Last-minute flight cancellations, hazmat suits, and a turkey dry rub tribute to a COVID victim: #nerdbird Sebastian and Pilot Sarah answer questions on 2020 travel dreams, the subsequent reality of the year, and their hopes for 2021 -- including designing RVs to resemble First Class airplane cabins and turning a gigantic Airbus A380 into a museum/home.

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It was supposed to be simple this holiday season: preview and rerun classic episodes, starting with an April 2020 debate of hotels, hostels, and homestays (Airbnb, Couchsurfing). But then #nerdbirds Kai and Rachel started to wonder what's happened in these industries since the pandemic started, and poof! A new episode emerges instead, with news updates and even some travel coping tips for introverts.

The original episode that inspired this episode is here [https://anchor.fm/nerdbirds/episodes/Hotels--Hostels--or-Homestays--The-Great-Debate-ed3iu7], or scroll back to Season 1, April 21 wherever you listen to podcasts. Be sure to check out the episode links at nerdbirds.co [https://nerdbirds.co/episode77].

In years past, late December would find frequent travelers making those final desperate flights and hotel stays to keep elite status. Whether flying to Boston for lunch or Atlanta for dinner, dragging a spouse from New York to New Zealand, or walking less than a mile for a hotel staycation, #nerdbirds Charlie and Rachel share their adventures, observations, and thoughts on airline, hotel, and car status programs.

In the final episode of season three, #nerdbirds Jeremy and Kai discuss United's ambitious commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 100% by 2050, a game-changing solar-powered automobile coming out in 2021, and the troubling end of duty-free shopping in the UK. In part two, they provide even more virtual travel opportunities, just in time for the holidays.

Rachel asks her friends to come up with questions for a gate agent -- which conveniently, #nerdbird Kai was for two different airlines -- and found there were exactly 20, ranging from the universal "how do I get an upgrade" to the best and worst types of travelers. Listen in as they discuss all the strange, wacky, and fun moments of getting people, baggage, and cargo on board for an on-time departure.

In this week's travel news roundup, #nerdbirds Jeremy and Kai discuss special send-off celebrations for the beloved Boeing 747, the end of the "emotional support animal" loophole, and British uncertainty about post-Brexit travel to and within the European Union. In part two, they dive into the DHL/NYU Stern "Global Connectedness Index" and talk about how a decline in travel doesn't necessarily mean the decline of globalization.

The Palm Springs region has become an even hotter destination in recent years, with mid-century modern vibes, music festivals, and the one-of-a-kind Joshua Tree National Park. #nerdbirds David and Rachel share stories of arriving in the Coachella Valley by road and air -- including encounters with dinosaurs, wildflowers, and windmills -- along with quirky places discovered on their various trips. Be sure to check out their photos and links on nerdbirds.co/episode72 [https://nerdbirds.co/episode72]

In this slower news week, #nerdbirds Kai and Jeremy discuss Delta's Thanksgiving performance meltdown, train connections to Walt Disney World in Florida, and Emirates' enticing "Dubai Connect" program which will pay for your stopover in the City of Gold. Afterwards, they take a dive into the realities of work-from-anywhere and "half-tourism," but does it live up to the hype?

From military styles to porange dresses and everything in between, #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel review the amazing Fashion in Flight catalog [https://issuu.com/sfomuseum/docs/fashion_in_flight_sfo_museum/4], which was an exhibit at the San Francisco airport in 2016. Follow along with the digital edition as they discuss the evolution of a flight attendant's uniform from the 1930s to the 2010s, including the military-inspired origins to the bold, colorful Space Age, the tension between safety and high-end fashion, and their favorite (and not-so-favorite) designs from each era.