Welcome to our Aviation Issue. As with last month, I must admit this annual issue is another of my yearly faves, especially as the whole aviation industry, including aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports and more, fascinates me. What an amazing feat of complicated orchestration each flight that takes off and lands is!

And the numbers prove I am not alone. Global passenger air travel reached record highs in 2024, as approximately 4.5 billion travelers took to the skies, and airplanes reached a record 83.5 percent load factor. Those statistics represent a more than 10 percent increase in overall traffic from 2023. The United States remained the largest market at around 876 million passengers. As we near the end of 2025, we shall soon see if the trend of outperforming and outpacing the year before continues.

This issue allows us to delve deeper into the exciting industry and bring you an all-encompassing overview of what’s trending in the world of aviation. We hear directly from executives at TAP Air Portugal, United Airlines and Qantas. Take a look at some of the best in carry-on luggage, and find out more about the cocktail offerings in Capital One airport lounges. The spa at JFK’s Delta One lounge sounds dreamy, as do all the new offerings and updates in the first, business and premium economy cabins of airlines around the globe. We even ask how aircraft are recycled and hear firsthand from a journalist preparing to take the world’s longest flight. Phew, it’s a jam-packed issue, and that’s only scratching the surface of what awaits on the pages ahead.

While an early summer move kept my family more local this year, we did find time to take in some aviation during Atlantic City’s Soar & Shore Festival, which delivered breathtaking aerial performances that onlookers could enjoy from the beach and boardwalk. The incredible theatrics included Misty Blues Parachute Team, Nathan Hammond’s Super Chipmunk, a USCG MH-65, the 177th Fighter Wing, the B-25 Mitchell Bomber, a UH-1H Huey, Warbird Thunder, a 108WG KC-46 Pegasus, Third Strike Wingwalking (my favorite!), Thom Richard FM-1 Wildcat, award-winning aerobatic daredevil Skip Stewart (another highlight) and a Mikoynan-Gurevich MiG-17 Fighter. Check out the 2026 event May 28–30, 2026.

We caught some thrills in the form of amusement rides at Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, for my daughter’s second birthday, as evidenced in my photo this month. While we can still explore Bucks County’s wealth of things to see and do, as we settle into our new home, planning our next flights is high on the to-do list!

Fly away with us this month as we visit Bengaluru, India; Seattle, Wash.; Frankfurt, Germany; Cincinnati, Ohio; São Paulo, Brazil; Amsterdam; Dubai; Wichita, Kan.; and Saint Martin. Join us next month as we recap our recent event celebrating The Trazees and Wherever Awards 2025 winners. Happy flying!

Kimberly Inlander, Editor in chief