Jaunted

Tags: Books / What We're Reading / Armchair Travel / Travel Books / Recommended Travel Books / → All Tags

The Best American Travel Writing 2008: Armchair Travel at its Finest

Writing about the differences between in-flight magazines got me to thinking about how often I really do read long-form travel writing, compared with the staccato bursts of stylized news briefs one might find on, say, a travel blog. The truth is, I don't often read all the great feature stories published every month, even in magazines I subscribe to. But when I finally make the time to read a lush and descriptive feature by one of today's best travel writers, I'm always glad I did. That's why anthologies like the Best American Travel Writing series are so great. I recently finished reading this year's edition - which has stories originally published in 2008 - and enjoyed it immensely.

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Tags: What We're Reading / In-Flight Magazines / Magazines / Travel Media / Airlines / United / Delta / → All Tags

Hemispheres Sticks to the Classics, Sky Gets Busy

Airlines have cut out just about every perk imaginable, but for now, you'll still find an in-flight magazine in the seat pocket in front of you, tucked between the barf bag and SkyMall catalog. As a service to those readers who choose airlines based on the quality of their in-flight magazines, Jaunted is publishing a series that takes a look at the flagship magazines from airlines big and small. In the fourth installment, Victor Ozols notices a sharp difference in style between United's Hemispheres and Delta's Sky.

I've recently had the good fortune to get my hands on the April, 2009 issues of both United's Hemispheres magazine and Delta's Sky magazine, and a casual comparison reveals some sharp differences in editorial philosophy. One represents a traditional approach to in-flight reading, while the other seems determined to provide a digital experience in a paper format.

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Tags: What We're Reading / In-Flight Magazines / Magazines / Travel Media / Airlines / Continental / → All Tags

In-Flight Magazine Extravaganza, Part III: A Double Dose of Continental

Airlines have cut out just about every perk imaginable, but for now, you'll still find an in-flight magazine in the seat pocket in front of you, tucked between the barf bag, emergency procedures card, and SkyMall catalog. As a service to those readers who choose airlines based on the quality of their in-flight magazines, Jaunted is publishing a multi-part series that takes a look at the flagship magazines from airlines big and small. In the third installment, Victor Ozols pores over the December, 2008 and January, 2009 issues of Continental, the in-flight magazine of Continental Airlines.

We flew Continental round-trip to Phoenix from Newark over the holidays, and were rewarded with not one but two issues of their surprisingly high-quality in-flight magazine, which is cleverly titled Continental. I didn't expect too much when I pulled out the December issue (left), with its "Hurricane Fighters" cover. Hey, I'm not saying Houston Mayor Bill White and Judge Ed Emmett aren't sexy as hell, but the cover didn't really "pop," to use the lingo of the graphic designers I know. But once I started thumbing through it, I quickly came to the conclusion that Continental could almost be a "real" travel magazine, escaping the confines of the seat pocket and crawling to the racks at Barnes & Noble under its own power.

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Tags: What We're Reading / In-Flight Magazines / Magazines / Travel Media / Airlines / Delta / → All Tags

In-Flight Magazine Extravaganza, Part II: Delta Sky

Airlines have cut out just about every perk imaginable, but for now, you'll still find an in-flight magazine in the seat pocket in front of you, tucked between the barf bag, emergency procedures card and the SkyMall catalog. As a service to those readers who choose airlines based on the quality of their in-flight magazines, Jaunted is publishing a multi-part series that takes a look at the flagship reads from airlines big and small. Today, Brendan Spiegel gets hopped up on Delta Sky.

I usually don't spend much time flipping through in-flight mags--SkyMall is my preferred source for ogling unnecessary luxury items I'll never be able to afford. But on a recent Delta shuttle from BWI to Logan, Delta Sky actually grabbed my attention.

The reason was the theme of the November issue, which focuses on my drug of choice: Coffee. I was impressed that the magazine committed itself so fully to the cover subject. Almost every item in the book is java-centric, from notes on Costa Rican coffee tours, to coffee cocktail recipes (note to self: remember to check out Rosa Mexicano's Patron-and-dulce-de-leche concoction) and even a "coffee break" crossword puzzle. This seems like a risky business decision: If a tea drinker picks up Delta Sky this month, you've lost them at hello. But for my caffeine-obsessed self, it was perfect.

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Tags: What We're Reading / In-Flight Magazines / Magazines / Travel Media / Airlines / American Airlines / → All Tags

In-Flight Magazine Extravaganza, Part I : American Way

It's an all-too-common scenario. You've made it to your seat, stowed your carry-on bag in the overhead bin, and fastened your seat belt securely when you realize that you've forgotten to bring any reading material. What will you do to pass the time? Don't worry: airlines have cut out just about every perk imaginable, but for now, you'll still find an in-flight magazine in the seat pocket in front of you, tucked between the barf bag, emergency procedures card, and SkyMall catalog. As a service to those readers who choose airlines based on the quality of their in-flight magazines, Jaunted is publishing a multi-part series that takes a look at the flagship magazines from airlines big and small. In the first installment, Victor Ozols pores over the November 15, 2008 issue of American Way, the in-flight magazine of American Airlines.

I'll admit to being a fan of in-flight magazines. Though generally bland and inoffensive, there's a cheerful peppiness inherent to them that makes every flight seem like it's going to Disney World. I nabbed a copy of American Way on a recent trip on American Airlines and found plenty of nifty articles on food, destinations, and quirky attractions. But, as is the case with every in-flight magazine I've ever read, the best part is the route map at the end.

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