best in Texas

Fort Worth gets snubbed again by judges in 2024 Texas Travel Awards

Texican Court Hotel in Irving won Best "Big Market" Unique Lodging.

Photo courtesy of Visit Irving

Dallas-Fort Worth is home to several of the best attractions in the state, according to the 2024 Texas Travel Awards, including a famous Dallas tourist spot and a Plano food festival.

Inexplicably, not a single Fort Worth attraction won an award in 2024, for the second year in a row. And North Texas took home only seven awards this year, compared to 14 awarded in 2023.

The Texas Travel Awards were created by Austin Monthly, San Antonio Magazine, and Texas Music publishers to "shine a spotlight on the most exciting, innovative, and inviting places around the state." Winners are decided by a panel of judges that includes: Austin-based Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine managing editor Charles Lohrmann, Dallas "influencer" Jessica Serna, Lubbock college professor Jessica Juan, Round Rock musician Rochelle Creone, and San Antonio travel consultant Deya Palmero.

These people need to hit up Fort Worth more often.

The 49 awards were split into two groups: statewide best attractions and best attractions by population.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas came away with two awards this year; it was designated the best "Historical Site" in Texas, and the best "Big Market" museum. The Texas Travel Awards praised the Sixth Floor Museum for its dedication to preserving the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, calling it an "unrivaled cultural gem" in Dallas.

"Beyond a mere chronicle of Kennedy’s life and presidency, the displays delve into the broader historical context, political climate, and the enduring impact of the assassination," a museum overview said. "By encouraging critical thinking and reflection, the museum becomes a dynamic space for learning; it serves as a platform for deepening public understanding of historical complexities."

The only other Dallas attraction to earn an accolade was Crown Block in Reunion Tower, which won a statewide award for the "Best Revitalization." The steakhouse was brought to life in 2023 thanks to hospitality duo Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla, who brought an "unmatched level of hospitality" to the space and high attention to detail across every dish on the menu, the judges said.

"The plates, brunch stations, cocktails, and refined wine list offer guests a sense of adventure and whimsey, with fresh, unexpected flavor combinations and a bit of Las Vegas-inspired flair," the award overview said.

Other North Texas attractions that won Texas Travel Awards include:

Taste of Plano Foodie Pass Breaks Records – Best "Big Market" Destination Marketing Campaign
Texican Court in Irving – Unique Lodging
Historic Downtown McKinney – Best Statewide Destination for Foodies

Outside of North Texas
The Hill Country was the region that won the most awards, further solidifying the area's soaring popularity among travelers. New Braunfels earned the highest number of accolades, even going so far as to be designated 2024's "Destination of the Year."

"The city’s vibrant downtown is full of character, with historic architecture housing one-of-a-kind shops, art galleries, speakeasies, craft breweries and eateries," its overview said. "Only blocks from the spring-fed Comal River, visitors and patrons can spend a day tubing or lounging riverside, then meander to downtown for live music, dining, shopping, wandering, and exploring."

The full list of winners can be found at texastravelawards.com.

texas texas travel awards awards travel new braunfels dallas mckinney irving plano media

Airline News

American Airlines launches new gate program to foil early boarders

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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Fort Worth-based American Airlines has launched a new system to catch passengers who try to sneak ahead in line.

According to a release, the airline is deploying a program in which technology is used to deter passengers who try to board before their official boarding group has been called.

Passengers who try to board early will not only hear a beep when they scan their boarding pass, but a tattletale message will pop up on the scanner, alerting the American Airlines employee of the passenger's correct group.

The airline trialed this modern technology over the past month at Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Tucson International Airport. It will now be deployed at more than 100 airports across the U.S.

If a customer boards before their assigned group is called, the new software will not accept the boarding pass and instead makes an audible sound to alert the gate agent and customer that the group has not yet been called. In these instances, the American team member will invite the customer to rejoin the line when their boarding group is called.

According to a story in the NY Post, airline employees have a name for these people: “gate lice."

A statement from American Airlines says that those passengers who are paying for early access should get their just desserts. People who are paying extra are mad when others get the same benefits.

"The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease," it says.

Surely a factor is the way American Airlines' current boarding system has become an exercise in the haves vs. the have-nots, with nine levels of boarding groups, from elite status members and credit card holders all the way down to the Basic Economy nobodies. It's gotten worse since the pandemic, with extra charges applied to every element of flying, including a charge if you want to choose your own seat.

As an explanation of why people might do it, the NY Post cites a theory that travelers try to get ahead "out of a tendency of conformity and a sense of competition."

Public shaming is a powerful motivator, and Larry David fans would surely agree that line-cutters should always be called out — but in this case, there is an actual valid reason for trying to get a jump in line, and that can be summed up in two words: overhead bins.

Too many travelers place their luggage in overhead bins that are not located over their seats. Who has not seen the guy breezily stash his suitcase in whatever bin is closest? And this is an inequity that is not addressed by flight attendants, who admittedly have enough on their hands.

But the fact remains that if you get on the plane when your boarding group boards, the odds are slimmer that your designated overhead bin is going to have room for your suitcase.

If the airline is not going to enforce the overhead bin situation, then it's hardly fair to blame gate lice for worrying about where their suitcase is going to end up — or worse, whether they'll face the horror of having to get their bag checked at the last minute because some other passenger stole their overhead space.

airport

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Airline News

American Airlines launches new gate program to foil early boarders