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No SkyTeam for Virgin + New Delta Jets + 500 miles for middle seats

March 22, 2013

Upper Class seats on Virgin Atlantic (Photo: Gary Bembridge / Flickr)

VIRGIN WON’T GO ALL THE WAY. For now, at least. Delta says that its new partner, Virgin Atlantic, won’t be joining SkyTeam any time soon. Seems strange considering joining an alliance was one of the main reasons troubled Virgin said it needed to partner with Delta back in December. Delta paid Singapore Airlines $360 million for its 49% stake in the British carrier. “At some point down the road SkyTeam will come up, and I’m certain that over time it will be viewed favorably, but right now that’s not the priority,” said Delta’s Ed Bastian, as reported by Bloomberg. “Their main priority is addressing their financial needs in respect of the losses they’ve been posting.” So it sounds like everyone who was hoping to be able to once again earn or burn SkyMiles for Upper Class seats on posh Virgin flights are going to have to wait a while.

BIG (NEW) DELTA JETS. Reuters reports that Delta is in talks to purchase small and wide-body jets from Airbus and Boeing in deals potentially worth about $6 billion at list prices. Potential orders involve about 20 each of the plane makers’ most popular jets – the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 in the medium-haul, narrow-body class and the Airbus A330 or Boeing 777 in the long-range, wide-body category. Sorry folks, no A380s or 747s—or the currently grounded 787 Dreamliner. What’s your favorite Delta jet… and why? Please leave your comments below.

Middle seat in business class on ANA’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Look at all that space to spread out and work! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

BOEING 787 UPDATE. Speaking of, Boeing is apparently ready to test batteries on two 787 flights, which could lead to the resumption of flights “in a matter of weeks.” Boeing is also polling frequent flyers on their perceptions of the beleaguered aircraft, but keeping the results of these polls confidential. Let’s help them out with a poll of our own. (Hover over the “Vote” button to cast your vote...on some browsers the button might appear clear)

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NO FOOD INTO SKY CLUB. Even though the signs posted at Sky Club entrances state that no outside food or drinks are allowed, members are still surprised when they enter a club and get scolded by agents. But, what is a traveler to do if entering a club with food purchased outside but with the intent to eat it on the plane later? Hide it! The no-food policy is intended to prohibit smells, trash, and stains from filling the club, but if you are headed for a long flight, buying food in the airport is a good plan. Typically, coffee and bottled drinks are permitted, but that Big Gulp is not. If you bought a sandwich in the terminal, hide it in your purse or briefcase and promise not to open it until you leave.

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500-MILE MIDDLE SEAT BONUS. Did you know that Delta randomly surprises Medallion level members of SkyMiles when they get stuck in a middle seat on Mondays? Apparently, it’s a practice that’s been around for a couple years, but it was news to us when reader JK emailed to tell The TICKET about his pleasant surprise. Plus, he only had to endure this middle seat for the short flight between Atlanta and Tampa. Would you accept a middle seat for 500 miles? Please leave your comment below.

TICKET POSTS ON CNN! Remember our post a while back about smart strategies for saving money using smart phones overseas? It was one of our most popular posts last year. CNN liked it too, and grabbed TICKET editor Chris McGinnis at the airport for some advice in this segment.

LAX GROWS AGAIN. Delta is beefing up its LAX schedule again with new flights to Nashville, Tenn., San Jose, Calif., and Seattle and Spokane, Wash. Seasonal summer service to Anchorage, Alaska, Boston, Mass., and Bozeman, Mont. bolsters the schedule even further. On the international front, Delta is beginning new nonstop service to San Jose, Costa Rica and adding a flight to Guadalajara, Mexico (the current flight is a sleep-busting red-eye on SkyTeam partner Aeromexico). More frequencies are being added to New Orleans, La., Oakland and Sacramento, Calif., Phoenix, Ariz., and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

BOOKING HOTELS ON DELTA.COM. Did you know that you earn one SkyMile for every $2 spent on hotels when booking your room Delta.com? Not bad! However, remember that you do NOT earn hotel program points when booking on Delta.com.

NEW ATL FLIGHTS. Delta is adding service out west for the summer season with additional nonstops from Atlanta to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana plus Saturday nonstops from Atlanta to Missoula. The flights begin June 22.

Korean Air A380 floating over Seoul Incheon Airport. (Photo: JangSu Lee)

AIRBUS A380 (FINALLY) TO ARRIVE AT WORLD’S BUSIEST AIRPORT. Korean Air will be the first airline to fly the world’s largest passenger aircraft to Atlanta nonstop from Seoul Incheon. Service was supposed to start earlier this year, but was delayed to August 2. The plane will park at terminal E where the airport spent nearly $30 million to upgrade the gate facilities and taxiways. Korean is a Delta SkyTeam partner and passengers can earn and redeem miles for economy or business class flights. SkyMiles members can earn miles for flying Korean Air first class, but miles cannot be redeemed for Korean Air first class flights (a restriction that Delta has for all SkyTeam international first class flights…business class is going to be as good as it gets!). Watch for the big blue jumbo jet to touch down this summer! Have you flown Korean Air lately? How was your trip? Please leave your comments below.

PHOENIX SKYTRAIN TO PLANE. Starting April 8, the PHX SkyTrain will connect to the Washington & 44th St station for Valley Metro, Phoenix’s light rail system—which means you can get to/from downtown Phoenix or Mesa relatively seamlessly via just two trains.

