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Travel deals and promos are making that vacation getaway to far-off places or cozy staycations more obtainable. Rather than put that beachside getaway off for another month, you can take advantage of savings up to 50% off, and paired with luggage deals, you can travel the world more affordably.

Whether you’re planning on going to any festivals and concerts this summer or just want a change in environment, beaches and unexplored regions await.

Summer savings events are going on now including Prime Day travel promos that’ll tempt you to take advantage of that PTO and go on a much-needed vacation. To take some of the stress out of finding the best travel deals, we did the research and rounded up the hottest deals, steals and promos so you can focus on stocking up on travel necessities.

See below for the best travel deals — from flights to experiences — that will help make sure you have the best vacation yet. These promos aren’t going to last forever, though, which means you need to act ASAP to avoid seeing the dreaded “sold out” or “offer expired” message pop up.

What Are the Best Flight Deals?

Jet off at a fraction of the price as airlines slash prices throughout the year to help you fly for less. No matter where you want to go, don’t drop hundreds of dollars on a round-trip ticket. Check below to see what the current best flight deals are.

Southwest Airlines

Amazon is celebrating its latest Prime Day with 50% off Southwest Raid Rewards Points starting Tuesday (July 16) until Wednesday (July 17) at 11:59 p.m. ET/PT, which you can score through the official Prime Day Travel Deals page. In addition to Amazon’s promo, Southwest offers a low-fare calendar with one-way flights starting at $59.

United Airlines

United is offering low-fare flights from select cities including Chicago, New York City, Denver, San Fransisco, Houston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. All you have to do is book a trip from one of the cities listed and you can score flights as low as $91 roundtrip. You can also personalize your picks by entering your max budget for trips within your spending limit.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner looks across a variety of airlines to find the cheapest tickets on the market worldwide. You can enjoy the low-priced tickets any time of the year, not just during the holidays. Right now, some round-trip flights are as low as $35, so don’t miss out.

Amazon Prime

Still in school? Amazon Prime has partnered with Student Universe to offer Student Prime members an additional 10% off already-discounted flights, hotels and more. All you have to do is sign up for a Student Prime membership and activate Student Universe to start saving. Currently, Student Prime has a six-month free promo when you sign up; after the trial ends, your membership will cost $7.49/month and will include all the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership.

CheapOAir

Whether you’re looking for last-minute cheap flights or just want to book ahead, CheapOAir is offering $15 off when you sign up for emails. To redeem the offer, just click to enter your email, and a unique code will be emailed to you to use on your booking. One-way flights start as low as $40 right now to domestic destinations in the U.S.

Hopper

Hopper is another destination where you can score major savings on hotels, flights, rental cars and more. When you sign up, you can collect vouchers and cash back to redeem on flights, stays and rental cars. The site also scours the web for the best deals to help you save money and even tells you what time of the month to purchase plane tickets.

What Are the Best Hotel Deals?

Flights aren’t the only thing to think about. Booking a hotel room can be just as pricey, leaving you with little to spend on food and activities. Don’t worry, though: These deals are here to offer you savings.

Expedia

Expedia members can take advantage of 25% off hotel bookings and vacation packages during its Big Summer Sale. It’s valid on domestic and international travels when you book by July 14 and travel by Oct. 24. Signing up for Expedia’s One Key membership is free — just provide your email and you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits including exclusive deals and savings.

IHG Hotels & Resorts

IHG is offering up to 15% off hotel and resort bookings when you either book a Stay Longer and Save rate for at least three nights (and place a non-refundable deposit) or book with the Book Now, Pay Later rate (no deposit required). You can also score at least 10% off when you do a Book Early and Save rate, which only requires you pay for your trip up to three days before at select locations.

Hilton Resorts

Hilton’s Resorts World Las Vegas is celebrating its 3-year anniversary with up to 30% off rooms and suites. As an added bonus, you can check out the current Las Vegas residencies to add to your growing itinerary.

Hotwire

Hotwire aims to find some of the deepest discounted hotels — such as up to 60% off last-minute stays. Some offers are as low as $21/night, which means you can book your stay for less than $100/night.

Caesars

Caesars is hosting its Vacation Sale, dropping rooms to as low as $22 a night (regularly as low as $31). You can experience luxurious comfort before heading out to explore Las Vegas — and with all the savings you rack up, you can make sure you leave with a treasure-worthy souvenir.

Booking.com

Between now and Sept. 30, 2024, you can score up to 15% off stays with Booking.com’s Getaway Deals. Some stays are as low as $17/night right now. Low prices like these don’t happen every day, which is why you should act sooner rather than later.

