New Rules of the Road
The Travel Detective's Guide to Great Journeys in Tough Economic Times
New York Times Best-Selling Author Peter Greenberg
Travel Editor for CBS News
Sarika Chawla, Chief Research Editor
Copyright:
Notice
Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the author or publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, or the publisher. Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.
©2011 by Peter Greenberg
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author.
Printed in the United State of America
ISBN: 978-0-9849775-0-5
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Airlines and Airfares
2. Airports
3. Accommodations
4. Car Rentals
5. Cruising
6. Family Travel
7. Discount Programs
8. One-Tank Trips
9. Tourist Discount Cards
10. Free Activities
11. Dining on a Budget
12. Shoulder and Off-Season Travel
13. Bus Travel
14. Train Travel
15. Money Matters
16. Passports
17. Luggage
Acknowledgments
I learned a long time ago that there are three kinds of people in the world: the people who make it happen, the people who watch what happened, and then there's the third category— one in which you don't ever want to find yourself—the people who wonder what happened.
But recently, we have watched as the people who made what happened suddenly begin to wonder what happened, and as a result, many of us have found ourselves unwitting victims of a failing economy.
But are we really victims? Hardly. Within conflict and trouble lie opportunity. And, armed with the right information and resources, that upside remains almost unlimited.
That's the philosophy of this book, which was shared immediately by Leigh Haber and my agent, Amy Rennert.
My chief research editor, Sarika Chawla, then assembled a great team of information sleuths, including Jessica Kate Soberman, Lily Kosner, Dara Bramson, Alyssa Caverley, Grace Kelly, Karen Elowitt, Courtney Crowder, and Matthew Calcara.
Above all, I am especially grateful to Sarika for working virtually nonstop to meet an unforgiving deadline.
And now, the final result—a sort of guerrilla travel guide to not just surviving the economic meltdown, but transcending it.
New Rules of the Road
When the going gets tough, the tough—and the smart—continue to travel. And they travel well. The rules of the road may have been changed, but our desire, our passion and our need to travel has only intensified.
The real definition of great travel is when we get to keep our options. Sadly, the travel industry has evolved to a point in which our options seem to have exponentially decreased. Indeed, there was no adequate way to prepare for the economic crisis that still grips us. And so we must adjust.
It's not about just surviving, but developing a strategy that allows us to get the very best experience every time we travel.
To do that, we now have to navigate the new travel challenges and understand the real news you can use to play by these new rules of the road.
Our initial reaction after the economic meltdown may have been the same as it was after 9/11.
Many of us simply retreated into a bunker, out of fear, or with the presumption there was nothing we could do to make things better, or more affordable, or more efficient, or more humane. History continually confirms that there's no upside to hanging in the bunker.
And, recent history will tell you there's no reason to hang in there either.
How do I know this? Let's start out with my feelings about focus groups. I hate them. I hate the concept of them. Why? They always give the answers that the questioners want, because they are either asked loaded questions, or they're not asked an important follow-up question.
Consider what happened:
Six days after September 11, 2001, when the U.S. airline fleet resumed flying, hundreds of Americans—in those dreaded focus groups—were surveyed and asked if they were planning to travel anytime soon. "No" was the overwhelming response. Gee, what a surprise.
And so the travel industry braced for a dramatic drop in demand. But those doing the survey forgot to ask a crucial follow up question: Do you WANT to travel?
Of course we did. But the rules had changed and many of us just didn't know if we could travel. We desperately needed someone to tell us it was okay to travel. In essence, we wanted our security blanket, and the travel industry did a poor job of providing that. So we didn't go.
And now, in the wake of a severe economic crisis, that first question is being asked again, without the important follow-up question. And the answers are the same.
We know we want to travel. We need to travel. And we just have to play by the new rules of the road.
To date, all the major legacy airlines have filed for bankruptcy protection. And they're circling the wagons by merging, consolidating and cutting capacity.
Right now, there are nearly a thousand aircraft parked in America's deserts, almost all of them permanently. That's the equivalent of taking one of the big airlines entirely out of service, which is devastating for the economies of cities and communities that now have limited air service, or no service at all.
And yet, airlines are now turning a profit based on charging fees for everything short of visits to the toilet, and are calling it “à la carte” pricing.
A study from the U.S. Travel Association showed that the economy is losing billions of dollars because Americas are avoiding travel...not because of cost, but because of frustration. Yet the survey found that if the travel process were more predictable, streamlined, and safe, Americans would take two to three more trips per year, for a total of about $85 billion. And when people travel, other people go to work.
We need to remind our governments and policymakers of the power and impact of travel; of how it has consistently transcended events, demographics, and focus groups; of how it is at the core of our cultural DNA.
In the meantime, the travel industry is also trying to adjust to the new rules of the road.
That's when the definition of terms comes into play. Travel providers are afraid of the word "discount" or "budget," because they think it will lower their worth. It's all about perception. So instead, luxury hotels are focusing on added-value incentives like complimentary wine and waived parking fees; destinations are touting their off-season activities (and calling it "value season"); cruises and resorts are offering rock-bottom rates just to get you in the doors (where the real spending begins). Negotiation has now become a tool that's accessible to every level of traveler. The power of the Internet and social media is allowing information to flow like never before.
So, it's not a question of whether we will travel, but how...and how well.
