can vary wildly depending on the machine. A quick safety tip: always be cautious when using ATMs, especially at night or in quiet, isolated areas.

Which Currency Should You Bring?

If you’re traveling from the United States, bringing crisp US dollars is your best bet, as they are universally accepted and easy to exchange locally. There’s absolutely no need to convert your money into Euros or another intermediate currency beforehand, as that will just cost you extra exchange fees. (Note for UK travelers: British Pounds are also widely accepted at exchange bureaus, though USD remains the most favored foreign currency).

Payment Methods: Cash, Cards, and Pix

Brazil is rapidly moving away from cash. Card payments are the norm, but the real star of the show is a mobile banking system that lets you scan a merchant’s QR code to pay for almost anything.

This system is called Pix, and it is absolutely everywhere. You might even score a discount by using it! The best part? It’s recently become accessible to international visitors who don’t have a local bank account. To get in on the action, you simply download a compatible digital wallet app, link it to your home Visa or Mastercard, and load it up to create a virtual, reloadable wallet. Your purchases are then deducted right from that balance.

Beyond Pix, credit and debit cards—including contactless options—are widely accepted nationwide. Just keep an eye on foreign transaction fees from your home bank. While carrying a bit of local cash is still handy, you’ll mostly use it for tips, tiny street purchases, or if you’re venturing way off the beaten path.

Before You Head Home

While you can try to exchange Brazilian money once you’re back home, the exchange rates are usually terrible. Do yourself a favor: spend your remaining reais, swap them back to US dollars before heading to the airport, or just rely entirely on your card and Pix for the last few days of your trip.

How Much Should You Budget for Brazil?

The beauty of traveling to Brazil is its versatility: it caters just as well to shoestring backpackers as it does to luxury seekers, provided you stay somewhat on the main tourist trail.

• The Backpacker Budget: Plan for roughly $55 per day, per person (assuming you’re traveling as a pair), sticking to hostels, local eateries, and public transit.
• The Comfort Budget: If you prefer a bit more comfort, or want to splurge on guided tours and excursions, expect to budget closer to $90 per day.

What Might Break the Bank

• Distance: Brazil is massive. If you plan to see the whole country, you need to budget significantly for transportation.
• Domestic Flights: Flying locally can eat up your budget quickly, especially compared to taking the bus.
• Tourist Hotspots & Peak Times: Highly sought-after destinations like Rio de Janeiro, or traveling anywhere during Carnival, will naturally drive up prices.
• Remote Regions: Exploring the Amazon rainforest or the Pantanal wetlands usually requires organized tours or specialized services, which rarely drop below $110 a day, all-inclusive.

Where You Can Save

• Local Living: Eating at traditional spots, staying in local guesthouses, and using municipal transit.
• Paying with Pix: Using the QR code payment system can often snag you a discount and help you dodge steep international bank fees.

Typical Price Ranges

• Budget / Backpacker Double Room: Expect to pay around $22 to $28.
• Mid-Range / Tourist Double Room: A solid, comfortable option will run you $35 to $45.
• Local Meals & Snacks: Street food is a steal at $1 to $2.50, and you can grab a local set menu for $5 to $9. Brazil is also famous for its comida a quilo (food by the kilo) buffets—you load up your plate and pay by the weight. It’s a fantastic way to eat a huge, delicious meal for under $11.
• Tourist-Oriented Restaurants: A meal at a mid-range spot geared toward visitors will cost around $17 to $22.
• Domestic Flights: These can add up if you don’t book in advance. Even short-haul flights rarely dip below $110.
• Entry-Level Rental Car: You can snag a small, basic city car for roughly $22 to $28 a day.
• Long-Distance Buses: Depending on speed and comfort, basic buses cost roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per hour of travel. Standard is slightly more, while “luxury” buses (featuring fully reclining sleeper seats that can easily replace a night’s hotel stay) run closer to $5.50 to $11 per hour.
• City Taxis: Very affordable; a 15 to 20-minute ride is usually just $4.50 to $5.50.
• City Buses and Metro: A single ticket is typically under $1.

