Articles

Trends & Hacks

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: A Mileage Mess on My Mortgage

Northwest Airlines promises our reader frequent flier miles when he applies for his mortgage. But after several rounds of finger-pointing between supervisors, his miles remain missing.

Article / Hotels

Reports of Hawaii's Demise as an Affordable Vacation Destination Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

This Monday, AAA announced that Hawaii was the most expensive state to visit, with costs of $792 per day, per couple. But savvy travelers can have a wonderful holiday for less than a…

Article / Hotels

Summer Beach Getaways for the Family

You can still snag some family discounts and outright international bargains for traveling this summer -- as long as you stick to Hawaiian, Caribbean, and Mexican beaches.

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Amtrak Gets Generous with These New Summer Codes

Amtrak has revived online-bookable codes for the popular northeast corridor, so now that gas is pushing $4, there's more reasons than ever to try the train.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Where's My Hotel Room?

Our reader books a hotel room through Cheaptickets, but when he checks in he's told there's no reservation. He finds another room and Cheaptickets keeps his money. Can it do that?

Article / Miscellaneous

Five Most Common Ticketing Errors -- And How to Avoid Them

You don't have to look far for ticketing mistakes in an age of do-it-yourself booking. Let's review the five biggest booking blunders.

Article / Cruise

10 Great Innovations in the Modern Age of Cruising

After lifeboats and radar were invented, cruise ship designers had the time to dream up more exciting outlets for their creative impulses. Today, cruise lines wouldn't dream of…

Article / Miscellaneous

Airline Mergers Bring Little Good News to Travelers

With all the consolidation and closure activity among the airlines, the US may soon be left with only four major international airlines. What does that mean to the average traveler?

Article / Miscellaneous

Travel Troubleshooter: Luggage Gets Spirited Away in Vegas

When Spirit Airlines loses our reader's luggage he files a report and a lost luggage claim, but the airline ignores his requests for compensation. What's going on, and why won't the…

Article / Packages

Kids Eat Free: 3 Little Words That Equal Huge Savings

Want to shave your family's vacation costs? Be on the lookout for a free meal -- or even better, make that three squares a day.

Article / Money and Fees

Four Secrets to Picking the Right Travel Agent

Good travel agents have an edge over almost any other seller of travel. They know what you want, they speak your language, and they're there for you when you run into trouble.

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Travel Troubleshooter: Help! Princess Confiscated My Cognac

When our couple transfers from the cruise ship to a train, they give Princess their luggage, which includes a bottle of Cognac, which Princess refuses to return. Why did they swipe it?

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Making Sense of New York City's Sightseeing Passes

Sightseeing costs in New York City do add up, but they can be alleviated through the judicious use of passes. Here's how to choose between the three most popular.

Article / Air Travel

Finding a Good Airfare to New York City

Airfares have been inching up, month by month, in the last year. Still, it's possible to find a reasonable airfare into and out of New York City, one of the busiest gateways in the…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Greenwashed! Make Sense of the Travel Industry's Eco Promises

Travelers want to feel socially responsible -- and the travel industry, true to character, is more than happy to take their money. Even if it's doing nothing meaningful to help the…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Travel Health & Safety: Safest Airlines & Planes

With the grounding of thousands of flights, is something basically wrong airplanes? Well, yes, there is something wrong, but it's not the safety of our airline fleet.

Article / Cruise

10 Reasons Cruise Ships Are Better than Vegas

What did I realize during a few days and nights walking the Strip and trawling the casinos? I realized that cruise ships are waaaaay better than Sin City -- and here's why.

Article / Hotels

Travel Troubleshooter: A Room With a Wrong View

Bob Ledford is promised a room with a two-sided ocean view when he books through Expedia. But when he arrives, the view isn't what he expected, the hotel doesn't seem to care, and…

Article / Miscellaneous

My Trip Planning Strategy: Divide and Conquer

If you don't know whether to head north, south, east or west for advice when planning a trip, here's a strategy and a short list on the pros and cons of using a travel agent v.…

Article / Air Travel

The Southern Mediterranean Charms of Sicily and Malta

Charis Atlas Heelan reveals tips and deals for an affordable island vacation -- even during peak season.

Article / Hotels

Magical Stays: Perfecto Paradores for Your Next Trip to Spain

Spain has a rich architectural heritage with magnificent historic walled cities and some of the finest preserved castles and fortresses in Europe. Spain's 'Paradores' are a stunning…

Article / Hotels

Travel Troubleshooter: That's Some Cleaning Bill

Bart Everson's room rate at an Alabama resort includes a big surprise: a $166 'cleaning fee.' The fine print in his reservation mentions a fee, but doesn't say how much he'll be…

Article / Air Travel

Is Greece Still The Word? Ways to Save on a European Vacation

With the U.S. dollar at a historical low against the powerful Euro and no relief in sight, can those with a tighter money belt still afford to travel to this ancient land? Can you…

Article / Air Travel

Grounded by Inspections? Four Tips for Getting There Anyway

If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of air travelers whose plans were disrupted by inspection-related cancellations at American Airlines or one of the flights bound to be called…

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Highway Robbery: Coping with the Great American Speed Trap

After being handed my $120 ticket and told to have a nice day, I turn to my wife. 'Do you feel like we've just been mugged?' I ask.