7 Holiday Airfare Savers and Ticket Tips

by Patty Hodapp
LG Travel Lifestyle Editor

Flying home for the holidays has the potential to be a total bank buster. You’re already saving up extra cash to buy presents for your family, so the last thing you want to worry about is setting aside extra money for a plane ticket to get home—especially during one of the worst economic crunches our country has ever experienced. But before you phone home to tell Mom and Dad you're opting out of family festivities this year in order to save cash, try these easy money-saving tips from David, our travel specialist at Airtrek.com. Whether you’re traveling across the country or just across the state, you'll still get home in time to give—and receive—your gifts.

1. It pays not to procrastinate “Prices will not go down,” says David. “It’s like reservations at a restaurant. Once the seat is gone, it’s gone. So book early! Sometimes it’s cheaper to fly on Christmas day, but that’s only if you take your chances that there will be a seat open, and this late in the season, I highly doubt it." So, if you haven’t booked yet, get on the phone with an agent and do it now. Tip for next year: Don’t let September go by without booking your flight home for Christmas.” To get the best possibly flight price, you need at least three months in advance,” says David.

2. Connect, connect, connect You can get anywhere in the United States with one connection. Most airlines only use two connections if you’re going to a very small airport. Business travelers fly direct because they want to get to their destination as quickly as possible, so if you have a few hours to spare, take advantage of a connection. “You’ll end up paying twice as much, or more, for a direct flight in most cases,” says David.

2. Bigger is (typically) better Learn what airports are in your area and shop around. “Newark is almost always cheaper than JFK, and L.A. has at least three main airports,” says David. “Keep in mind a smaller airport doesn’t necessarily mean more expensive tickets. It depends where you are flying and what time of the year, so keep your search wide.”

3. Watch out for forecasting websites While they are a worthwhile resource, these websites predict air ticket prices based on the previous year’s prices during that time so they are not always that accurate, David warns. “The rule of thumb is to book as early as possible, at least three months in advance.”

4. Stay through Saturday night Business travelers only travel Monday to Friday, so airlines know they can charge through the roof for tickets not booked to include a Saturday night stay. “If you stay the weekend and fly home Monday, your ticket price will almost always be reduced by a third,” says David. No matter where you’re going, try to stay Saturday night so your ticket will be distinguished from business travelers’ tickets.

5. Know when NOT to be your own travel agent Most airlines charge you a $20 booking fee when you call their 1-800 number and book through an agent. If you prefer talking to an agent, get the flight numbers priced out, go online, find the same flight and book it yourself for $20+ less. BUT, says David, if you are booking holiday flights this late in the season, call an agent because they may be able to make you cheaper connections than a computer website that generates high fares during this time.

6. Less luggage is more It’s important to have your cute pea coats, sweaters, jeans, blouses, a nice holiday dress, your blow dryer, your makeup bags and (let’s not forget) your family’s presents, but airlines are charging through the roof for extra bags. Most airlines will charge you $20 to $40 for your first piece of checked luggage, and much more for a second piece. If you can pack lightly, buy a carry-on size suitcase. Luggage charges are expensive and easily forgettable until you roll up to the check in counter. Southwest is the only domestic airline that doesn’t charge for luggage, so unless you’re lucky to score a SW ticket, expect hefty charges for every bag you bring.

7. Cash in on travel deals for education For students, travelers under 26, or teachers, STA Travel is a website designed to find the best airfare. It works like a regular airfare search engine, but it offers exclusive student deals and specials that regular search engines don’t get. It’s hit or miss depending on where you’re traveling, but it’s worth a look.

David’s Warning: There is a laptop thief in the JFK airport that has been stealing people’s laptops as they put them through security, so keep an eye on your things at all times. Also, remember baggage carousels aren’t guarded so someone can easily snatch your suitcase. Don’t pack valuables in your bag.

Have a safe and happy holidays!

The LG Weekly News Roundup: 11.19.09

by Molly Fergus
LG Travel News Editor

Missed the big travel stories of the week? And the weird, wacky and insignificant ones? We've got your round-up right here....

