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Travel Smart and Save

You don’t have to be a super sleuth in order to score big savings on travel expenses. Rather, a little common sense can go a long way when you are venturing away from home. The following tips illustrate how to stretch your dollar when you are on the road: Public Transportation: Don’t underestimate the power of public transportation when you are traveling to big cities. Buses, subways and other rapid transit systems can be huge money-savers, especially if you are exploring a major metropolitan area like Chicago, New York or Washington, D.C. One way to save is to purchase a … Continue reading →

More Ways to Save on Travel

The Internet is home to a myriad of travel aggregator sites, which allow you to comparison shop and hopefully walk away with a decent price on airfare, car rentals or accommodations. However, there is a lot more to finding the best price available than following the prompts on one of these mass-marketed sites. If you really want to save a bundle on travel expenses, you should follow the advice of people in the know. Travel experts often share valuable money-saving tips in an effort to help fellow vacationers stretch their dollars. Some of the best travel-related tips I’ve received and … Continue reading →

Save Money and Your Sanity

In an effort to save money on airfare, I once waited until the eleventh hour to book our family’s annual flight to Hawaii. My intent was to score a last-minute deal that could potentially save me hundreds of dollars. It turned out to be one of the worst travel-related mistakes of my life. Not only did I not get a rock-bottom price on the tickets, but because I waited so long to book, I got stuck with an antsy toddler smack in the middle of a five-seat row surrounded by perturbed passengers who suggested my daughter and I would be … Continue reading →

Let Your Age Work for You

Instead of bemoaning the fact that you aren’t getting any younger, celebrate it, especially if you love to travel. Times are tough; the economy is in the dumpster and no one seems to know when the nation’s financial situation is going to improve. However, that doesn’t mean you have to put the brakes on exploring the four corners of the globe. If you are 50 years or older, travel discounts are easier to obtain now than ever before. One of the best ways to score discounted travel is to join the American Association of Retired Persons or AARP. Known as … Continue reading →

Stupid Fees

Stupid airline fees. Or, stupid you for paying them? According to the CEO of a popular no-frills airline, passengers shouldn’t complain about having to fork over fees for certain services because in most cases the payment could be avoided if they weren’t so “stupid.” Last month, the outspoken CEO of European discount carrier Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, called a female passenger “stupid” after she took to social media complaining about a hefty fee charge. In August, Suzy McLeod of Berkshire, England, was charged 300 euro (roughly $400) for failing to print her family’s boarding passes prior to their flight from Alicante, … Continue reading →

When Waiting Pays Off

While many people assume that booking early will yield the best price on airfare, often, waiting until the last minute can pay huge dividends. When you can score a round-trip, non-stop flight from Chicago to Honolulu for just $500 by waiting until 48 hours before your departure to buy; that’s success in my book. Of course, if you are flying with multiple family members, including four kids under the age of five, it may not be possible to be so flexible. Still, waiting can produce big rewards, especially if you are booking a flight to a popular vacation destination, such … 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 →

More Alternative Airports

Looking to save money on a plane ticket to your holiday travel destination? The key to saving cash is to be FLEXIBLE. In my previous blog I shared a travel tip about utilizing alternative airports. I have found that I can save a bundle of cash by flying in to or out of alternate airports. (Meaning non-major metropolitan airports such as Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport or New York’s JFK.) To make things easier for you I have listed several alternative airports in and around major U.S. cities. Here now is the continuation of my previous list. BOSTON Main airport: Logan … Continue reading →

Alternative Airports

In my previous blog I mentioned that great airfare deals are available (even during the busy holiday travel season) provided you remain “flexible” with your travel plans. In addition to being flexible with your departure and return dates and times, it’s also helpful to consider flying in or out of alternate airports. For example, I live near two major airports in Wisconsin—–Milwaukee and Madison. So when I can’t get an affordable fare when I plug in one, I then check fares at the other. Some alternative airports are quite convenient; others are a stretch. For instance, I could fly out … Continue reading →

Is There Still a Way to Save on Holiday Travel?

That depends on how and where you plan to spend the holidays. If you are plan to take a plane to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving or Christmas you may be out of luck. According to travel agents, the average person books a flight 85 days in advance, up from 81 last year, and there are only 19 days until Thanksgiving and 51 days until Christmas. And even more bad news, in the past few weeks, several airlines have raised their fares. Travel experts say frugal fliers bought their tickets early for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. But, don’t despair, there … Continue reading →