November 1, 2018: Trying to “game” the holiday ticket buying travel season can be a full time challenge. The average Thanksgiving flight will change prices over 100 times between now and the holiday. Save money and fly on Thanksgiving Day if you can, and Friday, December 21, the most expensive day to fly for Christmas. The only “secret” here is too keep checking — especially late at night and after midnight!
August 14, 2018: Here’s Why You Should Carry a Large Carry-On Bag — Really Big!
July 12, 2018: Airbnb sounds easy, but you need to check your homeowners policy to make sure you’re covered for any damage — and your rental is legal. Some cities require a permit, limit the number of days you can rent and may put a tourist or sales tax on your revenue. Allstate has a policy that offers to cover $10,000 in rental liability — for $50 a year. And, you need to pay taxes on your rental earnings. The TC is not an Airbnb fan, but if you do rent through them, cover thy self!!!
July 5, 2018: Yup – airlines are taking advantage of the popular “pop up” food truck or stand concept with their own version— pop up airfares — fares show up, usually late at night or early am via email, and offer some great discounts if you can move quickly and have flexible travel dates. With fuel prices going up — so will airline fares — pop up sales offer airlines the ability to quickly discount remaining seats from their computer managed inventories. Alaska has taken the pop up lead so far — but watch for others, including a few European carriers to “pop into” the game!!!
May 18, 2018: Be careful when booking flights — and seats — with your frequent flyer points — for what ever reason, some airlines are now showing travelers booking frequent flyer flights seats that aren’t really available — this is especially true when using miles earned on one airline to book on a partner airline. Something, for what ever reason, the airlines have created to make it harder to book flights using your frequent flyer miles. Call the airline you earned the miles on to make sure you can actually book flights on partner airlines — just another frustrating and time consuming step in trying to travel with miles!!
May 2, 2018: Yup — if you’re shopping for an airfare deal — try looking online or calling your airline of choice — after midnight. Many airlines “dump” new fares or make competitive fare adjustments after midnight. And, sometimes, will take lower booked flights and through out a lower fare to fill empty seats. Might be worth your time and save a few $$$s!!!
April 4, 2018: Some airlines, like Virgin Atlantic, offer flat bed seats — seats that turn into beds on many long haul flights — but on older aircraft, like the A340, it takes a flight attendant to set up and dismantle the bed. And, once you’ve commited to being flat, you have to have the flight attendant return to bring the seat (and associated parts and bedding) back to a seating position. Check in with Seat Guru (be aware – not always on top of aircraft models for your flights) and the airline to know the “lay of the land” as it were! Some of the best seating in all class configurations is offered on the ultra high teach 787 — and a few updated 777’s — the TC advises to keep with Boeing and stay away from most any AirBus model — most cramped and very uncomfortable — even for walking down the aisle!!
April 3, 2018: Have you checked out domestic airfares to just about any where these days? Yes, there are some great deals on very advance purchase travel. But on the whole, airfares are up — despite the convoluted formulas the carriers use to convenience you otherwise. The real bargains are in business class — if you can book far enough in advance and be flexible with travel dates. Don’t be surprised to find some domestic deals on trips to and from the east coast — even under $300 round trip to The Big Apple.
March 27, 2018: Transit time — via subway and rail — to and from New York can now take up to 4 long frustrating hours due to construction at Penn Station and reduced service from the Newark train station to the airport. Nothing runs on time and schedules for both services usually run late if at all. And to add even more traveler confusion, Newark Airport continues it’s very slow construction modernization project with most of the airport a dirty dusty confusing construction mess. If traveling to and from the Big Apple — stick with JFK — LaGuardia, the airport then VP Biden called “at best a third world airport” continues it’s modernization program and is also a mess. JFK works well —stay with what you know!
March 21, 2018: Treat your self to the best of the best:
https://magazine.tablethotels.com/en/2017/12/high-praise/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20180203_EN-edit&utm_term=EN%20-%20ALL
