The holidays are shaping up to be a bit more merry and bright for flyers this year, now that a number of major airlines have announced free in-flight WiFi deals. While 2009 has seen all the usual suspects (Delta, Virgin America, JetBlue, etc.) rolling out en-route service on most or all flights, the cost of upwards of $10 a pop on longer trips (half the price of my monthly at-home bill) has left only the most email-addicted passengers biting the bait. Thankfully, just in time for air travel’s busiest time of year, discounts seem to literally be falling from the skies, with many airlines offering Internet passes completely free of charge. Read the rest of this post »

Yesterday, the FAA proposed a staggering $9.2 million in total fines against United and US Airways for skirting its (not to mention their own) safety procedures – doling out pecuniary penalties of $3.8 million to United (for flying a Boeing 737 hundreds of times with towels covering engine oil sumps, instead of protective caps) and $5.4 million to US Airways (which operated over a thousand flights during the past year on aircraft that violated official maintenance procedures). Read the rest of this post »

We all loathe luggage fees, but United Airlines is the first to make the burden easier to bear for frequent travelers, with a new offer putting a cap on the sky-high charges of checking bags each time you check-in. Today, the airline unveiled its Premier Baggage program that lets continuous checkers pay $249 up front, then fly their bags fee-free for a full year (both on the homefront and to destinations abroad). Not for everyone, the offer makes the most sense for families who often fly domestically (where the highest bag fees are incurred), as it allows two checked bags per person, for up to eight people per reservation.

In mid-2008, when airlines across the country began tacking on extraneous fees to compensate for lower ticket sales and spikes in fuel prices (like charging upwards of $25 each way for the first checked bag on domestic flights), they created an uproar among flyers who felt like they were being flown for all they’re worth. Since then, said fees have been evolving exponentially, leaving the days of the all-inclusive ticket price to memory – with no proverbial “ceiling” in sight. Now, the revolution in luggage rates can no longer be contained by borders: late last month, overseas operators American, US Airways, and Continental announced they’ll be applying the checked-bag charges to all transatlantic flights (Delta was the first in July) – with the only straggler, United, finally joining the ranks last week. Read the rest of this post »

Twitter may be time consuming, but it may soon be well worth any savvy flyer’s while. United Airlines and Jet Blue are taking notice of the Internet update-obsessed and rewarding them with tempting deals, many of which are exclusive to the social networking and mini-blog site. While following United Airlines’ twares, or Jet Blue’s cheeps, tweeters receive hot prices (some one-way flights have been advertised for under $10 bucks) that often leave the screen faster than a plane has liftoff. In fact, in many cases, fares are only available for as little as an hour or two. Read the rest of this post »

Delta, US Airways, Continental, American, United, and even budget airline Southwest have all jumped on the fare-hike bandwagon over the course of the past several weeks, bringing about a $10 fare increase (each way) for their domestic routes. Delta has also announced a $10 to $40 rate increase (each way) for select international flights. While consumers had been enjoying significantly reduced fares compared to the highs seen in 2008, airlines’ battle with rising jet fuel prices and drops in business travel have led to this response.

What would you suggest airlines do to cut costs without raising fares?

Experienced budget travelers know that in order to hop around the globe without bankrupting themselves they have to follow the golden rule: go where it’s cheap, when it’s cheap. The industry is always changing, and a traditionally expensive destination can quickly become affordable. Case in point: Australia.

May through August is winter in Australia, so while summer fares to locales in the Northern Hemisphere skyrocket, fares to this far-off nation do just the opposite. Air New Zealand, United, and Qantas Airways are all offering tempting rates from the West Coast starting from as little as $263 each way. Most fares are valid on select dates through December, but these sales end as soon as May 19. Once you touch down in Australia, your dollar will go a lot further – exchange rates are more favorable than they’ve been in years.

Our editors put these advertised fares to the test, and here are some sample fares that turned up on select dates in September.

•    Los Angeles-Melbourne: $642
•    Los Angeles-Sydney: $648
•    Los Angeles-Brisbane: $654
•    San Francisco-Melbourne: $663
•    And more

Fares listed are round-trip and include taxes and fees.

The Deal: We’re currently in the midst of a major summer fare war between a handful of U.S. carriers – United, Alaska Airlines, and Southwest among them – that is slated to wind down as soon as May 14. That’s what makes us particularly keen on Delta’s likeminded summer promo, which is valid well into next week, and features discounted rates to practically every U.S. city that the carrier flies to.  

Sample One-Way Fares: Detroit–Baltimore $49; Portland–Salt Lake City $71; New Orleans–NYC $89; Dallas/Fort Worth–Atlanta $84; San Francisco–NYC $109; and more

The Catch: The lowest fares are valid on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and blackout dates apply around the Memorial Day and 4th of July holidays. 

Travel By: September 14

Book By: May 18

Should passengers get penalized if they are considered obese by a particular airline? United Airlines certainly thinks so, announcing recently that they will soon be charging chubby travelers for two seats if they can not comfortably fit into one. Opponents to this new rule feel that the airlines should instead update their seats, which have remained the same size since the 1960s, in order to accommodate the larger frames of today’s average American body. After all, there’s no doubt that the United States is suffering from a massive obesity issue. But with things as they are, should “smaller” travelers have to suffer because the person seated next to them is taking up too much space? Commence the great weight debate! Read the rest of this post »

A chef approaches you and explains tonight’s menu: a tantalizing combination of appetizers and entrées that can be mixed and matched according to the whims of your palate. No, this isn’t a night out at some five-star restaurant – it’s pretty much the norm onboard British airline bmi’s business class cabin, courtesy of their exemplary in-flight chef service. Travelers that are looking for more than a fancy bag of peanuts and complimentary cocktail on their next business-class flight, have found their pie in the sky. Read the rest of this post »