Scott McMurren

Traveling is stressful. Oh, I think it's worth it. But it's still stressful. Adding family to the mix increases the stress — and it's even more stressful to fly during the holidays.

Polar regions can be difficult to access, but offer remoteness and desolate beauty.

Thor Smith at his post on Gen. Eisenhower's staff in England during WWII. (U.S. Army photo, courtesy of Smith family collection)

Natasha Cabezas, a naturalist from San Lorenzo, Ecuador, hikes up a hill formed by volcanic ash on Bartolome Island, Ecuador in the Galapagos on Friday, June 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Alie Skowronski)

Looking down from the top of the great pyramid at Cholula across Puebla toward Popocatépetl, the 17,802-foot volcano.

2025 may not have arrived yet, but there are indications that it’s going to be a busy year in the air.

A party boat, pushed along with a pole, glides through the canals in the Xochimilco neighborhood of Mexico City. (Photo by Scott McMurren)

Condor airplanes park at the airport in Duesseldorf, Germany, Friday, April 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) What's ahead for travelers in the new year?

Travelers queue up to pass through a security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Airline routes have a big effect on Alaska's communities — and the economy.