Student Universe

Being in school can have its perks like up to 60% off hotels on Student Universe. Signing up is free and will give you access to all their discounted rates including on flights.

Airbnb

Don’t want to drop a ton of money on a hotel? Airbnb offers stays in a variety of homes that you can customize to your preferences. Plus, for ultimate privacy you can opt for a private stay meaning you get the entire place to yourself — and some stays are as low as $11/night right now.

What Are the Best Rental Car Deals?

Not every destination will have the luxury of public transportation at your fingertips and if you want to do some road exploring of your own, then you’ll need a car. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up the best deals available below.

Avis

Prime members can take advantage of up 30% off car rentals and earn a 10% gift card when you book through Amazon during Prime Day. The promo will only being going on during July 16-17, so make sure to snag the deals while they’re live.

Budget

The name says it all as Budget is having a major Car-Cation Weekends Sale promotion going on. Right now, when you rent a car for a 3-day weekend, you’ll receive up to $60 off in addition to one free day on a future car rental when you “Pay Now” at the time of your booking. If you were worried about having enough space to hold all your festival gear, think again.

SIXT

Another Prime Day-only deal you can look forward to is up to 15% off SIXT car rentals. You’ll have to be a Prime member in order to redeem the deal as well as book it through the Prime Day Travel Deals page. If you’re not currently a Prime member, Amazon is offering a 30-day free trial for new users who sign up, which will include access to the exclusive Prime member-only deals.

Kayak

Kayak isn’t afraid to floor it when it comes to offering great deals on cars. The rental service compares the price of competitor and aims to offer at least 32% off the full price. And, right now you can find car bookings for as little as $12/day.

What Are the Best Cruise Deals?

Sail around the islands and escape the city with a cruise that’ll bring photo-worthy moments and memories to last a lifetime. Travel Tuesday deals are also making sure you don’t have to break the bank either, so you can enjoy your vacation without avoiding your wallet’s gaze.

Carnival Cruises

Prime members are being treated to up to 40% off Carnival cruise experiences when you book through the Prime Day Travel Deals page. The promo goes live for Prime Day, which starts July 16 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET/PT on July 17.

Hurtigruten Expeditions

Hurtigruten Expeditions is slashing prices on expeditions by up to 45% off. Plus, if you become an ambassador with the cruise brand, you can receive an additional 5% off on bookings and experiences.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises will have you sailing over to their deals page as they’re currently offering 75% off a second guest for any cruise as well as up to $200 in savings on rooms. Act quick though as the deal is only going on for a limited time. For additional savings, you can score $50 off a trip when you sign up for emails.

What Are the Best Experience Deals?

For anyone planning a staycation or to score some deals on excursions during their trip away from home, there are various ways to book an activity without burning a hole in your wallet. Scroll down for our finds on the best experience deals.

Viator

Amazon is encouraging you to embrace your wanderlust spirit with an exclusive Prime Day-only deal for Prime members. For July 16-17 only, you can score 10% off select Viator experiences when you book through the Prime Day Travel Deals page.

EF Travel

You can save up to $500 on select experiences or up to $700 on last-minute trips during EF Go Ahead Tours’ Semi Annual Sale. These include European getaways, journeys throughout Asia and more. The travel group was designed to help solo travelers vacation with ease. They’ll do basically all the work for you including building an itinerary, helping find flights and even providing down time for you to explore on your own.

Getaway

Getaway wants to celebrate warm weather with 30% off summer stay when you use the code GETOUTSIDE for a limited time. Choose from the various locations spread across the U.S. including New York, Massachusetts, Washington, California and more. You’ll also be able to personalize your experience to your needs including adding on an instant campfire, provisions and even a late check out.

G Adventures

For the month of June you can save up to 20% on G Adventures‘ pre-planned adventures around the globe including Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and more. The brand aims to keep your travel group small so you can enjoy the experience without feeling overwhelmed.

Groupon

Groupon’s sale wants to encourage new experiences with an additional 10% off select deals when you use the code PROMO at checkout. Everything from deep tissue massages to entrance fees at the petting zoo are being completely slashed. We even found one deal that was just $3!

Taylor Swift is gearing up to play three shows in Dublin as part of The Eras Tour, and she’s getting some love from Ireland’s most famous rockers as she plays their hometown.

On Friday (June 28), Swift shared on her Instagram Stories a photo of the flowers and a sweet note that she received from iconic rock band U2.

Alongside a bouquet of white, pink and purple roses and lilies was a card that read, “Dear Taylor, welcome back to our hometown…leave some of it standing?!!!!”

The note was signed, “Your Irish fan club, Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry.”

