Should D.C.'s museums start charging fees?

Houston is the costliest large airport to fly out of nationwide. Bush Intercontinental tickets cost about $85 above what they should, says a survey. Newark and Dallas are the next worst offenders when it comes to high fares. These are results from an analysis done by Nate Silver. He's the number-crunching superstar who jumped from accurately predicting baseball games to accurately predicting national elections. He now studies airfares, airline violence, and other non-travel mysteries. Here's how the study worked. Silver studied prices for domestic round-trip tickets in coach class. He made an estimate of what a "fair" ticket price should be at each airport. His formula is complicated, but it's based on a simple question: What if no single airline had a near-monopoly at any airport. For example, Delta controls about two-thirds of the traffic at Memphis's main airport. Silver says fares would be about $100 cheaper in Memphis if more airlines competed for business there. (We'll soon find out. Last month, Delta said it would soon cut one out of four of its flights departing from Memphis.) On this score, the most expensive airport in America is Fayetteville, Ark. Its coach-class round trip tickets cost $527 on average. That's $158 above the estimate of "fair" prices. The reason is simple, says Silver: There aren't enough airlines competing to serve local customers there. Here are the largest airports with bargain prices: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Milwaukee, Wisc. Orlando, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Las Vegas, Nev. These are the five mid-sized airports with the lowest average fares: Atlantic City, N.J. Fort Myers, Fla. Myrtle Beach, S.C. Long Beach, Calif. West Palm Beach, Fla. These numbers aren't perfect, as critics Gary Leff and Seth "the Wandering Aramean" have pointed out. What's considered "fair" by one person may not by another. Yet there are clearly many airports in the country—especially ones not served by many airlines—where locals pay very high prices to fly. The key lesson: Poor Texas! It's stuck with Houston and Dallas as costly gateways. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Should we tip flight attendants? 60 comments Introducing the new 'all you can drink' cruise 100+ Facebook likes Chart: Airplane violence over time

The author of a new book exploring southern California's upscale pet travel scene offers advice to help travelers on any budget, no matter where they're going. Maggie Espinosa, author of a new book titled The Privileged Pooch: Luxury Travel With Your Pet in Southern California, answers BT's questions below. Say you're in an unfamiliar town, exploring with your dog, and you'd like to find a pet-friendly restaurant. What would your advice be? Are there signs a traveler can look for to tell if a restaurant is pet-friendly? Maggie Espinosa: When my Bichon Frise, Marcel, and I are traveling and we need a food break, the first thing I do is Google local restaurants to see which ones have an outdoor patio. Canine culinary superstars will promote dogs welcome on their websites, as does Park Beach Cafe in Huntington Beach, California. They have a menu just for man's best friend, which includes "Rover Easy" scrambled eggs, "Hot Diggity Dog" all-beef wieners minus the bun, and other selections. Restaurant terraces are common, and the majority are pet-friendly. State Health Departments forbid dogs (except service animals) to enter indoor eating areas of any establishment, whether it be a restaurant, hotel, store, etc. Ask the hostess before entering the courtyard; some places require the pup to be leashed outside the patio. As I state in my book, the only bistros considered pet-friendly are the ones that allow dogs to accompany their owner on the patio. Do you have a preferred airline for flying with your dog? If yes, what is it, and why? ME: Marcel is small enough to fly inside the airplane cabin with me, which alleviates any trepidation I would have about flying him in cargo. Airline websites have a long list of requirements for pets flying in the cargo compartment. There are blackout dates when it's either too hot or too cold for the safety of the animal. Short-nosed breeds such as the Boston Terriers and Bull dogs are to take heed, as they are prone to respiratory problems that can be exacerbated under the stress of flying in cargo. Certain breeds are prohibited due to their aggressive reputations. Airlines are required to divulge the number of pet deaths they've had within one year. You can call the specific airline for this information. Marcel and I have flown on Southwest and Continental. Prior to our flights, Marcel has access to his Sherpa carrier at home. He's comfortable in it, and it becomes his safe haven when flying. His Sherpa is placed under the airline seat in front of me. I can see him, and he can see me. I also carry a health certificate from Marcel's veterinarian. Do you have a preferred brand(s) of hotel when traveling with your dog? What are they, and why? ME: Any hotel that allows pets is my preferred hotel. Certain chains have a blanket pet-friendly policy making it easy to choose where to stay when traveling from state to state. Starwood is one of those companies. They offer a range of hotel options -- Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, W, and Four Points -- to name a few. All welcome coddled critters with open arms. Their pet fees are either minimal or non-existent. If a hotel's pet regulations are too stringent with weight limit, access in the hotel or exorbitant fees, I didn't include them in the book because those properties are considered "pets permitted," not pet friendly. What are the toys, food, meds, or supplies you're always sure to pack when traveling with your pet? ME: A few accessories are imperative when traveling with pets. Most hotels require vaccination records confirming up-to-date inoculations. Take along any medications. While bowls are usually provided, it's smart to pack one, just in case. Eco-disposable sugar cane pet bowls or nylon collapsible bowls are convenient. Make sure to take plenty of drinking water and your dog's usual kibble, in case the hotel's pet menu fare disagrees with his sensitive stomach. Deviating from a pet's usual diet can have drastic consequences. A collar, leash, and waste bags are mandatory. Your pet's ID tag should be imprinted with your cell phone number in case the dog wanders while traveling. Last but not least, pack your dog's manners. Barkers, chewers, and growlers will be more comfortable at home. Do you ever use kennels, dog sitting services, or doggy hotels when traveling? If yes, how do you find services that are good and trustworthy? ME: I have not used kennels or doggy hotels when traveling, but I have used a number of pet sitters. Marcel and I stayed at 73 hotels when researching The Privileged Pooch, which warranted a sitter here and there. The hotel concierges or front desk staff have licensed pet sitters on call. The service is not cheap, sometimes running $15 an hour with a four-hour minimum, but it's worth the peace of mind. I was extremely happy with every sitter. Most hotels don't necessitate a caretaker because pets are welcome throughout the property. Often, furry sidekicks are permitted to stay in the room alone, but it's not recommended. Being separated from owners in a strange location can lead to all sorts of "nasties." Finally, what are the most over-the-top accommodations or services you've heard of that cater to the pet travel market? ME: That accolade must go to Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego. They are the proverbial poster child for pet-friendly hotels and are rumored to be the catalyst for the canine travel craze. A "Loews Loves Pets" welcome letter familiarizes guests with the resources, such as pet-sitting, a "Did You Forget" service providing forgotten items such as leashes and collars, and a "Do Not Disturb" sign that lets housekeeping know a dog is in the room. Food bowls, treats, and biodegradable poop bags are standard. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Ask Trip Coach: Top Tips for Traveling With Your Pet Reader Tips: Pet Travel Made Easier Keep Your Dog's Tail Wagging: Travel Tips from American Kennel Club Staffers

