Survey: Travelers just love alternative airports

Have you ever noticed people at concerts using their smartphone cameras to capture the moment? (Admit it, you've probably done it, too.) Now, a patent filed by Apple aims to use infrared sensor technology to prevent people from recording a performance or snapping a photo. According to a New York Times article, the patent applies to any mobile device made by Apple that has a built–in camera—that means any iPhones, iPads, or the iPod Touch. Here's the plan in a nut shell: Rather than recording a video clip of your favorite artist's performance, sensors coming from the stage will temporarily block the camera's recording features. The idea is to maintain the artist's rights and prevent bootlegged performances from getting online. (Technically, the idea could also be extended to include Broadway shows and movie theaters if bootlegging is the real problem.) Apple is also considering using the same infrared sensors to embed a watermark into any photos taken at such venues as museums, zoos or aquariums, not necessarily a bad thing if you're on vacation and can't remember where a photo was taken. Another idea regarding photography at museums uses sensors to deliver information about the painting or artwork you're interested in taking a picture of. The patent was filed by Apple in 2009 and published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday, June 2nd, 2011. An article by The Washington Post stresses the fact that this is just a patent filing, "which means it's far from certain that the company will actually use the technology at all." I reached out to Apple to get their take on this topic and was told that they are unable to provide an official comment at this time. Personally, I don't like the sound of this one at all. First of all, if I'm willing to spend my hard–earned money on a piece of fancy technology, don't I have the right to use it? It's not like the quality is up to par with media-level photography. Besides, what if I just want to take photos of my friends at the concerts? If I'm paying for a ticket to a concert, shouldn't I have the right to snap photos of my friends at the venue? Shouldn't I be able to share a clip of the evening with my friends via social media or email a quick picture of a beautiful statue without having a watermark in the way? What do you think of this? Do you think Apple is on to something or is the company taking things too far? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL iPads Take on Hotels, Airlines and the Eiffel Tower The Ultimate Guide to Travel Apps Test Lab: iPad as Travel Tool

Times are undoubtedly tough for rental car companies, who struggle to cope with high oil prices and the related fallout. But it's hard to feel sorry for them as they charge travelers absurd fees. An especially annoying surcharge you may not be aware of is for frequent flier mile redemption. Say you're booking a car in the U.S. You see a space on the online reservation form inviting you to enter your membership number in your favorite frequent flier program. It seems like you're being offered a free way to pocket frequent flier miles, which can eventually be cashed in for a plane ticket. But there's a catch. The companies charge various amounts for this "service," up to a dollar a day. For instance, Hertz assess a frequent flyer surcharge on rentals in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico that earn miles on specific U.S. airline programs, says a company spokesperson. While the surcharge varies, on many airlines it is $.75 per day with a maximum of $5.25 per rental. For some airlines, such as American, the surcharge is approximately $.06 per day. The solution: Keep your frequent flier details to yourself unless you are participating in a promotion where your airline lavishes you with generous mileage bonus for renting a car. Now one dollar a day may seem like small change to some people, but the fee is offensive in principle. If you travel fewer than 50 miles a day on the road, you're essentially paying two cents a mile to buy miles. Yet the average value of frequent flier miles is less than two cents. The surcharge was not clearly disclosed on most of the agency sites we checked. So travelers using these sites don't realize that what they're effectively doing is buying frequent flier miles instead of earning them for free. To see all the fees rental car companies charge for various airline frequent flier programs, check out AirfareWatchdog's impressive chart. The surcharge is, of course, just one of many you need to keep an eye on as you book a rental car. Alamo charges a fee if you return a car early. Thrifty charges a $25 daily fee for drivers ages 21 to 24. And so on. Share your thoughts about rental car fees by posting a comment. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL How rental car companies undermine credit card insurance 3 ways to save on car rentals this summer Hertz promo waives $25 daily fees for young renters, but it isn't that good of a deal

