While We're Discussing Fee-Free Cards, Here's One That Charges No ATM Fees
Posted on 06/21/2013, 4:30 AM
Arthur Frommer recently let you know about the United Plus Explorer card, which waives the foreign transaction fee the way the famous Capital One suite of cards does. That card (in which, I stress, Frommer's has no financial interest) is described in his blog post. But that's for a credit card. What about cards linked to savings accounts, which let you draw money you actually have rather than...
Confused About Navigating the Airport? One of Them Will Take $80 to Guide You Through It
Posted on 06/21/2013, 4:30 AM
More and more, airlines stand to make a lot more money when airports do their jobs inefficiently. Last month, I told you about how one airline at JFK was raking in fees for instant security-line upgrades when the TSA failed to process passengers quickly. Now, airport management itself is finding a way to cash in. Manchester, England just completed a pilot program charging customers £50, or ne...
The Elimination of Room Service, Top Sheets, and More: Worrisome Changes Coming to a Hotel Near You
Posted on 06/20/2013, 8:30 AM
Those over the age of 45 will remember when flying was a glamorous, or at least an amenity-laden activity. Attractive flight attendants would flit up and down the aisles, delivering meals, snacks, pillows and blankets, with nary a thought of charging the passenger extra for these, well, extras. Those days are long gone, of course, and thanks to recent developments in the hotel industry it loo...
Wanna Save That $25 Baggage Charge? Avoid the 3% Foreign Transaction Fee? Get Admission to a Comfy Lounge? Enjoy Priority Boarding? We Know How!
Posted on 06/19/2013, 9:15 PM
At the risk of being accused of touting a particular credit card (in which I have no interest whatever), it's important to alert all cost-conscious travelers about the new (and rather innovative) Chase Card for United Airlines passengers. It costs $0 the first year, $95 the second year (thus $47.50 a year for the first two years), and primariy lets you and your travel companion each check...
Getting Crafty in North Carolina: Meet the John C. Campbell Folk School
Posted on 06/18/2013, 7:00 PM
The day began with Whisky for Breakfast. Which made sense, since we were in North Carolina. But this wasn’t a meeting of the “Moonshine Society.” Instead, a fiddler and a banjo player were jumpstarting the morning with a before-breakfast concert-- which included that classic Appalachian jig—at the famed John C. Campbell Folkschool (www.folkschool.org), of Brasstown. Later in the day, I studie...
Drop That Knock-Off Purse! People Who Buy Counterfeit Goods in New York City May Now Face Stiff Fines
Posted on 06/16/2013, 10:00 PM
Just yesterday I was walking through New York's Chinatown, on my way to review a dim sum joint for my new guidebook, when a short woman slung with several purses sidles up to me. "Want to buy?" she asked in a low voice. "This real thing. Louis Vuitton. Chanel. Prada. We got it all." I said 'no thanks', and kept on walking. But I noticed that she did manage to nab a tourist near me, and soon t...
On a Return Flight to the U.S. from an Overseas Trip, It Has Now Become Important to Leave Yourself At Least Four Hours for Making An Onward Connection
Posted on 06/16/2013, 9:45 PM
The big news in travel this past week has been the virtual collapse of the customs and immigration function at several of the nation's international airports, including those in Newark, New York, Miami, Seattle and Los Angeles, in particular. The under-staffing of those facilities has become so evident that waits of two and three hours are sometimes needed to pass through immigration and ...
My Knee-Jerk (Ouch!) Reaction to American Airlines' Plans to Add Even More Seats to Its Planes
Posted on 06/13/2013, 10:30 PM
My knees are aching just writing this. And my laptop's cover is quivering in fear. But here goes: In a regulatory filing yesterday, AMR Corp disclosed its plans to add more seats to some of its planes, according to the Associated Press. An airline spokesperson said the seats would be added on 737's and MD-80 jets, but declined to say just what the new configurations would be like. But unle...
Thinking About a Dude Ranch Vacation This Summer? Tips from an Expert
Posted on 06/13/2013, 10:45 AM
The horse may just replace the racecar, space ship and James Bond-helmed motorboat as the whiz-bang mode of transportation this summer. I make that prediction after watching the trailers for the new, Johnny Depp-helmed (he’s Tonto) version of The Lone Ranger that will be hitting movie theaters this July and seems destined for blockbuster status. Every single preview features racing stallions, t...
Another Opening, Another Summer Stock Show: The Best Theater This Coming Season in North America
Posted on 06/13/2013, 10:45 AM
Sure there’s sun and sand. But one of the unsung delights of summer---or should I say one of the most loudly crooned pleasures of the season---is summer stock. There’s something magical about heading out on a warm evening, entering a theater filled with other tanned and relaxed folks, and giving yourself up to a classical musical or play. And nowadays, summers have become a time not just for re...
