Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Greetings from San Diego! We're just wrapping up a quick trip here, which I will tell you all about soon!

There's lots of travel news this week and it's a mixed bag. First, the bad: Staffing and bad weather really plagued the airlines this past week in terms of delays. For example, Southwest Airlines delayed over 1000 flights yesterday and American Airlines followed with 482. And yesterday was one of their better days! The good news is that cancelation numbers are dropping as airlines only nixed 92 yesterday and 85 today (as of 10:55am PT). And the really good news is that airfares are dropping! Finally. Now is a good time to start pricing out fares and as always, set a fare alert (I talked about this on WGN radio this week and the links to that story and others are below).

Win the Ultimate Family Reunion at the Ranch Contest (valued at $67,500)
I’m excited to partner with Rancho de los Caballeros Ranch & Golf Club to let you know about their 75th Anniversary Ultimate Family Reunion at the Ranch Contest. The incredible prize package, valued at $67,500 USD, is a showstopper and is the ultimate opportunity to reunite with family for a special experience no one will forget. Here are the details.

Travel Tips
4 Hotel Hacks For Making Your Hotel Room Completely Dark So You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
I need complete darkness to sleep, both at home but especially when I'm in a hotel and have had a long travel day and am combatting jet lag. If you need total darkness to sleep, too, these four hotel hacks will help. Read the story here.

The Tape Every Traveler Should Pack Is Not Duct Tape
I always used to carry duct tape because it can be used for everything, from fixing a suitcase and blocking out the annoying lights found on some air conditioning units and TVs to holding the curtains together. I have also used it to tape towels to sharp table corners so my son and daughter don’t get cut when they’re running around the room like little Tasmanian devils. But thanks to my buddy, Spud, I learned there's a much better alternative, one that doesn't leave residue. 

Move Over SeatGuru: There’s a New Sheriff In Town When It Comes to Seating Charts
You would have thought that once TripAdvisor and their deep pockets bought SeatGuru that the site would have become even better. But sadly, TripAdvisor kind of neglected it. Though I still recommend using SeatGuru to travelers who are looking for the best seats on a plane, I’m also going to recommend this much better, more visually appealing seating chart site. 

LAST WEEK'S TOP TIPS
-This Travel Hack Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars When Booking Flights
-12 Things to Know Before Going to Paris
-Don't Travel Without Downloading This App
-Maui is Paradise but Their Airport Isn’t - Here’s How to Avoid the Chaos at Kahului Airport

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— Even airline employees are having trouble finding a seat home from Europe this summer
— Carnival cruise from Long Beach cancels Ensenada port call due to turmoil in Mexico
— Police detail Vegas airport chaos, California man's arrest
— Woman claims she was harassed by man on Air New Zealand flight through in-plane messages
— Air New Zealand brings back 777S from Mojave Desert
— Airport urges passengers not to show up 5 hours early because it's causing overcrowding
— Why now is the best time to book holiday air travel
— German industry raises alarm over falling Rhine River level
— Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires masks again as COVID-19 cases rise
— American tourist dies at Sandals resort in Bahamas after having Covid-related symptoms
— Surprise! Man discovers rare purple pearl in $14 clam appetizer at Delaware restaurant
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers    
(Read it all here in today's travel news round-up as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from the past seven days!)

Travel Quote of the Day
“There should be sympathy cards for having to go back to work after vacation.” ~ Anonymous

Travel Tweets of the Day
@TSA_Northeast: JUST IN: @TSA officers screened 1,992,395 people at airport security checkpoints yesterday, Tuesday, Aug. 16. It was the first time since June 4 that checkpoint volume dipped below 2 million.  

@DaveKeating: Even after Brexit, English is still the most widely-spoken language in the European Union (despite only 1% of the population speaking it natively). About half of EU citizens can speak English.

Travel Product of the Summer

How Expert Travelers Track Their Bags
Lost luggage numbers are up in the US due to the fact that more and more people are starting to travel and there are far fewer workers to handle the increase. Traveling with carry-on luggage is one way to make sure your bags never get lost but if you are checking bags, here's how to make sure you can find them if they ever get lost or stolen. Read the story here. PLUS: If you already have Apple AirTags or Samsung SmartTags, these handy keychains and holders will help protect them and make them easier to secure to your belongings.