BRAZIL FLIGHTS COULD DOUBLE. The Brazilian government is permitting U.S. airlines to apply for additional frequencies to its airports. Delta is applying for a second flight to Sao Paulo from both Atlanta and New York-JFK. If approved, both flights would have the same guaranteed flat-bed seats up front as all existing Delta flights to Brazil with the exception of Atlanta-Brasilia.

NEW IDEAS INFLIGHT APP. Facebook users can now have their say on their in-flight experience by submitting ideas for Delta’s marketing department via the new Ideas In-flight App. Other customers can comment on ideas and vote on their favorites in the hope that new practices will be feasible enough to be adopted on a larger scale. Not all ideas are good ones, but it is certainly fun to weigh in with your thoughts and learn what other travelers think about the Delta in-flight experience.

Gettin’ cozy on Delta.

SNUGGLE UP WITH DELTA. A new partnership with Westin Hotels and its Heavenly Bed program is coming to a BusinessElite cabin near you. United Airlines was the first carrier to offer such a partnership, but Delta quickly followed suit offering its own version of comfy duvets. The new cushy comforts will also be available on domestic BusinessElite flights from JFK to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle plus from Atlanta to Honolulu. The new duvets and pillows will appear in June, and on ultra-long-haul flights over 12 hours, a special lumbar pillow will be provided.

MORE LIE-FLAT SEATS TO JAPAN. Starting April 1, Delta will offer lie flat seats on its Boeing 767-300ER flights between SFO and Tokyo Narita. Flights between Portland PDX and Narita already have the flatties.

DRIVING TO/FROM NYC AIRPORTS. Hertz on Demand members can drive a Hertz car between airports and several locations in Manhattan for less than half of what you’d pay a cab or car service…and there is no membership fee. Would you?

STARWOOD CROSSOVER REMINDER. If you have not yet linked your Delta and Starwood accounts, be sure to do so here. Starwood Gold and Platinum members can begin earning Starwood points on all Delta purchases made through delta.com or a travel agent (third-party opaque sites like Hotwire or Priceline do not qualify) and Medallion members can earn SkyMiles on all of your Starwood hotel stays (one mile per dollar spent although the same restriction on third-party opaque sites still applies). This double dipping will prove to be a great partnership for travelers looking to rack up points. Platinum and Diamond Medallion members will also benefit from free Internet access at Starwood hotels while Starwood Platinum members can enjoy SkyPriority access and a free checked bag.

Dramatic rooftop pool at the brand new Okura Prestige hotel in Bangkok (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

BUSINESS TRIP: BANGKOK. Are you headed to Bangkok…or do you just dream about going there? Check out the advice and photos inChris McGinnis’s latest BBC Business Trip: Bangkok– read up on the rash of new luxury hotels, where to get great Thai food, where to get a suit made, and why you should NOT ask for chopsticks.

DELTA IN AFGHANISTAN. Flyers may find it interesting that Delta has opened its first sales office on the Bagram Military Base in Afghanistan to help facilitate travel for civilians and military personnel to and from the country. While this does not indicate new Delta service to Kabul, it does mean that Delta is trying to attract military and civilian flyers to its overseas flights by connecting them on other carriers to Delta flights (notably from Dubai to Atlanta). The two-person sales office helps Delta travelers with SkyMiles accounts, ticket purchases, and other travel-related issues. Next time you are in Kabul, be sure to stop by!

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Filed Under: Airlines, Airports, Ground Tagged With: 787, CNN, crossover, delta, dreamliner, Korean Air, LAX, middle seat bonus, poll, sky club, starwood, Virgin Atlantic, Westin

Airline update: Delta, Southwest, ATL news

October 24, 2012

Having fun at the new Southwest Airlines Porch at Piedmont Park (Photo: Southwest Airlines)

SOUTHWEST PORCH AT PIEDMONT PARK. Southwest Airlines has just opened a “Southwest Porch” at Park Tavern overlooking the southeast corner of Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. Visitors can relax in lounge chair, enjoy a beer or a snack, and take part in fun Southwest events and giveaways while taking in park and skyline views. Later this winter, they can watch ice skaters on the adjacent Southwest Rink. Southwest opened the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan in 2009—and it’s now a popular hangout with 3.5 stars on Yelp. Denver’s Southwest Porch at Skyline Park opened in September 2010 and has morphed into a seasonal operation called the Southwest Rink at Skyline Park. Last month, the Southwest Porch at Strauss Square opened in the Arts District in Dallas. Southwest, which arrived in ATL last February, now has 29 daily nonstop flights to 15 cities from Atlanta. Will any of you Delta die-hards stop by the Southwest porch for a beer and some brand building?

DELTA’S DOING JUST FINE. In its third quarter financials released today, Delta reported that it has $5.1 billion in cash on hand. Nice. It’s load factor for the quarter was a very packed 86.4%, slightly higher than last year. It’s still cutting capacity, though, stating it plans to cut 1-3% more in the fourth quarter, even after cutting out 2% in the third. We could only find one foreboding statement in this report, “However, we are in the process of implementing a $1 billion program of structural initiatives that we anticipate will generate significant savings in the second half of 2013, while maintaining the high quality product, network and operation we have built.” Hmm. “Structural initiatives.” What do you think that is? Please leave your comments below.

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RANKING TSA THEFT BY AIRPORT. Here’s an interesting story from ABC News, which obtained figures from the TSA via a Freedom of Information Act request, ranking airports based on the number of TSA employees fired for theft. No surprise that Miami came in numero uno with 29 firings, followed by New York-JFK (27) and Los Angeles-LAX (24). Atlanta took the #4 position with 17 firings. The idea to obtain the numbers on TSA firings was initially sparked by an investigative report showing how an iPad was planted and “lost” at airport security in Orlando, and then tracked to the home of a TSA officer.