Haggling and Tipping Etiquette

While haggling isn’t a core part of the Brazilian economy, it’s completely acceptable—and sometimes expected—at artisan markets or with street vendors. You can also casually ask for a discount if you’re paying with the Pix system.

As for tipping, it’s not strictly mandatory. However, in restaurants where a service charge isn’t already included in the bill, leaving about 10% is standard practice. It’s also polite to leave the equivalent of $1 or $2 for hotel housekeeping, and $4.50 to $5.50 for tour guides. When taking a taxi, simply rounding up to the next ten reais is the way to go.

Today, we’re tackling something everyone who has ever flown is familiar with: the strict requirement to return your seat to the upright position during takeoff and landing. But seriously, why do we have to do it?

Safety First

It might seem like a quirky rule, but it makes perfect sense when you realize that takeoff and landing are the two most critical phases of any flight. In fact, this is when the vast majority of incidents occur—anywhere from 60% to 80% depending on the year. In the aviation industry, the first three minutes after takeoff and the final eight minutes before landing are widely considered the trickiest, if not the most dangerous, times for a pilot. Simply put, this rule boils down entirely to keeping you safe.

Practically speaking, the goal is to make things as seamless as possible in the event of an emergency evacuation. That means minimizing obstacles and eliminating any “minor details” that could trip up or slow down passengers. This becomes especially clear when you consider that aviation regulations (like those from the FAA) require airlines to be able to completely evacuate an aircraft in under 90 seconds.

Furthermore, in the event of an emergency landing, passengers need to be able to adopt the brace position to absorb the shock: leaning forward with their head against the seat in front of them or between their knees. Naturally, you can’t have a reclined seat blocking that crucial space for the person behind you. Airplane seats are actually engineered to absorb body impact only when they are locked in their fully upright position. The same goes for seatbelts, which are specifically designed to be most effective when your seat is perfectly vertical.

They might seem like minor annoyances, but these details exist for a very good reason. It perfectly explains why raising your seat is mandatory—and why buckling up, opening your window shades, and stowing your tray table are also strict requirements during those crucial takeoff and landing phases.

Traveling Just to Sleep

Sleep tourism is the latest sub-sector to carve out a major space within the broader wellness travel industry.

The concept is beautifully simple because it flips traditional vacation logic entirely on its head. Instead of packing your itinerary with back-to-back sightseeing, excursions, and late nights that leave you needing a vacation from your vacation, you book a getaway with a single goal: getting high-quality, restorative sleep to heal both body and mind. It’s a direct response to the collective burnout and chronic stress of our fast-paced modern lives. Welcome to the 21st century!

It makes perfect sense when you look at its roots, which trace back to the pandemic. The era of global lockdowns, endless screen time, and heightened anxiety triggered a quiet epidemic of insomnia and sleep deprivation.

Travel insiders quickly recognized a growing demand for experiences that offer pure restoration—a chance to disconnect, clear the mind, and enjoy absolute peace and comfort. All in the name of a good night’s rest.

Over the last two or three years, the concept of sleep tourism has truly solidified. Backed by significant investment, new dedicated retreats blend cutting-edge technology—think AI-driven smart beds—with traditional sleep medicine. And to say it’s taking off would be an understatement.

From North America and Asia to Scandinavia, Switzerland, and pockets of France and Spain, top-tier destinations are embracing this ultimate detox. Interestingly, these sleep-centric retreats are popping up in two completely different environments: isolated, off-grid nature spots and bustling urban hubs where state-of-the-art technology is used to block out the city and engineer the perfect, silent sleep cocoon.

There is something for every travel style and budget. You can choose to recharge in a secluded cabin, a cozy mountain chalet, an intimate boutique hotel, or a world-class luxury resort. For those looking for a deep scientific dive, there are even specialized sleep clinics. The goal remains the same: resetting your natural circadian rhythm.

To achieve this, these properties feature meticulously engineered rooms. Think smart mattresses that auto-adjust to your body shape and temperature, advanced soundproofing, and total blackout setups paired with specialized circadian LED lighting that stimulates melatonin production—the natural “sleep hormone.”

The experience usually extends well beyond the bedroom. Guests can enjoy specially curated, light, sleep-inducing menus, custom herbal teas, and pre-bedtime meditation or yoga sessions designed to quiet a racing mind. Naturally, a strict digital detox from phones, laptops, and Wi-Fi is highly encouraged.