Media Appearances 

I was up early on Monday to talk travel with Bob Sirott for his WGN radio show in Chicago. As promised, here are some of the topics we covered and a deep dive with my notes:
-5 Things a Hotelier Says She Would Never Do at a Hotel
-How To Save $50 on Southwest Airlines Flights
-How to Track Airfares by Signing Up For Fare Alerts

Yesterday, I was on NewsNation talking about why Florida, New York, Texas and Illinois are to blame for many airline delays and cancellations.

And here's my weekly travel segment on Leo Laporte's The Tech Guy. I go on at 1:23:00 or when the clock behind Leo strikes 12:33pm.

Travel Contests
-Win a trip to Finland for two (Sept 13)
-Travel to Korea Begins Again: Win One of Eight Sensational Trips (September 30) 
See all contests here.

My East Coast Trip Reports
-Trip Report: Los Angeles to New York
-Delamar in Greenwich
-Watch Hill Inn
-Hotel Review: Weekapaug Inn  
-Trip Report: New York to Toronto 
-My Wife Got Randomly Selected For Covid Testing on Arrival at YYZ
-Trip Report: Toronto to Niagara Falls, NY for NEXUS/Global Entry Appointment
-Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Toronto
-Trip Report: Toronto to Los Angeles via DFW on American Airlines

Credit Card News/Offers for Travelers
Does the idea of earning double rewards on every single purchase sound good? These two award-winning cards earn extra miles, no matter where you are. 
 
With a $95 annual fee, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great, easy-to-use travel card. It earns unlimited 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2x miles on every other purchase. So, no matter what you buy, you'll always earn at least double miles.
 
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the latest additions to the Capital One family. It comes with lounge access and the ability to earn up to 10x miles on travel and 2x miles on purchases. There's an annual $300 credit plus 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 for travel). That's $400 towards travel yearly, knocking down the $395 annual fee.  
 
Both cards have a 75,000-miles bonus, free Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, exclusive access to presales with Capital One Entertainment, and $0 foreign transaction fees. 
 
Miles earned can be transferred to 15+ travel programs, including Air Canada, Air France, and British Airways. You can also redeem miles to cover past travel expenses. You can read more in our comparison of the Venture X vs. Venture Rewards if you aren't sure which card is best.  


Air Travel Tips
-If a Flight Attendant Asks You Not to Do This, Please Don't
-Here's how to get JetBlue and other airlines to extend your travel credits
-12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees
-The Service That Makes Covid-19 Testing So Much Easier For Travelers
-FBI Says Sexual Assault on Planes is Increasing - Here's How to Protect Yourself
-How To Reach an Airline's Reservations Agent Without Waiting
-10 Ways to Find Cheap Flights This Summer
-Can You Travel With the Lithium Ion Batteries Found in Phones, Tablets and Chargers?
-How to Prevent In-Flight Thefts 
-How to Avoid Long Lines When You Travel ... And at Home
-Why American Travelers Should Book International Travel on US Carriers ✈ 
-How to Track Airfares by Signing Up for Fare Alerts
-Here’s How You Can Really Get Upgraded to First Class
-How to Speed Through Airport Security

Lodging
-The First Thing I Do When I Check into a Hotel Room
-3 Ways to Get a Refund on a Nonrefundable Hotel Room

Road Trip Tips
If you're planning a road trip, then be sure to follow these tips:
-Here Are 9 Ways to Save Money on Gas
-DON'T Do This When You're Driving Because It's Just Not Worth It
-One of the Worst Decisions Travelers Can Make
-Two Great Things to Keep in the Car For Road Trips
-3 Ways To Save Money on Gas
-How to Prevent Road Trip Theft
-15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2022
-How To Prevent Car Rental Companies From Ripping You Off

International Travel
-How to Avoid Being Ripped Off When Traveling Internationally  
-Rick Steves' Solid Advice About Travel This Spring and Summer  
-Can The US Government’s Free COVID Tests Be Used for Travel?
-The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know 
-The Must-Have App for Travel to Europe

Safety
-ALWAYS Leave These at Home When You Travel
-Bet You Don't Know What an ATM Skimmer Looks Like.
-Don't Fall for These QR Code Scams
-How to Reuse your N95 and KN95 Masks
-10 Things to Have in Case of an Emergency
-Life-Saving Car Emergency Tips 
-My Somewhat Freakish Travel Habit Might Just Save Your Life
-What I Keep In My Carry-On First Aid Kit

Good to Know
-The Super Cool New iPhone Feature You Didn't Even Know You Had
-The Inflation Vacation: Read This If You Plan to Travel This Summer

Tourists in Bahamas Killed by Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – Here’s How to Protect Yourself