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In our roundup of travel stories this week: The families who were ripped apart by Italy’s new citizenship laws, why some travelers say airport lounges are no longer worth it, plus more woe for the Boeing 737 Max.
Airplanes up to 45 years old are safely flying commercial routes around the world, but airlines invest a lot to make sure travelers aren’t aware they’re taking to the skies in a decades-old aircraft. This process starts with rigorous maintenance and includes the installation of brand-new interiors—everything from modern seats and sidewalls to the latest inflight entertainment systems—to keep passengers satisfied. One notable example is United Airlines’ fleet of Boeing 767s, which feature all the carrier’s very latest cabin comfort experiences, even though four of those specific aircraft entered service as far back as 1991.
“Airplanes are built incredibly durably,” says Nathaniel Pieper, chief commercial officer of American Airlines. “Nobody’s going to know what the hull says.” The Boeing 767, first introduced in 1982, is widely regarded as a reliable workhorse of the skies. This reputation stands in stark contrast to the beleaguered status of the Boeing 737 MAX, which lost faith with customers early following two fatal crashes. The US Federal Aviation Administration recently flagged another safety concern at the end of July, noting that seats on hundreds of US-registered Boeing 737 MAX jets may require inspections to ensure they were installed correctly.
Aviation improvements have made headlines elsewhere, too. One of the country’s least popular airports is slated for a $22.5 billion renovation as part of President Trump’s latest initiative to reshape Washington, DC. However, a new poll indicates that 58% of Americans feel dissatisfied or angry regarding his construction projects within the capital.
In legal news, Gustavo Monasterios, a 47-year-old Venezuelan, won a landmark lawsuit for Italian citizenship last week, potentially opening the door for millions of Italian descendants. The Italian supreme court’s abolition of 2024 restrictions on citizenship by descent means American families previously torn apart by the legislation may finally be reunited. “There were moments when I thought, ‘Give up,’” says Monasterios. “We’ve been in this for the past 10 years. It’s a lot of paperwork, a big financial burden, and not knowing what’s going to happen affects your mental health. But we said, we’re here to win the war, and losing battles are part of winning the war.”
Continuing our countdown of America’s Best Towns to Visit in 2026, we have Fort Collins, Colorado, at No. 5. The charming downtown of this former 19th-century military outpost provided real-life inspiration for Disneyland’s Main Street USA, and visitors can still experience that small-town nostalgia while walking through its pedestrian-only Old Town Square. The city is home to a nationally famous brewery, a retro ‘80s cafe, and indie movie theaters, all situated at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Our list so far includes Roanoke, Virginia, at No. 10; Lawrence, Kansas, at No. 9; Iowa City, Iowa, at No. 8; Juneau, Alaska, at No. 7; and Burlington, Vermont, at No. 6.
Elsewhere, tens of thousands of people in China jostle online each month to grab a coveted spot for a car factory tour on the outskirts of Beijing. The sprawling Xiaomi plant is said to be the size of the Chinese capital’s Forbidden City. Meanwhile, China’s top leaders continue to unwind at a mysterious coastal resort town, and recent news cycles have been dominated by a raging wildfire, a pivotal election, and a moon collision. Finally, a bison recently chased a child in Yellowstone National Park, an event captured by a stunned onlooker in a viral video. The report also notes that now it’s hoi polloi, where once it was hoity-toity.