Today's travel intel

Several major airlines guarantee that the fares they sell on their websites are the cheapest available. More specifically, American, Continental, Delta, United, Northwest, and US Airways make promises that go something like this: "If you purchase a ticket on our website and the price goes down before midnight for the same flight itinerary, you can make a claim and receive a refund of the difference in price plus an additional bonus." Well, the folks at FareCompare.com recently tested these guarantees. They bought tickets, waited for fares to drop, and then asked for refunds. It turns out that the airlines make you run in circles to actually claim a refund. And given that the amount of money in dispute is often small, you might as well never file a claim. Hats off to FareCompare for its legwork. For the details, click here. And to read our advice on how to make the most of FareCompare's services, click here.

Houston's ArtCar museum has just opened, giving respectability to artists -- or "Cartists" -- who decorate ordinary cars in ways beyond your wildest imaginings. Gadling has the scoop with an amazing parade of photos. Take a look here.

Perhaps you're put off by the weak buying power of the dollar against the euro, which makes France unusually pricey this summer. If so, consider visiting Montreal, where your benjamins will go much further. You'll find our guide to this Canadian city by clicking here. This story is accompanied by a neat online map, which marks the city's key destinations. You can also find the best deals on hotel rooms during the city's annual jazz festival -- with prices starting at $119 per room -- by clicking here.