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As airlines continue to tack on charges for checking bags, it's never been more crucial to find a lightweight, functional option you can easily heave into the overhead compartment—no assist necessary. Samsonite's Bright Lite line of luggage (in glossy pink, blue, or black) infuses a jolt of style into an otherwise sensible suitcase. Case in point: The ding-resistant polycarbonate shell clocks in at 6.6 pounds, and all four wheels spin 360 degrees for easy maneuvering. Good thing there's no fee for efficiency. You can purchase the 20-inch upright luggage at samsonite.com for $189 (pink won't be available until early May) and at Macy's beginning in late April. From the April 2010 issue of Budget Travel.

It's hard to beat a ballet flat when it comes to slipping through the airport security line with minimal shoelessness. A new collection from 91-year-old Spanish company Pretty Ballerinas, debuting this spring, underscores the globetrotting aesthetic. The "Around the World" line has nine styles, inspired by the flags of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S., and of course, Spain. (There's also a riff on the Union Jack that is part of the company's core collection.) I'm personally partial to the Brazil and Argentina styles—if only because their color palettes are less common—but the Japan also has a cool minimalist look. There's just one catch: The flats go for a steep $195–275 per pair. Check them out at prettyballerinas.us. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVELGet through security faster (30 comments) Travel-inspiring art for sale online

Two websites that Budget Travel raves about--Yapta and Kayak--are now working together in a helpful way for travelers. Yapta helps you keep tabs on fare changes before and after you book your flight, so you can get any applicable vouchers or refunds from the airline if the price for your exact flight drops after you book. Kayak has now integrated Yapta's service into its search results. It's not happening right away, though. It'll take several weeks before you notice the Yapta "track price drops" button appear on Kayak search results. But immediately as of today, Kayak's flight search tool appears on the Yapta.com. To be eligible for a refund if the price drops, you need to book directly with the airline. Yapta spokesperson Jeff Pecor points out that,"If you book through an online travel agency, you're not going to be protected by the airline's "guaranteed airfare policy." The beauty of Kayak is that they give you the option to book the flight directly with the airline (in addition to giving you the option to book through an online travel agency, such as Orbitz." EARLIER Get money back when prices drop

Today the newly launched website TripTracker called itself to our attention for finding a way to save us from the sin of sloth. The site manages your itineraries similar to TripIt, which we've blogged about before. But it fully automates the process so you don't even have to email or upload info. You punch in your frequent flier and rewards program info once (United, AA, Starwood, Hilton, Hertz, Avis, etc.) and then every time there is an update to those accounts (such as when you make a reservation for a flight or a hotel), the data appears in the application. Glance at your trip's essential details, from hotel booking confirmation codes to the address of a key restaurant booked through OpenTable. Access the info from a PC or smartphone on the go. Your itinerary is presented in creative, helpful ways, such as a map of your flight route with live weather radar, live terminal and gate info, and your hotel's location plotted on a map. Bonus: It's free, but advertising-supported. (The ad-free version costs a buck.) TripTracker is not a product of some fly-by-night Internet startup. Instead, it's run by a Pageonce, a company that's already the top personal finance application across iPhone, BlackBerry, Android. Here at This Just In, we're just psyched someone has found a way to round up every important detail of our upcoming trip, so we have one less thing to worry about. But we haven't had a chance to take this new service during an actual trip yet. (It only launched with car rentals last Friday, and flights and hotels the week before.) If you have thoughts in the meantime, feel free to chime in. Details at TripTracker EARLIERTripIt rolls out flight monitoring perks for a fee Budget Travel's favorite apps plus more favorite apps Get money back when prices drop iPhone: Top language translation apps