What will determine that? First, refusing to board the panic train. Second, recognizing that the rules have changed, and our perception of travel has to change right along with it.
Again, this is not about just how to survive, but how to succeed on your travels — beating the travel industry at their own game by using the new rules of the road.
Chapter 1
AIRLINES AND AIRFARES
What factors make airfare go up? Decreased capacity, high demand and raised fuel prices.
Over the past couple of years, airlines have worked toward increasing their bottom line...and have succeeded. In fact, some even started posting profits, which seemed like an impossible feat in the years after September 11, 2001.
By cutting routes and even parking planes in the desert, U.S. airlines slashed capacity, effectively reducing the amount of seats available to travelers across the board.
After the economic meltdown of 2008 people cut back on travel. As I predicted, because travel is in our blood, slowly but surely, demand rose again. Yet that capacity was still slashed. Translation? The law of supply and demand kicked in.
Meanwhile, the price of oil went through something of a rollercoaster over the past several years. In July 2008, we saw the price of oil peak at $147 per barrel, stabilize over the next several months, drop significantly, and then climb back up to more than $100 a barrel just a few short years later. Experts attribute these increases to everything from Iranian nuclear testing to Hurricane Katrina to civil unrest in the Middle East.
Airlines usually enter fuel-hedging contracts, so they can establish a fixed or capped cost of fuel to hedge against the threat of rising fuel prices. In anticipation of, or in immediate response to the rising cost of jet fuel, airlines can simply turn around and raise fares on the consumer.
When you travel makes almost as much of a difference as where you travel.
Many airlines charge a fee for travel during peak dates. That includes the dates around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, as well as most dates between Memorial Day and Labor Day. There are charges as high as $50 to fly out the day after the Super Bowl!
The only way to combat it? Beat the airlines at their own game and travel when everyone else...is not. Traveling over the holidays? Fly out the Tuesday before Thanksgiving or on Thanksgiving Day itself and return the Monday after. Do not, I repeat, do not, travel on the Wednesday before or the Sunday after, or you're asking to relive your own version of Trains, Planes & Automobiles. Fly out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. And in the summer, opt to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday when the surcharges tend to be lower.
Ancillary Revenue
Without a doubt, ancillary revenue generates billions of dollars for the airline industry and contributes greatly to the rebounding of the airline industry. Bottom line: It's not going away any time soon.
Ancillary revenue, unbundling, or going à la carte are just fancy ways of saying that airlines are now charging for everything short of using the toilet in exchange for (theoretically) lower base fares. That way they can remain competitive in pricing, while travelers only pay for the extra services they want.
Air Canada was one of the original models for the unbundling system, including optional amenities in the ticket price. This airline has four fare classes: The most expensive is a refundable ticket with amenities like priority check-in and food. The lowest-priced option is a reserved seat, with for fee-based upgrades like food vouchers, advance seat selection, flight changes, and airport lounge access.
Some other fees we've seen in recent years:
Pillows and Blankets: This was one of the first free amenities to go, with several airlines charging to use, and bring home, a new pillow and blanket.
In-Flight Food: Again, one of the first perks to be unbundled, with Continental as the last U.S. airline to fall.
Checked Bags: In what’s probably one of the biggest boons for the airlines, travelers now have to pay for the first and/or second checked bag on most airlines. Some exceptions hold for first and business class ticketholders, those with elite status, and certain credit-card holders.
Carry-on Bags: So far Spirit is the only U.S. carrier that has implemented this offensive fee. (As far as I'm concerned, their motto is, "We won’t be happy until you're not happy!")
Ticket Change: As much as $150 each way for domestic flights on the major carriers.
Confirmed Standby: As much as $50 to confirm a reservation on a different flight on the same day.
Phone Reservation: Anywhere from $15 to $35 to book a ticket over the phone.
More Room Fee: Delta, Northwest, Virgin America, and several others now charge for roomier exit-row seats. United-Continental has Economy Plus seats offer a few more inches of space and are more expensive than coach but cheaper than business
What's next? George Hobica of AirfareWatchdog points out, all you have to do is look overseas at Ryanair to see what's on the horizon: travel with an infant on your lap fees; convenience fees for booking online; maybe even...pay toilets on planes?
How do you get around these fees? The only silver lining is that you pay for what you use; so don't use it! Otherwise, focus your efforts on reaching elite status on an airline to obtain perks like free checked luggage and upgrades, and look for credit cards that waive certain fees.
Saturday-Night Stays
For years, airlines have required travelers to stay over on a Saturday night to qualify for discounted airfares. The idea was to gouge business travelers, who tend to travel during the week. This practice pretty much disappeared with the rise of low-cost carriers, but with airlines scrambling to make money, the Saturday-night-stay requirement is back in several markets.
The good news: The Saturday-night stay is a commodity that the airlines can use as a bargaining tool. Look for deals, particularly on well-traveled business routes, where the Saturday-night stay is eliminated as part of a promotion.
Getting around it.
It sounds complicated, but for frequent business travelers, back-to-back ticketing can be an effective tool. It's not something the airlines condone, or even want you to know about, but used correctly, it can work to your advantage.
Say you have to fly from New York to San Francisco for a business trip on Monday, April 6, through Thursday, April 9. No Saturday-night stay means you’re going to pay through the nose, say $1,200.00.
