Airline

When it comes to upgrades, the airlines are caught in what is viewed by many to be a real Catch-22. Like any business, the airlines have an obligation to maximize revenue and make money for the company. Part of this revenue is generated from the outright sale of tickets in their Premium cabins – First Class and Business Class. However, they also have an obligation to their best customers, namely the frequent flyer and more specifically the Elite flyer. Maintaining, and even growing, the base of frequent flyers of an airline depends almost entirely on the “value” of their frequent flyer programs, especially for Elite members. The value of most programs is often judged by the number of seats an airline allocates for either free or mileage upgrades in the very same Premium cabins they are obligated to sell. Hence the Catch-22. Read more

You’ve managed to secure the cheapest airline ticket or the best value ticket based on your travel itinerary. Or, maybe you’ve managed to snare that elusive upgrade or free award ticket in First Class. That’s terrific, but you’re only halfway there to a great experience. So, where are you going to sit? On the wing?

Traveling from one city to another can vary greatly based on the airline and the equipment (type of plane). Different airlines will fly different aircraft types and each will have its own seating configuration and amenities. This can drastically alter your flying experience. Even with the same airline, two or three different aircraft types may be used and each with varying quality of seats and seat arrangements. Read more

You’re in Chicago one day and California the next. In an age where geographical confines mean little, portability has become a product standard. But travel can be stressful with delicate electronics that run the risk of permanent and irreparable damage. These days, a person’s computer is their life. Important documents, files, pictures, stored data, all of these things in one delicate hard drive in a flimsy carrying case. Never mind flight delays and ticket prices, this is the true source of traveler’s anxiety. For Apple iMac users, there is hope. The iMCruzer Apple Carrying Case by Pelican offers secure and stress free transportation of your high end 20 or 24-inch Apple iMac computer.

The iMCruzer is air tight and water proof and gives your computer protection from structural damage. Although it may not be the lightest carrying case you’ve had, at 38 lbs when empty, it is certainly the most durable. It arrives with an unconditional lifetime guarantee. And is perhaps the first computer carrying case that can safely be checked on a flight along with your baggage. Read more

Southwest Airlines Vacations just announced a sale on travel to Las Vegas! Book a complete air/hotel Las Vegas vacation package at least five days in advance from February 29 – March 20, 2008 with accommodations at any MGM MIRAGE Resort and save! Stay three nights or longer for travel March 9 - April 30, 2008 and save $90 per reservation. Or, stay two nights or longer for travel March 9 - August 13, 2008 and save $60 per reservation.

MGM MIRAGE Resorts include: Bellagio, The Mirage, MGM Grand, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, TI-Treasure Island, Excalibur, Circus Circus. Read more

Southwest Airlines Vacations just announced a great sale on Las Vegas vacation packages. Book a complete air/hotel Las Vegas vacation package from January 11 - January 31, 2008 and stay three nights or longer at any MGM MIRAGE property for travel January 18 - May 31, 2008 and save $50 per reservation, book for travel June 1 - July 31, 2008 and your savings double to $100 per reservation.

MGM MIRAGE Resorts include: Bellagio, The Mirage, MGM Grand, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Monte Carlo, New York New York, Treasure Island-TI, Excalibur, Circus Circus. Read more

Book a complete air/hotel Southwest Airlines Vacations' package to the Hilton New Orleans Riverside from December 14, 2007 through March 24, 2008, for travel December 21, 2007 through March 31, 2008, and receive reduced package rates plus FREE bonus gifts. Bonus gifts include:  A free Riverwalk CD & Premier Passport and a $10 Café Du Monde certificate.

Sample two-night prices listed below are per person based on double occupancy and include:

• Roundtrip air via Southwest Airlines
  
• Hotel accommodations & taxes at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside
  
• Rapid Rewards credit on flight
  
• 24-hour traveler assistance
  
• Bonus gifts listed above
  

Want to go to Vegas? Southwest Airlines Vacations just announced a November Fall sale on Vegas vacation packages. Now you can enjoy all the action in Vegas twice. Save $75 now and $100 on a return vacation.

Book a complete air/hotel Southwest Airlines Vacations package of 3 nights or longer from November 2 – November 22, 2007 at any Las Vegas hotel and save $75 instantly PLUS save another $100 on your next Las Vegas vacation of 3 nights or longer. Travel for the $75 savings is November 9 – December 20, 2007 and January 15 –February 28, 2008. Read more

Virgin America just announced that it is partnering with AirCell to offer air-to-ground broadband internet service on Virgin America flights sometime in 2008. Guests onboard Virgin America will be able to access the internet either through their wifi-enabled personal devices (gaming devices, laptops, PDAs, Smartphones) or through the Red Inflight Entertainment system at every seat.

Guests will also be able to check and send web-email from their seatbacks through Red's TALK -- the airline's onboard chat system -- using instant messaging services such as MSN, Google talk, Yahoo! Skype, and AIM. Read more

Today’s business climate has forced most companies to operate in the “lean and mean” mode. This is probably evidenced most with everyday expenses such as business travel. While our willingness to help the company reduce necessary costs for travel and entertainment by securing the lowest possible airfare available, the reality is that oftentimes the lowest airfare is not necessarily a cost savings for the company but an additional expense.

Airlines, in general, rarely share all the possible fares or “fare buckets” that are available on any given flight on any given day. Many times travelers are faced with choosing between a full fare ticket and the lowest fare ticket, not knowing that there can sometimes be as many as 20 additional fare buckets available for that flight. At best, only the lowest fare in each fare category will be presented to the business traveler as options. Read more

Your globetrotting sister is coming into town for the weekend and you find yourself circling the airport byways awaiting her arrival. That’s right, her plane is late. Again.

Touchdown tardiness is a problem for the ages, whether you’re waiting for someone or someone is waiting for you, it’s inevitable that there will be a wait. Thankfully, technology is improving faster than the punctuality of your favorite airline and you can now know the exact location of your plane, or any plane for that matter, at all times. Read more