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Waiting on Magic

Finally! Disney unleashed the first official wait time app for mobile phones. Updated in real time, the app will map out wait times on popular rides and character lines at its parks.
The catch? The program only works on Verizon Wireless phones…and it doesn’t include Blackberrys or the new Motorola Droid. Factor in the Disney-fied $9.99 price tag, and this all seems a little inaccessible. A couple suggestions: Check out a (free!) third-party app, or cough up the cash for the Fast Pass.
Source: New York Times

Flying under the influence
If flying makes you nervous, stop reading now. At least 12 commercial pilots in the last year tested positive for alcohol when heading to the cockpit, according to the FAA. That means those pilots had a blood alcohol content of more than 0.04 percent, or half the legal limit for drivers in most states. The silver lining: No U.S. airline has had a crash because of inebriated pilots. Still, let’s keep the flowing drinks behind the curtain. Source: USA Today

Swipe it!
Beginning Dec. 1, Delta joins the ranks of Southwest, American and United to stop accepting cash for food, drinks and other purchases in-air. This makes sense from a traveler’s point of view — no need to worry about exchange rates or converting Euros to greenbacks — but also seems a little spendthrifty. After one or two mini Merlot bottles, that SkyMall Lawn Ghoul might look all the more attractive. Ok. Maybe not.
Source: Jaunted

On the road, but nowhere to "go"

Rest stops are just the next victim of budget cuts. Several states have cut highway-side pit stops to save money, and road trippers have noticed. Virginia closed 19 of its 42 stops, and Georgia has saved at least $600,000 by shuttering just two roadside rest areas. At least it’s not all bad news: In California, the Shandon Roadside Rest Area on Highway 46 is using economic stimulus money to rebuild rest centers.
Source: Chicago Tribune

Lost in South Africa: A Look Back on Johannesburg

By Courtney Brooks

LG International Correspondent

I left Johannesburg about six weeks ago to move to Cape Town and work as a freelancer for an international press agency, as well as do a photography project for my school. Even now I haven't completely reconciled my feelings about Joburg.

There’s not doubt that Johannesburg is one of the most interesting places I have ever lived. If I had to pick one word to describe it I would say “intense,” because it’s true whether you’re in the swanky northern suburbs, the townships or the city center. The poverty is intense, the crime is intense and the security is intense.

It sometimes felt to me like the middle and upper class residents thought they were living in the New York of Africa – and it certainly has the components of big buildings, beautiful people and chic restaurants and clubs. But to me it always felt more like Las Vegas. There’s a certain obsession with wealth – what kind of car you drive, where you live, where your clothes are from – that I had never experienced firsthand before. And having this love affair with money juxtaposed against the devastating poverty of townships just a few minutes down the road is totally bizarre.

I also think Joburg has retained a bit of the feeling of living in a wild frontier town. The city was established when gold was discovered in 1886, and opportunists looking to get rich set the tone for Joburg’s attitude and energy. Maybe that early history, combined with the incredible protests and tension during apartheid, and finally the rampant crime there today, has created this place where you live on the edge, and always feel on edge.

While I was there I often felt the need to escape the city and go somewhere more peaceful, but since I left I've felt it drawing me back. I miss the drama, especially from a journalistic perspective. I didn’t love Joburg the way I love Cape Town, but it felt much more real to me. For anyone truly wanting to understand and experience South Africa, Johannesburg is a must.

This quote is from one of my favorite books, “When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa,” by journalist Peter Godwin. It is actually about his experiences in Zimbabwe, but perfectly describes the way I feel about Johannesburg.

“In Africa, you do not view death from the auditorium of life, as a spectator, but from the edge of the stage, waiting only for your cue. You feel perishable, temporary, transient. You feel mortal. Maybe that is why you seem to live more vividly in Africa. The drama of life there is amplified by its constant proximity to death. That’s what infuses it with tension. It is the essence of its tragedy too. People love harder there. Love is the way that life forgets that it is terminal. Love is life’s alibi in the face of death.”

Photo Credit: (Top) street riot image from www.nytimes.com

Casseroles for Cancer Part I: How Not to Go to South East Asia

This summer, Blair Hickman retraced a 12,000 mile cross-country road trip in memory of her mom, who died from cancer in 2003. Along with her sister and best friend, the three girls retraced a path their mom had taken in 1977, serving dinner at 9 Ronald McDonald Houses and raising money for the charity along the way to raise awareness about the importance of non-medical support for families living with cancer. They blogged and vlogged the whole way, raised over $7,000 for the charity and in the end, found a little more than they’d bargained for.
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On January 7, 2009, I fell off my oven and broke my foot. I’d spent the day wandering around Manhattan, looking for a spark of enthusiasm over the fact that I’d just subletted my apartment to travel in South East Asia. Instead, I’d only managed to read 4 books on Vietnam and look at them all like moldy bags of cheese. So really, it’s only fitting that when I climbed on the counter to get a spice, as I had so many times before, I stepped on the oven door, which opened, slammed my foot into the cabinets on the other side, and rendered me disabled for 6 weeks.

