Budget Travel's Blog

The latest travel news, vacation tips & advice, travel apps, and more

Archive: January 2011
jan 31

Expedia launches rewards program

Thought your frequent flier program was big? Think again. Expedia's revamped loyalty program for flights as well as hotels could make your favorite frequent flier program seem inadequate.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Real Deals, Airfares & Flying, Frequent Flier Miles, Helpful Websites, Hotels, Loyalty Programs, Online Travel Agencies
jan 31

Air miles hard to earn? Not with new card bonuses

Ludicrously affordable globe-trotting could be yours. Sign up for a new airline mileage credit card and you'll receive a generous signing bonus in frequent flier miles.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Dream Trips, Foreign Currency and Exchange, Frequent Flier Miles
jan 28

What's the best day to buy a plane ticket?

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday tend to have the lowest prices for tickets, say studies.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying
jan 28

A professional travel writer gets scammed

Yes, this can happen to somebody who is in the business, and who travels all the time.
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6 by Brad Tuttle London, Vacation Rentals
jan 28

New tool for bidding smarter on Priceline

BiddingTraveler.com helps you play the name-your-own price game for hotels on Priceline.
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6 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites, Hotels
jan 27

Home sweet hotel, thanks to Airbnb

More than a million homes and apartments have been rented by the day via AirBnB. Here's what the fuss is about.
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5 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites, Hotels, Vacation Rentals
jan 26

Do you turn your cell phone off on planes?

You know the moment…the plane is prepared for take-off, the seatbelt lights come on, the flight attendants announce that it’s time to turn off all electronic devices…and you…keep texting…or do you?
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9 by Laura Michonski Airfares & Flying, Cell Phones and PDAs
jan 25

Video: A neat freak's guide to a clean suitcase

This morning, Budget Travel's Editor in Chief, Nina Willdorf, spoke on NBC's the Today Show. Nina shared tips on how to keep your suitcase clean—from the proper way to store it to the best products for skirting bed bugs.
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2 by Budget Travel Luggage, Travel Video
jan 25

Rating airlines: what factor matters most?

When picking an airline, which of TripAdvisor’s eight categories matters most to you?
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4 by Nicholas DeRenzo Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Online Travel Agencies
jan 24

Readers' Choice: Best value destination

Where can you find the cheapest, but still most stylish, resorts? Which cities are served by low-cost carriers? Let us know your pick for the world's best value destination.
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17 by Budget Travel
jan 21

Top 10 hottest new travel gadgets

Just last week the Consumer Electronics Show took Las Vegas by storm. We were there scouting out the best new gadgets for 2011—here are ten of our favorites.
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11 by Budget Travel Cell Phones and PDAs, Technology, Travel Gear
jan 21

The latest in hotel/designer collaborations

These days, designer collaborations are about as common as airline fees and even hotels are getting into the game. Here's what's new in hotel-branded fashion.
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0 by Valerie Rains Shopping, Real Deals, Hotels
jan 21

Walt Disney World's 'largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history' is in the works

New plans will nearly double the size of the Orlando theme park's Fantasyland section.
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6 by Brad Tuttle Amusement and Theme Parks, Disney, Orlando
jan 19

Fly to Mexico starting at $96 each way

Sick of winter already? Well, you're in luck: Flights to Mexico are on sale.
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3 by Brad Tuttle Mexico and Central America, Cancun
jan 18

NYC: Two-for-one Broadway tickets for two weeks

Buy a ticket to one of 18 top shows with the code BW2011, and you'll receive another ticket free, between Jan. 24 and Feb. 10.
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8 by Sean O'Neill Landmarks and Monuments, Theater, New York City
jan 14

Readers' best coastline photos

From the Italian town of Vernazza to the beaches of California, here are 28 picturesque reasons to plan your next trip to the coast.
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8 by Kate Appleton Travel Photography
jan 14

Is the short-haul flight bound to disappear?

