Budget Travel's Blog

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

Archive: May 2011
may 31

Evocative names, disappointing places

Mandalay. Timbuktu. Marseille. Where are the places that turned out to be better in your imagination than in real life?
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0 by Sean O'Neill Questions and Opinions
may 31

Is the era of cheap airfare ending?

Actually, there are those who would argue that it's pretty much ended already.
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1 by Brad Tuttle Airfares & Flying, Airlines
may 27

The best new travel books this month—May 2011

Starting this month, we're going to share our picks for the best newly-released travel writing—just in time for summer reading!
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1 by Budget Travel Literary Travel
may 27

Summer is almost here! Share your best packing tips

What items do travelers often forget when they're heading on vacation?
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4 by Michelle Baran Luggage, Packing
may 27

What does "ethical travel" mean to you?

How can you travel with a clear conscience, putting your money where your heart is? One organization has some ideas.
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2 by Sean O'Neill Cultural Etiquette, Questions and Opinions, Eco-Green
may 26

Should the TSA's airport pat-downs be outlawed?

A showdown looms in Texas, where a law was approved banning pat-downs at airport checkpoints. Now the TSA is threatening to cancel all flights departing from the state.
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82 by Brad Tuttle Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in, Safety and Security
may 25

5 ways to keep your cords tidy and organized in your bag

With so many power cords, chargers, and extra batteries in your carry-on, travelers need ways of containing all the little items roaming around in their bags.
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6 by Sean O'Neill Luggage, Packing, Technology
may 25

Is it cheaper to fly or to drive?

Airfare and gas prices are both on the rise. So which method of transportation is more affordable? Here’s what you need to know to answer that question.
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29 by Laura Michonski Road Trips, Airfares & Flying
may 25

Go now! 7 incredible deals for Memorial Day

Budget Travel has scoured the market for the best vacations you can take this weekend—as of now, all of these packages still have spaces available.
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2 by Budget Travel Real Deals
may 24

Will new ash cloud be repeat of last year's disaster?

European authorities this week are assuring that a new Icelandic volcano ash cloud will not wreak the same degree of havoc on travelers.
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1 by Michelle Baran Iceland, Emergencies
may 24

Ask Trip Coach: Motorcycle trips

Some travelers are born to shop. Others seem to have been born to do little else than lie on the beach. And then there are travelers who are born to be wild.
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0 by Brad Tuttle Adventure, Road Trips, Trip Coach
may 24

Use BiteHunter to save money on eating out

New free site BiteHunter is like a Kayak.com for restaurant deals, helping you do one-stop shopping for online discounts for restaurants in large cities.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Food + Drink, Helpful Websites, Innovations, Food + Drink
may 23

You're now owed a lot of cash if an airline bumps you

Why you should ask for cash—instead of a voucher for free future flights—if you're bumped involuntarily from a flight.
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11 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Questions and Opinions
may 20

Money is biggest stress on vacation, survey shows

What are our biggest sources of tension while trying to get away from it all?
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4 by Michelle Baran Health and Hygiene
may 19

New budget airline Vision delivers cheap fares

You may not have heard of it (yet), but Vision Airlines is descending on U.S. cities like Atlanta, Louisville, and Destin, Fla., just as the big boys are pulling out of smaller markets.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Airlines
may 19

All-new South American tours for younger travelers

Contiki, the group tour specialist for travelers ages 18 to 35, just announced its first-ever tours in South America.
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2 by Brad Tuttle South America, Argentina, Brazil, Peru
may 18

A new way to get cash back when fares drop

Say so long to overpaying. Sign up for Mastercard's free new service that will put money back in your pocket if a fare drops after you've booked.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites, Innovations
may 18

The Budget Travel Convert: Reporting from…Panama

Hobart Fowlkes, our "Budget Travel Convert," updates us on a recent trip to Panama where he spent time relaxing on the beach and exploring the historic canal and the pleasures of Old Panama City.
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5 by Hobart Fowlkes Panama City
may 18

Introducing. . .The Budget Travel Convert

Meet our new blogger Hobart Fowlkes: high-end jetsetter by trade, budget globetrotter by choice. He’ll be updating us regularly from around the world—but first, a personal introduction.
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7 by Hobart Fowlkes
may 18

A flood of new ships to sail the Mekong

River cruise companies are making it easier to visit Southeast Asia from one of the region's best vantage points.
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0 by Michelle Baran Cruises, Rivers and Lakes, Asia, Cambodia, Vietnam
may 17

Will you be flying this summer?

Despite a tough economic climate, Americans are still flying—and they’re going abroad in record numbers.
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13 by Nicholas DeRenzo Warm Weather, Airfares & Flying
may 16

Finally! Affordable hotels in New York City have arrived

A building boom in the outer boroughs is bringing big savings—and more hotel choices—for visitors to NYC.
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7 by Andrea Minarcek Brooklyn, New York City, Hotels
may 16

What will you learn in Apple's new travel workshop?

When I heard that Apple launched a travel workshop on May 1, I was curious. I signed up to find out what kind of secrets they would reveal.
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5 by Laura Michonski Technology
may 13

Fear of flying? Does knowing more about planes help, or is ignorance bliss?

A recent New York Times article about the Air France Flight 447 crash brings to light information that could help or hinder nervous fliers.
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6 by Michelle Baran Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Safety and Security
may 13

Is it time for major bus companies to send drivers to charm school?