For the ultimate sleep reset, some high-end properties offer comprehensive health check-ups. This includes consultations with sleep specialists and overnight monitoring using sensors and tracking technology to analyze your sleep architecture. The ultimate goal isn’t just a great vacation; it’s about giving you a personalized, actionable blueprint to ensure you keep getting peaceful, restful nights long after you’ve returned home.

A Long Way to Go, But Reasons for Optimism

The Amazon is finally catching a brief break, and conservationists are hoping it marks a lasting trend. Last year, deforestation in the Brazilian portion of the rainforest dropped to its lowest level since 2019.

According to satellite monitoring and environmental observers, roughly 985,000 hectares (about 2.4 million acres or 3,800 square miles) of forest were cleared. While that is still an incredibly high number, it represents a promising 20% decrease compared to the previous year. Crucially, it pushes the annual destruction back below the symbolic threshold of one million hectares.

This downward trend offers real reasons to look forward, especially with the current Brazilian administration setting an ambitious target to completely halt illegal deforestation by the next decade. Still, the urgency remains clear: despite the recent progress, an average of five trees are still being cleared every single day—primarily driven by cattle ranching and agricultural expansion.

Which Countries Make Up the Amazon?

While the Amazon is most famous for its massive footprint in Brazil—which contains nearly two-thirds of the jungle—the world’s largest rainforest actually stretches across eight other South American nations.

Spanning a total area of 5.5 million square kilometers (about 2.1 million square miles), the Amazon basin is shared among the following countries:

• Brazil: ~60%
• Peru: 10%
• Colombia: 7%
• Bolivia: 6%
• Venezuela: 6%
• Guyana: 3%
• Suriname: 2%
• Ecuador: 1.5%
• French Guiana: 1.5%

Between Network Shifts and a Return to Normalcy

It’s been a major talking point: between the conflict itself and its ripple effects—specifically rising fuel costs—airlines have been forced to pivot. This has led to higher ticket prices and, more significantly, a total reconfiguration of flight networks. Carriers are balancing security concerns with profitability, often temporarily cutting less lucrative routes to focus on stable markets. The global sky certainly looks different than it did a few months ago.

Unsurprisingly, the Gulf region has been hit the hardest. More than a third of flights have been canceled over the past several weeks, with schedules being adjusted daily based on the latest news.

Despite this, legacy carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways are fighting to maintain their programs, waiting for a return to normalcy by opening new routes or shifting flight paths. Etihad Airways, for instance, is doubling down on Africa, recently adding service to several new cities. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s focus on Africa isn’t just a coincidence—it’s a strategic move to find growth elsewhere.

The Rise of New Hubs and Transatlantic Stability

Africa is actually emerging as a winner in this shift, with air traffic on the continent up by about 20%. This is driven by a surge in domestic demand, but also by the “rerouting” of global aviation. African hubs like Addis Ababa, home to Ethiopian Airlines, have become vital workarounds for travelers looking to bypass the conflict zone on the Europe-Asia axis.

While these workarounds help, they haven’t fully made up for the dip in traffic across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, regions that traditionally rely heavily on Middle Eastern hubs for passenger transit.

The impact is also being felt in Europe, which is seeing fewer arrivals from that part of the world. However, the European market is showing its signature resilience. Many travelers who used to connect through the Gulf are now opting for full, direct flights offered by European carriers.

Closer to home for our North American readers, the news is even more stable. While ticket prices are trending upward, demand for intra-European travel and transatlantic routes remains very strong. Geographically removed from the heart of the crisis, the Americas have largely been spared from the major disruptions affecting the rest of the world.

The Bottom Line

While the events at the start of the year caught many off guard, the initial phase of high anxiety has given way to practical solutions. Aside from the Middle Eastern countries on the front lines, the rest of the world has adapted quickly to avoid a drastic drop in flight volumes.

This doesn’t mean the industry is in the clear—especially for smaller airlines that were already on shaky ground—but for now, the global travel network is proving it can weather the storm. As long as the current geopolitical situation persists, expect these new routes and price adjustments to become the new temporary “normal.”

