If you closely followed the debate leading up to the American-US Airways merger, you’ll recall a period during which it seemed a safe bet that the Department of Justice would nix the tie-up on antitrust grounds. DOJ officials signaled that, after signing off on mergers between United and Continental, Delta and Northwest, and Southwest and […]
The post How the Government Failed Consumers: The Sad Story of Airline Consolidation appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreIf you’re planning a trip over the holiday season, consider putting travel insurance in the mix. As with any form of insurance, travel insurance basically shares monetary risk: Lots of travelers pay a little so that a few can recover major losses. Some travel risks can involve thousands of dollars, which is when travel insurance […]
The post Should You Buy Travel Insurance This Holiday Season? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreAirline fees remain a “pain point” for many travelers, and the pain is getting worse. Despite all the focus, however, you still see some public confusion. The latest exhaustive report (104 pages!) from IdeaWorks presents a good starting point for a dispassionate assessment of the realities and myths of airline fees. Big, But Not That […]
The post Airline Fees: The Naked Truth appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreThese 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 MoreTravel website, Trippy, has put together an awesome infographic showing prices for food, beer, taxis, and hotels in the most and least expensive countries. And the best part is that it updates daily, so you can see the average price of something when you’re planning a trip or once you’re in the destination. Methodology: “Using […]
The post Where to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck Abroad appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MorePlenty of travelers prefer to just pay the listed price of the item and be done with it, but bargaining a price down is expected in many cultures—especially at flea markets and bazaars, where vendors often inflate prices and expect potential buyers to argue them down. There’s no better way to awaken your inner haggler […]
The post A Traveler’s Guide to Haggling appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreYou’ve probably been there: waiting at the baggage claim carousel, while other folks from your flight grab their bags, the claim area empties, the conveyor stops, and still no bag. As long as airlines have been checking baggage, they’ve been sending a few somewhere other than where they were supposed to go. Airlines are doing […]
The post What to Do When Your Checked Bag Is Lost appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreYou’ve carefully picked out the perfect hotel and made a reservation. But then you show up and nothing goes as planned. Maybe they assign you a terrible room. Maybe they’ve lost your reservation altogether. When these or other worst-case-scenario hotel disasters strike, here’s what to do. More from SmarterTravel: 10 Dirty Hotel Fees You Should […]
The post What to Do When a Hotel Tries to Screw You appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreGone are the days of guide books, maps, and phone cards (remember those?). Now all you need to have an organized and nightmare-free vacation is a smartphone and the right apps. No need to download every travel app you hear of—here are 11 you’ll actually use. More from SmarterTravel: This Secret iPhone App Could Save […]
The post 11 Travel Apps You Need on Your Phone appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreThis month saw the launch of what many in the travel blogosphere are calling the best travel-rewards credit card ever: the Sapphire Reserve Visa card from Chase. The card in brief: Annual fee: $450 100,000-point sign-up bonus, after spending $4,000 in 3 months Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel and dining, 1 point […]
The post Is the ‘Best Travel Rewards Card’ the Best Credit Card for You? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreEvery summer, Americans selectively schedule their vacation time, typically taking a week or two to get out and enjoy the sun or a dreamy, far-off destination. But as the midyear heat wanes and the holiday season approaches, more of us should assess the vacation days we’re not using—all 658 million of them. That’s how many […]
The post The Single Biggest Travel Mistake Americans Make Every Year appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreRule #1: Pay with your credit card Paying with the right credit card has many advantages including: Cheaper than exchanging cash* Cheaper than Maestro debit cards (non-euro countries) No need to carry around large amounts of cash Possible to dispute transactions with…
Ebates is a cash back website where anyone can sign up and earn cash back on internet purchases when you visit popular online retailers such as Amazon, LivingSocial, Apple, and many more. What’s nice about cash back sites like Ebates is that you can use them to double dip with your miles/points earning or cash back earning credit cards. Recently though, I blogged about the AMAZING 100k American Airlines points credit card sign up bonus that Citi is currently offering on the executive card. One of the two caveats to…… (click read more!)