There's nothing like snow in April (and, naturally, on April Fool's Day) to remind us that the season is decidedly...undecided. Schizophrenic forecasts make for countless day-to-day annoyances (Coat or no coat? Do I wear the rain boots if it stops raining?). But iffy weather can be even more of an issue when you're traveling. Is it worth stuffing the raincoat into your suitcase when you run into the most maddening figure—40 percent chance of precipitation (not quite likely, but likely enough to warrant an "I told you so")? For that matter, is it worth even taking a trip if it'll rain some of the time, or most of the time (or 40 percent of the time)? Traveling in the off-season has its perks, and they're considerable ones—lower prices, fewer crowds. But there's no time like the present to consider the most obvious con—unpredictable (and likely unpleasant) weather. Take a look at this example of peak and off-peak rates at Hotel El Convento in San Juan, Puerto Rico: February Average rainfall: 2 inchesAverage daily rate: $260 August Average rainfall: 5 inchesAverage daily rate: $160 Consider the impact that a $100 per night difference can have, and a little hypothetical rain seems like small potatoes. But are you going to regret that thought when you're sitting in your hotel room instead of on the beach, spending your extra cash on yet another pay-per view movie? Are you willing to travel in the off-season? Has the risk paid off for you before? Let us know! MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Vote now in our Readers' Choice Awards! What's your biggest language gaffe? No more waiting in line at the concession stand

The ubiquity of apps happened rapidly and quietly, ending the days when telephones were used only to converse. Suddenly, seemingly overnight, there were apps for just about everything—apps to help you locate Girl Scout cookies and public restrooms, apps to convert currency, language, and clothing size, and apps to help you organize travel plans. And now there is an app that lets you...just sit there: Next time you travel to a sporting event, skip that whole waiting in line at the concession stand business and order food directly to your seat. Yorder (previously called iConcessionStand) is a free mobile-app for iPhones and Android phones. The idea behind the app is simple: sports fans can order food, beverages, and merchandise from their seat and about 15-20 minutes later receive their order without missing a minute of the game. So far the app is only available for San Jose's Earthquakes games at the Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara. The app relies on location-aware technology to locate fans in the 10,000+ seat stadium. Fans can order from the food and drink menus at the stadium's two concession stands, and make a payment through their PayPal account. (A $1 per-transaction fee applies to each order.) The food is provided by Bon Appetit and delivered approximately 15-20 minutes later. Later in the season, fans will be able to order food from the gourmet food trucks that the team brings in for home games. Although this technology is only available at one stadium so far, the app (and its inevitable evolutionary offspring) could very well revolutionize the way we visit sports events, concerts and even theme parks. And as much as I hate the idea of missing a single moment of the game, I wonder if this technology will actually change the way we experience such outings. For me, going to a sporting event is never about just the game; I have always found the atmosphere equally intriguing: The inevitable brawl in the stands between rowdy fans, the mass crowd 'waves', and yes, even the long queues for a $10 pint of beer. Are we creating a future where a $1 surcharge lets you sit back and let someone else do the dirty work? Will we eventually be able to schedule the exact time we ride a roller coaster or use a public restroom? Will queuing in line no longer be relevant? Maybe...but thankfully, not yet. What do you think? Are apps helping too much? — Madeline Grimes MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: The Ultimate App Tool Kit iPhone: Travel apps picked by an iPhone expert The World's Best Street Food