To understand the rest of this story, you have to know about my mother. She passed away from a 6-year battle with cancer in 2003, when I was 17 and my little sister was 13. Since then, I’ve lived my life as her legacy, guided by logic, integrity and responsibility. That’s why, after I graduated college, I got a job as a headhunter for banking and financial services, even though I wanted to be a bum with my boyfriend all summer and then travel the world.

The second thing you need to know—and what’s really crucial to this story—is that my mom was/is a controlling, bossy bitch. I say this with the utmost love. Our lives together were an endless screaming match, each trying to convince the other she was right, but every fight, at least on her end, revolved around what was best for me.

From the day I graduated to the day I broke my foot, she’d been screaming at me. I started my job on July 7, 2008 and hated it, so she made sure I was laid off on November 7. Then I chose to South East Asia for all the wrong reasons, a topic far too complicated to get into here, but she knew it was wrong and made sure I broke my foot on January 7. Now, I’m not particularly religious, but I have to believe that if I got laid off, planned a trip to the tropics and then broke my foot because I fell off the oven, then my mother had to have been involved.

So instead of tubing in Laos, I spent 6 weeks on the couch in my fourth floor walk-up during a Manhattan winter. I thought a lot, and ate a lot of Oreos, and long story short, my sister and I decided that my post-graduate, post-corporate world time would best be spent retracing a road trip that my mom and three college girlfriends had taken during the summer of 1977. We would serve casseroles, the ultimate Southern comfort food, at 9 different Ronald McDonald Houses along the way to raise awareness about the importance of non-medical support for families living with cancer. And we’d do the whole thing as a fundraiser in her name.

The local paper in Chattanooga, TN picked up our story and ran a feature in the Lifestyle section. FOX news saw the write-up and asked to do a series of webisodes and Stephanie, our childhood best friend who now lived in Canada and would join us on the trip, was a broadcast major who knew how to shoot and edit video. In retrospect, planning a major fundraiser in six weeks is not the smartest move, but fate…or at least our mother…seemed to be on our side.

On June 7, we packed Kelsea’s 2001 Chevy Blazer, affectionately dubbed Black Betty, and took off from Chattanooga, TN to New Orleans. Right after we spent three hours in a Wal-Mart parking on the roof of the car, trying to put the topper on the right way. God help us all.

Movie Travel: In Search of Twilight

by Sarah Amandolare
LG Entertainment Editor

I’ve never been a vampire fan – I have vague memories of Brad Pitt’s pony-tailed appearance in Interview with a Vampire. But it seems the fanged creatures, like Twitter and overpriced coffee, are something I’ve got to make peace with. Main characters Bella and Edward have so enamored audiences that it’s almost impossible to get through the day without hearing someone say “Twilight.” The film, inspired by Stephanie Meyer’s book, has even trickled down to travel, particularly to corners of Washington State where portions were filmed.

The second installment “New Moon” arrives in theaters November 20, prompting Washington State Tourism to launch a Twilight-themed section on its site. The page contains insights into three destinations: Forks, a blue-collar logging town; La Push, a coastal community; and Port Angeles, which caters to outdoorsy types.

Of the three, La Push seems most enticing, due partly to its close proximity to Cape Flattery. The cape is the furthest northwest point in the U.S., and has a thriving population of sea lions—check out this Lonely Planet video of Cape Flattery’s coastal scenery and wildlife. Another plus is La Push’s crescent-shaped First Beach, where whales are visible during migration season.

La Push itself is also intriguing. The Quileute Tribe calls the village home, and the peoples’ preference for laid back, slow living permeates the coastal enclave. Most hotels lack TV and telephones, and a single restaurant and 15 relatively new “luxury cabins” are the most flashy amenities travelers will find there, according to northwestplaces.com. But ravenous “Twilight” fans are likely to descend soon, and with them a swell of changes could arrive.

Read more from Sarah on her blog at

http://writersandcooks.wordpress.com/

Follow Sarah on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/Samando

Sydney Series: Our Final Wrap Up of Fave Moments

Sydney was our last stop on our round-the-world trip, and we have plenty of amazing memories from living "Down Under." Now 'til mid-November, we're going to be recalling our favorite Sydney moments. At the end of each post, you'll find out how to get the chance to make your own memories in Oz by entering to win a trip to Sydney (the organizers extended the deadline for entry!)