Book the return ticket from San Francisco to New York for 3 weeks later. The Saturday-night stay makes the round-trip ticket significantly cheaper, say $400.00. Then make a second round-trip booking, this time from San Francisco to New York on Thursday, April 9 and returning two weeks later.
If you plan it properly, you’ll fly from New York to San Francisco using half of one booking and fly back using half of the other. Then you get another trip from New York to San Francisco and back using the remainder of the two round-trip tickets. That’s two trips for $800.00 (and double the frequent-flier miles), as opposed to $1,200.00 for one.
Or just stick with budget carriers like Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, and AirTran Airways, which generally don’t have Saturday-night-stay requirements and sell one-way tickets.
What’s the best time to buy airline tickets?
Wednesday morning (late Tuesday night) when it’s 12:01 a.m. in the same time zone as the airline’s hub. If you're booking on Atlanta based Delta wait until 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time. On American, the hub is in Dallas, so wait until 12:01 a.m. Central Time.
Sound crazy? Here’s how it works.
Airlines are still in the business of matching one another, so if one airline changes its fares, adds a fee, or eliminates a service, other airlines usually follow suit. Airline fare wars usually start on Fridays. An airline announces a fare and a competitor counters with a lower fare; the next day all of their competitors match the fare change. The going rate continues to drop Sunday night or Monday morning. By Monday night another airline may jump in and offer an even lower fare. By Tuesday morning…it’s over.
Remember, once you book a ticket you’re given a 24-hour hold period for purchase at that fare. By Tuesday at midnight the airlines’ computers cancel the orders of all the people who booked but didn’t buy their tickets by Monday night. Suddenly all those low fares come flooding back into the system for a short period of time. That’s when you pounce. Wait any longer and the cycle will start all over again on Friday.
Budget Airlines
If handled properly, budget airlines can be your best friends. If you don’t follow the rules—well, just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Budget airlines like JetBlue, Southwest, and Virgin Atlantic can be credited with lowering airfares across the board. There’s even something called the Southwest Effect, a term that was actually coined by the US Department of Transportation to refer to the increase in air travel and drop in rates that took place whenever Southwest entered a new market. Although Southwest is no longer the "budget" option it was and its effect has somewhat dampened increased competition still means lower rates.
Low-cost carriers are also an excellent way to get around cheaply in foreign countries. Traveling around Europe? Fly to London and then get to your destination city on a budget carrier. Two of the best known are Ryanair and EasyJet, but there are dozens of European budget airlines. They proliferated in the early 1990s when airlines were first allowed to fly anywhere in the European Union without prior government approval.
Budget carriers have also made their mark in Australia and Asia. If you can get yourself to a main hub, you’ll have multiple options.
One big caveat: Travel light. If you show up at a no-frills airline carrying 60 pounds of luggage, you’re going to pay for each and every pound over the minimum weight. It adds up fast; trust me on this one.
Find out which budget airlines go where at www.whichbudget.com.
Tip: Southwest doesn’t release its data to travel search engines and aggregator sites like Kayak.com, Farechase.yahoo.com, and Sidestep.com. This means you can’t compare it side by side with other airlines. These sites don’t all have the same inventory, so to be a smart shopper, compare as many as possible.
Secret Flights
Traveling from Vancouver, British Columbia to New York? Sure, you can fly Air Canada or American. But I bet you didn’t know Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways, a leading airline that consistently wins awards for its service and comfort, can also get you there.
Welcome to the world of “secret flights”: unusual routes flown by unexpected foreign airlines. Are they really secret? No, they are published, scheduled flights with fares, but they aren’t really marketed.
The airlines flying them use the routes as “fifth freedom” flights, meaning that individual countries have given these airlines the right to stop within their borders while en route to and from the airline’s base country.
How does this benefit for you? You’re on a nonstop flight that many people are unaware of, meaning fewer passengers, lower prices, and, if you’re on the right airline, better service.
One of my favorite options is to fly nonstop from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to London’s Heathrow Airport on Air New Zealand. You’ll also get to sip New Zealand wines the whole way there, even in coach.
Jet Airways flights from JFK and Newark to India stop in Brussels, Belgium. It’s going to be a much better experience—on every level—than flying Delta from New York’s JFK International Airport or Continental from Newark Liberty Airport.
These secret flights usually show up on travel search engines like Orbitz.com and Expedia.com and meta-search engines like Kayak or Mobissimo. Rule of thumb: If you see an airline listed that makes you go “Huh?” chances are it’s a secret flight.
Another handy Web site is Dohop.com. It tracks your preferred route across 660 airlines.
I also like Momondo.com, which displays a price graph and calendar to showcase how prices can vary with flight dates.
You can also find out which airlines fly where by checking the Official Airline Guide (OAG). Click on Airport Information at www.oag.com and select the country, city, and airport to pull up a list of airlines that service it.
Flighstats.com allows users to search by Flight, Airport, or Route to get the most up-to-date flight information.
Flight Passes
If you’re planning to travel extensively throughout a country or region, a flight pass may save you some cash.
