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Our pre-Thanksgiving travel news roundup is all about transportation, from flight attendants’ holiday survival tips to Egypt’s new high-speed train and how the world’s oldest passenger ship started a new life on land.
Unique airports and unique airplanes
Maho Beach on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten is a paradise for airplane buffs and thrill seekers. Princess Juliana International Airport’s landing strip is separated from the beach by a single road, so during peak season up to 70 planes a day buzz over the nearly-touchable sand.
“It’s scary,” said airport worker Franklin Wilson. “It feels like it’s coming straight at me.”
But for many pilots, it’s a dream come true, says Wilson’s colleague Irving Maduro. “They love seeing people on the beach below.”
Qantas’ new airliner is designed to fly non-stop for up to 22 hours, giving you plenty of time to look out the window. Earlier this month, the Australian airline released the first images of the plane flying direct from Sydney to London and New York.
The U.S. government shutdown has ended, but it could take months for air travel to fully recover. Wouldn’t it be great for Americans to have an attractive alternative like an integrated network of high-speed rail?
CNN reimagines three of the busiest air and road travel routes across the continental United States as high-speed rail, offering a vision of a faster, better and more connected future. Check out the interactive for more information.
Egypt unveiled new 155 mph trains this month, 41 of which will be used on the country’s planned 2,000-kilometer (1,200-mile) high-speed network. It’s not the first on the continent. Africa’s first high-speed line, connecting Tangier and Casablanca at 200mph, opened in Morocco in 2018.
Was your flight canceled? Here’s how to rebook, get a refund, or get compensation
Thanksgiving travel is stressful every year, but the 2025 edition can definitely cause some extra anxiety. We asked flight attendants to share their secrets for surviving holiday travel, from booking directly with the airline to why you should always wipe down surfaces.
CNN’s Pete Muntean went behind the scenes to manage Southwest Airlines’ network operations, which monitors every flight in real time.
Up to 600,000 people will take to the skies each day during the busiest day of the Thanksgiving rush, but Andrew Watterson, the airline’s chief operating officer, doesn’t expect any drama. He said, “The weather is nice and we are well staffed.” Look here.
But in case you run into any issues this year, here’s what to do if your flight is canceled or if your luggage is lost, delayed, stolen, or damaged.
Of course, there are many more difficult journeys than a delayed short flight back to your mother’s house.
For example, Trinh and Paige Rouse have walked 12,000 miles through all 50 states. They told CNN about the support they found among strangers.
“We expected to sleep under a lot more bridges,” says Trinh. “Along the way, people came out of the woodwork and helped us.”
CNN’s Stephanie Halas swam from Asia to Europe as part of the Bosphorus Transcontinental Swim Race in Istanbul this August. More than 2,800 swimmers signed up to take part in the four-mile course this year, facing challenges such as strong currents and jellyfish.
Finally, two British women recently rowed 8,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean to raise money for charity. They are Miriam Payne and the aptly named Jess Lowe. See what life on a rowboat was like for five months here.
The world’s oldest passenger ship has a new life on land
The world’s oldest passenger ship, the SS Medina, made her maiden voyage in 1914. Now, thanks to an $18 million investment from a Singaporean businessman, the ship has a new life on land as a hotel. CNN joined the tour.
Someone in Portland managed to smuggle a meat cleaver onto a plane.
The TSA is investigating how the suspect got past security screening.
It’s a crackdown on immigration. A luxurious state visit. This is a rare picture.
What do you remember about that week?
She married her brother, but then he died.
Her monument to grief was a wonder of the ancient world.
The world’s coolest street has been named.
This is what the locals really think.