The number of passengers boarding short-haul flights has been on a steep, steady decline in the U.S. Now why might that be?
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5 by Brad Tuttle Texas, Dallas, Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Airport Check-in
jan 14

Citibank and Chase drop foreign exchange fees on some cards

Save two to three percent off of your international expenditures by using one of these no-fee cards.
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9 by Sean O'Neill Foreign Currency and Exchange
jan 12

The race is on to find the next "Coolest Small Town" in the U.S.

Competition is fierce this year as our nominees vie for the title of "America's Coolest Small Town 2011."
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7 by Laura Michonski Coolest Small Towns, Questions and Opinions
jan 12

TripAdvisor adds airline ratings to flight search

TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site, has launched sophisticated airline ratings, allowing travelers to give and receive candid feedback on their flying experiences.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Helpful Websites
jan 12

17 free-admission days at national parks this year

Mark your calendar: Entrance fees are being waived at all national parks on 17 days in 2011.
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0 by Brad Tuttle National Parks
jan 12

More airports consider ditching TSA

Airports in Charlotte, N.C., Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orlando, and Washington, D.C., are all considering converting to private contractors because of dissatisfaction with TSA screeners.
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80 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in, Questions and Opinions, Safety and Security
jan 11

What's the best social network for travel?

If your connections on Facebook aren't as well traveled as you are, you may want to turn to some other options. We list a few of the best regarded sites.
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58 by Sean O'Neill Innovations, Questions and Opinions, Technology
jan 11

Live chat: Q&A for readers on Twitter

We'll be answering your travel questions today, Tuesday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, in a live chat on Twitter (twitter.com/budgettravel).
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1 by Sean O'Neill Trip Coach, Technology
jan 10

United, Continental and your frequent flier miles

How to play the frequent-flier game during the United and Continental merger.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Airlines, Airport Check-in, Frequent Flier Miles
jan 07

What's your snow strategy?

Winter weather has snarled more than a few trips over the years. What do you do when seasonal storms throw a wrench into your travel plans?
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2 by Valerie Rains Emergencies
jan 07

New Dali Museum Opening in St. Petersburg

Big news for the art world, this museum will open on 1/11/11.
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2 by JD Rinne Art + Culture, Museums, St. Petersburg, Florida
jan 07

Ask Trip Coach: Farmstays

It's time to get your hands dirty: In an upcoming Trip Coach column, we're digging into farmstay vacations.
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10 by Brad Tuttle Trip Coach, Eco-Green, Family Travel
jan 07

Hotels: New app for last-minute deals

Save at same day bookings in major U.S. cities with the new app Hotel Tonight.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Real Deals, Apps, Cell Phones and PDAs
jan 07

Delta is turning the flight-bumping game into a reverse auction

"Going once, going twice, not going for $150!"
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52 by Sean O'Neill Airlines, Airport Check-in
jan 07

Southwest waters down its Rapid Rewards program

Starting March 1, Southwest is giving you about $1 back for every $100 you spend. Here's a cheat sheet to the complicated new program.
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38 by Sean O'Neill Airlines, Frequent Flier Miles
jan 06

Experience Mardi Gras like a rock star

Ever wondered what it's like to be a rock star? Well now's your chance to find out on a new weekend trip to New Orleans' famed bacchanalia, hosted by alt-rock band and Louisiana natives Better Than Ezra.
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0 by Andrea Minarcek Food + Drink, Music and Dancing, Nightlife, Louisiana, New Orleans, Hotels
jan 06

Video: 24 hours of flights around the world

Nothing gives you a better sense of how connected the world is than watching the flight paths of the world's major airlines.
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1 by Michael Lala Airfares & Flying, Airlines
jan 05

Why you won't find American's fares on Expedia or Orbitz

American Airlines is battling Web agencies over ticket prices. The possible loser? You.
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7 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Online Travel Agencies
jan 04

Technology fails travelers

I'm normally an enthusiastic advocate of smart phone technology as an aid to travelers, but a recent glitch in iPhone software is giving me pause.
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5 by Nina Willdorf Technology
jan 03

Readers' best sign photos

Instead of dreamy destination shots, this time we're embracing the funny side of travel. These 27 images range from retro neon lettering in Utah to a Mumbai warning to curb honking addiction.
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10 by Kate Appleton Travel Photography