Delta nonstop to Reykjavik
Delta Air Lines will begin flights between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Reykjavik, Iceland, next spring, expanding to a European gateway Minnesotans can already reach on Icelandair. Delta's daily route will begin May 26 and end Sept. 6. Icelandair flies the route 10 months a year.
staff report
Death Valley reels from flood
Death Valley National Park was hammered by a powerful weather system in October that dropped nearly 3 inches of rain in five hours, triggering a 1,000-year flood event that battered historic structures, chewed through roadways and altered the landscape. Park superintendent Mike Reynolds said, "We're gearing up for a long, hard recovery."
Los Angeles Times
Hotel check-in
Austin behemoth with a western accent
With 1,012 guest rooms, three restaurants and 42 meeting rooms, the new JW Marriott is the biggest hotel in Austin, Texas. The 34-story property takes up most of a downtown city block. Guests can head to the shores of Lady Bird Lake for a jog or paddle-boarding session before hitting the town. One lake-facing room on the 24th floor was spacious, comfortable and outfitted with a healthy dose of Texas accents. In addition to 24-hour room service, the hotel has three restaurants: Osteria Pronto, an upscale Italian eatery; the more casual Corner, which features Texas cuisine and a large patio; and a walk-up Burger Bar that channels Austin's grab-and-go food-truck culture. This downtown newcomer also features a spacious, 3,500-square-foot gym with nine treadmills, and an outdoor pool with a deck on the fifth floor. This hotel will appeal to conference-goers and business travelers, but boutique aficionados should look elsewhere (standard rooms from $299; jwmarriottaustin.com). New York Times
Travel trend
Thanksgiving dinner goes global
As more travelers are on the go during Thanksgiving, many global destinations are offering traditional dinners blended with regional fare. Strawberry Hill in Jamaica has a buffet with turkey, chicken, ribs and fish, all prepared in the traditional jerk fashion, along with local desserts and rum cocktails ($55 per person). The Regent Porto Montenegro will offer a four-course meal on Nov. 26 that includes a slow-cooked turkey breast dish served with mlinci (a local pasta), tangerine relish and cabbage ($53). Domestically, Westin La Paloma's Azul restaurant in Tucson features dishes with a Southwestern slant, including agave chile-rubbed turkey with poblano crema and cornbread chorizo stuffing ($64.50). New York Times
Web Buzz
There's an app to help with holiday travel
Here are some of the best travel apps and websites that can help with Thanksgiving travel:
• TSA's free mobile app, "My TSA," includes tips on what's allowed in your luggage, how early to arrive during holiday travel, and how to prepare for various airport security lanes.
• After you've booked your rental car, Autoslash.com searches the Web for discounts and applies them to your bottom line.
• The iExit app tells you the services available at different U.S. highway exits, so you can decide whether to get off at the next exit or wait for a better option.
• Waze, a traffic and navigation app, posts real-time traffic info from drivers in your area. Hartford Courant
