Predictably, the U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory following yesterday’s terrorist attacks in Brussels. The advice for Americans traveling in Europe was equally predictable: “U.S. citizens should exercise vigilance when in public places or using mass transportation.” RELATED: The World’s 10 Most (and Least) Expensive Cities Other recommendations: Follow the instructions of local…
Bigger is better. Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate. Such is the mantra of the travel industry, where 80 percent of U.S. domestic air traffic is controlled by just four airlines, and Marriott is in a bidding war to acquire Starwood to create the world’s largest hotel company. Next up for airline mergers? Yesterday, most industry-watchers would have…
When it comes to booking hotel stays, travelers have many options, including the hotels’ own websites, online travel agencies (Expedia, Orbitz, Hotels.com, etc.), and aggregator sites, like Kayak and Trivago, which compile results from multiple booking engines and sites. The sheer number of options can be overwhelming. And adding to the difficulty of making a…
In a first for a U.S. airline loyalty program, Alaska Airlines is offering members of its Mileage Plan program the option to redeem miles to pay for TSA PreCheck service. Offer Details For 10,000 miles, MileagePlan members will receive an authorization code waiving the $85 PreCheck application fee. Once the application is approved, Precheck remains…
This week, on March 22, American’s new AAdvantage award chart takes effect, the first in a two-step devaluation of the oldest and largest airline loyalty program. When American announced the changes, in November of last year, it described them as follows: “Award redemption rates will be adjusted with some award levels increasing, while others will…
Enter the Clos Du Bois “Spring in Sonoma” sweepstakes by April 26, 2016, for a chance to win one of the two grand prizes: trips for two to Sonoma, including air, three nights’ hotel, and $700 spending money. To enter, provide the requested contact information (name, email, etc.) on the sweepstakes landing page and press…
Handicapping the race to acquire Starwood is a game anyone can play. I have my own best guess as to the likely outcome, certainly. And I have a preferred outcome, as well (hint: I’m generally not a fan of consolidation). But I’m not a financial analyst, or an investment banker, or an M&A consultant,…
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. The 10 Worst U.S. Cities…
At least publicly, Starwood’s response to the initial unsolicited buyout offer from a group of Chinese investors was non-committal. While acknowledging that the bid featured a higher share price than Marriott’s offer, the company continued supporting a merger with Marriott, presumably viewing a Marriott-Starwood combination as a better long-term driver of value. But today, Starwood…
After years of biting criticism by animal-rights groups and the general public, SeaWorld this week announced that it will immediately cease breeding killer whales, arguably the company’s signature attraction. A typical indictment of SeaWorld’s orca program, from PETA’s SeaWorldofHurt (“Where Happiness Tanks”) website, reads as follows: SeaWorld, which owns all but one of the orcas…
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…