Delta sent its employees to charm school, should Greyhound and other bus companies follow suit? A recent experience of mine suggests that they should.
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6 by Laura Michonski Local and Public Transportation
may 13

Vote now for the World's Best Cruiser!

We studied countless entries in search of cruisers who nail the balance between smarts, skills, and spirits and narrowed it down to three cruise-savvy finalists. Voting ends June 28!
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1 by Budget Travel Cruises, Questions and Opinions
may 12

Auto rental lot of the future: 'anywhere you can park five cars'

Down the line, renting a vehicle will probably be a lot more like car sharing than the typical experience at the car rental counter today.
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0 by Brad Tuttle Rental Cars
may 12

Rivers wreaking havoc: Mississippi too high, Rhine too low

As a rain-bloated Mississippi River threatens to spill into more towns along its banks, water levels on Europe’s Rhine River have dropped to 18-month lows, potentially impacting river cruise itineraries there.
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0 by Michelle Baran Rivers and Lakes, New Orleans, Memphis, River Cruises
may 12

Find a summer music festival near you

We've identified the best music festivals across the U.S. and Canada with an eye toward those events where tickets are still available.
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2 by Laura Buckley Art + Culture, Festivals, Music and Dancing, Warm Weather
may 11

Should the government ease all restrictions on Cuba travel?

The U.S. is slowly reducing restrictions on traveling to Cuba. Should the government hasten the inevitable and ease all restrictions?
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13 by Kaeli Conforti Cuba, Trip Ideas
may 11

Breaking up with your favorite destination is hard to do

You can be as easily smitten with a favorite destination as with another person. You can also fall out of love with a destination, too. Here are the signs of trouble.
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0 by Sean O'Neill
may 10

Cheaper fares for sneaky risk-takers

You can score cheap tickets if you're willing to pull a sly trick or two. We cover the risks and costs.
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8 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airlines
may 09

Would you pay about $80 for an upgrade?

Delta is adding seats on 108 planes with an additional four inches of legroom, some free booze, priority boarding, free HBO programming on the seatback TVs, and about 50 percent greater angle recline in your seat.
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51 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Frequent Flier Miles, Innovations, Questions and Opinions
may 08

Poll: Would you pay for American's new pay-per-view movies?

A movie is expected to cost about $4 and a TV episode about $2. You'll have a choice of hundreds of films and TV shows, streamed through your laptop.
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2 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Questions and Opinions, Technology, Travel Video
may 07

New: Buying a package for an unknown destination

Fill out a survey, pay your money, and a travel agent will send you on a mystery trip. Sound cool?
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10 by Sean O'Neill Real Deals, Helpful Websites, Innovations
may 07

Where should the royal newlyweds visit in California?

The future king and queen of England are visiting California for three days in July. Where should they visit?
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10 by Sean O'Neill California, Questions and Opinions
may 06

Riding the train in Europe just got a little easier

It seems like there are apps aplenty for air travelers no matter where in the world you are, but railroad riders in Europe have had to figure out things the old fashioned way…until now.
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1 by Budget Travel Train Travel, Europe, Technology
may 06

Pushing trains as an alternative to the pump

Just as gas prices are threatening to soar this summer, the country's rail network has seized the opportunity to tout the advantages of traveling by train.
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0 by Michelle Baran Road Trips, Train Travel
may 06

Renting a car? Beware of being gouged with gas prices

Gas costs more for everybody nowadays. But travelers with rental cars might have to pay $5, $6, even $9 a gallon.
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3 by Brad Tuttle National Parks, California, Hawaii, Maui, Airfares & Flying, Rental Cars
may 05

The Tornado Recovery Effort needs you

Here's how to provide some Southern comfort—with donations, sweat equity, or both.
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0 by Budget Travel
may 05

Chernobyl officially opens for tours

Starting this year, the government is also looking to cash in on Chernobyl's notoriety, with plans to open up the zone to official tours.
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3 by Budget Travel Historical Travel
may 04

One incredibly delicious reason to be grateful to Mexico

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we celebrate one of our favorite culinary Mexican "exports"—the taco.
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3 by Laura Michonski
may 04

Is air travel the next frontier for social networking?

A new social networking site helps passengers get acquainted with other travelers.
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4 by Rachel Mosely
may 03

They want to know what?! A new passport questionnaire could get very personal

A new questionnaire for those hoping to get a passport without the proper documentation asks odd, personal questions.
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18 by Kaeli Conforti Passports and Customs
may 03

Customize your own city-sights discount pass with Go Select

Enjoy savings in cities from New York to Oahu with a new smart-phone based attractions pass—and get in on a private pre-launch sale, too!
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2 by Budget Travel Technology, Family Travel
may 02

Reversing the nickel-and-diming trend, an airline reduces fees

Yes, it is possible. Ticket change fees and baggage fees are now cheaper on one U.S. carrier.
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0 by Brad Tuttle Denver, Airfares & Flying, Airlines
may 02

U.S. urges travelers to be vigilant in aftermath of bin Laden death

In the wake of news that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan on Sunday, the U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens traveling abroad to be more alert.
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3 by Michelle Baran Airport Check-in, Emergencies, Safety and Security
may 01

Where to fly the superjumbo A380

The world's biggest commercial passenger plane is coming to San Francisco next month and to Miami in June. What's it like?
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6 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Travel Video