Written by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
On the heels of news that it will debut “bare fares” in early 2017, USA Today reports American will also add a seating class at the other end of the spectrum. The airline will launch premium economy on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in February, making it the “first U.S. airline to officially offer a true international-style premium […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Bare fares—cheap coach fares with few perks and plenty of restrictions—are a thing. The unbundled fares, as they’re also called, are what have made Spirit, Frontier, and other ultra-low-cost carriers the darlings of the most price-sensitive customers, and of Wall Street. And the legacy carriers can’t afford not to compete for those flyers. When American […]
The post Ready or Not, Bare Fares Coming to American, United in 2017 appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Conde Nast Traveler gets a lot of mileage out of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards, slicing and dicing feedback from 300,000 travelers into a dizzying array of categories, sub-categories, and sub-sub-categories. Not only is there a ranking of the best cities in the world, there’s also the best small cities in the U.S. The world’s […]
The post Conde Nast Readers’ 20 Favorite Airlines. Are They Yours? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Ashley Rossi @ SmarterTravel
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but holiday travel means delayed flights, long security lines, and grumpy passengers. Here are 10 new books sure to keep you entertained during any stressful holiday travel ordeal. Best New Books for Holiday Travel More from SmarterTravel: 9 Travel Mistakes You’ll Make at Least Once […]
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Read MoreWritten by Shannon McMahon @ SmarterTravel
A world where everyone could sleep on command—or, simply one with more comfortable airplane seats—would be a beautiful one. But until that fantasy becomes reality, some of us will have to rely on sleep aids and accessories to help us catch some Zs. If getting to sleep on the plane or while traveling is a major […]
The post How to Sleep on the Plane: A Guide to Sleep Aids appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
After more than 100 incidents of the now-discontinued Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploding, popping, and generally being a fire hazard, the Department of Transportation has officially banned them from all flights. The “emergency order” went into effect at noon on October 15. The phones may not be shipped as cargo. “We recognize that banning these […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
As in any walk of life, among travelers, there are good guys and bad guys. Naturally, you and I fall squarely in the good-guy category; here, we’re all above average. Still, it’s worth considering what makes a bad actor, travel-wise, and reality-checking our own habits. You know, just in case. As comprehensive a list of […]
The post 21 Things Flight Attendants Hate About You appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Supersonic speed – mainstream fares That’s the promise of Boom, a Colorado startup that’s developing a new supersonic plane that’s faster than the Concorde and, critically, much more economical to operate. To put some numbers to that claim, the company boasts it will be able to fly from New York to London in just over […]
The post Coming: New York to London in 3 Hours, for $5,000 Roundtrip appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
United has decided to delay implementation of its low-frills economy product, according to Skift. This low-price, bare bones fare class, dubbed Budget Economy, is aimed squarely at discount carriers like Spirit, which famously offer ultra-low fares with equally ultra-low perks and extras. Budget Economy was supposed to debut right around now, but has been pushed back several months due to “changes” with […]
The post United Delays Basic Economy Class, For Now appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
In a blow to smartphone giant Samsung, and a scare for a plane full of passengers, Southwest flight 994 last night was evacuated when a Galaxy Note 7 overheated and began smoking. According to USA Today’s report, the phone in question was a replacement for the owner’s original phone, which was among 1 million Note […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
When asked which airline seat they’d choose to avoid the discomfort (and embarrassment) of airsickness, the consensus among a random sampling of my acquaintances was a big comfy seat up front. A first-class seat, in other words. Comfort as the antidote to discomfort. Makes sense, right? Seemingly sensible or not, it turns out that a […]
The post Where to Sit to Avoid Airsickness and the Dreaded Barf Bag appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Shannon McMahon @ SmarterTravel
Like many backpackers-turned-business-travelers, I rely on versatile backpacks as my carry-on of choice. Ever since I essentially lived out of one for months on end in Europe during a semester abroad, I’m always weighing which kind of pack will best fit an upcoming trip. In my opinion, the ease of tossing all my essentials over […]
The post A Gadget-Charging Backpack Sleek Enough for Business Travel appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
Yep, that’s “billion” with a ‘b’. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade group for the world’s airlines, estimates that global profit for 2016 will be $39.4 billion this year, a nine percent increase over 2015. “It seems that we are living in extraordinary financial times,” said IATA director-general Alexandre de Juniac. He also noted that […]
The post Airlines Set to Pull in Record $39 Billion in Profit This Year appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Ashley Rossi @ SmarterTravel
If you’re like me, and have trouble getting comfortable or sleeping on planes, this four-in-one travel pillow helps tremendously. Depending on what you need, it can be a pillow, blanket, seat cushion, or lumbar support. Price and Where to Buy: Cabeau’s Fold ‘n Go Blanket & Case is available on their website for $19.99 and […]
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Read MoreWritten by Shannon McMahon @ SmarterTravel
These days, budget air deals aren’t hard to come by. There are plenty of flash sales and discount carriers to choose from, but not all of them are created equal. It’s become easy to find reasonable flights between big air hubs, but dreamy, far-off islands will almost always cost you more. Last year, one discount airline […]
The post The One Budget Air Route You Need to Take Advantage of This Winter appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Caroline Morse @ SmarterTravel
Cabeau’s Midnight Magic Sleep Mask makes you feel like it’s the middle of the night wherever you are, thanks to the light-blocking capabilities and included earplugs. Price and Where to Buy: The sleep mask was on sale on Amazon for $16.99 at the time of writing. How It Rates: Usefulness: 10/10. If you can fall […]
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Read MoreWritten by Christine Sarkis @ SmarterTravel
If you regularly sit next to kids on planes, you know there’s a lot to dread. They have short attention spans, they get hungry at inconvenient times, they are not beholden to social norms about breaking down and crying because their seat-back screen is broken. But … there are definite upsides as well. Here are […]
The post 7 Great Things About Sitting Next to a Kid on a Plane appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
American, Delta, and United are asking travelers to turn off their Samsung Galaxy 7 phones while in flight, citing concerns over the possibility that the phone’s batteries could catch fire and explode. The move is a step beyond similar recommendations the FAA issued last week. On Monday, Consumerist highlighted anecdotal reports of these policies. However, American, Delta, and United now have […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Remember those exploding hoverboards, the once-popular self-balancing scooters that most airlines banned late last year due to their proven combustibility? The problem with the hoverboards was pinned on their lithium ion batteries, which were also the culprits in a series of onboard fires that bedeviled early models of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. In yet another instance […]
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Read MoreWritten by Shannon McMahon @ SmarterTravel
Millennials are changing the travel industry. The frugal and tech-savvy generation that so many people bemoan has prompted big hotel companies to launch affordable, hostel-like lodgings and install voice-activated assistance in rooms. It’s backed a booming peer-to-peer industry. It’s demanded that low-cost accommodations and budget airlines no longer be a seedy alternative. And now, one […]
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