Back-From-the-Dead Airline May Bring $128 Fares to East Coast

Last spring we revealed the 15 Places Your Kids Should See Before 15—a collection of important American landmarks debated and researched by our editorial staff—and the feedback we received was interesting. Some of you agreed with us, while others sounded off on our facebook and twitter pages, leaving comments saying we'd forgotten to leave out seemingly obvious places, and urging us to reconsider our choices and adjust our list accordingly. Now it's your turn to set the record straight. This year, we're giving you—our readers and fans—the chance to choose. Visit our official nominations page from now until Tuesday, February 21st, and make a case for a place you think every kid should see before they turn 15—whether it's a national park, monument, famous landmark, museum, or another memorable spot from your own childhood. Choose a place that is fun, educational, and would be especially memorable for a young child. If the place you're thinking of is mentioned already, vote "thumbs up" to make it go higher in the list and leave a comment about why you were going to nominate it. Be careful not to nominate a place that has already won in the past—you can double–check by clicking on the previous winners link on our nominations page—as these places will not be counted in the final tally. So far, the popular choices seem to overwhelmingly be national parks, followed by monuments and museums. Entire cities—like St. Augustine, Florida, and Boston, Mass.,—were nominated this year, as were little known places like the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Space travel seems to be of interest this year as well, with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and Kennedy Space Center both bringing in lots of votes. Don't wait much longer to voice your opinion—voting ends on Tuesday, February 21st. We'll be posting the results in March, so don't forget to check back! MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 5 Easy Overnight Adventures for Kids A Family Field Trip Around the World Best Reader Tips for Flying with an Infant

Luggage makers always strive to respond to the growing demand from travelers for lighter and tougher suitcases. Their latest solution is baggage made of an ultra-lightweight yet highly durable material: polycarbonate resin. The big surprise is that hard-sided cases have suddenly become popular again, now that they're as light as soft-sided bags. A 22-inch carry-on made of polycarbonate weighs a mere 4-and-a-half pounds, the same as a traditional soft-sided piece made of nylon, and much lighter than traditional ABS hard-sided material. How light is four-and-a-half ounces? That’s light enough to hold a bag with your forefinger, when the bag is empty. Yet the plastic is still tough enough to avoid getting dented. The glossy material isn’t new: Polycarbonate has successfully been used in motorcycle helmets, bulletproof glass and riot-police shields for a couple of decades now. In 2000, German luggage maker Rimowa introduced the material into luggage. Ironically, travelers were unnerved by how lightweight the luggage felt, worrying that it would prove to be flimsy, and the product didn’t catch on right away. Yet sales of polycarbonate luggage recently began to take off in a big way, according to the Travel Goods Association. These suitcases are replacing old-fashioned cases at higher prices. Even Zero Halliburton, a luggage maker that’s famous for selling aluminum cases, says it is experiencing its strongest sales for its line of polycarbonate suitcases, such as the 19-inch Z-TEX (about $325). Here are a few reasons to explain the current sales boom: Enough manufacturers have designs made of polycarbonate resin now that competition is bringing prices down from $800 a decade ago to as low as $140 now. Additionally, airlines have ramped up their fees for oversize and overweight luggage, so fitting everything into a single compact bag has become increasingly crucial. Changing fashion is another factor. The polycarbonate material is eye-catching, because it can easily be dyed in brilliant colors, such as shiny tomato red, cobalt blue, and gleaming silver. Travelers seem to have become more willing to explore bold colors in their baggage. Black, which was the near uniform color choice of a decade ago, is today mixed with a wider array of hues and patterns, probably for the practical reason of speeding up identification of a bag in a pile at an airport carousel. Budget Travel found a few types of the new luggage that are stylish, lightweight, sturdy and affordable: Samsonite, the world’s largest branded luggage maker, showcases the Gravtec line of polycarbonate suitcases, imprinted with a raised-edge pattern. A 24-inch size model runs was recently for sale at $180 from ebags.com. Britain’s Antler brand creates the Liquis 4 Wheeled Super Lightweight 22-inch carry-on, with a shiny and grooved polycarbonate outer shell in blue, red, or silver, with four multi-directional wheels at its base, recently from $299 at ebags. Rimowa developed the technology to make polycarbonate luggage and today makes some of the chicest models, such as its Salsa 22-inch Globetrotter ($450 recently at Zappos). A zipper joins the two luggage halves in an improbable design, with four multi-directional wheels at the base. All this news reminds me of the movie "The Graduate." Today, adults might tell kids that the future will be in polycarbonates. SEE MORE ON BUDGET TRAVEL RIGHT NOW 4 Most Common Reasons Airlines Lose Luggage Worst Luggage Incidents of All Time Should Airlines Have to Allow One Free Checked Bag By Law?

It's late (or early). It doesn't matter which actually, because you're so jetlagged from a long international flight you don't know what time it is. All you want to do is get home, freshen up, and try to feel human again. And there it is, that long, unforgiving immigration line. Well, thanks to the Global Entry program — a voluntary initiative, which gives expedited clearance to pre-approved, low-risk travelers — fewer travelers are being forced to wait in said seemingly cruel queue. Now, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has announced a rule that would establish Global Entry as a permanent program (up until now it operated as a pilot program). The move would allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which overseas the initiative, to expand the program to additional U.S. international airports, opening it up to more global travelers. To date, there have been approximately 1.8 million admissions by the program's more than 260,000 members. CBP has also expanded the program to give eligibility to children under the age of 18 who meet the criteria and have the consent of a parent or legal guardian, making it more amenable to families. The way it works is that pre-approved members insert their passport or lawful permanent resident card into a document reader at a Global Entry kiosk stationed in the passport control area at participating international airports. They must then provide digital fingerprints for comparison with fingerprints that are on file, answer customs declaration questions on the kiosk’s touch-screen, and present their transaction receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers before leaving the inspection area. The program is available to U.S. citizens and U.S lawful permanent residents, as well as Mexican nationals. Citizens of the Netherlands may also apply under a special reciprocal program. Canadian citizens and residents may participate in Global Entry through NEXUS, Canada’s version of a Global Entry program. Interested candidates can fill out an online application at Globalentry.gov and must pay a $100 non-refundable application fee. More from Budget Travel: Report: Allow one free checked bag, stop treating everyone like terrorists Airport security lines: How's life in the fast lane? Are Airlines Cracking Down on "Airplane Mode"?