Last weekend, I had the rare pleasure of seeing many of my old friends in the travel blogging community and hanging out with some of my readers at the Frequent Traveler University in Tyson’s Corner, near Washington D.C. It was a weekend of swapping stories and tips and enjoying the company of my (often eccentric)…
Frequent Traveler University kicks off this weekend! Over the next few days, frequent flyers from all over the country will be dishing their secrets on earning and burning frequent flyer miles, getting the most from loyalty programs and swapping stories from the road. I will be in Washington, D.C. covering the conference this weekend. Blog…
Since Google Reader is shutting down, I spent some time on the plane yesterday reading through many of my “starred” blog posts. Here are a few on travel that I found particularly noteworthy: Looking at getting a new credit card? Check out this post on which credit cards are the best, depending on what you…
Following up on the post about packing techniques, Till also produced a very good video on how to fold a suit jacket: …and while we’re at it, here’s how to fold a t-shirt in two seconds:
Traveling to Australia just got easier. Users of U.S. Trusted Traveler programs (Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI) can now gain expedited entry into Australia. The following is from an email I received from the Global Entry people: Visiting Australia is now easier than ever for U.S. Trusted Travelers. Late last year, Australian Customs and Border…
Starwood cash and points stays is one of the best ways to use Starwood points. Last week, Starwood announced that it was making some changes to the Starwood cash and points program, including adding the ability to book suites and upgraded rooms with points. They also announced that they will be increasing both the number…
I posted a few months ago about employee theft at New York’s JFK airport, but airline and airport employees aren’t the only ones stealing bags. The NBC affiliate station in Atlanta reported earlier this year that luggage theft happens quite often in Atlanta, from the baggage carousel. The full story is here: http://www.11alive.com/news/article/262389/40/Looting-your-luggage-thieves-may-know-loopholes Have you ever…
According to US Customs and Border Protection, Australia has extended their SmartGate expedited entry program to members of Global Entry. Beginning November 01, 2012 Australian Customs and Border Protection will allow eligible U.S. Trusted Travelers to use Australia’s automated border processing system, SmartGate, on a trial basis. SmartGate performs the customs and immigration checks usually…
A number of airlines have released new safety videos this week. While the safety video could be one of the most boring parts of flying, some airlines will spice it up. Air New Zealand is well-known for producing quirky (and fun) safety videos. The newest installment is based on the characters in The Hobbit, and…
Have you ever found yourself stranded at an airport, longing for a free internet connection? Although there are a number of airports that offer free WiFi (a service for which I am VERY grateful), free WiFi is hardly ubiquitous. Enter FreedomPop, a nationwide 4G wireless internet service that, among other things, promises: Free Data – guaranteed 500MB…
The Flying Consultant 