There was never a period when every passenger on every airline received identical treatment, and old airfares were often much costlier than today’s. Still, many full-service coach tickets once bundled comforts that now look strikingly premium. After US deregulation in 1978 intensified price competition, carriers cut cabin service and later unbundled many extras into separate fees. The result is a strange reversal: things once folded into an ordinary ticket can now make a flight feel upgraded.

Luxury travel in 2026 is increasingly about removing ordinary travel from the equation altogether. The biggest spenders can bypass terminals, reserve multi-room airline suites, charter private-jet itineraries, occupy enormous yacht residences, or take over fully staffed wilderness villas. Published prices now stretch from several thousand dollars for a smoother airport experience to well above $100,000 for a single night or journey.

Canadians visiting places like Oxford, Athens, Tuscaloosa, Chapel Hill, or Baton Rouge will find plenty that feels familiar about college towns, but there are also some distinctly Southern quirks that are hard to miss.

The hotel specifically stated parking was included, so you understandably thought that part of the trip was already covered. But then a nightly parking charge appeared on the bill anyway. Whether that fee should stay may come down to one deceptively simple question: what exactly did the booking promise?