Know + Go: Dueling upgrades at Delta, American

Upgrades in flight

Two of the nation's largest airlines — Delta and American — are battling to offer the most stylish, comfortable and tech-friendly seats in the sky. Almost simultaneously this month, the two carriers announced upgrades that would include new seat categories at Delta Air Lines and power outlets and satellite-based Internet on American Airlines planes.Los Angeles Times

Snowmobiling at Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park has opened for snowmobiles and other snow machines. But warm weather and limited snowfall means there's very little snowpack, so until conditions improve, visitors will be allowed to take snowmobile trips or travel by commercial snowcoach only between the park's South Entrance and Old Faithful.

Associated Press

traveler's bookshelf

EBook opens eyes on travel

"Travel: the Guide," by Doug Lansky, doesn't help travelers navigate destinations like a typical guidebook. Instead, it hopes to guide them to a deeper travel experience, wherever they roam. The book — available in both eBook and coffee-table form — uses a visual approach rich in photography and illustrated charts to offer fresh perspectives on travel. Even before you get to the introduction, the book asks "Why do we travel?" The following pages offer a range of answers, always with photographs that show the opposite reality: "To get off the beaten path" appears in bold type with a photo of a thronged Great Wall of China, for instance; "To meet the locals" overlays a photo of a couple floating on rafts while a waiter wades through the water to bring them drinks. Lansky, a travel writer and native Minnesotan living in Sweden, urges people to interact with locals, pack lightly and skip the overseas Starbucks and McDonalds. "When we travel, we view things from a certain lens," the book's introduction says. What follows ­— including an insightful and charming chart of the history of travel, statistics on what we should fear in other countries more than a terrorist attack (dangerous roads and texting while driving), an interview with a traveler in a wheelchair — might begin to open our eyes. Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble ($60 for hardback; $5 for eBook).

Kerri Westenberg

Deal of the week

Family package to Disney on offer

Disney World is offering a family-friendly package with savings of up to $600. The six-day deal includes lodging at select properties in all four Disney Resort categories (deluxe villas, deluxe, moderate and value), multi-day theme park tickets (one park per day) and dining plan. Prices vary. For example, in January, a family of four pays $2,162 for five nights at a Disney All-Star Resort hotel (value category), theme park tickets, Quick-Service dining plan and taxes — a savings of $415. Book by Dec. 29 for travel from Jan. 5 through March 7. More information at 1-407-939-1899 or disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/dine-plan.

Washington Post

Local travel news

$18M checkpoint upgrade coming to MSP

An $18 million project will dramatically change security checkpoints at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, officials say. The new mega-checkpoint will provide more space for conveyor belts that move passengers' carry-on bags past scanners. There also will be added room for passengers exiting the checkpoints to put back on their shoes, belts and jackets. Construction will begin in April and be completed in March 2016. Passengers now wait 15 minutes or more, depending on the day, time and season. "Our goal is to have security wait times of 12 minutes or less" after the renovations are completed, said Patrick Hogan, spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission.Nicole Norfleet