Instead of standard point-to-point tickets, flight passes allow you to take a limited number of flights within a given period for a flat rate. Flight passes are available from individual airlines, airline alliances and travel brokers. Take a look at just a few examples of what’s out there:
Air Canada has more than 25 passes comprised of advanced paid one-way tickets. They cover almost all Air Canada’s destinations in North America and overseas. The passes usually include 4-6 credits (with each credit being valid for a one-way trip, including connecting flights) and are valid for 3 to 6 months, depending on the pass (some offer unlimited travel within a specific time period). www.aircanada.com
Cathay Pacific’s All Asia Pass not only gets you to Asia and back, it also lets you wander around 24 cities in nine countries. The pass includes round-trip economy-class travel between the gateway cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York and Hong Kong plus up to four other “basic” Asian destinations within a 21-day period. The pass starts at $1,599.00 for flights to two destinations and goes up from there. Additional add-ons, like an extra $500 to travel during the summer, are available. www.cathaypacific.com
Qantas Airway’s Aussie AirPass is similar to the All Asia Pass as for one price it gets you from the United States to Australia and includes several city visits. Prices start at around $1,300 for a flight from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Honolulu, plus three domestic flights within Australia. Prices go up from there depending in what zone and season you fly. www.qantas.com
Malaysia Airlines offers the Discover Malaysia Air Pass, which allows you to take up to three flights anywhere in Malaysia (including the provinces on the island of Borneo) within six months starting at $99 for economy and $199.00 business class. However, the pass doesn’t include the US-to-Malaysia flight, which you must purchase on Malaysia Airlines within one month to qualify for the pass. www.malaysiaairlines.com
Don’t forget about airline alliances, since you can pretty much fly anywhere in the world on partner airlines Both Oneworld and Star Alliance offer multi-stop and round-the-world options.
For example, Oneworld’s Visit Europe visitor pass allows for unlimited one-way flight segments within Europe. The segments start at about $85 per flight and are priced at a flat rate according to distance.
Oneworld’s Visit South America visitor pass also charges a flat rate based on how many miles you’re flying on partner airlines such as American Airlines, British Airways, and LAN Airlines (including LAN Chile and LAN Peru). Rates start at $119.00 for a short-haul flight of up to 560 miles and go up to $359 for up to 3,500 miles (getting to Easter Island will cost you more). www.oneworld.com
With 27 partner airlines compared to Oneworld’s 12, Star Alliance options range from the Circle Asia Fare and the Africa Airpass to an around-the-world pass. The price depends on how many stops you want to make. www.staralliance.com
If you don’t want to be locked into partner airlines check out travel companies like AirTreks that get bulk discounts and travel agent rates. Live specialists can help coordinate one-way flights that won’t force you to remortgage your house before you go. www.airtreks.com
Bumped from the Flight?
Now that so many domestic airlines are cutting capacity, the risk of getting bumped off your flight has increased. The good news is that the Department of Transportation increased the payout for getting bumped involuntarily. The maximum compensation was raised from $400 to $650 (or double the price of your ticket, whichever comes first). For long delays, you can get four times the value of your ticket up to $1,300.
Now that's all well and good, but most people just want to get to their destination as quickly and efficiently as possible. The rule of thumb is to check in as early as possible, especially if you can do it online. Get to the airport at least two hours before takeoff.
Here’s something you may not know: passengers with heavily discounted tickets have a higher risk of being bumped. If you’re headed to a meeting or an event to which you can’t be late, buy a full-fare ticket.
Secret Seats on Planes
Sure, we don't expect a lot out of flying coach, but in reality, some airline seats are better than others. Here's how you can find those secret seats on planes. Yes, those exit-row and bulkhead seats are great options on short-haul flights. On longer flights, it's not a great deal: seat backs that don't recline, immoveable armrests, and limited leg room. Either 9A and 9F or 10A and 10F are secret seats on United, Delta and American 757s because there are no seats in front of them. On a British Airways 747, it's actually the middle seat that you want, specifically 51 and 52B, and 51 and 52J, because those rows only go two across, not three. Check out SeatGuru.com or check the airline's Web site to see the layout of the aircraft. Remember, while a lot of airlines fly the same planes, configurations vary. If all else fails, you can always pay for more space. Premium economy seats are still cheaper than business class, but offer more space than traditional coach seats.
Top Airfare-Saving Sites
Airfare Watchdog: George Hobica’s site has real people scouring the Internet to find the best deals on the Web. www.airfarewatchdog.com
Yapta: Not only does Yapta track airfares, it also tells you if the price of a ticket you already purchased has dropped. If it has, Yapta will help you get a credit refund for the difference. www.yapta.com
Bing Travel: Don’t know if you should buy a ticket now or wait until later? Plug in your route and Bing's price-predictor tool will let you know if the price is expected to go up, down or stay the same. www.bingtravel.com
Get Human: You can use this site to get in touch with hundreds of companies, not just airlines. Learn how to bypass the automated phone system and talk to a live human being. www.gethuman.com
Fare Compare: Rick Seaney’s site compares more airline prices than most other travel search engines (and even includes Southwest). It also maintains a database of airfare to give a historic perspective and help predict future fare trends. www.farecompare.com
Frequent-Flier Programs—Suddenly Redeemable Miles?
As travelers—or would-be travelers—we remain hopelessly addicted to mileage programs. And we’ll do just about anything to get miles, even in a tough economy. An Alex Gregory New Yorker cartoon says it all. A man at gunpoint is handing his wallet over to a mugger and pleading, “Use the Platinum card. I need the miles.”
Then there was the billboard promoting a loyalty program that featured a woman relaxing in an ocean-side hammock at sunset. The copy read, “It’s where hard-earned meets well-spent.”
There’s no argument that miles are hard-earned. But well-spent presumes they can be redeemed when wanted, if at all.
