Tag Archives: flying

Flying High Without High-Flying Prices

Everyone loves a sale, but when discounted prices are associated with air travel, frugal vacationers’ hopes begin to soar a bit higher.  Unfortunately, not all sales equate to rock-bottom prices. The trick to getting the most bang for your buck is to examine the fine print.  Just because you see an advertisement by a major airline regarding an airfare sale, it doesn’t mean you will saving a ton of cash.  In most cases, airfare sales come with a long list of restrictions, including specific dates, times and destinations. Airline insiders are quick to point out that most commercial carriers offer … Continue reading →

Flying Fees Add Up Fast

Think you have enough money saved to fly to your niece’s upcoming college graduation?   Add up the litany of airline fees and you may be forced to drive to the commencement ceremonies. These days the cost of an airline seat is only part of what you will likely have to pay before you take flight.  Most carriers are making a killing by charging hefty baggage fees on domestic flights.  On average, you can expect to fork over $25 each way for your first checked bag and between $30 and $35 for the second.  Think about how deep you have to … Continue reading →

New Baby = New Holiday Experience

Ah, the holiday season. So full of fun and exciting activities! For me, the best part of the holidays is getting together with family. I do not have the privilege of living in the same state as my family, so I really look forward to the times we get to be together. Now that life is returning back to normal, I’ve had some time to reflect on our experiences this year. A big thing that sticks out in my mind is that nothing is the same with a baby! For example, flying without a baby is nothing like flying with … Continue reading →

Summer Travel Tips: Pack Your Patience and Some Common Sense

Summer might be halfway over, but millions of Americans have yet to embark on their annual family vacations. For those of you who are planning to take to the skies during the last weeks of summer be warned–packed planes, tighter security, horrific luggage restrictions and frustrated fellow flyers await you. Still, if your situation is like mine there is no other option besides flying to visit family and friends abroad. Fortunately, there are some ways to make the most of flying during the peak summer season. By planning ahead and using common sense you can avoid travel hassles whether you … Continue reading →

Saving on Summer Travel—Slowing Down at 35,000 Feet

We all know that easing up on the gas pedal when you are cruising down the highway equates to savings at the service station, but did you know the same concept can also be applied to airplanes? A number of major airlines have announced that they will be slowing down to save millions on fuel. Southwest Airlines was the first to go public with their plans to cut down on the average speed their aircrafts fly at certain altitudes. By adding one to three minutes to each flight execs at the discount carrier say they can save $42 million in … Continue reading →

The Cost of Flying is Soaring

I have written extensively about the increasing cost of fuel and its affect on the travel industry. If you haven’t already purchased plane tickets for your summer vacation brace yourself for some serious sticker shock. Last week United Airlines raised fares in the United States and Canada by up to $30 round-trip in an effort to combat high fuel costs. Less than 48 hours later several other carriers followed suit including American, Delta, Continental and Northwest, which raised domestic round trips by $10 to $20 per ticket. Times are so tough that even discount airline Southwest raised its rates–twice. Last … Continue reading →

Skin Care in the Air

Travel can be rough on your skin. Really, it can be rough on your whole body: sitting still for hours, cramped conditions forcing weird contortions, and more. But for today, let’s focus on your skin. Despite being often surrounded by moist, fluffy clouds, the air inside an airplane is dry. Like desert dry — humidity levels can be as low as five percent. What does that mean for your skin? It means the air can strip away moisture and leave wrinkles and other imperfections more pronounced. As crummy and cranky and tired as flying makes me feel… I sure don’t … Continue reading →

What Age for Flying Unaccompanied?

While children of single parents are not the only ones who have to face the “unaccompanied minor” issue when it comes to flying—they are more likely to need to travel between parents’ on a plane or train. This can be a huge issue for single parent families—trying to figure out what is a reasonable age for children to fly unaccompanied, and how to organize, pay for, and train our children to handle the experience. What I have heard from other single parents is that the unaccompanied minor issue depends on several factors—how far the flight is and whether the child … Continue reading →

Travel Tips for 2008

Where are you planning to travel this year? Will 2008 be the year you finally travel abroad? Or will it be the first year you fly to Hawaii or take a cruise on the high seas? Whatever your travel plans it pays to do your homework before you take off, set sail, or get behind the wheel. The following information should come in handy if you plan to get out and explore the world in 2008. AIR TRAVEL Good news if you plan to take to the air this year—the Federal Aviation Administration is setting caps on the number of … Continue reading →

The State of Airfares—Good News/Bad News

Let’s start with the good news: Holiday travelers rejoice; some airlines are giving you something else to be thankful for this November. Select carriers are knocking the stuffing out of ticket prices for Thanksgiving travel. The bad news: the rate reductions (some as much as 40% off) only apply to off-peak days. So, once again, being flexible is KEY! More bad news: Last weekend, several airlines increased round-trip fares by $20. Which means there have been seven fare-raising attempts by the biggest full-fare airlines since Labor Day. One travel expert told news reporters: “I’ve never seen fares go up this … Continue reading →