“Asia’s airlines are mostly excellent; Europe’s are competent; America’s are awful.” That’s the conclusion of an Economist study combining data from FlightStats.com, Skytrax, Google Flights, and the airlines themselves. Related: The TSA Has Caused How Many Missed Flights? Helpfully, the study’s conclusions are displayed on a price-versus-service matrix, showing how the airlines fared on a…
Is “The Happiest Place on Earth” rightly so-called? One prominent politician thinks not. Bernie Sanders, would-be presidential candidate and self-described critic of the “rigged economy,” likened Disney’s employment practices to those of Wal-Mart, the iconic discounter that has come in for widespread criticism for compensating its workers with such meager salary and benefits that many…
Enter the Pernod Ricard “Chivas Spring Mexico” sweepstakes by June 30, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a four-day trip for four to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, including air, transfers, and $500 spending money. (As is very rarely the case with travel sweepstakes, winner may elect to receive a check for $5,000 in…
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. Your Uber Driver: Safer (or…
Perhaps because it’s a new and novel business model, drivers for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have come in for considerable scrutiny. Who are these people? Are they safe, responsible, reliable? Am I putting my life at risk when I punch up an Uber ride? There’s even a website, WhosDrivingYou.org, that tracks rideshare drivers’…
While there’s been no shortage of reports of hours-long lines to clear TSA security checkpoints, there has yet to be a full accounting of the harm caused by the system’s breakdown. How many hours have been wasted? How many travelers have missed their flights? How many flights have been delayed? How much unnecessary stress has…
When is a bonus generous enough to affect the choice of airline, or the timing of a trip? American’s new mileage offer for New Zealand flights is likely to leave you mulling over that question. Offer Details Between August 15 and October 31, American AAdvantage members can earn up to 30,000 bonus miles for American…
In the latest no-confidence vote on the TSA’s ability to effectively manage security at the country’s airports, Delta today announced “up to $4 million” in additional staffing at 32 airports to augment TSA checkpoint personnel. The Delta workers will assist with non-security tasks, like managing lines and screening bins, freeing up TSA staff to open…
When it comes to travel, I’m a committed contrarian. It’s a strategy that serves me well. By avoiding peak travel times, I bypass crowds and reduce stress. By ignoring destination hot spots, I maximize the chances of booking award seats and snagging upgrades. By heading east when everyone else is headed west, I pay less…
Is it worth five minutes of your time to earn 1,000 United MileagePlus miles? If not, this post is not for you. If yes, or if you’re on the fence, then read on. Offer Details Through June 30, MileagePlus members who download and register the free Prosper Daily financial-management app will receive 1,000 bonus MileagePlus…
The long lines, missed flights, and traveler outrage have been front-page news for months. And there’s little prospect that the bottleneck at the TSA’s airport security checkpoints can be ameliorated in time to for the summer travel crush. It’s gotten so bad that one airline, American, has resorted to hiring its own security contractors to…