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6.01.2011
Expanding Hotel Loyalty Rewards
Anyone who knows me knows that I love frequent flyer programs, American Express Membership Rewards, and hotel frequent traveler programs. Now you can earn rewards on stays at small independent hotels. The following is an article from the New York Times:
TRAVELERS who prefer boutique hotels to big cookie-cutter brands have long faced a trade-off. While often more charming and memorable than your typical chain hotel, most independent hotels don’t offer loyalty programs.
Not anymore. In an effort to compete head to head with chains, small hotel brands and individual boutiques have begun joining together to create their own loyalty programs with perks that reflect the personalized service and local flair that independent hotels tend to offer.
Full article on New York Times website
TRAVELERS who prefer boutique hotels to big cookie-cutter brands have long faced a trade-off. While often more charming and memorable than your typical chain hotel, most independent hotels don’t offer loyalty programs.
Not anymore. In an effort to compete head to head with chains, small hotel brands and individual boutiques have begun joining together to create their own loyalty programs with perks that reflect the personalized service and local flair that independent hotels tend to offer.
Full article on New York Times website
4.13.2011
4.05.2011
Scheduled commercial air service returns to Salem Oregon
Salem City Council approved an agreement Monday night that will re-start commercial air service to its newly upgraded airport.
SeaPort Airlines will operate two flights a day from Salem to Seattle, with a stop in Portland. The morning and afternoon flights on nine-passenger aircraft will start April 27, one week after a grand opening of the airport’s newly expanded terminal. A recent airport upgrade featured a 4,000-square-foot addition to the terminal building and remodeling of 1,600 square foot of the existing terminal.
“We are excited to be entering into this partnership with the city,” said Rob McKinney, the president of SeaPort Airlines. “Salem can no longer be the answer to the trivia question of which state capital does not have air service.”
4.04.2011
Delta Airlines check-in procedures
It appears that Delta Airlines may be enforcing a seldom used rule for passengers checking in for flights. That is, Delta may require you to present the Credit Card used for the purchase of the airline ticket when checking in. There have been reports of passengers being denied boarding if they cannot produce the credit card and matching ID used for booking the flight.
Here is the specific rule:
Credit Card Presentation
To safeguard against credit card fraud, the purchaser may have to show us the credit card along with a valid photo ID. The time varies based on the billing address of the credit card or the country of travel. If the purchaser is not traveling, they can show us their credit card and ID at an airport ticket counter or another ticket office location, whichever is most convenient.
To safeguard against credit card fraud, the purchaser may have to show us the credit card along with a valid photo ID. The time varies based on the billing address of the credit card or the country of travel. If the purchaser is not traveling, they can show us their credit card and ID at an airport ticket counter or another ticket office location, whichever is most convenient.
It has always been my recommendation to my clients that they travel with the credit card used to purchase the tickets, especially for international travel, this is just a reminder.
4.03.2011
Think your airline ticket was a good deal?
You may get a good ticket price, but don't forget to factor in the hidden costs, like checked baggage fee's. Here is a good posting from AirFareWatchDog.com:
Airline | First checked bag | Second checked bag | Additional bags | Overweight bags | Oversized bags |
Airtran | $0 $15 ($20 effective Sept 1 2010) | $10 paid online, $20 at airport $25 | $50 | 51-70 lbs (23-32kgs): $29 $39 71 to 99 lbs: $69 $79 | 62-70 total linear inches: $29 $39; 71-80 inches $69 $79 |
Alaska | $15; $20 | $0 $20 | 3rd, $20; 4th or more $50 each | 51-100 lbs: $50 | 63-80 inches: $50; 81-115 inches: $75 |