On her Instagram Stories, Swift responded by captioning her post with “Already feeling that Irish hospitality!! @u2, thanks for always being the classiest & coolest.” Swift also included an Irish flag emoji.

The note came as Swift is set to perform three shows at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on June 28-30. Paramore will open each of the shows.

Swift has seen numerous artists and celebrities in attendance at her The Eras Tour shows. Beatles legend Paul McCartney recently danced with fans at one of Swift’s concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium, while others who have attended The Eras Tour include Shania Twain, Haim, Diplo, Selena Gomez, Billy Joel, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman and Maren Morris.

Following her Ireland concerts, Swift’s tour itinerary through the rest of 2024 includes stops in Amsterdam, Milan, Munich, London, Toronto and Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department spends its ninth week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album marks her 14th project to top the Billboard 200.

Pharrell Williams and Louis Vuitton are facing a lawsuit over their launch of a high-end line of “Pocket Socks,” filed by a California company that says it’s been using that same name for more than a decade on a similar product.

In a case filed last week in Los Angeles federal court, Pocket Socks Inc. says the luxury brand’s product — a literal sock-with-a-pocket that launched at Paris Fashion Week last year and sells for the whopping price of $530 — infringes its existing trademark rights to the name.

“Much attention and publicity has been generated for Louis Vuitton’s ‘Pocket Socks,’ including defendants, the press, and consumers using the name ‘Pocket Socks’ for their product which irreparably injures Pocket Socks’ longstanding brand and trademark rights,” the company’s lawyers write in the June 20 complaint.

Louis Vuitton announced in February 2023 that Williams would serve as the company’s men’s creative director, and he debuted his first line for the company later that year at Men’s Fashion Week in Paris.

One of the items apparently rolled out at last year’s event was the Pocket Socks — a pair of knitted socks that feature a pocket adorned with a pearl. The socks received some notoriety in January when Jermaine Dupri was razzed on social media for wearing them during his Super Bowl halftime performance. Though currently unavailable for purchase, the socks are listed on Louis Vuitton’s UK website for £420 — roughly $530 in U.S. dollars.

Louis Vuitton’s new product didn’t sit well with Pocket Socks Inc., which says it’s been using that exact same name since 2012 for its own line of socks that feature a zippered pocket sewn into each pair. In its lawsuit, the company says it owns several federal trademark registrations for the brand and that the new product clearly infringes those rights.

In a statement announcing the new lawsuit, Pocket Socks Inc. claims Louis Vuitton’s new line “threatens to undermine the hard work and dedication” that has gone into building the brand: “This massive luxury brand and their designer Pharrell Williams should know better and behave within the law,” said CEO Evan Papel.

In technical terms, the lawsuit accuses Williams and Louis Vuitton of infringing both the trademark to the name as well as the so-called “trade dress” — meaning the actual look of the product. The sale of similar-looking socks under the same name is “likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive consumers,” the lawsuit claims.

As the case moves forward, one possible defense argument from Williams and Louis Vuitton could be that the name Pocket Socks is too “descriptive” to serve as a trademark. Under U.S. trademark law, terms that merely describe the goods or services being sold cannot be locked up as an exclusive brand name.

Neither a rep Williams nor Louis Vuitton immediately returned requests for comment.

One of Canada’s biggest stars is getting one of the country’s highest honours. Pop-rock star Avril Lavigne has been named to the Order of Canada, a civilian honour that recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions to the country. Lavigne was announced by Governor General Mary Simon yesterday, amongst a list of 83 new appointees that includes scientists, economists, poets and activists.

Lavigne’s appointment highlights her impressive commercial and artistic achievements, as well as her charity work. “With over 50 million albums sold worldwide, she paved the way for female-driven punk-rock music and continues to do so today,” the notice reads, going on to mention her support of individuals living with disabilities and serious illnesses through the Avril Lavigne Foundation.

The Order of Canada appointment comes as Lavigne is celebrating her successes with Greatest Hits, a new compilation released June 21 featuring platinum singles like “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi” as well as her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Girlfriend.” Lavigne is one of Canada’s best selling artists.

The Canadian icon is also taking her hits on the road with a major tour, which kicked off in Vancouver in May and begins its second leg in Toronto on Aug. 12 with a sold-out Scotiabank Arena show.

Beyond the charts, Lavigne helped pave the way for a punk-inspired vision of girlhood in the early 2000s, when most female pop stars were embracing a more traditionally feminine image. Lavigne’s brash attitude and white tank top and tie combo cemented her as an icon for a generation of Canadian kids.

