Southwest Airlines launches 3-day fare sale

Southwest Airlines Co. is offering a sale geared toward leisure travelers who want to make short trips this spring. The discount carrier said Tuesday it will sell tickets starting at $39 each way on some routes under 500 miles. As usual, the airline didn’t say how many seats it will offer at the sale prices, [...]

Stay safe, scam-free at the Winter Olympic Games

The parents of Team USA bobsledder Steve Mesler had it all figured out. Through an Internet contact, they paid $8,000 to rent a condo at Whistler. The plan was to watch their son compete in the Games, but it ends up the person who took their money doesn’t have any property to rent. Police say [...]

The sky’s not the limit: options for flier miles

Airlines have been tinkering with their frequent flier programs to spur loyalty. Increasingly they’re giving customers the option to buy more than plane tickets with their rewards, and that may offer more bang for your buck. AirTran, Delta and United are among carriers that allow their frequent fliers to use their credits or miles to [...]

5 ways to avoid a la carte anarchy

It used to be so simple: The price you were quoted for an airline ticket, rental car or cruise used to be the price you actually paid. Ah, the good old days. Today, the rate you’re given is almost never the final price, which is considerably more. Travel companies stripped away many of the items [...]

Late-breaking deals for Winter Olympic Games

It’s not too late, you know. Yes, the Olympics are only two weeks away and, yes, most tickets were scooped up as soon as they became available and, yes, accommodations have been scarce or shockingly expensive. But if you want to go to the XXI Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, you still can. You [...]

Delta Air Lines raises fees for checked bags

Checking in luggage on Delta Air Lines is about to cost passengers even more, starting Tuesday. Passengers paying online for checked bags will be charged $23 for the first bag and $32 for the second — an $8 and $7 increase from current rates, respectively. Those checking in bags at the airport will shell out [...]

The decade in travel: Technology and terrorism

Remember getting through an airport without removing your shoes, dumping your water bottle or showing ID? Remember when buying plane tickets by phone was faster than using a clunky Web site with a dial-up connection? Remember when you needed a guidebook to plan a vacation, and when you had to phone ahead to get directions? [...]