Allegiant | At flight check in, $35; gate checked bag: $35; purchased online: $14.99-$29.99 | At flight check in, $35; gate checked bag: $35; purchased online: $14.99-$29.99 | "Subject to additional fees" | "Subject to additional fees" | "Subject to additional fees" |
American | $25 ($15 $25 to/from Canada; free for travel to/from US to Caribbean, Europe and India) | $35 ($30 $35 to/from Canada; $30 to/from Caribbean; $50 $60 for travel to/from US and Europe and India) | Bags 3-5: $100; 6th or more: $200 $150 | 51-70 lbs (23-32kgs): $50 $60; 71-100 lbs: $100 (bags over 70lbs not accepted on some international routes) | 63 inches and over: $150 (to/from UK max size is 80 linear inches) |
Continental | $23 ($2 more if not paid online) | $32 ($3 more if not paid online) $30 to/from Mexico, South America (exc. Brazil), $50 to/from Europe and India | 3 or more bags each: $100 to/from US, Canada, Puerto Rico, US Virgins; $150 to/from Mexico, Caribbean, Central and South America; $200 other routes. | 51-70 lbs (23-32kgs): $50 $100 to/from US, Canada and Puerto Rico; $200 other routes; Over 70 lbs not accepted. | 63 inches and over: $100 $200 |
Delta | $23 ($2 more if not paid online) | $32 ($3 more if not paid online) $50 for European travel | For travel within the US and Canada: Third bag: $125; Bags 4 to 10 $200 each; For travel to/from Europe: no charge for first or second; $200 for 3-10 extra bags see Delta additional, overweight and oversized fees | 51-70 lbs (23-32kgs): $90 ($150 for travel outside US; bags over 70 lbs not allowed on some international routes) | 63-80 total linear inches: $150 $175 |
Frontier | $0 $15 $20 | $25 $30 $20 | $50 | 51-100 lbs: $75 | 63-80 inches: $75 |
JetBlue | $0 | $20 $30 $35 | $75 | 51-70 lbs: $50; 71-99 lbs: $100 | 63-80 inches: $75 |
Spirit | Note: if you change planes, you may be charged for each leg for all these fees. Checked bags: $28 paid online ($38 if paid at airport); $5 international. Carry on bag $30 online, $40-45 at airport; $20 for $9 Club members (one "personal item" free) | $35 online or $45 at airport; $5 more for international | Bags 3-5: $95 at airport; $85 online; $5 for international flights. | 41-50 lbs $25; 51-70 lbs $50; 71 to 99 lbs: $100 | 62-79 inches: $100; 80 inches and over: $150 |
Southwest | $0 | $0 | 3-9: $50; 10 and more: $110 | 51 -100 lbs: $50 | 62-80 inches: $50 |
United | $25 ($2 discount if paid online) | $35 ($3 discount if paid online); to/from US and Canada or South/Central America $30 (effective Mar 9 2011) | Within and between US, Canada, Puerto Rico, US Virgins: $100 (effective Mar 9, 2011); 5th or more: $250 | Within and between US, Canada, Puerto Rico and US Virgins: 51-70 lbs $100 each; 71-99.9 lbs $200 each; other routes: $400 | Within and between US, Canada, Puerto Rico and US Virgins: more than 62 linear inches: $100; Other routes: $200 |
US Airways | $25 at airport, $23 online | $35 at airport, $32 online, $50, online, to Europe ($55 at airport) | Bags 3-9: $125 | 51-70 lbs (23-32kgs): $70 $90 71 to 99 lbs: $120 $175 | 62-80 total linear inches: $100 $175 |
USA 3000 | $15 if bought online, $25 otherwise | $25 | Extra bags "subject to availability" | Over 50 lbs $25 extra; Over 70 lbs. Not accepted | |
Virgin America | $25 (up to 70 pounds) | $25 (up to 50 lbs) | Bags 3-10 $25 | 51-70 lbs $50; 71-100 lbs $100 | $50 (63-80 linear inches) |
3.06.2011
Apple Tech - What I have learned in the last year...
The last 12 month's were big if you are an Apple fanatic like me.
First came the iPad
and then the new MacBook Air
and then the new MacBook Pro's
and finally word of a new iPad
and don't forget the iPhone 4 at Verizon.
iPhone 4 - I love my iPhone 4, I have the GSM model from AT&T and I don't plan on switching to Verizon, why? Because the AT&T model operates on a GSM network I can use the phone outside of the USA in many of the places I travel. The CDMA version that Verizon sells is much more limited.
iPad vs MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air - I have a late 2008 model 17" MacBook Pro, and while I love the performance of the computer, it's just too heavy for me to travel with as much as I'm getting on and off airplanes. So I thought the iPad would be a great solution. No heavy laptop to carry, full email and web functionality, and fun to use.