Since American Airlines began its AAdvantage program in 1981, an estimated 124 million travelers have collected miles from more than 140 different airline mileage programs.
In fact, the most profitable division of any airline is its mileage program. That’s right, it’s how the airlines raise money. They print the currency and control the redemption. They mint miles they might issue but may never be redeemed, and sell them to credit-card companies for advance funding. We’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars worth.
If you run the numbers, you could make the argument that United–Continental is a functional subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase and its largest vendor, Visa. Some of the banks in mileage programs are the same ones that advanced money to the airlines and hold liens on their aircraft. That’s the power of mileage.
Airlines are charging you more to use your miles and upping the minimum number of miles needed to get a seat. In the process, airlines forever redefined “free flight.” Consider the real cost of getting those miles. Most programs are linked to a high-interest affinity credit card that “rewards” 1 mile per dollar spent. Since the minimum threshold to get a “free” domestic coach ticket is about 25,000 miles, you have essentially spent $25,000.00 to get that ticket.
So, let’s do the math.
Let’s say you used 25,000 miles (a.k.a. $25,000.00) to get a round-trip ticket from Los Angeles-to-New York valued at about $500.00. If you go on a site like Bankrate.com you can calculate that over a year you’d pay $1,800 in interest on $25,000.00 worth of spending on your card. That $500.00 ticket just cost you $1,300.00! That simple calculation says it all.
Still, the programs are worth it with a few important caveats.
How can you efficiently use miles?
For the moment, the key is not if, but when you can redeem those miles. Run, don’t walk, and start to redeem those miles any way you can as fast as you can. Look beyond your primary carrier to its mileage partners.
The good news: Frequent-flier miles are a useful tool for airline promotions. Delta eliminated its expiration policy as a way to stand out among its competitors. Capital One's Venture Card incentivizes its customers with no blackout dates and an easy-to-calculate model: have 200,000 miles? You can apply that to a $200 ticket.
But remember, these are no longer loyalty programs, they are marketing programs trying to change your purchasing habits. The most absurd and wasteful approach to collecting miles is to buy anything or change your buying patterns to get them.
Beat these programs by only making a purchase you would have made anyway.
And then, do whatever you can to redeem those miles.
Pick destinations you’ve always wanted to visit that have outrageously expensive airfares, and redeem your miles for those high-cost-ticket destinations. If you collect your miles wisely, they will be used efficiently.
Bottom line: Don't treat your miles as money. They’re only a legitimate and truly valuable perk if you don’t spend over and above the cost of your ticket to get them.
Chapter 2
AIRPORTS
If you want to save money when you fly, you can't just pick an airline and a fare. You need a bigger financial vision—and it should include the actual route between points A and B. Some real money saving comes into play when you realize that the route is all about the airports involved.
Most and Least Expensive Airports
Every quarter, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics releases lists of the major U.S. airports that have the most expensive and cheapest average fares for domestic travelers to fly in to or out of. What are some of the most consistently expensive airports year after year? Newark-Liberty in New Jersey; Huntsville, Alabama; Cincinnati, Ohio; Charleston, South Carolina; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Reasons behind high-priced airports vary based on competition and frequency of air service. An airport where one legacy carrier dominates most markets is likely to be more expensive than an airport where several low-cost carriers are competing for service. As capacity decreases and airlines cut routes, prices go up.
Here's something interesting. Dallas Love Field, Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, and Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, California are a handful of the airports that appear year after year as the most affordable in the country. They are known as "alternate airports."
An alternate airport is usually a smaller, secondary airport to a city’s major international airport. It can even be a tertiary airport as in the case of Chicago. Its third, “secret” airport isn’t even in Illinois; it’s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Just quickly look at the General Mitchell International Airport parking lot to discover what a lot of Chicagoans have. More than a third of the cars there will have Illinois plates.
Alternate airports can translate into shorter lines, fewer crowds, and bigger savings. Here’s why.
Budget airlines often fly out of smaller airports
JetBlue services alternate airports such as William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas; Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York; Oakland International Airport; Long Beach Airport; and Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport in California.
Southwest services Chicago Midway Airport (alternate to O’Hare International);
Manchester Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire and T. F. Green International Airport in Providence, Rhode Island (alternates to Logan International in Boston); Bob Hope in Burbank and Ontario International in Ontario, California (alternates to Los Angeles International); Dallas Love Field Airport (alternate to Dallas-Fort Worth International); Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut (alternate to New York and Boston); Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, New York (alternate to John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia in New York City and Newark Liberty Airport in Newark, New Jersey); and Oakland International Airport in Oakland and Mineta San José International Airport in San José, California (alternates to San Francisco International).
Spirit Airlines has a hub at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale and also flies out of Palm Beach International in West Palm Beach (an alternative to Miami).
Midwest Airlines’ hub is in Milwaukee. It services smaller airports such as Maryland’s Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan.
Many smaller airports have reliable public transit links.
