Plan Your Travel Year

Your complete guide to another 12 months of adventure.

A few people swimming and relaxing at green Wadi Bani Khalid oasis in Oman

Where will 2025 take you? We’re dreaming of the wadis of Oman for starters.

Photo by Nathalie Mohadjer

Our new collection of travel-planning stories is full of intel and inspiration to guide you through an amazing year of adventure. We reveal how to make the most of your airline points and which hotel loyalty schemes are best. We’ve highlighted the destinations that top travel advisors believe will be big in five years—and therefore are best to visit now. And we’ve got the latest on cruising, top restaurants around the world, and more.

Happy travels, wherever you might be going.

Tim Chester is a deputy editor at Afar, focusing primarily on destination inspiration and sustainable travel. He’s previously worked for Mashable, Buzzfeed, Rough Guides, the Sunday Times, the Guardian, and NME as a travel, music, culture, and tech journalist. He lives near L.A. in California and likes spending time in the waves, on the mountains, or on wheels. Find him on LinkedIn.
We asked travel advisors and tour operators for their insight into up-and-coming places likely to be a lot busier in a few years.
Afar’s resident hotel expert uncovers 12 of the most alluring new and renovated hotels of 2025, from California to Indonesia.
A travel writer who’s been covering river cruises for years offers her top picks for families, foodies, solo travelers, wellness seekers, history lovers, and more.
Brian Kelly, aka The Points Guy, knows that navigating the points-and-miles ecosystem is no picnic. So he wrote a book—"How to Win at Travel”—to help us do just that.
High-design boutique hotels, glamping outposts, luxury all-inclusives. In 2025, the hotels you can book through loyalty programs like Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and IHG One Rewards look a lot different than they did a few years ago.
Airline loyalty programs, many travelers say, aren’t what they used to be. But some are still well worth it—just for different purposes.
“Wave season” is a promotional period when cruise lines roll out some of the best discounts, free flights, and attractive upgrades of the year. Here’s when it is and what’s on offer.
A report from passenger rights company AirHelp clues travelers in to the airports and travel months with the most delays and disruptions.
On this episode of Unpacked, leaders from Hyatt, Hilton, and InterContinental share the trends that will shape luxury travel for years to come.
These meals are so special and immersive that they could anchor your entire vacation. Step one: Nab a reservation.
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