Since launching the program last fall, Travelzoo has been expanding its Local Deals program. As of this week, the company now touts deep discounts on restaurant, spa, and (increasingly) hotel offers in 75 locations worldwide. You can sign up to receive alerts for offers within a two-hour drive or short flight from your hometown. (These alerts differ from the company's famous Top 20 travel-deal e-mail newsletters.) For any offer, you have a few days to buy vouchers that can be later redeemed at the local store. You can use Travelzoo Local Deals in two ways: To keep track of discounts near you to plan a "staycation," or to track deals at a location you're planning to visit. The free program works similarly to Groupon's upcoming vacation deal service, but the deals tend to be on higher-end products and services. Recent sample deal: The Chelsea in Atlantic City was available for one night with a three-course dinner for two at its well regarded restaurant and access to the spa for $189 midweek or $299 on Fridays. That was a savings of more than 30 percent off of what I found when I attempted to book the components of the deal separately. Travelzoo has about 26 23 million newsletter subscribers in the US and Europe. Has anyone tried the Local Deals service and had good results? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Open secret websites for booking hotels Eight ways to save when booking hotel rooms What to do when you lose all of your digital photos

In mid-May, United began early boarding for uniformed military personnel. Soldiers board before all other passengers, including first-class passengers, the disabled, and families with infants. The decision copies a longstanding policy of United's merger partner, Continental. Since the policy change, the FlyerTalk discussion boards for frequent fliers have been hot with a debate about whether this policy is the right one. Speaking for myself, and very much not on behalf of Budget Travel, I think this policy of early boarding for uniformed military personnel is a bad idea. Some airlines allow soldiers to board first and other airlines do not. It's a reasonable question to debate whether early boarding is a good idea or not. I'm just presenting one view, of course. Please share your own opinions by posting a comment below. Like all patriots, I salute our soldiers for pledging their honor and their lives to defend our people and the Constitution. They represent the best of our nation, and they deserve our gratitude. But my friends and family who are service members are also big believers in humility and integrity. Ask them why they serve and they say they are just doing their job. They also value living in a democracy that does not engage in uniform worship or put soldiers on a pedestal above police officers, firefighters, and other heroes. United and Continental may be honestly attempting to show appreciation to U.S. soldiers by encouraging them to board first. I'm sure for many individual employees at the company it's a policy they're proud of and that is enforced from the heart. Yet some of us suspect that the airlines have additional motives that may be less patriotic and more business-minded. Maybe the early boarding policy is a public relations move to make other passengers feel sentimental about the airline because of the gesture. Over at the travel site Upgrdr, Matthew, a former member of the Air Force and a current frequent flier, highlights a couple of other ways for airlines to show gratitude to the men and women who preserve our freedom and safety: 1. Encourage passengers and employees to donate time and money to causes that help military families. Actively promote these programs and provide corporate matching donations. 2. Coax passengers into donating some of their frequent flier miles to a program that gives free tickets to military personnel who were injured in Iraq. The Hope Miles program is run by Fisher House and authorized by the Department of Defense. US Airways is one of many airlines that suggets passengers donate their miles to the program. I also realize that the U.S. military is one of the biggest customers of both United and Continental because of those airlines' large route networks and longstanding ties. The airlines may want to treat their biggest customer especially well to make sure they continue to earn the military's business. But wooing government business could be done in other ways than having uniformed service members board planes first. One option: Let all active duty service members and their dependents traveling with them qualify automatically to receive the first seat upgrade available on a flight, as spacing permits, ahead of high-status members of frequent flier programs. In that way, airlines could give support to our armed forces without making a big show of it before crowds of passengers. The recent decision by many Delta, American, and other airlines to relax their checked-bag rules for service members is another example. But what do you think? Is it a good idea for the military to board planes before all other passengers? Please sound off in the comments. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Is it cheaper to fly or drive? Renting a car? Beware of getting gouged on gas prices Wheel Deals: Alternatives to Renting at the Airport