Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, used to run Gatwick airport. In the third and final part of our conversation, the boss of the world's busiest international airport offers advice on expansion at both Heathrow and Gatwick. "The boost that will give to the economy, the advantages it will drive for trade for the UK are all desperately needed. Make the decision, stick to it,"This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

In the second part of my exclusive conversation with Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, we gaze deep into the future of aviation. Not only does Dubai International expect to be the first airport in the world to handle 100 million international passengers – along the road, Dubai World Central airport is planned to outpace the DXB and the rest of the world.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Today and for the following two days, I am bringing you a conversation with the man who is responsible for more "passenger miles" than anyone else on the planet: Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports. For the first of three parts, we talked about how Dubai International airport has blossomed into the biggest hub for international passengers in the world.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

I'm joined by The Independent's US travel editor, Ted Thornhill, for his insights on the tricky business of reclining seats, sharing armrests, stowing baggage and whether you can ever upgrade to the business class bathroom?This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Amelia Neath, travel writer for The Independent, continues her romp through the best-value European city breaks for 2026. Today: the top five are revealed.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Travel writer for The Independent Amelia Neath has compiled a brilliant list of best-value European city breaks for 2026. It's another two-parter: today she is counting down from 10 to six, and tomorrow the top five will be revealed.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Travel desk Tuesday, and today senior travel writer Natalie Wilson is reporting on the Belmond British Pullman Christmas lunch trip from London Victoria to Kent – and looking ahead to Interrail travel for 2026. The current 25% discount offer, for passes that you can start any time in the next 11 months, ends at 9am GMT on Wednesday 17 December.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Starting a new year with a journey to a new destination is always rewarding, and one of the most memorable 1 January departures took me to Guatemala. As you will hear from Harris Whitbeck, minister of tourism for the Central American nation, diversity awaits from Maya culture to pizza baked freshly on volcanic rock. Yet the Foreign Office advice for Guatemala is strident – and Harris has plenty to say about it.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Could Edinburgh airport be the first in the UK to offer pre-clearance for travellers to the US? That's the hope of today's guest, Gordon Dewar – chief executive of the Scottish hub. Allowing passengers to go through US Customs and Border Protection before they board a flight to America "would be incredibly powerful for Edinburgh, and we are pursuing it", he tells me. "If the two governments can find common ground and sign the agreement, we’ll start building the next day."This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.