Mt Rainer looms over Seattle (Photo: scsmith4 / Flickr)

SEATTLE GETS A BOOST. Seattle/Tacoma was an important gateway for Northwest and is now an important (and very profitable) gateway for Delta. At a recent event that included CEO Richard Anderson’s presence in Seattle (that’s how you know something is really important!), Delta announced major upgrades for its SEA-TAC gateway such as new Boeing 747-400 service to Tokyo (more seats compared to the current A-330), lie-flat Business Elite seats on all international flights including Seattle-Paris, Amsterdam and Osaka, an application to begin nonstop flights to Shanghai and Tokyo- Haneda (the latter switching from Detroit), and new upgraded transcon Business Elite service on the quartet of daily Seattle-JFK flights. This focus on the Seattle gateway shows that Delta is shifting focus away from Atlanta as its primary “Worldport.” In addition to its already strong JFK hub, the larger Delta is now taking advantage of market opportunities in all corners of the country.

DELTA-ALASKA AIR BENNIES. The major Seattle announcement put Delta’s Alaska Airlines codeshare partnership in the spotlight again. In case you didn’t know, Delta passengers get on upgrade waitlists for Alaska Airlines flights 24 hours before departure. All Alaska MVP elites will clear ahead of Delta flyers, but several TICKET readers report good success on upgrades on certain routes. Alaska elites can upgrade on Delta too, but only after all Delta Medallions have had a shot (yes, even suffering Silvers). Also, Sky Club members can access Alaska Board Room clubs in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, San Francisco, and Los Angeles in conjunction with an Alaska flight. Be sure to take advantage of these perks!

EARNING DELTA MQMs. Running low on Medallion Qualification Miles as we approach the end of the year? Delta and Hilton have partnered up with a promotion allowing guests who stay at Hilton to earn 250 MQMs in addition to double miles. A two-night stay is required anytime between now and December 15, 2012. It is important to make sure your Hilton HHonors setting is switched to earning miles (some people have it switched to earning additional HHonors points instead). Sign up for the promotion here. Hertz is offering a similar 250 MQM promo for rentals of three days or longer—details here.

NEW AIRTRAN/CHASE CARD. When Southwest took over AirTran, it dumped Barclays as a card provider, and recently switched over to Chase to offer the new AirTran A+ Rewards Credit Card. Get the new card and spend $1,000 in the first three months and you’ll receive 16 award credits and two upgrades to AirTran’s business class. The award credits equate to one free roundtrip—and the upgrades? Well, enjoy them while you can because (as revealed in a recent interview) business class is set to disappear completely by 2015. New AirTran/Chase cardholders get the $69 annual fee waived for the first year. Plus, cardholders get two credits at the end of every year they hold the card. Another nice perk: Cardholder credits are good for two years on AirTran vs just one for non-cardholders. Not bad—and don’t forget that credits can now be redeemed on AirTran or Southwest. (Note: Chase targeted certain members of A+ in September, offering whopping 32 credits for $2000 spend…the deal expired Oct 4. Did you get the offer?)

Opening day at the new iTravel store at ATL. (Photo: Myrna White)

APPLE DETHRONES BLACKBERRY AT ATL. Have you noticed that the Blackberry store near gate B-17 at ATL has turned into an Apple store? The new iTravel store (an Apple authorized re-seller) opened last month, offering a full array of Apple products…and experts on hand to answer any questions you may have about your new iPhone or iPad Mini or Mac. Interesting: The US Patent Office recently awarded Apple ownership of a new concept called iTravel, which will eventually use Near Field Communications (NFC) so iPhones can be used as e-wallets or e-tickets—along the lines of Apple’s new Passbook application, which stores loyalty program credentials, airline boarding passes, etc in iPhones. Do you still use a Blackberry? Are you considering a switch to a new device? Which one?

NEW BANK AT ATL. Have you noticed all the construction by the old car rental counters at the top of the arrivals escalators at ATL’s main terminal? Word from airport officials is that the space will soon be a new Wells Fargo bank branch.

Airlines ranked by 2Q 2012 baggage fee revenue, dollars in thousands (000)

BIG ON BAG FEES. While most TICKET readers cringe at the thought of ever paying to check a bag on Delta (due to their elite status), it’s interesting to note that Delta leads the pack when it comes to bag fees. In the first half of this year, Delta collected nearly half a BILLION in bag fees—which are what keeps airlines in the black these days. While business travelers like to think it’s their high fares and loyalty that keep airlines afloat, the emergence of bag fees, which are primarily paid by INfrequent travelers, could be switching up that equation.

(Have you scored your 500 Delta SkyMiles bonus for using TICKET sponsor Peachy Airport Parking yet? Click here for the coupon!)

MORE PARIS. With Delta’s recent transatlantic flight reductions, it’s increasingly likely that Europe-bound travelers will be making a stop at Paris CDG on the way to their final destination. Combined, Delta and Air France now offer four daily nonstops between ATL and Paris. Delta has announced it will add new nonstops to Paris from Newark and Boston. Charles de Gaulle Airport has recently expanded and enhanced its new S4 satellite terminal (slideshow) with big bright business class lounges and nicer gate areas, which should make even the most vociferous CDG-haters feel a little better about making transfers there. (Don’t forget that you can always transfer at Amsterdam Schipol on SkyTeam partner KLM.) With Europe racked by a recession, which is depressing demand for air travel, it’s likely going to be a while until we see the return of the raft of nonstops between ATL and smaller European cities. Bon voyage! UPDATE: Air France is expecting a strike on Oct 26– while it says it will transport all passengers, it also advises them to check for updates at www.airfrance.us

EUROPEAN ECONOMY COMFORT. Economy Comfort seats (similar to Delta’s) will be available on KLM’s Boeing 737 flights within Europe departing December 1 onwards. (EC was previously only available on KLM’s intercontinental flights.) The carrier is reportedly considering the possibility of adding the roomier coach seats to its KLM Cityhopper fleet, too.

