New service to China and India

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Christine Sarkis

On May 5, Jet Airways will start service between San Francisco and Mumbai, via Shanghai. This will be the third new U.S. departure point in the last year for the India-based airline, which also flies between Newark and Mumbai via Brussels, and New York (JFK) and Delhi, also via Brussels.

Back in December, I chose India as one of the top five destinations to watch in 2008 because tourism infrastructure growth is making it more accessible to a wide range of travelers. In the last year, Continental and Air India have also added routes between the two countries, and hotel chains such as Hilton, Marriott, and easyHotel are expanding like crazy all over India.

All this development is good for leisure travelers who want a more familiar travel experience, but it may disappoint off-the-beaten-path travelers looking for a less globalized destination.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.