The Departure Lounge

Can you visit Denmark without going to Copenhagen? This week we're taking The Departure Lounge on the road to find out, recording part of the episode on location in Denmark. And yes, things get a little chaotic.

When most British travellers think of Denmark, they think of Copenhagen. But what about the rest of the country? Aaron, Allie and Gee head off on a Danish road trip to explore the places that don't always make it onto the typical Denmark itinerary, from the colourful seaside town of Skagen to the wild landscapes of North Jutland.

We also dig into some surprising tourism statistics to find out why British holidaymakers rarely venture beyond Copenhagen, share our experiences of travelling through Denmark, and discuss whether the country deserves a spot on your European holiday bucket list.

Plus, we break down your rights when flights are cancelled or delayed, share our latest experiences with Europe's Entry/Exit System (EES), and uncover the chilling legend of the White Lady of Dragsholm Castle.

In this episode:

Travel State of Mind — Flight cancellations, air traffic control disruption and EES airport queues. What are your passenger rights when your flight is delayed or cancelled, and what are airlines actually responsible for?

Destination Deep Dive — Can you do Denmark without Copenhagen? We explore North Jutland, discuss our Danish road trip and discover why 78% of UK tourist overnight stays in Denmark happen in the capital.

Denmark Road Trip — From Skagen to the Thy region, we share our first-hand experiences of travelling beyond Copenhagen, including what surprised us and whether we'd recommend a Danish road trip.

Don't Go Alone — The White Lady of Dragsholm Castle. A forbidden romance, a gruesome punishment and the alleged discovery of a skeleton hidden inside the castle walls centuries later.

And plenty of chaos — Recording a travel podcast in a holiday rental in the middle of Denmark turns out to be a little different from recording in the studio.

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Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world – but is it possible to be too excited to visit? This week Aaron, Allie and Gee explore the phenomenon of Paris Syndrome, discussing why some travellers leave the City of Light feeling disappointed and whether unrealistic expectations, social media and AI-generated itineraries are all partly to blame.

The team also puts three different AI models to the test, comparing their recommendations for the perfect weekend in Paris before revealing the hidden gems that locals and seasoned travellers say you should visit instead. Plus, we discuss the latest developments with Europe's Entry/Exit System (EES), descend into the eerie world of the Paris Catacombs, and discover why nearly 99% of the underground tunnels remain off limits.

In this episode:

Travel State of Mind — EES is back. What the latest changes to Europe's Entry/Exit System mean for UK travellers and whether the rollout is finally ready.

Destination Deep Dive — Is Paris Syndrome actually real? We explore why Paris sometimes fails to meet expectations and whether AI is encouraging us all to take exactly the same trip.

Keep it on the D.L. — We compare three AI-generated Paris itineraries, reveal how similar they really are, and share the genuine hidden gems we'd recommend instead.

Don't Go Alone — Six million skeletons, 300 kilometres of tunnels, illegal underground raves and the haunting legends of the Paris Catacombs.

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Episode 5 – New Zealand
This week we're heading to New Zealand, where breathtaking landscapes, unforgettable adventures and some of the world's most remote wilderness take centre stage. Fresh from her latest trip, Gee shares her favourite experiences, while the team discusses what makes New Zealand such a bucket-list destination.

This week's Deal Challenge sees Aaron and Allie competing to build the ultimate New Zealand itinerary, packing in iconic experiences while staying within budget. We also discuss whether cooler destinations could be the future of summer holidays, before venturing into New Zealand's mysterious backcountry to explore unsolved disappearances, legendary cryptids and the creatures that might still be hiding in the wilderness.

In this episode:
Travel State of Mind – Are extreme heatwaves changing the way we travel, and where should you go if you want to escape the summer heat?

The Deal Challenge – Plan the ultimate New Zealand adventure, covering both islands with a £3,000 per person budget.

Destination Deep Dive – Gee shares her latest trip to New Zealand, from iconic experiences to practical travel tips.

Don't Go Alone – Unsolved disappearances, the legendary Canterbury Panther, the mysterious waitoreke and the possibility that New Zealand's giant moa might not be extinct after all.

Destination Unknown – Three facts to guess next week's destination

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This week we're heading to the land of fire and ice. Aaron, Allie and Jenny dive into one of Europe's most unique destinations, sharing stories from Allie's trips to Iceland, discussing whether fermented shark is really worth trying, and exploring what keeps drawing people back to this volcanic island.

This week's Deal Challenge is built around planning the perfect family adventure, with the team competing to create an unforgettable last-minute trip packed with unique experiences, gift shops, and as many holiday extras as possible. We also discuss the growing risk posed by lithium batteries on flights, uncover the chilling legend of Iceland's most haunted hot spring.

In this episode:

Travel State of Mind – Why lithium batteries have become the leading cause of aircraft cabin fires, and what travellers need to know before they fly.

The Deal Challenge – Build the ultimate last-minute family holiday to Iceland, balancing unique experiences, budget and Holiday Extras.

Destination Deep Dive – Why Iceland keeps people coming back, from geothermal lagoons and volcanic landscapes to unforgettable food and travel experiences.

Don't Go Alone – The ghost of Iceland's most haunted hot spring.

Destination Unknown – Three facts to guess next week's destination.

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This week we’re doing something a little different. Aaron and Allie are joined by Katie and Rebecca from Travel Forward to talk about the future of travel, the challenges facing some of our favourite destinations, and the small changes travellers can make to have a positive impact without giving up the holidays they love.

We discuss everything from overtourism and extreme weather to supporting local communities, hear about the projects Travel Forward is working on around the world, and put our guests to the test with a sustainability quiz to see just how well they know the future of travel.