Do you know which brand new Chicago hotel is inside this wavy building?

BUSINESS TRIP. What are the top five hottest hotels and restaurants in Chicago…and what condiment should always be left OFF a Chicago-style hot dog? Do you know the names of the four brand new 5-star hotels that have opened in Toronto the last year? Take a peek at the latest in my BBC Business Trip series to learn the answers!

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STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. In a move that seems to foreshadow something interesting, the highly-reputed Etihad Airways (based in Abu Dhabi, UAE) along with Air Berlin have signed a partnership deal with Air France-KLM. The deal comes on the heels of Qatar Airways announcement that it plans to join the American Airlines-led Oneworld Alliance. This is especially interesting because until now, the three main Gulf carriers (Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar) were firm in their commitment to remain independent rather than hook up with global alliances. Qatar’s move may prompt the others to follow. For now, the partnership is strictly a codeshare agreement and not an opportunity for Delta/SkyTeam flyers to earn and burn miles—for now. But things change rapidly in the world of airline alliances, so sit tight and let’s see what happens… Have you flown a UAE-based airline yet? What did you think? Leave your comments below…

AN UNSAVORY MIX AT SKYCLUBS. In recent years, TICKET readers have raved about the new array of sweet and savory snack mixes from Montego Bay to Mesa Rosa on offer at Sky Clubs. But those raves have turned to rants as club attendants have started to dump new mixes on top of the old, leading to stale snacks and random surprises like spicy cheese chips and crunchy corn kernels in an almond-cranberry nut mix. Noticed it?

AIRPORT WHEELCHAIR ABUSE? According to the New York Times, some sneaky travelers hoping to avoid airport security hassles are asking to be wheeled through airports and cutting in security lines in wheel chairs…even if they are not disabled. Here’s a snippet from the story: “Once cleared [at security], the woman suddenly sprang up from her wheelchair, hoisted two huge carry-on bags from the magnetometer’s conveyor belt and plopped back in the wheelchair. She gave a nod to the person pushing her, and they rolled off to the gate.” Hmm. Have you noticed this yet? Leave your comments below.

>Do you follow TICKET editor Chris McGinnis on Twitter? Every day I sift through all the business travel news out there and tweet items that I think would interest my readers most.

Silver Airways routes from ATL

SILVER AIRWAYS PICKS UP ATL ROUTES. For years, Delta (like many other airlines) flew to smaller cities that were funded by the federal government as Essential Air Service (EAS) routes. This program guarantees that smaller communities get connections to the same global airline networks as larger cities– subsidized by the federal government. Delta recently decided to drop many of these routes on its own and forfeit the payments it was receiving from the government. Silver Airways has stepped in to offer new air service (using 19-34 seat propjets) to these communities from Atlanta including Tupelo, Hattiesburg, Meridian, and Greenville in Mississippi and Muscle Shoals in Alabama. Silver also serves Gainesville, Florida and Greenbrier Valley, WV from Atlanta. Have you flown Silver Air? What did you think? Please leave your comments below.

DELTA MUGS MILWAUKEE. Once the domain of Northwest and then AirTran, Delta is aggressively inserting itself into this important Midwest market by nabbing naming rights to its main convention center The Delta Center (formerly the Midwest Airlines Center). Delta’s name will also be added to the US Cellular Arena and Milwaukee Theatre.

OBRIGADO. Delta’s prolific “immediate help service” on Twitter now speaks Portuguese at @DeltaAjuda. Delta’s real-time customer service channel on Twitter is staffed during business hours from Monday through Friday, offering something other airlines lack. Have you used DeltaAssist or Ajuda to help solve a travel issue? What was your experience?

RECHARGE. Those popular recharging stations that have appeared at many airports like Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, JFK, Norfolk, Omaha, and Seattle are coming to even more airports. Four gates at Tokyo Narita have been upgraded and you’ll soon see the stations in: Anchorage, Austin, Denver, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston Intercontinental, Kansas City, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Ontario, CA, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Syracuse.

EASY 500+ SKYMILES BONUS. You gotta park at the airport anyway, so why not help out The TICKET, and our newest sponsor, Peachy Airport Parking, on your next trip? You’ll help yourself, too, since Peachy is offering TICKET readers 500 SkyMiles plus three SkyMiles per dollar spent. If you are tired of worrying about on-airport lot sellouts, long, dark walks to your car or the congested mess that is Camp Creek Parkway, just exit I-85 south at Sylvan Road, one mile north of the airport, and follow the signs to Peachy. Once there, you’ll find extra wide spaces in a secure, climate controlled indoor lot, afree car wash and a short two-minute shuttle ride to the airport. Daily rates are just $6.99 outdoor or$8.99 indoor. COME ON! Help keep The TICKET free by clicking on this link or on the ad to the right to learn more about ATL’s newest parking option. Note: You have to click on the link and print the page to get the SkyMiles!

