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Off Peak, no. 1: the Caribbean's best week is the one people think is dangerous

Off Peak, no. 1: the Caribbean's best week is the one people think is dangerous

Hurricane season pricing runs through November 30. Actual hurricane risk collapses by mid-November. That two-week overlap is the best price-to-risk window on the Caribbean calendar, and it's bookable right now.

Aug 27, 2026 · 4 min read
Basic economy got worse in 2026, and the changes were announced quietly
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Basic economy got worse in 2026, and the changes were announced quietly

Three major rule changes landed between December and May, all of them subtractions. What basic economy costs you now, airline by airline, and the two situations where it's still the right buy.

Aug 24, 2026 · 4 min read
The Amalfi Coast isn't overrated. The trip everyone books is.
overrated-index

The Amalfi Coast isn't overrated. The trip everyone books is.

The coast is as good as advertised. The default itinerary, Positano in August, is the most expensive way to see the least of it. Same coastline, 30 to 50 percent cheaper, with the fistfights at the bus stop optional.

Aug 21, 2026 · 3 min read
Your "free" travel insurance depends on which card you tapped
terms-departures

Your "free" travel insurance depends on which card you tapped

Premium cards really do include trip cancellation coverage. The catch isn't the coverage, it's that paying with the wrong card, or splitting the bill across two cards, can void it entirely.

Aug 10, 2026 · 4 min read
Lisbon: CLEARED, with one condition. It's a month.
overrated-index

Lisbon: CLEARED, with one condition. It's a month.

Same city, same trams, same pasteis. Book it for early October instead of August and the price drops roughly a quarter while the lines shrink. The board's second CLEARED, and the condition is a calendar entry.

Aug 06, 2026 · 2 min read
The resort fee didn't die. It moved upstream.
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The resort fee didn't die. It moved upstream.

A federal rule now forces hotels to show the fee in the advertised price. It caps nothing, bans nothing, and changes exactly one thing: where the number hides. Here's how to read the new label.

Aug 03, 2026 · 3 min read
Tulum: the board's first CANCELLED, three days after Mexico launched a rescue plan
The Overrated Index

Tulum: the board's first CANCELLED, three days after Mexico launched a rescue plan

Empty beaches and 35% discounts sound like a buying signal. They aren't yet, because the things that emptied Tulum are mostly still there. The receipts, plus the brand-new rescue plan that puts this verdict on the re-check list.

Jul 30, 2026 · 3 min read
Your airline owes you cash, not a voucher. It's been the law since 2024.
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Your airline owes you cash, not a voucher. It's been the law since 2024.

Cancelled flight? A federal rule says the refund is automatic, in cash, within seven business days — and the voucher they offer first is the opt-out. Here's how not to opt out by accident.

Jul 27, 2026 · 3 min read
Santorini: we came to cancel it. The 2026 numbers argued back.
overrated-index

Santorini: we came to cancel it. The 2026 numbers argued back.

The poster child of overtourism just had a cruise cap, a demand slump, and a 40% hotel discount collide. The verdict surprised us too.

Jul 23, 2026 · 2 min read
"Cancel For Any Reason" insurance: four words, three conditions, and a 25% haircut
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"Cancel For Any Reason" insurance: four words, three conditions, and a 25% haircut

The best-named product in travel insurance lets you cancel for any reason, as long as it's not too late, you insured everything, you bought it fast enough, and you're fine getting most of your money back.

Jul 19, 2026 · 3 min read