Articles

Air Travel

Article / Air Travel

Fly Safe, Fly Smart: What To Do About Lost Luggage

Experts tell you to never, ever check your bags if you can possibly avoid it. Short of sticking to a carry-on, here's what you can do to keep your bags with you.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Stopped Payment on My Compensation Check

Alaska Airlines pays our reader $239 when she's bumped from her flight. Then it stops payment on the check. Why? And is there anything she can do to get the money back?

Article / Air Travel

Stopping Low Airfares From Vanishing in a Click

When you're airfare shopping, attractive prices can vanish in a split second. Here's what you can do to avoid losing that perfect fare.

Article / Air Travel

Fly Safe, Fly Smart: Pack Like The Pros

You don't need to check luggage. Never, ever again. Smart packing and traveling light helps now more than ever—especially when it comes to keeping your wallet from getting too…

Article / Air Travel

7 Secrets for Boosting Your Online Power

Got a travel problem? Just tweet about your troubles, and the airline, car rental company or hotel will fix it. At least that's the conventional wisdom.

Article / Air Travel

Good Airline Fees? Some Are Worth the Money

This isn't another story about airlines and their misguided fees. It's about the surcharges that are worth paying -- and why you should consider saying, 'yes' to them

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Help! My Baggage Didn't Make the Connection

Our reader's fiancee spends an extra day in Athens after her airline forces her to recheck her luggage. Whose fault is this snafu? The airline's or hers? And what, if anything, can be…

Article / Air Travel

Why Is the Clear Airfares Act Left Sitting on the Tarmac?

If you've ever been hit with a surprise fee when you rented a car or booked an airline ticket and found yourself saying, 'There ought to be a law,' I have some good news for you: There…

Article / Air Travel

Fly Safe, Fly Smart: Checkpoint Checkout

TSA checkpoint staff aren't your friends, but they aren't your enemies either, and life goes more smoothly if you make things easy for them.

Article / Air Travel

Should Airlines Honor Fares That Are Obvious Mistakes?

In an age when airfares drop as low as $1 on some routes, how can you tell the difference between a real deal and a fat finger mistake? And how should the airlines make things right?

Article / Air Travel

Flight Check: Toronto to Tel Aviv on EL AL

Since the thwarted airline attack on Christmas Day, many travelers have been asking why U.S. airlines can't have security like Israel's national carrier, EL AL. I'm one of them,…

Article / Air Travel

Fly Safe, Fly Smart: How To Dodge The Lines at Top U.S. Airports

According to the Transportation Security Administration, lines at security checkpoints aren't a problem any more. For those of us who've experienced otherwise, here are a few ways to…

Article / Air Travel

Why You May Be Better off With a Cash Back Credit Card Than a Frequent Flyer One

The bonus miles you can earn with an airline miles credit card can be tempting, but once you've collected the come on bonus, take a second look.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: A Canceled Flight and a Missing Refund

Our reader's flight is canceled, but Expedia is dragging its feet on a refund. The reason? The airlines involved haven't sent the money to the agency yet. Why should our reader wait?

Article / Air Travel

Transportation Department Steps Up Efforts in Aviation Consumer Protection

Even air travelers are impressed with the 'new' Department of Transportation, which, if you listen to the buzz, appears to be protecting consumers for the first time in years.

Article / Air Travel

What? You're Still Paying the Airlines to Carry Your Bags?

Now that the airlines have raised their fees for checked bags yet again, it's time to take another look at the alternative: shipping your bags.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: One Year Later, Still No Refund

Our reader cancels her flight when her father falls ill. He soon dies, and she hopes the airline will refund her nonrefundable ticket. Will the airline keep her money?

Article / Air Travel

5 Easy Ways to Avoid a la Carte Anarchy When You Fly

It used to be so simple: The price you were quoted for an airline ticket, rental car or cruise used to be the price you actually paid. Here's how you can avoid being nickel and dimed.

Article / Air Travel

Airport Report: Checking in on Mexico City's Budget Alternative

Toluca has been a convenient alternative for Mexicans since it opened in 2002 -- kind of like Burbank near Los Angeles -- but now that both Southwest and Continental offer non-stops…

Article / Air Travel

Flying Under the Influence of the TSA: What Now?

Since the last time we wrote about the Transportation Security Administration, the agency charged with protecting air travel has encountered some unexpected turbulence

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Poof! There Go My SkyMiles

Our reader's Delta SkyMiles are gone -- all 101,000 of them. They were never supposed to expire, but the airline changed its rules without telling him. Does he have any chance of…

Article / Air Travel

Airport Security: Back To Normal -- Mostly

Flying is getting mostly back to normal after a solid week of uncertainties and over-reactions, although some airports and airlines are enforcing new carry-on bag restrictions.

Article / Air Travel

Flying in the Snow: 6 Lessons for Coping With Winter-Weather Delays

Last weekend's blizzard was a warning to air travelers: Winter is only starting, and when bad weather moves in, your flight schedule isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Charged Too Soon For My Hotel Stay

Our reader books a refundable rate at the Holiday Inn, but when the hotel changes its name and his card is charged early, it refuses to adjust his rate to a cheaper, prepaid price. Is…

Article / Air Travel

Gifts From Above: 7 Presents We Wish Airlines Would Give Us

This was supposed to be a feel-good column where readers share what presents they wanted from the travel industry. Then readers shared their not so warm and fuzzy thoughts.