My 3g/WiFi 64GB iPad was delivered on the first day they were available. And I have to say it's one the best pieces of technology I have ever owned. Light enough to keep with me wherever I am, easy to connect via WiFi and 3G so I always have access to email and the web. I though this was THE SOLUTION.
But my first "experiment" where I travelled to Europe without a laptop was a bit frustrating. It was easy enough to connect to WiFi, and to pick up a 3G SIM for local data service. But I did run into a few obstacles. One time the iPad would not authenticate into my hotels WiFi service, I think this was an issue with 3.0 IOS system, so the upgrade to 4.0 should have fixed the issue. The second problem was I couldn't access the configuration utility for an AirPort Express wireless router I travel with. I hope Apple addresses this issue and releases an App for that. And third was that I needed Windows and Internet Explorer to run a few work applications, so I had to hunt down a computer at my hotel to run those applications.
So while I was generally happy traveling with just the iPad it didn't quite meet all my needs.
And then along came the MacBook Air. The moment I held it in my hands I was in love. Light weight, yet still a fully powered laptop. I bought the 13" "fully loaded" model, added Windows 7 in Boot Camp and Parallels so I could run the Windows applications I needed for work, and I had the perfect machine.
What I love about the MacBook Air:
Lightweight
Fully functioning Mac OS X operating system & Windows 7
Great battery life
Lighting fast start ups and shut down due to a SSD drive instead of a conventional hard drive
It runs very cool because of the SSD, no heat from a hard drive
Great design
So now I have my travel line-up:
iPhone 4.0 AT&T - email, maps on the go, great camera, travel app's
iPad - games, email, movies on the plane, internet access, 3G data service
MacBook Air - fully functioning operating systems, Mac & Windows, light weight, very portable
AirPort Express - create my own secure network while traveling for all my devices to share
And it all fits nicely in this great travel bag from Tumi:
First came the iPad
and then the new MacBook Air
and then the new MacBook Pro's
and finally word of a new iPad
and don't forget the iPhone 4 at Verizon.
iPad vs MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air - I have a late 2008 model 17" MacBook Pro, and while I love the performance of the computer, it's just too heavy for me to travel with as much as I'm getting on and off airplanes. So I thought the iPad would be a great solution. No heavy laptop to carry, full email and web functionality, and fun to use.
My 3g/WiFi 64GB iPad was delivered on the first day they were available. And I have to say it's one the best pieces of technology I have ever owned. Light enough to keep with me wherever I am, easy to connect via WiFi and 3G so I always have access to email and the web. I though this was THE SOLUTION.
But my first "experiment" where I travelled to Europe without a laptop was a bit frustrating. It was easy enough to connect to WiFi, and to pick up a 3G SIM for local data service. But I did run into a few obstacles. One time the iPad would not authenticate into my hotels WiFi service, I think this was an issue with 3.0 IOS system, so the upgrade to 4.0 should have fixed the issue. The second problem was I couldn't access the configuration utility for an AirPort Express wireless router I travel with. I hope Apple addresses this issue and releases an App for that. And third was that I needed Windows and Internet Explorer to run a few work applications, so I had to hunt down a computer at my hotel to run those applications.
So while I was generally happy traveling with just the iPad it didn't quite meet all my needs.
And then along came the MacBook Air. The moment I held it in my hands I was in love. Light weight, yet still a fully powered laptop. I bought the 13" "fully loaded" model, added Windows 7 in Boot Camp and Parallels so I could run the Windows applications I needed for work, and I had the perfect machine.
What I love about the MacBook Air:
Lightweight
Fully functioning Mac OS X operating system & Windows 7
Great battery life
Lighting fast start ups and shut down due to a SSD drive instead of a conventional hard drive
It runs very cool because of the SSD, no heat from a hard drive
Great design
So now I have my travel line-up:
iPhone 4.0 AT&T - email, maps on the go, great camera, travel app's
iPad - games, email, movies on the plane, internet access, 3G data service
MacBook Air - fully functioning operating systems, Mac & Windows, light weight, very portable
AirPort Express - create my own secure network while traveling for all my devices to share
And it all fits nicely in this great travel bag from Tumi:
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