Monthly Archives for March 2016.
If it seems that most of the cities you most want to visit are particularly expensive, you’re probably right. According to The Economist’s latest “Worldwide Cost of Living” report, the world’s 10 most expensive cities are also among the world’s top travel destinations. The study’s rankings are based on prices for 160 products and services…
Never mind the high-profile battle to acquire Starwood, featuring competing multi-billion-dollar offers from Marriott and a Chinese investment group. Starwood’s marketing machinery remains in high gear, just this month churning out a bonus offer for the Starwood Preferred Guest credit card and a discount on award stays at Caesars Resorts in Las Vegas. Now, there’s…
With Delta and United’s transition to spend-based loyalty programs last year, and American’s upcoming later this year, there’s no longer room for debate as to the industry standard. Travelers should now expect to be rewarded according to their spend, not according to the number of miles they fly. For the great majority of flyers, the…
U.S. commuters wasted 8 billion hours sitting in traffic last year. That’s according to INRIX, “a global leader for transportation analytics.” The company’s annual traffic scorecard is intended to serve as a guide for governments and organizations looking to improve urban mobility. And there’s plenty of room for improvement in the U.S., which accounted for…
Spirit Airlines waived fees. There’s a sentence that will send fact-checkers scurrying to Snopes and conspiracy theorists digging deep. It’s true, though. As far as it goes. Notorious nickel-and-dimer Spirit will indeed waive your fees. Bag fees, that is. If you’re an active member of the military. RELATED: What Do Spirit and WOW Air Have…
All travel suppliers want consumers to book direct, making their reservations on the company’s website, via the company’s smartphone app, or by phone through the company’s reservations center. Direct booking means the airlines and hotels pay no commissions to intermediaries, so the full price of the flight or room night flows to the provider, not…
WOW Air, the Iceland-based no-frills carrier that raised eyebrows with its $99 fares from Boston and Baltimore to Iceland a year ago, now has something in common with Spirit Airlines, the U.S. carrier notorious for its nickel-and-diming and generally customer-unfriendly ways. Like Spirit, WOW’s business model is based on ultra-low published fares, with fees assessed…
Yesterday, Marriott’s planned acquisition of Starwood, to create the world’s largest hotel company, was assumed to be a foregone conclusion. This morning, with news that a Chinese-led consortium has made an unsolicited counteroffer for Starwood, all bets are off. According to both Starwood and Marriott, the offer from an investor group headed by the Anbang…
Enter the American Airlines “Your Vacation Spot” sweepstakes by April 1, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a $10,000 American Airlines Vacations travel voucher. Prize must be booked by September 30, 2016, and travel must be completed by December 31, 2017. To enter, follow the instructions on the sweepstakes landing page and…
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week. If it was a good deal—or a notably bad deal—from an airline, hotel, or car rental loyalty program, you can read all about it here, and plan your travel accordingly. American’s Pilots Decry ‘Embarrassing’ Product,…
Marriott has long been known as a corporation with a conscience. Sure, most large U.S. companies engage in activities designed to enhance their good-citizenship bona fides. It’s good P.R. But Marriott walks the talk, and has the trophies to prove it (Fortune magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Lodging Company;” designated a “World’s Most Ethical Company” by…