Some of my favorite examples (all prices subject to change):
Getting to Ronkonkoma’s Long Island MacArthur Airport from Manhattan on public transportation is more of a hassle than taking the AirTrain to JFK, but it’s definitely accessible. Colonial Transportation of Long Island offers $5.00 shuttle service from MacArthur to the Ronkonkoma Long Island Railroad (LIRR) train station. A bus between the two costs $1.50. LIRR service to or from Manhattan’s Penn Station will cost you $11.75 during non-peak times and takes less than an hour and a half.
www.macarthurairport.com
Palm Beach International Airport is about an hour and a half from Miami in West Palm Beach, but you can take the Tri-Rail commuter train service directly from Miami International Airport in the center of the city to the Palm Beach airport for $5.00 on weekends and 6.90 on weekdays.
www.pbia.org
Chicago’s Midway Airport is actually closer to the city than O’Hare. It’s about 10 miles from downtown and accessible via the Chicago Transit Authority’s Orange Line for $2.25. Don’t forget the previously mentioned General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, which is an easy 90-minute, $22.00 train ride on Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service. (As an added bonus, the Hiawatha is historically one of the most on-time Amtrak trains.)
www.chicago-mdw.com
The rider-friendly Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a simple way to get to San Francisco from Oakland International Airport. Take the AirBART bus from the airport to the BART Coliseum/Oakland Airport station, where you can catch a BART train to any point in San Francisco. The whole trip costs less than $3.00.
www.flyoakland.com
In the Washington, DC, area, both Dulles International in Chantilly, Virginia, and Baltimore’s Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) are viable alternatives to Reagan National well served by low-cost carriers. Dulles, which is about 25 miles from DC, is connected to the Metrorail system by the Washington Flyer Coach, which departs about every half hour for the Metro West Falls Church Station and costs $10.00 for a 20 to 30-minute ride. Hop on the Metrobus Route 5A which drops you off 40-50 minutes away at L’Enfant Plaza for about $6.00.
Take the Express Metrobus from BWI to the Greenbelt Metro station to connect to points in Washington, DC; Virginia; and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. The one-way bus ticket will cost you $3.85 per person (exact change is required) and takes about 30 minutes.
Tip: If an airport refers to itself as “[Insert nearby major city name] Regional Airport,” it’s probably an alternate airport. Cases in point: Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire.
An alternate airport may be closer to your destination than the major airport
Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California, is about 3 miles from tourist attractions like Universal Studios and many of the television studios (for those free TV-show tapings!); Los Angeles International (LAX) is nearly 30 miles away.
www.burbankairport.com
If you’re headed to Disneyland, John Wayne Airport in Orange County or Long Beach Airport are going to be a better bet than LAX.
www.ocair.com; www.longbeach.gov/airport
Traveling to Cape Cod, Massachusetts? Fly into Providence, Rhode Island instead of Boston Logan. The distance is about the same, but less traffic exiting T. F. Green International Airport makes for a smoother experience.
www.pvdairport.com
And Dallas Love Field is actually Dallas, unlike Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which is about 20 miles away.
www.dallas-lovefield.com
Tip: Airport parking can really break the bank. Search online for the lowest rates before you go. Check out national and international reservation sites like www.longtermparking.com, www.airportparkingreservations.com, and www.airportdiscountparking.com.
Tip: Sleeping in an airport isn’t an ideal way to spend a night, but think of how much you’ll save. Some airports, like those in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Istanbul, Turkey offer sleeping pods or by-the-hour airport hotels for naps. Check out SleepingInAirports.net for travelers’ reports on the best and worst airports for snoozing. (The Golden Pillow Award consistently goes to Singapore’s Changi Airport.)
If you really want to plan ahead bring along a Mini Motel! Available at www.minimotel.net, these portable tents fold up to 17 x 12 x 3 inches and weigh less than 5 pounds. It’s about $50.00 and includes the tent, an air mattress and pillow, a bed sheet, an alarm clock, a reading light, a toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs, and eyeshades!
Save Time with Carry-On Luggage
In my book there are only two kinds of luggage: carry on and lost. Assuming the bags actually arrive on the flight checking bags adds about 90 minutes to travel time. It’s all about what you bring on the plane, and how you do it. Here’s a big time saver: Undress for security before you arrive at the airport. Take everything out of your pocket (that’s been in there since 1947): keys, watches, cell phone, jewelry, spare coins, anything metallic—even a pen, and put it in a zip top bag. Security unwraps anything gift wrapped, especially with foil, so don’t wrap presents. These simple steps save a lot of time. Not doing this ahead of time contributes to the already long line of angry travelers behind you. This advice saves time for yourself and all your fellow travelers.
Worst-Weather
Airports
The Weather Channel compiles a list of the top 10 worst-weather large U.S. airports using data on thunderstorms, rain, snow, cloud cover and winds from the National Climatic Data Center. . It looks at overall delay statistics, airports that consistently have flight delays, and meteorology.
1. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
2. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
3. Newark Liberty, JFK, LaGuardia
4. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
5. Logan International Airport
6. Philadelphia International Airport
7. San Francisco International Airport
8. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
9. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
10. Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
The impact of weather can really make or break a travel experience. Anticipate which airports are more likely to be affected to improve your chances of getting from point A to point B.
It’s no surprise that Chicago O'Hare is consistently at the top of the worst-weather airports in America. Whatever the weather, Northern-tier cities like Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis and Boston can have problems. In the winter it's snow, clouds and wind. In the summertime it's thunderstorms.
Warm-weather destinations have problems, too. Atlanta, America's busiest airport, deals with thunderstorms, rain and low-cloud delays.
Inclement weather other than storms can wreak havoc on schedules. San Francisco International’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay results in moisture, low clouds, and fog. Look for nearby alternate airports like Oakland International Airport. It’s just a few miles away from San Francisco, but tends to be much clearer, making it a safer bet for Bay Area travel.
