Back in the old days, when you were going somewhere, you went to a travel agency, and they arranged everything for you.
They reserved your flights, hotels, and rental car with a Computerized Reservations System (CRS) like Sabre or Apollo. And when they were done, out popped a written itinerary showing every detail of your [...]

A friend at work is going to travel to Italy for the first time and asked me for a little trip planning advice.

It was harder than I thought it would be, because she only has ten days. And there are so many great places to see in Italy that narrowing it down is a real challenge.

My first tip was not to bite off more than she could chew. On your first trip, you want to see as much as possible. It’s only natural. But the less time you spend traveling, the more you’ll enjoy your trip. So we decided that with ten days, she should only stay in three places. That way, she’d only have two travel days. Read more…

In 2006, we flew in business class to Buenos Aires. It took forever to clear customs and immigration. And by the time we got to baggage claim, our travel bag was long gone.
Although we recovered it quickly – someone had picked it up by mistake – spending our first two hours in Buenos [...]

Times have been tough for hotels lately. Their occupancy has been way down. And when their occupancy rates are low, all their other revenue streams – food and beverages, spa services, etc. – suffer too.

Most luxury hotels have big mortgages or management fees that are due every month. So they have to fill their rooms. And sometimes, the only way to do it is to really slash their prices.

So where can you find these great deals and save a bundle at a five-star hotel? Here are three travel websites that specialize in selling luxury travel at a discount. Read more…

Dining out is one of the great pleasures of traveling in France. But Americans are often befuddled or irritated by what they consider to be bad service or rude treatment.

With a better understanding of French culture and more realistic expectations, these problems can usually be avoided. So be sure to do a little trip planning in advance. It will help you feel more relaxed and more confident when you dine in French restaurants – which also aids in digestion. Read more…

But Rome is very much a city of the present. So your trip planning should include some insider experiences that let you enjoy la dolce vita away from the crowds. Read more…

The right hotel can really make or break a vacation. So before we go on a trip, we do lots of research, both on and offline, to try to find the perfect places to stay. But sometimes, it seems like no matter how much trip planning we do, we’re still disappointed. [...]

Last year was a challenging one for airlines, hotels, and other traveler suppliers. But 2009 was a big winner for one segment of the travel industry. It will likely go down as the year of the vacation rental.

PR Newswire reported in July 2009 that 43% of travelers planned to stay in a vacation rental in the next 12 months – 24% of travelers had already stayed in one last summer. And 31% of vacation rental owners reported that their bookings were up this year.

And why not? Vacation rentals offer fantastic value for money. Usually your dollar buys a lot more square footage. For the same price as a luxury hotel room – or maybe even less – you might end up with a bedroom, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace, patio, or lanai. Read more…

These days, checking your travel luggage with the airline is more of a hassle than ever. Not only are you likely to be charged for the privilege, you’ll spend precious vacation time in the baggage claim area. And considering that 1.8 million bags were lost in 2008, your travel bags may not arrive when you do, or even arrive at all.

But the right luggage can help make your trip easier and more enjoyable. And with a few simple packing tips you’ll have everything you need and still feel agile and unencumbered. Read more…

Ten or fifteen years ago, travel agencies made money by selling travel services to consumers. Airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and rental car agencies paid travel agents commissions every time they made a reservation. So their services were essentially free to consumers.

Back then, there was no reason not to go to a travel agent for all your travel needs.

But by the mid 1990s, online travel agencies like Expedia and Travelocity made it easy for consumers to make their own airline, hotel, and rental car reservations. And travel review sites like Tripadvisor, Fodors, and Frommers, Read more…

Having a good hotel room can really make or break your vacation.   Get a big room in a quiet corner with a great view, and you’ll have a wonderful time.  End up in a cramped space above the disco with a broken air conditioner and you’ll wonder why you left home.

But finding the right hotel [...]

Free bags, free meals, free blankets, free seat assignments.  Those amenities are long gone.   Is there anything left for the airlines to cut?   Probably.

But with a little advance planning, you can eliminate many of the hassles of air travel.  Here’s our list of travel tips for a more enjoyable flight.

1) Book a nonstop flight.  Your [...]

A lot of people don’t do any travel planning before they go on vacation.  They just show up and let whatever happens, happen.

But if you’re like most of us, you have a lot invested in your vacation, both financially and emotionally.  A little pre-trip planning can save you money, eliminate hassles, and maximize your precious [...]

Almost everyone we know loves to travel.  But for the average vacationer, trip planning can be a real hassle.  Just figuring out where to go and what to do can take hours of research.

Is it any wonder that most people just take the easy way out and book a cruise or vacation package?

But doing your [...]

Do a Google search for “travel,” and you’ll see that there are nearly 800 million sites on the topic.

So how do you know which travel sites can actually help you with your trip planning, and which ones you should check out first?

If you read Trip planning basics – three key questions to ask yourself before you plan a trip, you probably have some idea where you want to go. So figuring out how much it will cost to get there is a good first step. Read more…