budget-travel posts

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (2 days ago)
Nov 4th, 2009 at 10:00AM: More and more budget-travel tipsters are pointing towards Twitter, Facebook and social media outlets as the source for wild cheap airfares these days. And it's true, in a way. By subscribing to the pundit feeds online it's possible to get the inside scoop on a few good routes, often saving a few shekels on a future itinerary. Broad, dirt cheap fares (sometimes called bingos), however, are harder ...

by George Hobica (RSS feed) (15 days ago)
Oct 23rd, 2009 at 9:00AM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/23/why-people-aren-t-flying-hint-it-s-not-just-the-fares/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Think that all airlines are losing business during the recession? Not quite. Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways saw their traffic jump 9 and 10 percent, respectively, in September, while United's was down 6 percent. Other airlines suffered traffic ...
![Mileage runs, Flyertalk and obsessive compulsive flying: a film project]()
by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (16 days ago)
Oct 22nd, 2009 at 9:00AM: Those who are remotely close to airline world have probably heard the term "mileage running" or have listened to a brief tirade about upgrades or lounge access at some point -- and many of you have probably tuned it out. For those of you genuinely curious about the industry and those who try to work the system, however, Gabriel Leigh put together a pretty good documentary for his Master's thesis ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (27 days ago)
Oct 10th, 2009 at 11:00AM: The U.S. Virgin Islands are going to be featured on a newly designed quarter and to celebrate, hotels around the islands are offering up rooms at 25 cents - yes, just 25 cents! - per night.
Of course, there is some fine print to the offer. Guests will still be responsible for taxes of 7%, resort fees, and government taxes of 8%, so the total ends up being a litte more than the 75 cents you might ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (1 month ago)
Oct 6th, 2009 at 3:30PM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/06/escape-from-chicago-with-low-fall-rates-at-the-abbey/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Several weeks ago, I had the chance to check out The Abbey Resort and Spa on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. 80 miles from Chicago and even less from Milwaukee, it's the perfect Fall escape from either city. Chicago residents don't even need a car to get there; the ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (1 month ago)
Sep 27th, 2009 at 4:00PM: If you've got time to kill at the airport, wireless can be a life saver. In most terminals, however, wireless isn't free, and three out of four of the available providers charge an arm and a leg for service. So what's a cheapskate to do to access his Facebook account without paying through the nose? Steal wireless, of course. Most people know that if they stand with the proximity of an airline ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (1 month ago)
Sep 26th, 2009 at 9:00AM: At 6PM on a Friday afternoon, New York's JFK airport is hopping. Part of it is, rather, just the check-in counter. The everyday, economy check-in counter, to be specific. Scores of passengers-to-be swarm the kiosks, some swiping credit cards, some punching buttions, some pulling their hair in distress. Those that successfully navigate the digital mayhem are funnelled into the luggage line, a mess ...

by George Hobica (RSS feed) (1 month ago)
Sep 21st, 2009 at 9:00AM: Airfarewatchdog visited recently a new restaurant in our neighborhood and boy were we surprised at what we saw on the menu. That's right, diners! This restaurant is under new management! At Trans Air Airlines, we sure weren't making money flying people places, so we thought what the heck, why not try the fine dining business to earn some "ancillary revenue" as we like to call it. While you're ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (1 month ago)
Sep 20th, 2009 at 10:00AM: The jockeying for elite passenger revenue continues. Earlier this year, most of the major carriers announced double "elite qualifying mile" promotions, specials that drastically reduced the number of airline miles that one needed to fly to enjoy special perks. Usually, one needs to fly at least 25k miles to start earning low level perks such as bonus miles, preferred seats and upgrades. With those ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (1 month ago)
Sep 18th, 2009 at 9:00AM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/18/five-great-ways-to-use-your-frequent-flyer-miles/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
As the economy shrinks and belts begin to tighten, mileage programs are playing a larger and large role in the everyday consumer travel lanscape. Many travelers are turning to their caches of miles for use in lieu of spending their hard-saved money on a ticket. ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Sep 2nd, 2009 at 1:00PM: They've done it again! Earlier this year, American Airlines launched a pomotion to double elite miles on all AA operated flights. These special miles are the gateway to elite status, where tiers of rewards such as upgrades, bonuses and free drinks await savvy travelers. In the several months that followed the initial promotion, travelers booked all sorts of tickets to maximize miles and earn ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Sep 1st, 2009 at 2:00PM: It seems hay is not just for horses - it's also for sleeping on at hotels in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Heuhotels (heu means hay in German) are hotels housed in converted barns where guests bed down in sleeping bags in dorm rooms with layers of hay covering the floor.
The heuhotel Zum Alten Marstall, located near the Neckar Valley in Germany, sits at the foot of an 11th century castle and ...