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LGs: This week, we’re wrapping up our Sydney series, and we must say, we’re a little sad to end our reminiscences of one of our favorite cities in the world. Not to diss NYC or anything (perish the thought!) but if Oz weren’t so far away from our families and best friends, we’d almost certainly relocate our offices there. For this final post, we thought we’d wax nostalgic about some of our lesser-known favorite spots and moments from our RTW trip and Amanda’s return to Oz for Vivid Sydney earlier this year. In no particular order they are:

Favorite spot to grab cheap, yummy tuna avocado rolls: Sushi Train, multiple locations across Sydney
For the uninitiated, this rolling chuck wagon of freshly prepared rolls, sashimi, edamame, seaweed salads and more is just about the greatest thing that a sushi lover could come across in her life. Belly up to the bar, grab one of the small plates (color-coded to indicate the price) and get to eating as quickly as you can pick up your chopsticks. The best location, in our opinion, is the Sushi Train on Bondi Beach—you can sit outside and watch the surfers catching a break just about a hundred yards away.

Favorite neighborhood: Surry Hills
Bondi is a mecca for backpackers and boarders alike, but during Amanda’s recent trip to Sydney, she fell in love with this once down-at-heel destination, and reported on it for PeterGreenberg.com. Until recently, the inner city suburb immediately southeast of the Central Business District used to be one of the city’s most notorious slums: Gangs ruled the narrow streets and lanes; the working-class neighborhood was massively overcrowded; seedy bars and brothels were as common then as coffee shops and designer boutiques are today. Now, “Slurry Hills” as the locals still wryly refer to it, has been completely revitalized, and transformed into one of the city’s chicest and most desirable neighborhood: a place where emerging designers and artists put out their shingles. It’s also a true foodie destination, with dining options reflecting the area’s melting-pot heritage—Cajun, Lebanese, Russian, Mauritian, Thai, and Singaporean restaurants are all within a few blocks of each other on Crown Street, the main thoroughfare.

Favorite places to grab a drink: See below
Okay, so we couldn't pick just one spot, since Sydney boasts oh so many fun locations to get your martini on. Where you should go to sip really depends on your current state of mind. If you want to surround yourself with gorgeously clad businessmen eager to buy a gal a drink right after they finish work, head to The Establishment, a stylishly designed, marble clad bar located within the hotel of the same name. Be prepared to socialize: As we discovered, if you happen to have an American accent, you won't find yourself wanting for company very long!

For the young trendsters among you, check out the bar at the Beach Road Hotel. What makes this casual multi-level venue so interesting isn’t the space itself, but the people within it. You could spend hours entertaining yourself by analyzing the bold, colorful ensembles of the guests and pretend (much as they do in the LES of NYC) that they’re too cool to care about anything—except of course, their next beer.

If you really want to make a night out of it, gather up a crew of friends and get yourself past the velvet rope at The Ivy, a year old mega-venue that boasts a swimming pool and different lounge or club on each floor. The celebs that visit Sydney almost always make their way here: when Amanda was there earlier this year, she spotted the rock star Pink and her man Carey Hart grooving on the dance floor.

Favorite Place to Sweat Indoors: Fitness First
You may ask yourself why anyone would confine themselves to a gym when they could be surfing, sailing, biking or hell, just plain relaxing in a place as outdoor-focused as Sydney. But when attempting to burn off the pudge gained by pigging out on naan in India and noodles in Southeast Asia, sometimes a Lost Girl just needs a bit of structure. Fitness First, a state of the art gym located in the Bondi Junction shopping center, provided just that—along with state of the art equipment, a jam-packed class schedule and a killer view of the skyline (not to mention more than one hot guy working the weight machines). We actually looked forward to our workouts here, but had to laugh at the horrible jokes used over and over again by our instructors—pretending your body bar is a guitar and jamming out doesn’t inspire us to do additional reps!

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For more fun moments in Sydney, don’t rely on us—experience them for yourself. Enter the contest below, and send us your favorite stories after you win and visit the Land Down Under!
The folks at Tourism New South Wales are offering two winners a trip to Sydney for themselves and a friend including airfare on V Australia, seven nights accommodation and an exclusive ticket to experience at least five of the most “life enhancing” activities that the city has to offer, such as:

• Learning to Surf at Bondi Beach
• Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Sailing on Sydney Harbour
• Going behind the scenes at Sydney Opera House

To enter, simply click here or go to http://www.facebook.com/seesydney?v=app_17037175766 and follow these steps:

1. Click on the "Win a Dream Sydney Vacation" button
2. Enter your contact info
3. Become a fan of Sydney, Australia on Facebook
4. On the Sydney, Australia Facebook Wall write in 30 words or less about a Sydney experience you've had, or would want to have.