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Filed Under: Airlines, Airports, Ground, Hotels, Technology Tagged With: Air France, Airtran, Alaska, apple, delta, Economy Comfort, Etihad, iTravel, KLM, Medallion, Seattle, Silver Air, skymiles, theft, TSA

AirTran 3-day sale kicks off fall travel season

September 4, 2012

AirTran and Southwest launched a 3-day fall fare sale– must book by Thursday! (Photo: AirTran)

Election-year uncertainty and a weak US economy combined with higher gasoline prices, airfare and hotel rates have not deterred American travelers this summer, and healthy demand should carry on into the fall months.

Even though summer does not officially end until September 21, the fall travel season starts this week and extends through mid-November when demand begins to rise in anticipation of a relatively early Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 22).

Business travel “season” also starts this week as executives head back out on the road after summer breaks to visit clients they missed over the summer, or to attend meetings and conventions, which peak during the fall months. While there will likely be fewer visitors from economically embattled Europe, healthy demand in the US and Canada, as well as an influx of visitors from Asia are helping to counterbalance that decline.

Best Western is not a publicly held company, so it’s the only major hotel player (2,000 hotels in US) that releases valuable forward-looking data. Looking ahead, its advance bookings in the US and Canada for September, October and November are up 10% compared to this time last year. Advance bookings at airport hotels in North America, where guests tend to be predominately business travelers, are up 18%. Similarly, advance bookings at hotels located in intown areas are up 13%.

Here’s my outlook for the fall months:

Airfare: As the price of a barrel of oil approaches $100 again, airlines are feeling the impact of rising fuel costs, and in August they raised fares across the board for the fifth time this year. However, during fall months, travel demand declines compared to peak summer travel season, so travelers can expect some relief from high fares in coming months. However, the days of broad across-the-board fares sales are long gone—so smart bargain-focused travelers need to keep their eyes peeled for sales of very short duration between specific markets instead. For example, AirTran and Southwest launched a three-day fare sale this week good for trips up until October 3 only– fares are quite good, i.e., $200 between ATL and Chicago-Midway’ $254 to Denver, many Florida and Southeastern cities for about $180. Delta has matched nearly all these fares.

In the second half of 2012, airlines will offer seven million fewer seats, and nearly 3% fewer departures than in 2011, according to The Boyd Group. These reductions in airline capacity (down some 11% since 2005), combined with steady demand on the part of consumers, means that airfares during peak holiday travel seasons (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) should remain painfully high.

Advance bookings for fall are up 10% at Best Western hotels like this one near San Francsico Int’l (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

But as always, heavily discounted shoulder season fares in early November, early December or early January should be available for those with the flexibility to take advantage of them. Tip: If possible, schedule business trips to coincide with these dips in demand.

Hotel Prices: Due to steady demand, hotel prices are rising, but the increases are uneven across the US. For example, travelers can expect to see significantly higher rates in large coastal cities such as New York, Boston, Washington, San Francisco or Seattle—especially during the fall months when meeting and conventions peak. However, rates in smaller, interior cities have remained mostly flat, or even declined in some cases. This variation means that average rates should increase less than 5% this fall. Tip: During fall months, travel suppliers reach out to business travelers with special deals and bonuses tied to their loyalty programs—keep an eye on blogs like The TICKET and program websites for the deals.

Gasoline Prices: The recent spike in gasoline prices is having minimal impact on travel plans in the US. In early June, the average price of a gallon of gasoline was $3.52. It then dipped to a low of about $3.30 in early July. By the end of August, it had increased rather dramatically to $3.72 according to the US Energy Administration. However, the price jump at the pump did little to keep Americans off the road for Labor Day—according to AAA, travel volume over the long holiday weekend was 3% higher than last year—up to the highest level since the recession began in late 2007. As demand for gasoline declines during Autumn, prices will hopefully decline, too.

Rental Car Prices: Rental car prices have remained mostly flat in recent years, but that could begin to change. This is due to consolidation in the industry, with only three major players left—Avis/Budget, Hertz (which purchased Dollar/Thrifty in August for $2.3 billion) and Enterprise (which now owns Alamo and National brands). Additionally, with airlines cutting service to smaller towns, demand for rental cars will increase as business travelers fly to the nearest airport, and then rent cars to drive to their appointments in smaller towns.

What about YOU? Are you planning to travel more, less or about the same amount this fall compared to last fall? Please leave your comments below.

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Filed Under: Airlines, Ground, Hotels Tagged With: autumn, deals, fall, travel, trends

Airline Update (Delta, AirTran, Southwest)

March 20, 2012

A new crystal mobile in the center of ATL's new Terminal F, which opens May 16 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

FARE ADVICE. Delta is quietly matching a fare sale initiated by AirTran and Southwest today—prices are decent, but only available for flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through June 27—not bad if you’ve got to make a quick two-day midweek trip. Also, given the price of oil and the fact that airlines are trying like mad to RAISE fares to pay their fuel bills, it might be time to shift your schedule around for these sales. Going forward, I expect that we’ll see few “across the board” sales any more—like this one, they will be of very short duration, or very limited to slow days—like Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Our advice: If you find a fare that feels remotely reasonable, book it—because it is likely to increase as summer approaches. This will hold especially true for flights to Europe this summer, specifically nonstops during the summer peak between about June 15 and Labor Day, which are already in the $1500-$2000 range—for coach!