Tip: There are other ways than holding a first- or business-class ticket to get airport lounge access. At least half a dozen U.S. airlines offer annual or day lounge passes. Priority Pass, a third-party company, sells lounge access. Some credit cards also function as passes. Read the fine print; lounge access doesn’t mean freebies. Food, drinks, and in many cases wireless Internet are available for a fee.
Tip: FLYsmart is an application for the iPhone and Android with complete terminal directories. Track down your gate, flight arrivals and departures and amenities like nearby ATMs and shops. If you're a real travel nerd, tune into what the pilots are saying through the LiveATC Air Radio app. It taps into live air traffic audio feeds, so you can hear what's happening out there in real-time. GateGuru, another popular one, hones in on airport restaurants. If there's a service you need chances are there will is an app for it.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Alternate airports: www.alternateairports.com
US Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics: www.bts.gov
Hop Stop Subway or Bus Directions: www.hopstop.com
Chapter 3
ACCOMMODATIONS
Something tells me you’ve been down this road before—probably many times: You jump on a great airfare, but then get nailed on hotel costs. After all, many destinations are inexpensive to get to, but outrageously expensive to be in. If you’re traveling overseas, the fluctuations in foreign currency values can easily put you in financial jeopardy.
People often ask me, “When is the best time to stay at a hotel?” Here’s my answer: When everyone else isn’t staying there. Avoid peak travel times like midweek in Manhattan, Super Bowl weekend in the host city, the Consumer Electronics Show week in Las Vegas, and other obvious periods. More or less forget about the peak summer months, after Memorial Day and before Labor Day.
Take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. In some cases, that can mean after a major crisis. Newly reopened hotels in New Orleans booked at rock-bottom rates after Hurricane Katrina. Deals appeared in the Caribbean during the long rebuilding process after hurricanes Ivan in 2004, and Gustav in 2008, as well as in Mexico after Hurricane Wilma in 2005.
I encouraged people to take advantage of reduced fees, hotel deals, and sparse crowds during the 2010 protests in Thailand. The economic imperative to get the travel and tourism industry back on track is so strong and overwhelming that tourism infrastructure is often the first industry up and running after crisis. After the civil unrest in Egypt in 2011, tourism was back before a new election with no crowds being the difference—a contrarian traveler’s dream.
And then, of course, there are the “dead” weeks in the travel industry. Nobody is traveling during the week immediately following Thanksgiving or after New Year’s. During those 2 weeks, no one is traveling. They are simply still recovering. Hotels are so empty guests can just about go bowling in the hallways.
Ski Season Steals
Here's the deal on scoring affordable ski vacations: Hit the slopes at the right time to find significant deals.
If you see a promoted deal, find out if there are blackout dates. These will tip you off to the resort's high season. Depending on the year, the high season for ski resorts falls between December 18 and January 2. Presidents Day weekend is another heavy traffic period for skiers. If the high season can’t be avoided, it’s best to stay midweek.
Getting the Inside Line on Great Hotel Deals
Don’t solely depend on online deals. Whether directly through the hotel or a third-party, online booking sites often "guarantee" the lowest rates. I’ve found better deals with a little extra work and some phone calls.
I checked hotels rates in four cities (Chicago, Dayton, New York, and Phoenix), two months in advance, for a Friday/Saturday night stay. I used Hotels.com, an online travel booking Web site (e.g. Kayak, Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity), the hotel's direct Web site, and talked to both the hotel's reservation desk and the hotel's director of sales to negotiate the rate for frequent visitors. In each case, talking to a manager or director of sales landed the lowest rate.
Don’t call a hotel’s 800 number to make reservations. Those calls go directly to a national center with limited ability to provide discounted rates. Call the hotel's direct line, but do not ask for the reservation department; they’re likely to reroute you back to the 800 number. Ask to speak to a manager on duty or a director of sales for the most information on how political unrest, weather troubles, and other events are affecting reservation rates. That puts you in a better negotiating position. Even if a deal isn’t advertised, ask if your hotel or resort can throw in a ski lift pass or extra night—whatever it takes to get your business.
Tip: I’m a big believer in consulting user-generated review sites to determine the quality of a hotel as long as there is a vetting process and the number of users has reached a critical mass. At sites like Tripadvisor.com and Travelpost.com, even if a glowing “review” from a property’s general manager sneaks through, there are enough legitimate reviews based on real experiences to give you an accurate picture.
Affordable Stays
Saving on hotel costs doesn’t have to mean staying with friends of friends or sleeping in bunk beds with backpackers. Just be willing to think outside of the box.
Monasteries
Save money by sleeping with monks? Not quite, but monasteries and convents can be extremely cost-effective places to spend a night and get a (usually vegetarian) meal. You do have to follow the rules that may include quiet or silent periods and curfews, and put up with sparse accommodations such as shared bathrooms and, in some cases, no double beds! Religious accommodations are prevalent throughout Italy, Spain, France, and England. They’re also popular in parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and—surprise—right here in the United States.
How cheap? Istituto Maria Santissima Bambina in Vatican City starts around $60.00 per person for a double room. Rila Monastery outside of Sofia, Bulgaria can cost as little as $15.00 a night. In fact it has become such a tourist attraction that rooms fill up weeks in advance. Mount Saviour Monastery near Elmira, New York costs a suggested $45.00 a night.
