Hey there, Travellers,

I'd like to kick off by wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to all our American readers! However you celebrated, I hope your bellies were full and your hearts warm… and that you had five minutes free to check over all the bargain Flights landing in your inbox.

No doubt your emails have been overflowing this past week, so you may have missed some rather amusing "news." The US transportation secretary has been urging travellers to wind back the clock and dress with respect, as though we were in the golden age of travel. 

When you're embarking on a 20-hour journey across continents, or hopping on a budget flight with nothing more than a backpack and randomly allocated seat, does anyone truly expect you to care about more than comfort? 

Sure, we can debate the merits of jeans on a plane, and we can probably all agree that shorts involve too much skin-seat contact. But, we're not living in that Golden Age of Travel. We're in our own, modern, slightly tarnished age with even more opportunity than ever before. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the dos and don'ts of "respectful" travel garb. Should we bring back collars and dresses? Or are leggings and hoodies perfectly reasonable? Jump into the comments or reply to this email.

Happy travels and safe landings,

I knew when I asked for backpack recommendations last week that frequent travellers like yourselves would have some strong opinions. Thank you so much for all the bag reviews, suggestions, and links, lovely readers!

The ideas came rolling in, and a few loyal camps became clear. To be honest, I'm actually pretty concerned that some of you may have joined a particular multicoloured cult…

With my trusty Herschel nearing the end of its life, I've spent this week researching all your suggestions and trawling the Black Friday sales. Frankly, I'm only a little closer to pulling the trigger, and time is ticking on those discounts. 

But without further ado, here are the top recommendations from you, the wonderful Jack's Community:

Osprey

Pros: Osprey bags are practical, supportive, and clearly have staying power. There are a few nice colorways to choose from, for those who like their functionality served with at least a little pizzazz.

Cons: They’re not the cheapest; Navigator Lauren’s fave Fairview is currently clocking in at around £115/$140/€150. And while they do come in different colors, they’re hardly serving up that enduring Kånken style. Maybe more for the outdoorsy types than purely savvy travelers?

Next up, the zero frills, zero fuss crew:

Cabin Max

Pros: Cabin Max cater to nearly every airline’s dimensional whims. It’s all in the name: you’ll get the max cabin space possible (without paying extra). Plus, they’re super affordable and come in a variety of jazzy colors and styles, some even a little more stylish than purely functional.

Cons: Not ideal for lugging around on your back all day — the shoulder straps are all you’ve got in the way of support, so don’t bring the kitchen sink. And yes, they are on the cheaper side, so pay close attention to design elements like laptop padding and secure closures.

And now we’ve got a PSA from Navigator Fran, who, surprisingly, is not being sponsored for this rave review:

Cotopaxi

Pros: Cotopaxi bags are clearly super reliable and practical. Plus, you gotta love their ‘Del Día’ collection, made from a patchwork of leftover fabrics. That means you get a completely one-of-a-kind bag, which can come in pretty handy during the shuffle of international travel.

Cons: That price, though. You’re looking at £140-£200 new on the Cotopaxi website. If you dig around online, you’ll no doubt be able to find them a little cheaper, but they’re still far from a budget-friendly option. More of a long-term investment, perhaps. 

Also, you might be joining a cult that it’s really hard to leave if you buy one.

Now, not to be confused with the Max competition above, the Jack’s Community is also fond of… 

Cabin Zero

Pros: Once again, we’ve got bags designed to beat airline restrictions. Looking for a carry-on that’ll fit under the seat in front of you? Just filter by ‘Underseat’. They’re functional, affordable, and they come in pretty much every color.

Cons: What they offer in color, they kind of lack in actual style. Maximizing functional bag space is key here, and every model appears to be a cuboid bag designed to fit perfectly in a bag sizer.

Keep reading...

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.

• From next year, National Parks in the USA will begin charging higher entry fees for foreign visitors than US residents.
  
  
• Inside the Swiss village where the only cars are cable cars.
  
  
• Move over salmon sperm facials, there's an island in Patagonia where potatoes are the key to a youthful glow.
  
  
• Here's how to make that bucket-list cruise of the Norwegian fjords into a reality without breaking the bank.
  
  
• US passport holders can now save a digital version of their passport to their Apple Wallet. But can you actually use it on your next trip?
  
  
• It's official: Jakarta has overtaken Tokyo as the most populous city in the world.
  
  
• And finally, while Fodor's list of over-touristed destinations to avoid may not have thrown up many surprises, their 10 spots crying out for more visitors certainly will. From Palau, to Pakistan, to regional Japan, there's always somewhere new to discover without adding stress to the local community.