FAIR WARNING: In case you’ve not noticed, we are in the midst of collegiate spring break, and the airport is packed with rowdy students, who typically travel Friday-Monday. The same holds true for beachside hotels in Florida. Also, remember that the Master’s Golf Tournament over in Augusta runs from April 2-April 8 this year, which puts a lot of pressure on Atlanta airport—and rental car prices soar. This year, the tournament runs during spring break for kids in elementary and high school (the week before Easter on April 8 ) so plan on getting to the airport early if traveling this week. (Check out my latest Spring Break Travel Trend report.)

BIG CHANGES AT LA GUARDIA. Effective March 25, Delta will add 100 new flights at New York’s La Guardia Airport as a result of a slot swap deal with US Airways. Delta plans to spend $160 million on a renovation of Terminals C and D as well as a new bridge to connect them. This is big news for New York area Delta customers who are less likely to have to connect in Atlanta or other Delta hubs to get to their destinations. It won’t have much of an effect on Atlanta travelers who can already fly nonstop to most of Delta’s new destinations from LGA—but it’s a huge coup for Delta, which now seems well on its way to its oft stated goal of dominating the New York market. See Delta’s new LGA route map.

AIRPORT PRE-CHECK EXPANDING. Stay tuned for a special post about the expansion of the popular PreCheck expedited airport security screening program and how signing up for the American Express Platinum Card from links on The TICKET can help get you to the front of the line.

AIRTRAN ON THE MOVE. As Southwest’s embrace of AirTran gets closer, AirTran flights at New York -LaGuardia, Los Angeles (LAX), Philadelphia will move to gates alongside Southwest operations. At La Guardia, flights will remain in the B concourse of Terminal B, just moving closer to Southwest’s—same thing at Philly’s Terminal E where both airlines already operate, just not side-by-side. At LAX, AirTran will move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1.

The fate of AirTran's Boeing 717s (pictured) may rest with Delta

DELTA GRABBING AIRTRAN 717s? Everyone has been wondering what all-B737 Southwest would do with AirTran’s fleet of Boeing 717s. While we’ve not been able to confirm this, industry buzz is that Delta’s grabbing them to replace those ancient DC9s it inherited from Northwest. (Which AirTran jet do you prefer…the 717 or the 737? Leave your comments below. )

LAST GASP FOR AIRTRAN A+. We were surprised to see the latest very generous bonus from AirTran: Triple credits for coach and quadruple credits for business on all flights to/from Atlanta. Not a bad deal at all, especially when you consider that your AirTran credits will one day switch over to Southwest—although we don’t yet know what the conversion rate will be. If you have not done so already, register here for the promo.

AXE MAN AT DELTA. Current high fuel prices require that low-yield routes be cut from airlines’ networks. This means that certain regional jet flights become vulnerable such as long, thin routes (long distance, but not enough seats on the plane to pay for the fuel). The most recent casualty is McAllen, Texas, which will lose all Delta service on May 1. Delta needed a 75% load factor to make a profit, and the airport was only delivering about a 60%. Delta has forged an agreement with American and Continental (United) to handle customers traveling from the airport after it leaves.

MORE AXING AT ATL. Tiny Vision Airlines has pulled the plug on its Atlanta flights to Louisville and Destin, and is redeploying aircraft to markets where it can make money. (Making inroads in Atlanta, with low-fare powerhouses Southwest and AirTran in full swing is not easy for upstarts like Vision.) In addition to previous cuts announced by AirTran, high gas prices are definitely thinning things out at ATL.

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THE CONVERSATION AT FACEBOOK. Over on The TICKET’s Facebook page, we are conducting an experiment: We’ve opened up the page so readers can now post their tips, observations or questions on the page. See or learn something you thing other TICKET readers need to know? Wonder why something is the way it is? Ask the 900 or so Facebook friends of The TICKET and see what happens! (Just look for the box that says, “Write Something.”)

LESS TO LONDON ON DELTA. Delta will cease serving London Gatwick airport starting April 17. Delta’s Atlanta flight and US Airways’ Charlotte flights are currently the only remaining US carrier-operated services at the airport, known for its convenient train access to Victoria Station and less congested security lines. Delta will, however, begin a second daily Atlanta-London Heathrow flight to replace it. Also being cut on April 17 are Delta’s short-lived Miami-London Heathrow flights. Customers booked on these flights will be re-accommodated on other flights as needed.

BUSINESS ELITE LOUNGE ATL CONCOURSE E. Have you seen the makeover in progress at Delta’s old BusinessElite lounge on Concourse E at ATL? One half of the lounge has been remodeled and is now open. The other half is now under construction, and should open later this spring or summer with new furniture, more power outlets, faster wi-fi.

IT’S OFFICIAL. ATL’s new International Terminal F will officially open on May 16. Keep in mind that Terminal F will complement, but not replace the current Terminal E, which will still handle mostly international flights. Stay tuned for a closer look and more info about how the new terminal is going to work in a future issue of The TICKET.

EASIER SECURITY FOR SENIORS. In a new test, the TSA says it will now allow travelers 75 and older to pass through security screening with jackets and shoes on at four airports: Chicago ORD, Denver, Orlando and Portland, ME. Based on results from this test, the policy could roll out at more airports.

SHOP AMAZON ON DELTA. Don’t feel like paying for inflight wi-fi, but need to get a little online shopping done? You can now access Amazon for free using Gogo on Delta flights. To do so, fire up your laptop, turn on wireless, and access the Delta Connect Wi-Fi portal then click on one of the Amazon banners to begin shopping. Delta Connect also provides free access to real-time travel information, news content from The Wall Street Journal and People magazine.