Lavigne wasn’t the only musician recognized by the Order of Canada this week. Montreal singer-songwriter Daniel Lavoie was named an Officer of the Order, as were percussionist Beverley Johnston and conductor Kent Nagano. -Rosie Long Decter

Mustafa’s ‘Name Of God’ Named Best Canadian Music Video of the Year, Winning 2024 Prism Prize

Mustafa has become the first two-time winner of the Prism Prize, the award that celebrates the best in Canadian music videos. He has won the 2024 Grand Prize for video of the year for “Name of God.” 

Mustafa, also known as Mustafa Ahmed and Mustafa The Poet, also took home the award in 2022 for “Ali.” Both of his winning videos are self-directed. Mustafa’s win comes with a $20,000 prize, the largest monetary award for music videos worldwide.

Mustafa released “Name of God” last year days after penning a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging him to speak for Palestine. The song and video touch on violence and grief as well as the power of community and tradition.

Mustafa isn’t this year’s only winner. Nemahsis has won the fan-voted Audience Award, winning “i wanna be your right hand.” That $2,500 prize goes to both artist Nemahsis and directors Norman Wong and Amy Gardner. The video takes the Palestinian-Canadian artist in a choreographed dance through a restaurant kitchen and into a showstopping empty-room dining hall performance.

Mustafa and Nemahsis beat out a strong shortlist of videos, including clips from The Beaches, Feist, Snotty Nose Rez Kids and more. See the whole list here and check out the four other special award winners here. -Kerry Doole

k.d. lang To Be Inducted Into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024

k.d. lang will be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024 by the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA). The induction will take place at Country Music Week 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta, September 11–14 leading to the CCMA Awards.

“I am beyond thrilled, and frankly pleasantly surprised to be honored in this way,” says lang, who was born in Edmonton. “My love for the prairies, the people and our culture underscore every ounce of my inspiration. Not without its complexities, I might add. Such is life. I am so stoked to be coming to Edmonton to bask in this celebration… with deepest gratitude.”

Emerging in the 1980s as part of a then-burgeoning “cowpunk” scene, lang has had one of the most powerful and beautiful voices in country music and beyond. A queer icon and activist in many spheres, she’s expanded the boundary of the genre and pioneered within and beyond it.

“Today, we are excited to announce the incomparable k.d. Lang as our 2024 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Artist inductee,” says Amy Jeninga, president of CCMA. “A true Canadian icon and trailblazer in country music and beyond, k.d. embraced the genre with unparalleled passion, and her extraordinary talents have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of our nation. We proudly honour her incredible legacy and outstanding contributions, and can’t wait to celebrate her induction in Edmonton this September.”

The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame is housed at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, in Calgary. A new exhibition celebrating new and historic inductees will open September 11, 2024, with more details still to be announced. -Richard Trapunski

Country Label MDM Recordings Inks Global Deal With Warner Music Canada’s ADA CANADA

Country music is big business in Canada right now, and one of the nation’s major labels has made a new deal to reflect that.

ADA CANADA, the independent label and artist services arm of Warner Music Canada, has announced a new exclusive global distribution deal with MDM Recordings. Founded by Canadian music industry veteran Mike Denney in 2008, MDM Recordings describes itself as “a full service independent label and management company specializing in country music.”

MDM has an impressive track record, especially with up-and-coming country acts. Its roster has included such notable Canadian country musicians as Chad Brownlee, Tyler Joe Miller, Bobby Wills and Don Amero, and music released on the label has earned over 450 million global streams, and more than 500,000 physical units sold. Artists currently on the MDM roster include Jess Moskaluke (a platinum-selling artist and Juno and CCMA Award winner), Charlie Major, Amero, and The Redhill Valleys, alongside promising newcomers Savannah Jade and Josh Stumpf.

MDM Recordings has twice been awarded record label of the year at the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards. Mike Denney has been honoured with the record company person of the year title three times and has overseen seven CCMA Award wins for their artists.

“MDM Recordings has always been about fostering incredible talent and sharing their music with the world,” says Denney. “This partnership with ADA Canada marks an exciting new chapter for us. We are thrilled to leverage ADA’s extensive global network to bring our artists’ music to an even broader audience.”

Greg Morris, VP of ADA Canada, says: “Mike Denney had a vision 16 years ago to create MDM Recordings, and he has done incredible work building it into what it is today. It has an excellent track record of discovering and developing country artists, and has regularly been recognized as one of the best country labels in Canada. I’m proud that Mike has entrusted ADA Canada to support and grow his business, and am excited to work with him and his team to grow his artists’ success, and help them connect with their fans around the world.” -Kerry Doole