Hotels, Transport, and Everything in Between

One could argue that, until recently, there simply wasn’t enough breathing room for these upgrades. Before regional tensions shifted the travel landscape, Dubai was operating at full throttle. Authorities were occupied with managing millions of annual visitors, often prioritizing only the most profitable or high-profile “megaprojects.”

However, given the current climate, Dubai has pivoted toward a new wave of construction and refinement. The goal? To unveil a side of the city that is even more ambitious and grand than the one we already know.

A Fresh Look for Iconic Landmarks

The hospitality sector is leading the charge. With several “mega-hotels” seeing a temporary dip in occupancy or brief closures, management teams have seized the opportunity to renovate. Many long-planned refurbishments are finally underway. This includes significant work on the Burj Al Arab—the iconic, sail-shaped silhouette that remains the definitive symbol of luxury for the city and the United Arab Emirates.

Moving Millions: Taxis and the Metro

On the ground, transportation is seeing a massive boost. Hundreds of new taxi licenses have recently been granted, with the goal of bringing the city’s fleet to a staggering 7,000 vehicles.

For those who prefer public transit, the long-awaited Gold Line project for the Dubai Metro has officially been approved. Designed as a model for sustainable urban travel, this underground line will span approximately 26 miles (42 kilometers) and serve 18 stations. Crucially, it will provide vital links to the existing metro lines and the Etihad Rail network, making the city more accessible for travelers arriving from other parts of the country.

A More Inclusive, World-Class Destination

The upgrades don’t stop at transport and hotels. The city is also modernizing its beaches to maintain their status as world-class coastal retreats. Furthermore, new digital tools are being implemented to facilitate better communication and feedback between tourists and local operators.

In a significant step toward accessibility, Dubai has also introduced a new Sign Language Charter. This initiative aims to establish the city as a global gold standard for inclusive travel, ensuring that every visitor—regardless of ability—can navigate the city with ease.

It’s clear that a “new-look” Dubai is emerging from this period of transition, ready to welcome the world back with even more flair and efficiency.

Traveler Tip: Getting to Dubai from the U.S.

For American travelers, Dubai remains highly accessible via Emirates, which offers direct flights from major hubs like NYC (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), and Chicago (ORD). While U.S. citizens currently enjoy a 30-day visa-on-arrival (free of charge), it is always worth checking the latest travel advisories and entry requirements before booking your trip to ensure a smooth journey.

Every major airline has at least one—think Atlanta for Delta Airlines or Paris-Charles de Gaulle for Air France. In fact, some of these hubs have become practically unavoidable crossroads on major international air routes, much like the Gulf airports connecting Europe and Asia.

Now, a new player is stepping up to the plate, poised to become an essential transit point for air traffic between Europe, Africa, and North America. That country is Morocco, anchored by its bustling Casablanca hub.

A Prime Geographical Location

To run an efficient hub, an airline first needs a strategic geographical location along its target air routes—if only to save passengers from taking massive detours to reach their final destination. It also helps immensely to have a national carrier with a solid international network and a robust fleet capable of supporting these high-flying ambitions. As it turns out, Morocco checks all these boxes.

The country enjoys a highly unique position: it’s the gateway to Africa, an immediate neighbor to Europe, and the closest point on the African continent to the Americas. That’s a massive ace up its sleeve.

As for its national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), it’s becoming an increasingly powerful force in the skies. Beyond its original mission of flying the Moroccan diaspora and European tourists in and out of the country, RAM has seriously broadened its horizons in recent years. Its ambitious goal? To transform into a world-class global airline capable of bridging continents and transporting tens of millions of passengers.

To make this happen, Moroccan authorities aren’t holding back, pouring significant financial resources into the project. Their “Objective 2030” (tying into the year Morocco will co-host the FIFA World Cup) aims to skyrocket the country’s airport capacity from 30 million annual passengers to a staggering 80 million. This push will be driven by a rapidly expanding national airline—now a proud member of the Oneworld alliance alongside US-favorite American Airlines and British Airways—which plans to quadruple its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037.