A Southwest Airlines 737 in California State Flag livery at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

DELTA FIRST FARES OUT WEST. With AirTran’s ATL-SFO flights switching over to all-coach Southwest flights in October, we’ve been waiting for Delta to jack up its first or business class fares—but they haven’t. For November flights, the round trip fare for a seat up front is currently in the $1400 range. Not much different than before.

CHAMPAGNE TASTE? Over on the Delta blog there’s a poll asking customers if they’d prefer French Champagne or non-French “Sparkling Wine” from other regions. So far, champagne is winning with 54% of the vote! In any case, Delta says, “we’re testing new options for circulation in late 2012 and want to know what amenities are most important to you,” so nothing is definitive yet.

DELTA-HILTON HHONORS BONUS. We are a little late with this one, but worth squeezing it in if you can. Book and stay at a Hilton family hotel by March 31 and get 2,012 bonus SkyMiles. Registration required.

NEW GO AFRICA PASS FROM SKYTEAM. This new offering opens tremendous options for travelers exploring Africa, a destination that has long been known as expensive for air travel. The new pass is available for those booking SkyTeam tickets to Africa (both revenue and award tickets are eligible). As few as three segments are required, up to a maximum of 16. Fares are calculated based on the mileage of the trip and can offer as much as 75% off the standard ticket price. Travel must be on SkyTeam’s African partner Kenya Airways, which serves 45 destinations across the continent and has set a goal for itself to serve every African capital city within the next two years.

AIRTRAN OR SOUTHWEST? Now that we have both AirTran and Southwest flying in and out of Atlanta, and even “competing” on some routes (Like ATL-LAX, PHX or LAS), but still operating two separate frequent flyer programs, which one is best to focus on? We asked Southwest and they said to focus on both: “While we can’t say yet when the two programs will be completely integrated, we are working towards a solution that will allow Members of both programs to use their current currency in either program. We haven’t announced a date when that will occur, but I think it’s safe to say that it won’t be long after we receive our Single Operating Certificate, which we anticipate will be sometime in this first quarter. [They got the SOC on March 1.] We believe that Members will benefit more by joining both programs which will give them better opportunity and flexibility during the time before A+ Rewards is integrated into Rapid Rewards.”

IN-FLIGHT WI-FI. Southwest has confirmed to The TICKET that as AirTran jets are converted over to Southwest, they will be outfitted with the Southwest’s Row 44 in-flight wi-fi system instead of the Gogo platform that you’re used to. Good news: Southwest only charges $5 per flight segment, no matter how long. Also, Southwest told The TICKET that Gogo will remain operational on all AirTran jets until they get their overhaul, so there will be no gaps in coverage.

Southwest's latest interiors

AIRTRAN-TO-SOUTHWEST CONVERSION. So far, only one of AirTran’s 52 Boeing 737s has been converted into a Southwest jet. The AJC reports, “The aircraft conversion will transform an AirTran Boeing 737-700 with 125 coach seats and 12 business class seats into a Southwest plane with 143 coach class seats…. In addition, the all-coach cabin will have a new layout Southwest debuted last month, squeezing six more seats onto the plane with thinner seats and less recline. AirTran’s seats are 18 inches wide; Southwest’s seats are 17 inches wide.”

DELTA WHOMPS THE WI-FI. Delta has completed the installation of wi-fi on its 800^th mainline and Delta Connection aircraft– it now has more planes flying with wi-fi than all other U.S. airlines combined! Are you a frequent user of in-flight wi-fi? Does it drive your decision when choosing carriers? How is the quality of the in-flight connections you are getting from Gogo? Please leave your comments below.

WELL, ALMOST ALL AIRCRAFT. Delta’s international fleet is NOT equipped with wi-fi, so while you might get a ride on one of Delta’s fancy B777’s across the country, you won’t be able to log on if it’s the first or last leg of an international flight. Case in point: Delta’s popular B777 flight from ATL to LAX, which continues on to Sydney. Which would you prefer for the transcon: An upgrade to the nice herringbone business class seat… or the wi-fi?? Please leave your comments below.

MEM-AMS. Delta’s nonstops between Memphis and Amsterdam will become seasonal only starting this fall. The flights started in 1995 under a partnership between Northwest and KLM making Memphis the smallest U.S. market to have a nonstop flight across the pond, serving as a source of pride for many Memphis citizens and airport staff. Here’s the perspective from the Memphis Commercial Appeal: “The numbers don’t lie. Memphis International Airport has 28% fewer flights and a million fewer people a year walking its concourses after a dramatic downsizing by hub carrier Delta Air Lines.” And “Everyone wants to know about Southwest.” Full story.

DELTA TO COLUMBIA, MO. Delta will offer one daily nonstop between ATL and Columbia, MO starting June 7.

NOTICING ANYTHING NEW AT AIRTRAN? On our latest AirTran flight, about the only thing that seemed different were the masked over XM Radio players. And some increasingly shabby looking business class seats that are on their way out. Are you noticing many changes as Southwest makes its mark on AirTran? Please leave your comments below!

DELTA AT JFK. Delta is making a lot of progress on its soon-to-be new home at New York JFK’s Terminal 4. Here’s a cool time-lapse video of the progress since groundbreaking. http://youtu.be/tN0YCwdaSJU

Filed Under: Airlines, Airports, Ground

Cities that tax travelers most/least

July 21, 2011

Do you feel ripped off when you book a great hotel or car rental rate, but end up paying a final bill loaded up with taxes and fees? (That are used to fund things you’ll likely never use such as local stadiums or convention centers…)

The Global Business Travel Association has released the 2011 findings from its annual study of car rental, hotel and meal taxes in the top 50 U.S. travel destination cities– and the results might surprise you. For example, cities in Florida and California are cited as having the lowest taxes.