In this episode:

Travel State of Mind — The biggest sustainability challenges facing travel today, and practical ways travellers can reduce their impact.

Travel Forward Deep Dive — Katie and Rebecca explain the work Travel Forward is doing and how Holiday Extras customers have helped support projects around the world.

The Travel Forward Quiz — How much of the world’s coastline, ski resorts and cities could be transformed by climate change, and what can travellers do about it?

Takeaway — One simple thing every traveller can do to help protect the places they love.

https://www.holidayextras.com/green-on-the-go/the-travel-foundation.html

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We’re crossing the Atlantic to explore North America, from the bright lights of the USA to Canada’s wilderness and Mexico’s rich history and culture. Joined by special guest Jenny, the team share their favourite experiences from across the continent, swap travel tips, and discuss why there’s never been a better time to plan a trip.

There’s a twist on this week’s Deal Challenge as Allie builds Aaron the ultimate North American itinerary, fitting the USA, Canada and Mexico into one unforgettable holiday. We also look at new EU passenger rights that could make flying a little easier, uncover one of the most chilling archaeological discoveries ever made beneath Mexico City, and round things off with three facts to reveal next week’s destination.

In this episode

Travel State of Mind – What the new EU airline passenger rights mean for travellers, from cabin bags to family seating.

The Deal Challenge – Can you build the ultimate North American adventure, visiting the USA, Canada and Mexico in a single trip?

Destination Deep Dive – Jenny, Gee and Allie share their favourite destinations, travel stories and tips from across North America.

Don’t Go Alone – The terrifying discovery of the Aztec tzompantli beneath Mexico City and what it revealed about the ancient capital.

Destination Unknown – Three facts to guess next week’s destination

Allie's Ultimate West Coast Adventure

3 weeks · 3 countries · ~4,500 miles. Fly into Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), fly home from Calgary (Canada). Two border crossings, four US states, two Canadian provinces — desert, Pacific coast, volcanoes and glaciers.

Best time to go: Late June to mid-July. It gets better the further north you go, and it's peak orca season in the San Juans.

The route, day by day

Act 1 — Baja California, Mexico
- Day 1 · Cabo San Lucas — boat to the Land's End arch.
- Day 2 · Todos Santos — art town; lunch at Hotel California (order the tequila).
- Day 3 · La Paz — malecón, seafood, whale sharks/sea lions (seasonal).
- Day 4 · Baja desert → Tijuana — drive Highway 1, drop the car, walk the border at San Ysidro, Trolley into San Diego. (Maybe skip Tijuana as the FCDO are currently advising against travel there)

Act 2 — Southern California
- San Diego — zoo, Balboa Park, fish tacos; morning hop to Tijuana's Zona Río.
- → LA on the Pacific Surfliner. LA (2 nights, no car): Walk of Fame, In-N-Out, Griffith at dusk, Venice Beach, Sunset Blvd.
- → San Francisco on the overnight Coast Starlight.

Act 3 — California
- San Francisco — Alcatraz (book ahead), Fisherman's Wharf, Bubba Gump.
- Yosemite (2 nights) — Half Dome, Glacier Point, Vernal Falls (permit needed).
- → Point Reyes → Mendocino up Highway 1.

Act 4 — Oregon
- Oregon Dunes → Crater Lake (rim drive + Cleetwood Cove Trail) → Portland (Kennedy School, Powell's Books, Voodoo Doughnut).

Act 5 — Pacific Northwest
- Mount St Helens → Seattle (2 nights): Pike Place, Chihuly, Space Needle, Fremont Troll → San Juan Islands orca watching.

Act 6 — Canada
- Vancouver (2 nights) (eTA in advance) → Sea to Sky → Whistler → Kamloops → Banff (2 nights) + Icefields Parkway → Calgary, fly home.

Book in advance

Alcatraz ferry · Yosemite permit · Canada eTA · USA ESTA

The numbers (for two)

Flights ~£2,900 · hire cars ~£1,500–1,900 · trains £200–300 · accommodation £3,500–4,000 · activities £600–800 · food & fuel £3,000 → Grand total ~£11,000–12,500.

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This week we’re heading to Greece, where ancient myths, island-hopping adventures, and all-inclusive holidays collide. With Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey arriving in cinemas soon, Aaron, Gee and Allie explore why we’re still obsessed with Greece thousands of years after Odysseus supposedly sailed its seas.

The team takes on a very specific Deal Challenge, attempting to book Aaron the ultimate all-inclusive break somewhere connected to Odysseus’ legendary journey. Along the way they discuss the Greek evil eye, whether social media has turned Greece into the world’s most photographed destination, and debate if the country’s most famous islands are still worth the hype.

Plus three facts to guess the destination for next week’s episode.

In this episode:

The Deal Challenge – Book Aaron an all-inclusive holiday somewhere linked to Odysseus’ journey

Don’t Go Alone – The evil eye, ancient superstition, and why Greeks still wear protective charms today

Gate Change – Has social media changed Greece forever, and can a destination still feel mythical when everyone’s already seen it online?

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This week we're heading to one of Spain's most beautiful cities – Seville. Aaron and Gee have both been, Allie hasn't, and she has questions.

We get into the current state of travel (it's complicated), put Gee and Allie to work on a last-minute booking challenge, uncover a dark piece of Seville's history that might put you off your lunch, and have a heated debate about whether tapas is actually overrated. Spoiler: Aaron thinks it is.

Plus – three facts to guess the destination for next week's episode.

In this episode:

• The Deal Challenge – £350pp, last-minute, flying from London
• Don't Go Alone – the Spanish Inquisition and a very popular food market
• Gate Change – is tapas culture overrated, and is Seville becoming a victim of its own success?

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