by Jamie Rhein (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Aug 31st, 2009 at 7:30PM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/31/work-at-a-winery-in-new-zealand/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Working while you travel is one way to fund time away from home. In New Zealand, turn to wineries for seasonal possibilities.
According to Horticulture New Zealand, a Website dedicated to New Zealand's commercial fruit and vegetable growers, for those who don't mind a bit of ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Aug 24th, 2009 at 2:30PM: There are just two weeks left until Labor Day, but it's not too late to plan a getaway for the holiday weekend. In fact, waiting until now to book your trip might even save you money with some of the great last-minute deals that are available.
American Airlines Flights American Airlines has several destinations on sale for Labor Day. Buy your tickets to Belize by August 28th and travel Monday ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Aug 21st, 2009 at 10:30AM: Craig and Linda Martin have been traveling the world together since 2006. In that time, they've launched the Indie Travel Podcast and turned it into a successful website (they were named Best Podcast in Lonely Planet's 2009 Travel Blog Awards) and an excellent source of information for the independent traveler. Now, in a time when major glossies seem to be folding right and left, they've launched ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Aug 20th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Okay, the name induces a slight eye roll - I'm not broke and I'm certainly no hipster, I just love a bargain - but the premise behind one of Chicago's best new websites is pretty awesome. BrokeHipster collects all the top upcoming deals, from happy-hour specials and dining discounts to promotional parties and boutique sales, and puts them all in one place.
On any given day some of the freebies ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Aug 13th, 2009 at 3:00PM: Think you have the ultimate travel story? Hostelworld.com is celebrating its 10th anniversary and wants to hear about your best travel adventure of the last decade. Tell your inspiring, amazing, crazy or hilarious tale and you may win a €500 travel voucher.
Stories must be between 500 and 1500 words and be accompanied by a photo. The writer of the story selected as the best will receive the ...

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (2 months ago)
Aug 11th, 2009 at 4:00PM: Volunteer one day to a registered 501C3 nonprofit organization and your next stay at a Sage Hospitality property could be free. The hotel group is offering a limited number of free rooms at each of its 53 hotels around the country to those who can verify - with a signed letter from the organization - that they have donated eight or more hours of their time to charity.
Under the "Give a Day, Get ...

by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (3 months ago)
Jul 19th, 2009 at 10:30AM: In these difficult economic conditions we're all looking for ways to save some money while still putting a little adventure into our lives. Now more than ever we need a distraction from the daily grind that won't empty our pocket books. Fortunately, the New York Daily News is here to help, with some great suggestions for cheap adventures close to NYC. The inexpensive escapse come in a variety of ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (3 months ago)
Jul 16th, 2009 at 3:00PM: Amidst all of the increased fees and reduced services plaguing the airlines these days, it's refreshing to actually see a change that goes the customers' way. Albeit temporarily, United just reduced the number of frequent flyer miles necessary to book a free ticket on the airline. Reductions range from 20. Domestic travel, for example, has been reduced from 25K miles to 20K miles, while a ticket ...
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