All taxes are not the same…some specifically target travelers, like Phoenix’s $2.50 rental car fee that goes to the “Maricopa County Stadium for debt retirement.” Or the 5% rental car tax imposed by San Antonio to fund “youth and amateur sports facilities.”

Cities with the lowest total tax burden ($20-$25 per day) in central city locations:

1. Fort Lauderdale, FL

2. Fort Myers, FL

3. West Palm Beach, FL

4. Detroit, MI

5. Portland, OR

NOTE: The full list now includes many cities in California where the state sales tax recently declined a full percentage point.

Cities with the highest total taxes (around $35 per day) on travelers are:

1. Chicago, IL

2. New York, NY

3. Seattle, WA

4. Boston, MA

5. Kansas City, MO

Discriminatory travel taxes are those imposed specifically on travel services above and beyond general sales taxes (like the ones imposed on airport car rentals to fund local projects).

The U.S. cities with the lowest discriminatory travel tax rates are:

1. Orange County, CA

2. San Diego, CA

3. San Jose, CA

4. Burbank, CA

5. Ontario, CA

Cities with the highest discriminatory travel taxes (those that single out travelers):

1. Portland, OR

2. Boston, MA

3. Minneapolis, MN

4. New York, NY

5. Chicago, IL

Do you have any examples of outrageous taxes you’ve been forced to pay recently? Do taxes that seem to discriminate against travelers encourage you to travel elsewhere, or do you just grumble and pay up? Please leave your comments below.

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Filed Under: Airports, Ground, Hotels Tagged With: airports, business travel, GBTA, Global Business Travel Association, hotels, taxes, travel taxes

Holiday Travel Tips from Chris (1-min. Video)

October 23, 2009

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It’s almost Halloween and that always means one thing to me: Time for smart travelers to get a jump on the holidays! Check out TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’ outlook for holiday travel on CNN. (See full Q&A script below)

TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’ Holiday Travel Outlook

Here’s the full Q&A script for this segment for those of you who don’t want to or can’t watch the video. It includes much more info that what’s included in this one-minute segment.

TOPIC: Holiday Outlook

Q: Give me a general overview of what the holiday travel outlook looks like:

A: Holiday travel will be cheaper this year than last year if you book early. Not so much if you wait.

For example, Expedia data showed that average airfares around Thanksgiving are down about 17% back in Sept. Now, Bing Travel is saying that Thanksgiving fares are on the rise….up 6% compared to this time last year. So make you move.

Q: Why will there be lower fares?

A: Two reasons: less demand due to the ailing economy, and lower fuel costs for airlines, which helps keep fares low.

Q: What will be a good price for a domestic flight to a major city?

A: It depends on when and where you are flying.

Flights on the most popular days around Thanksgiving, such as the Tuesday or Wednesday before or the Sunday and Monday after are always more expensive.

If you must travel on those days, you should expect to pay at least 25% more than if you travel on less popular days.

Flights between major cities where there is low fare competition will be much cheaper than flights to smaller towns dominated by one or two airlines.

Q: What’s a price point travelers should keep in mind?

A: It depends on when and where you are flying and varies greatly, so it’s impossible to state.

Keep in mind that holiday travel is peak season travel, so while prices are lower than previous years, they are still going to be higher than any other time of year.

Q: What will be a good price for rental cars?

A: It depends on when and where you are renting a car.

Since business travel demand for rental cars is down during the holidays, rates tend to be lower than at other times of year.

Q: When should travelers book by in order to get deals?

A: The best time to book Christmas holiday trips is in mid-October—no later.

Q: What about flight delays?

A: Now that the airlines are flying fewer planes, airport congestion is less of a problem overall.

However, big hub airports like Atlanta and New York still have serious congestion issues.

Weather is always the wild card for delays during the holidays. If a snowstorm hits a major airline hub, delays are unavoidable.

Q: What’s the downside of this travel season?

A: Holiday season is peak season, and flights will be much fuller this year.

This means that if you miss your flight or your connection, the likelihood of getting on the next flight out is slim. You may end up having to wait a day or two.

Q: How can travelers avoid getting caught with no back up?

A: Pad your schedule and don’t be late for your flight this year.

If you miss your flight, you could end up waiting a day or two for the next available seat, which could ruin your holiday.

Q: What’s the bottom line for this holiday travel season?

A: Holiday travel will be cheaper than last year if you book your trips well ahead of time.

Airport congestion and flight delays will remain a problem at some big hub airports, but overall, airline on-time performance is improving.

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Filed Under: Airlines, Airports, Ground, Hotels

Car Rental Tips from Chris (CNN Video)

August 31, 2009

$100 for a compact car? You betcha! TICKET editor Chris McGinnis provide tips on how to save on increasingly expensive car rentals.

Filed Under: Ground

RENTAL CAR

August 12, 2009

CAR RENTAL RATES SOAR. Car rental rates are one area where travelers are seeing HIGHER rates this summer. Significantly higher in a lot of cases. In mid-June, weekly airport rental rates for a compact car averaged about $350, compared with just $210 a year ago — a 65 percent jump, according to the New York Times. The reason is basic supply and demand. While demand is down slightly, rental agencies have cut their fleets by even more, creating their own shortage and jacking up prices. One smart way to get around higher car rental rates is to buy a package deal—where you get airfare and car rental together in a package— by doing so, you can save about 30% off your rate. rental-cars