Articles

Trends & Hacks

Article / Money and Fees

That's Ridiculous! New Tipping Traps To Watch For

Travelers are often criticized for under-tipping, but what happens when travelers inadvertently over-tip? Beware of restaurants and businesses that include gratuities on bills 'for…

Article / Hotels

Sold-Out Hotels: What to Do When Your Hotel Doesn't Have Room

A hotel sells out, leaving a traveler with an unconfirmed reservation and no place to stay. What could he have done to avoid losing his room?

Article / Hotels

Travel Troubleshooter: My Dog is Sick & My Hotel Won't Let Me Rebook

A traveler wants to rebook his Caribbean vacation in order to take of his injured dog. Will the booking site allow an exception to its nonrefundable policies?

Article / Money and Fees

That's Ridiculous! Exchange Rate Rip-offs & How to Avoid Them

Inflated fees for exchanging currency abroad may not be new, but the rise in electronic transactions means those fees may be harder to detect. Here's how to avoid costly surprises when…

Article / Air Travel

5 Nights in Northern California, from $799 With Air

Save more than $200 this fall with a Northern California vacation package that includes airfare, hotel, and a rental car.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Hey, That's the Wrong London!

If a glitch results in an incorrect booking, shouldn't the online travel agency refund the money?

Article / Air Travel

Three Nights in D.C., from $299 with Air

Save $241 per person on this three-night package to Washington, D.C.

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! What to Do When Your Airline Tells You to Shut Up

When responding to complaints by passengers, airlines can end the discussion by stating that there will be no further correspondence on the problem. Is that fair?

Article / Hotels

Does TripAdvisor Have a Problem with Fake Reviews?

This popular site relies on members to share honest reviews about hotels. But when it's the company's turn to be transparent about the way it operates, it goes strangely quiet.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Why Did You Cancel My Ticket?

If an online travel agency accidentally canceled this traveler's reservation, shouldn't the company also pay to rebook the ticket?

Article / Hotels

That's Ridiculous! Where Does the Clever Hotel Wordplay Cross the Line?

How can something that's complimentary end up costing you a few bucks? Leave it to some sneaky hotels to find a way.

Article / Air Travel

Three Nights in London, from $1,069 with Air

This quick weekend getaway to London saves you about $130 per person when compared to booking airfare and hotel separately.

Article / Air Travel

Who's Responsible for Your Missed Airline Connection?

Why is it that airlines can explain delays with 'reasons beyond our control' but passengers have to bear the brunt (and expense) of TSA-related delays?

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: A Promised Refund That Never Arrived

After a traveler's husband is unable to fly due to a stroke, the airline agrees to refund the unused tickets. Will the airline keep its word, or does everything need to be in writing?

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! Credit Card Offers You Wish You'd Declined

Are all those tempting credit card offers too good to be true? Read the fine print before you commit to an airline's affinity program.

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

GPS Directions Get a Summer Upgrade

Improve your summer road trip experience by learning from these travelers' mistakes.

Article / Money and Fees

How to Use Public Computers Safely While Traveling

Before you hit the Internet café on your next trip, learn what you need to do to protect your personal information.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: The Dog Ate My Passport

An immigration officer refuses to accept a traveler's dog-eared passport. Who is to blame for the disrupted vacation?

Article / Air Travel

Why Are Airlines Forcing Families to Battle Fellow Passengers and Flight Attendants?

New airline fees that force passengers to pay to sit together are creating conflict between paying passengers, non-payers, and the flight attendants who have to soothe the conflict.…

Article / Packages

Four Nights in Aruba, from $689 With Air

Save $153.50 per person at this recently renovated Westin in Aruba, right on the beach and out of the hurricane path.

Article / Air Travel

Are New Airline Seating Fees Anti-Family?

Now that airlines are instituting fees for many seat assignments, those who don't pay extra are being scattered in seats along the cabin. What does this mean to families traveling…

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Travel Troubleshooter: A Burned-Out Clutch and a Surprise Repair Bill

After only a few miles, our reader's rental car stops running. Now Hertz is demanding £1,233 for a replacement clutch. Doesn't insurance cover the damage? Apparently not.

Article / Packages

10 Days in Thailand, from $1,699 With Air

For the price of what airfare and seven nights' hotel would cost if booked separately, enjoy this escorted Thailand trip that also includes transfers and local transportation, tours,…

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! Air Travel Gets Even More Absurd This Summer

From difficult refund processes to bin-hogging passengers, this summer is poised to be another frustrating season for travelers.

Article / Air Travel

Pet Policy Spat Reveals Fliers' Distrust of Airlines

Pet owners are up in arms after some U.S. airlines are no longer allowing pets to travel in the passenger cabin of Mexico-bound flights. Since fees for transporting pets in the cargo…