Washington Post Travel Writing Jobs: Earn Up to $1,000 Per Article

Publication: The Washington Post — By The Way
Topics: Travel, travel news, tips, guides, destinations, travel trends, consumer advice, food, culture
Rate (USD): Up to $1,000 per article
Deadline: Rolling
Editor: Amanda Finnegan, Travel and By The Way Editor; Gabe Hiatt, Deputy Editor
Submit Via: Email Amanda Finnegan (amanda.finnegan@washpost.com) or Gabe Hiatt (gabe.hiatt@washpost.com)

Write for The Washington Post’s By The Way Travel Section

The Washington Post is looking for contributing travel writers for By The Way, its travel destination covering news, practical tips and guides from local experts, both online and in print.

The section focuses on helping readers travel smarter. Stories can explain changes in travel prices, reveal useful hacks, provide practical destination advice, or examine the breaking news, policies, industries and events that influence where people travel and how they get there.

Writers should be able to meet The Washington Post’s editorial standards while giving readers information they can actually apply to their own trips.

The publication places particular value on service journalism, practicality and broad relevance. Its audience generally travels on regular commercial flights rather than luxury private experiences, so useful, accessible and actionable stories are preferred.

By The Way also publishes stories with humor, explanations of viral travel moments and deeply reported pieces examining the small details of travel.

The publication is particularly interested in voices that are underrepresented in travel media.

Explore The Washington Post Travel section

What The Washington Post Is Looking For

Strong pitches can include:

A story about a place you live in or know extremely well, particularly when you already have relevant sources lined up.
A story connected to a current news event that can be reported and published quickly.
Practical advice that helps travelers plan better, spend smarter or solve common travel problems.
Travel trends that reveal something meaningful about the broader culture of travel.
Stories with strong appeal to American travelers.
Fresh perspectives on popular destinations that go beyond the obvious tourist attractions.
Stories showing readers how locals eat, drink and experience a destination.
Useful travel hacks or strong opinions suitable for the publication’s Upgrade series.

For example, the section publishes practical destination advice such as its guides to planning trips around the world and solutions to common problems such as hotel refunds and upgrades.

The publication also looks for stories that examine broader travel culture, such as tourism and plantation destinations.

For destination-specific ideas, the section has published practical pieces about subjects such as Paris bakeries and homemade pastries, as well as how visitors can experience local Austin restaurants and Mexico’s natural wine scene.

The publication also welcomes unusual but useful travel stories. Examples include its coverage of things to do at O’Hare Airport and an explanation of the viral bald eagle TSA airport incident.

What They Usually Reject

Avoid pitching stories that:

Require you to parachute into a destination you don’t know well.
Are purely personal essays without a broader, relatable subject.
Focus primarily on luxury travel.
Result from a press trip or complimentary travel arrangement.

The editors specifically want journalism that serves readers rather than promotional travel coverage.

How to Pitch By The Way

Your pitch should be three paragraphs or fewer and should give the editors a clear understanding of:

The story idea.
Why the story matters to readers.
Your proposed tone and approach.
What reporting the story will require.
The sources you intend to interview.
Your relevant experience or knowledge of the subject.

One of the strongest approaches is to pitch a story about somewhere you live or know exceptionally well, particularly when you can demonstrate that you already have credible sources available.

Timely ideas can also be attractive. If your story is connected to a breaking travel development or news event, explain why the story needs to be published now and how quickly you can report it.

For the Upgrade series, writers can submit travel hacks and hot takes through the Upgrade pitch form.

You can also study the section’s existing travel news coverage, travel tips and destination guides before pitching.

Payment and Article Length

Accepted contributors will discuss article length and payment with the editors.

The ideal reported piece is generally 600 to 1,200 words, although the final length depends on the assignment.

Rates are negotiated piece by piece, based on the writer’s experience and the scope of the assignment. The publication’s competitive freelance rates can reach $1,000 per article, making this a worthwhile target for experienced travel writers and journalists.

Important Submission Standards

The Washington Post has strict requirements for freelance travel contributors.

No press trips. The publication does not accept stories resulting from free or discounted trips sponsored by tourism offices, chambers of commerce, visitors’ bureaus, airlines, hotels, cruise companies, outfitters, guides or other travel providers with a vested interest in the resulting coverage.

Travel expenses are generally not covered. Freelancers should not pitch a story assuming The Washington Post will pay for the trip.

First publication rights apply. Do not submit work that has already appeared elsewhere or is being simultaneously submitted to another publication.

Do not piggyback assignments. If another publication sends you somewhere to report one story, you cannot use that same trip to independently produce another story for The Washington Post.

Disclose conflicts of interest. Any actual or apparent conflict related to an assignment must be disclosed to the assignment editor.

Do not present yourself as a Washington Post staff writer. Freelancers can identify themselves as freelance reporters working on an article for The Washington Post Travel section when interviewing sources.

Travel anonymously. Unless the assignment editor agrees otherwise, writers should not tell hotels, restaurants, cruise personnel or other businesses that they are reviewing or writing about them.

Accepted assignments are governed by the Writer Agreement provided through The Washington Post Talent Network.

Submitted stories that violate Travel’s submission guidelines will not be published and will not qualify for kill fees.

Where to Send Your Pitch

Prospective contributors can pitch Amanda Finnegan, Travel and By The Way Editor, and Gabe Hiatt, Deputy Editor.

You can find their profiles here:

The editors note that writers should be patient if they do not receive an immediate response. If the team is interested in your idea, they will contact you.

Pitching Tip

Don’t pitch a generic destination article such as “10 Things to Do in Paris.” Instead, identify a specific problem, trend, overlooked local insight or timely development that gives American travelers a reason to read your story.

The strongest pitch should make the editor immediately understand what readers will learn, why they need to know it now and why you are the right person to report it.

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