The organizers have extended the deadline and the contest will now be running from now through November 15th! Get your entries in now, and we'll see you Down Under!

Free Tours: Sandeman's New Europe

By Molly Gallagher
LG International Correspondent

When my friends and I arrived in Prague we spent the first day wandering the city. We went to the castle, old town square, and the Charles Bridge. However, we didn’t really know what we were looking at. We decided we wanted to take a tour to learn about the city while we explored it, because the city and country are filled with so much history. My friends found a brochure that said in big letters, “Free Tour!” At the bottom of the brochure it said that the tours run on a tip only basis. I thought: there has to be a catch. The next day my friends dragged a very skeptical Molly to the tour’s meeting area.

There were over 40 people who showed up for Sandeman’s New Europe Tour. The guides split the group into two and with a guide for each group. The tour lasted three hours and we walked through the entire city (or at least it felt like it). Each of us tipped 50 crown, or about $2.00. There was no pressure at the end of the tour to give a tip and the guides were not pushy. The guides will also give you advice on where to eat, buy souvenirs, what public transportation to take, etc. These tours are ideal for people on a budget and especially college students studying abroad. They allow you to explore and learn about a city without paying too much. Here are some more details about Sandeman’s New Europe Tours.

Where Tours Are Offered:
Germany
-Berlin
-Munich
-Hamburg
Israel
-Tel-Aviv
-Jerusalem
Belgium
-Brussels
England
-London
Scotland
-Edinburgh
The Netherlands
-Amsterdam
Ireland
-Dublin
France
-Paris
Spain
-Madrid
*Tours in Madrid are suspended until 2010
Czech Republic
-Prague

Sandeman’s New Europe usually offers several different tours in each of their cities. If you want to take one of their FREE TOURS in a city go to their Web site: http://www.neweuropetours.eu/ and click on the city you are visiting. It will give you information about where to meet for the tour and on other tours they offer. I also took the Montmarte tour in Paris, which was 8 euro, but well worth it. This is not a scam. The company wants to provide a service to everyone, without charging a fortune. If you go on a tour and hate your guide, don’t tip. If you love your guide and thought it was great, then give a tip that you think is reasonable.

BONUS- for the tours that you pay for (not the trademark FREE TOUR) show your Student ID and get a discount!

The LG Weekly News Roundup: 11.12.09

by Molly Fergus
LG Travel News Editor

Missed the big travel stories of the week? And the weird, wacky and insignificant ones? We've got your round-up right here....

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Riding the free rails
Way to go, Amtrak! The broke and sometimes busted train service is finally taking steps to snag passengers from airlines and cheap-o bus companies — by adding free in-ride WiFi to its Acela trains in 2010. Many of the newer Amtrak cars already have outlets and big enough tray-tops to actually fit a normal laptop, so this seems like a savvy next step. The only question: Is a lengthier trip worth some uninterrupted email (or, um, Hulu) time?
Source: Bloomberg

Good giving
If the last time you counted volunteer hours was for high school graduation, check out Sage Hospitality’s “Give a Day, Get a Night” program. Any guests who have completed at least eight hours of community service for a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit by March 29, 2010 are eligible for 50 percent off — or even a free night — at more than 50 hotels across the U.S. Now that should give you the warm fuzzies.
Source: Sage Hospitality

Hotel peepshow
Who says print media is dead? A Rare World, a new luxury hotel travel magazine, is betting on a resurrection. The 10-times-a-year publication boasts a steep $200 subscription tag and claims to offer peeks inside the exclusive world of really, really, rich travelers. Check out a preview edition online (https://arareworld.com/) and decide whether armchair travel is worth $20 a month.
Source: Hotel Chatter

Fly safe
Here’s a policy to stand behind: Lawmakers want to pass a bill that will prohibit the use of laptops and other electronic devices in airline cockpits. The proposal comes after a Minneapolis-bound Northwest Airlines flight missed the Twin Cities by 150 miles because the pilot and co-pilot were fiddling with a new crew schedule on their laptops. Electronic devices, such as MP3 players, DVDs and laptops, are not yet specifically banned from cockpits. Given how difficult it can be to even walk and text, let’s hope for a confident “aye!” on this one.
Source: USA Today