Articles

Money and Fees

Article / Air Travel

Stop Stopovers: How to Find Out if Nonstop Flights Exist Between Airport Pairs

As airlines splinter their networks into increasingly frustrating fragments, finding nonstop, direct flights is more difficult than ever. Here's where to look.

Article / Passportable

Here Are the Dates When U.S. National Parks Are Free in 2022

On December 28, 2021, the National Park Service announced the days in 2022 when entry to national park units will be free. Although we love any day when the general public can waltz…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Sharp Price Increase for U.S. Passports Announced

Looks like inflation is also hitting government fees. This week, the U.S. State Department announced that the cost of a passport will go up by 13%. Beginning December 27, a new…

Article / Passportable

Holiday Flight Delayed? This Hard Seltzer Company Will Buy You a Drink

Air travel could drive anybody to drink nowadays, so maybe it makes sense that liquor companies are trying to ease our flying woes this holiday season. Last week we told you about a…

Article / Passportable

Low-Cost Icelandic Airline Debuts in U.S. with $109 Fares to Europe

A fledgling low-cost airline called Play, which has been flying between Iceland and other parts of Europe since 2019, is expanding into the United States with introductory…

Article / Passportable

Where Coffee Is Cheapest and Most Expensive in the U.S.

Often it's the accumulation of little costs that can really cut into a travel budget. Looking at the prices of everyday items in a destination can give you a good idea of how expensive…

Article / Passportable

In New York City, 50% Off Shows and Attractions, Plus Deep Winter Discounts on Hotels and Food

Deep winter means deep discounts in New York City. That was true pre-pandemic, but the number of deals has grown exponentially this year thanks to the city's proactive tourist…

Article / Money and Fees

It's Donation Season: Consider These Travel-Related Charities

If you're looking to make a difference right now, these trusted organizations rely on donations to do their good work.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Glitchy Genie+/ Lightning Lane System Arrives at Disneyland

In October, Florida's Walt Disney World rolled out its paid version of the formerly free FastPass system, now called Lightning Lane. The Disney company had delayed expanding the new…

Article / Theme Park

Can a Computer-Literate Great-Grandmother Figure Out Disney World's Genie+?

I took a 70-something who has been going to Disney World for 50 years back to the Magic Kingdom to see if she could figure out Disney's new booking and itinerary system.

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Buying Travel Insurance During Covid-19: Should You? What Kind?

If you never bought travel insurance before, you should now. When you vacation in the age of coronavirus, here's what to look for in a policy—and what it won't cover.

Article / Passportable

New Scam Alert: When You File Covid-Related Border Entry Forms, Watch Out

There are precious few outfits dedicated to the protection of the consumer—and goodness knows the United States has a long way to go in customer protection with actual legal bite. So…

Article / Passportable

Figure Out Where to Use Your Credit Card Rewards Points for Flights with This Free Online Tool

If you've racked up a bunch of air travel miles from a credit card or airline rewards program and you'd like to redeem them for an international flight, a free, new online tool from…

Article / Money and Fees

That Tempting Travel Deal Could Be a Rip-Off. Tips for Spotting a Real Bargain

Promoted travel deals are often just marketing—and sometimes scams. Here's how to find the actual values.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

How Much More Expensive Is an Airbnb Than a Hotel Room? New Data

This time last year, I wrote a blog post about a survey that showed that a new winner had emerged in the long-standing battle between the hotel industry and Airbnb. Thanks to social…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Warning! Hertz Still Slapping Erroneous Fees on Innocent Customers, Paper Says

Hertz may have emerged from bankruptcy protection earlier this year, but for customers of the rental car company, warning lights are still flashing. The troubled brand that Vanity Fair…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Marriott Made Hundreds of Millions from Deceptive Fees, Lawsuit Says

Just how lucrative are resort fees for hotels? Newly unsealed court documents from a lawsuit brought by the District of Columbia's attorney general against Marriott International shed…

Article / Theme Park

Disney's Pay-to-Skip-Lines System Launches: 10 Crucial Discoveries from the Reactions

Lightning Lane, Disney's new automated system that charges visitors extra to jump the line, has debuted at Walt Disney World. Here's what observers learned about how it works (and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

When to Buy and When to Fly for the Cheapest Airfare in 2022: New Research

Many annual traditions have been pushed aside by the pandemic, but not one of this writer's favorites: the annual joint report by the Airline Reporting Corporation and Expedia. Why am…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Airlines and Airports Are Fighting Over Runway Fees. Your Airfare Could Soar.

Separate industry groups representing airlines and airports got into a spat this week, and—surprise!—you could end up the loser in the fight. At issue are the charges that airports…

Article / Passportable

TSA Lowers PreCheck Renewal Fee (but Here's How to Get It for Free)

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has decided it's time to lower the charge passengers pay to renew PreCheck memberships. TSA PreCheck is one of the federal…

Article / Passportable

New York City Puts Hotels, Shows, and Museums on Sale for October

Fall is normally New York City's most busy and expensive season, with hundreds of thousands of travelers descending on the city for business meetings, Broadway show weekends, the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Almost Everyone Agrees: American Airlines' New Conditions of Carriage Are Bad for Consumers

A few weeks ago, American Airlines quietly revised its Conditions of Carriage governing what customers can expect for their money. That sounds really boring, but trust us: You're…

Article / Passportable

Amtrak's Latest Flash Sale Cuts Fares in Half

A new month, a new Amtrak sale. Not that we're complaining, but the national rail service has been throwing so many sales in 2021 you feel a bit silly when you don't get a…

Article / Passportable

Great Smoky Mountains Adds Parking Fee to Access Beloved Waterfall

There's no entrance fee at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In fact, when Tennessee and North Carolina turned over the land to the federal government in the 1930s, one of the…