Vacation in a castle

Castle hotels in England, Scotland and Ireland hold an undeniable "Game of Thrones" allure. Ashford Castle in western Ireland has been inhabited for centuries by aristocrats and visited by luminaries such as King George V, Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco; the estate is home to the oldest established falconry school in Ireland (deluxe queen room from $890 per night). Perched on a "Pride and Prejudice"-worthy bluff in Devon, England, is Bovey Castle, the former estate of W.H. Smith, in the middle of Dartmoor National Park (junior state rooms from $535 to $680 per night). And in the Scottish Highlands, Tulloch Castle has ancient ambience (secret doorways, crenelated battlements, a wood-paneled great hall) minus the frills. It's a short drive from lochs and woodlands with abundant sporting activities (family room from $238 per night).

New York Times

Long security lines likely

The head of the Department of Homeland Security acknowledges that airport security lines have gotten longer but said that any real fixes to the problem will require money. Congress has so far sent mixed signals about whether it will free up the money. That is making travel industry leaders nervous because even the talk of airport gridlock could scare off Americans from traveling this summer. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson issued a statement last week saying the Transportation Security Administration will increase staffing at the busiest airports and will add more explosives-sniffing dogs. He has also encouraged more travelers to sign up for TSA PreCheck, the program that enables prescreened fliers to use a speedier checkpoint without removing their shoes or taking out their laptops.

Los Angeles Times

Save on a Mississippi cruise

Save at least $550 per person on select Mississippi River cruises with American Queen Steamboat Co. Starting rate, after discount, is $1,599 per person double, including taxes, on six cruises departing July 3 through Aug. 21. For example, a Life on the Mississippi cruise from St. Louis to Red Wing, Minn., departing July 24 and Aug. 7, includes a pre-cruise one-night hotel stay in St. Louis and seven nights aboard the American Queen with daily shore excursions. Book by June 30. Info: 1-888-749-5280, americanqueensteamboatcompany.com.

Washington Post

The American Queen.

Southwest Effect goes global

For years, airline industry analysts have used the term "Southwest Effect" to describe how airfares offered by major carriers decline after Southwest Airlines starts to compete with those airlines on specific domestic routes. Now that Southwest has started to serve international destinations, it seems that the same "Southwest Effect" extends to foreign routes, according to a study by Rick Seaney of the travel site Farecompare.com. Fares for flights to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean dropped as much as 25 percent after Southwest joined the competition, the study found. But Seaney's analysis found that certain routes to Mexico and Central America were also pushed down when ultralow cost carrier Spirit Airlines entered those markets. "It appears that Southwest doesn't have to be in the market in order for the so-called Southwest Effect to occur," the study concluded.

Los Angeles Times