Supporting this massive operation on the ground is Casablanca’s mega-airport, Mohammed V. Outfitted with new terminals and ultra-modern facilities, it’s designed to handle the influx of transit flights. The flight schedules are also being hyper-optimized for seamless connections: planes arriving from across Africa will land just before wide-body jets take off for North America or Europe, and vice versa. For US and UK travelers, this means shorter layovers, fewer headaches, and a much smoother journey.

Currently, Royal Air Maroc serves around 50 cities in Europe, over 30 in Africa, and soon eight in North America. According to aviation experts, these route numbers are set to climb year after year. With heavily backed infrastructure and a growing global footprint, Morocco certainly holds all the right cards to become the ultimate bridge between these three continents.

Streamlining the Visitor Experience

Unsurprisingly, this new policy is designed to manage the massive crowds that flock to the monument during peak seasons, ultimately improving the experience for every visitor.

Beginning this fall, groups will no longer be able to purchase tickets directly at the monument’s ticket windows as they have in the past. Instead, they must use the official authorized booking site.

On the other hand, there are no changes planned for individual travelers. If you are visiting solo or with a small family, you can still buy your tickets on-site for same-day admission.

The Eiffel Tower: The World’s Most Replicated Monument

Between the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower, most experts agree that France’s iconic landmark is the most copied monument in the world, narrowly beating out its New York counterpart.

It’s an impressive feat for a structure that only opened in 1889. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the Paris World’s Fair, the tower was initially loathed by many French artists and intellectuals. They viewed the 984-foot metallic structure as an eyesore and even campaigned for its demolition.

However, as is often the case with bold new projects in France, once the controversy settled, the Eiffel Tower skyrocketed in popularity. It quickly became the globally recognized symbol of Paris and France. Today, it remains one of the world’s most visited—and therefore most imitated—tourist attractions.

From China, Mexico, and Bolivia to Indonesia, Pakistan, and various corners of Europe, the Eiffel Tower is everywhere. But it has found its most famous second home in the United States. The Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino on the Strip offers a concentrated (and perhaps a bit kitschy) version of Parisian life as imagined from across the Atlantic.

Opened in 1999, the Paris Las Vegas is a titan of the Strip. With nearly 86,000 square feet of gaming space, a vast “French-themed” shopping mall, 2,916 rooms, and over 4,000 employees, it is one of the city’s largest resorts. It is also one of the most recognizable, thanks to its 541-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower—exactly half the height of the original—which features a stunning observation deck at the top.

As for how a replica of the French icon ended up in the Nevada desert? It dates back to the 1990s when Line Renaud, a legendary French singer and Las Vegas fixture, personally asked the then-Mayor of Paris, Jean Tiberi, for permission to let a second Eiffel Tower take center stage in the middle of Las Vegas.

Expected Later This Year

While the specific details and an official launch date have yet to be finalized, the project is gaining momentum and is expected to take effect sometime this year. The ultimate goal is for every traveler to provide proof of insurance covering medical expenses before they even depart for Thailand.

Alternatively, authorities are considering an automatic entry fee—rumored to be less than $11 (€10)—which would function as a flat tax to provide every visitor with basic healthcare coverage.

This move is largely driven by the financial strain on hospitals in major tourist hubs like Phuket and Chiang Mai, which currently face massive annual deficits. Nationwide, unpaid medical bills are estimated to exceed $2.7 million (€2.5 million) annually, often resulting from scooter or diving accidents. These mounting costs have significantly weakened the Thai healthcare system, prompting the government to seek a sustainable solution.

Current Entry Requirements for Thailand

To encourage tourism, Thailand has recently streamlined its entry process for many nationalities, including American, British, and European travelers.

Currently, if you are traveling for tourism, you only need a passport in good condition that is valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry. U.S. citizens can stay for up to 60 days visa-free (an increase from the previous 30-day limit). You may also be asked to show proof of a return or onward flight, and occasionally, proof of sufficient funds for your stay.

It is also important to note that since 2025, the old paper arrival forms have been phased out in favor of a digital system. This is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). Every traveler, regardless of nationality or mode of transport, must complete this free online registration at least 24 hours before arrival. The only exception is for passengers who are only transiting through a Thai airport.