CNN’s Travel Companion suggests you start looking for Thanksgiving and Christmas tickets now, because airlines have cut capacity over last year, and the peak travel times for those two holidays are shorter this year than usual. The article also provide some tips for getting a good price: shop for single seats; aim for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday flights; and if you can, try to fly on an actual holiday. [More]
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Flight Cancellations Hold Steady Despite New Tarmac Delay Limit
By 8.8.10
Remember how airlines threatened to cancel a mess of flights if the Department of Transportation imposed fines for holding planes on the tarmac for more than three hours? Well, the DOT imposed the rule and it looks like airlines are coping just fine. The Wall Street Journal examined recently released data and found that the most probable explanation for the slight jump in cancellations is a combination of weather and shoddy maintenance. [More]
UPDATED: Bumped From A Hotel, Promised A Refund That Hasn't Come
By 12.15.09
Personal finance blogger Krystalatwork traveled to Las Vegas, booking a prepaid stay at Harrah’s. But along with a number of other travelers, she found no room at the inn and was forced to stay at the considerably less posh Flamingo, then promised a full refund. [More]
Watch Out For Changes To Your Flight Itinerary
By 11.23.09
Alexandros received an update from Orbitz about his trip and realized that United had changed the time of his flight. For various reasons he couldn’t make the new time, so he was lucky to have caught it—not to mention he could have missed the flight entirely had he not seen the change.
Are You Ready To Go Shopping On Your Next Flight?
By 11.17.09
American Airlines is beginning to experiment with turning flights into shopping opportunities, reports the New York Times. We’re not just talking about in-flight purchases of Sky Mall schwag, either: the paper reports that limousine services, tickets to theme parks and Broadway shows, and train tickets are some of the offerings being considered or currently being tested.
Google Offering Temporary Free WiFi Access At 47 Airports
By 11.10.09
From now until January 15th, 2010, Google will offer free WiFi access at 47 airports around the country. As part of the promotion, they’ll be collecting donations through Google Checkout for three non-profit organizations and will provide matching funds up to $250,000. But whether you donate or not, there’s a much better chance now that you’ll be able to go online while waiting for your flight. Imagine all the airline tips you can send to us!
United Says No Track Suits In First Class
By 11.4.09
How casual is too casual for an airplane’s first class section? If you paid for first class, and a bald guy in a Puma running outfit sat down across the aisle from you, would you honestly feel short-changed? United seems to think it’s inappropriate.
Traveling Domestically? Consider A Hostel
By 9.16.09
Tough times has forced a developer in South Florida to rethink his condo hotel development, so he’s reconfigured it as a hotel-hostel that offers not just the standard shared room arrangements familiar to any college student who’s traveled, but also slightly more expensive private rooms with kitchenettes and basic hotel amenities for $50 a night, writes the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
HSBC Cancels Traveler's Credit Card, Pays For Their Mistake
By 8.11.09
Bank of America isn’t the only bank that enjoys canceling their traveling customer’s credit cards. HSBC canceled my card while I was living in New Zealand, and as part of their “continuing efforts to fight fraud,” sent an active replacement card to my address 9,000 miles away.
Couchsurfing Can Help You Save Money And Make Friends While Traveling
By 8.11.09
CouchSurfing is an online community of friendly hosts who are ready and eager to throw their convertible couches open to travelers from across the world. The service offers more than a free place to crash; it connects travelers with like-minded people who are excited to share their enthusiasm for their hometown. But aren’t you going to be immediately robbed and stabbed by the opportunistic lechers lurking on the internet, you ask?
Access Commercial WiFi Hotspots At Airports For Free
By 7.26.09
We all know the crushing defeat of logging onto an open WiFi hotspot at an airport only to discover that you need to pay to reach the internet. No more! If the portal has a space for promotion codes, go ask the gift shop if they have a coupon for free access. If they don’t, you’re not out of options…
State Department Admits RFID Passports Are Insecure
By 7.18.09
The State Department is advising travelers using super-secure RFID-enabled passports to buy a “radio-opaque” holster, because it turns out that RFID chips aren’t so super-secure after all. Don’t fret if “radio-opaque sheath” isn’t on your holiday shopping list, this is thankfully one of those rare problems that you can solve with a hammer…
Which Airlines Are The Most Pet Friendly?
By 7.9.09
Petfinder.com compared airlines to see which ones are the best choices if you’re traveling with pets. You may remember our post a while back on Pet Airways, about which Petfinder says, “While Pet Airways didn’t make the rankings because they haven’t ‘hit the air’ yet, [we are] excited to see the promising airline take off.”
Never Pack Your Jewelry In Checked Baggage
By 7.3.09
My suitcase had been opened, my jewelry bag unzipped, and my fine jewelry (gold, diamonds, sapphires) had been hand picked out of the jewelry bag and the inexpensive jewelry (plastic, glass, metal) left strewn across my belongings inside my suitcase.
Traveler Detained For Carrying "Too Much" Cash Sues TSA
By 6.22.09
Back in March, Steve Bierfeldt was pulled aside while going through the security line at Lambert-St. Louis (Missouri) International Airport, taken to a room, and questioned for half an hour about the box of cash he was trying to check through. Bierfeldt, who works for a Ron Paul organization, recorded the conversation. Now with the help of the ACLU he’s suing the TSA.
Which Credit And Debit Cards Are The Best To Use Overseas?
By 5.24.09
Spending money costs money when you’re abroad, but a list of cards and fees compiled by USA Today can help you decide which card to pack before you leave.
Four Checked Bags On Delta Will Cost You $365 In Fees
By 5.8.09
Most travelers make do with 2 normal-sized pieces of luggage or less, but if you think you might have to travel with more bags, or unusually large or heavy ones, be prepared to shell out a lot of cash for what’s called an “excess baggage fee.”