Some monasteries are so devout that they tend to cater to pilgrims, not just budget travelers. They might not charge visitors more than a few token dollars, but require them to attend prayer services and follow the rules to the letter.
Monastery and convent bookings can be tricky. The Church of Santa Susanna offers listings of convent accommodations throughout Rome and Vatican City. Monastery Stays is a booking service with comprehensive listings of Italian monasteries and convents. Religious orders tend to have a limited Web presence, but there are several guidebooks and directories of monastic and convent guesthouses. If you can’t call, fax, or e-mail in advance get help setting up your stay with the country’s or city’s tourism board, or with a specific religious order. Istituto Maria Santissima Bambina, 39-06-6989-3511
Rila Monastery, www.bulgarianmonastery.com/rila_monastery.html
Mount Saviour Monastery, www.msaviour.org
The Church of Santa Susanna, www.santasusanna.org
Monastery Stays, www.monasterystays.com
Capsule Hotels
Capsule or “pod” hotels are still something of a Japanese phenomenon, but the concept behind these compact, affordable rooms is catching on. The idea came from Japanese businessmen who often miss the last train home, and stay in rooms just 3 x 3 x 7 feet with only a bed and maybe a wall-mounted television. Larger-scale capsule hotels, often with private bathrooms, exist in a few major cities for as low as $50.00 a night. It works for travelers, who aren’t prone to claustrophobia, in need of just a place to sleep and shower.
EasyHotels is owned by the same people who operate the budget airline EasyJet, and currently has locations in London and Luton, England, Switzerland, Cyprus, and Hungary. Each tiny room —some as small as 65 square feet—includes a cubicle bathroom. Like the airline, each amenity like linen changes and TV access is provided at an extra fee.
EasyHotels, www.easyhotels.com
The Qbic Hotel chain properties located in Amsterdam and Maastricht in the Netherlands and Antwerp, Belgium promotes itself as “cheap, chic & no frills.” These futuristic, Philippe Starck designed,75-foot-square rooms (a.k.a. Cubis) feature en suite bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and LCD televisions. The earlier you book, the cheaper the room.
Qbic Hotel, www.qbichotels.com
The Pod Hotel, located in NYC, is a good example of a discount hotel for people on a tough times budget. This hotel has accommodations at a variety of price points including suits with shared bathrooms for those willing to give up a little privacy to save a little extra cash.
The Pod Hotel, www.thepodhotel.com
New York is also home to the Yotel brand’s first U.S. property. Originally located at European airports—London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Amsterdam Schiphol—the Times Square outpost promises 170-square-foot guest rooms with free breakfast and Wi-Fi at affordable prices.
Yotel, www.yotel.com
Das Park hotel in Linz, Austria consists of industrial concrete sewage tubes re-purposed into small suites with double bed and basic amenities. Guests share bathrooms, and it's pay-what-you-wish for the reservation and pay-as-you-go for “luxuries” like electricity, and shower facilities. This concept was such a success that the company opened a second venue in Bottrop-Ebel, Germany.
Das Park hotel, www.dasparkhotel.net
Tip: Hotel Chatter is a resource for the latest and strangest hotel related news. In December 2008 it reported that rates for the Palace Station Casino Hotel, the hotel/crime scene of the O. J. Simpson robbery, started at $24.00 per night during the week and $39.00 on weekends.
www.hotelchatter.com
What About Hotel Frequent-Stay Programs?
All those points earned for stays at major hotel brands can pay off. Blackout periods are being removed, and fewer people are traveling, so there is now room available. It’s definitely the time to burn those points, especially at expensive overseas hotels and resorts with limited availability. Timing, as they say, is everything. Domestic hotel rates are so attractive that you might want to hold on to your points and pay instead. The key is that rooms are vacant, so if you have points to spare, now is the time to take advantage
The Art of Bartering
The art of bartering isn’t dead; it has taken on a new form. From trading nights on couches to weeks in entire homes, travelers now rely on the Internet to find one of the best deals out there: staying for free.
CouchSurfing and GlobalFreeloaders are two tried-and-true services for travelers to find a spare couch or guest bed. The average user age is 25, so couch surfing or swapping has become a popular option for travelers looking to skip the youth hostel. Hands-on hosts often become built-in tour guides, and useful insider resources. There’s no charge, but crashers/swappers are expected to reciprocate with another participant. CouchSurfing encourages but doesn’t require this, but GlobalFreeloaders does. Worried about security? Word-of-mouth vouching systems, personal profiles, and an optional credit card verification system are some of the vetting methods.
A newer service takes things one step further by letting hosts rent out…airbeds. AirBed & Breakfast’s peer-to-peer service facilitates rentals of any available space from an inflatable mattress to a spare bedroom for about $50.00 to $100.00 a night. It currently covers more than 644 cities in 69 countries. It became an especially popular option for Washington, DC-area locals during President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Unlike other peer-to-peer services like Craigslist or local newspapers, this site allows online reservations and payments through PayPal.
A similar service called Roomorama offers apartment rentals in cities like New York City, Boston, Chicago, Rome, Paris, and Amsterdam. Renters are vetted via a rating system and payments are handled online.
Another site called iStopOver.com allows travelers to book short-term rentals whether it’s for a day, a week, or several months at a time.