Archive for the ‘Airport News’ Category

Delta has posted a video of employees in Atlanta warbling in the South Concourse at ATL, and then flash mobbing (which starts at about 1:10) at airports in Atlanta, New York and in Detroit. The video’s gone viral– last night it had 300 views. Today as we post this, view count is approaching 20,000. ABC News just posted it on their site this morning.

Take a gander and let us know what you think. See any familiar faces? Love it or loathe it…we’d love to hear your take. Leave your comments below.

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Southwest Airlines route map showing new nonstops from ATL

Stay tuned to The TICKET for AirTran/Southwest news (and our commentary and advice) as Southwest enters the Atlanta market over the next few months. Here’s what we’ve got now…more on the way…

HERE COME THE RED BELLIES! This time next month, travelers at ATL will notice a new bird buzzing around the airport— Southwest’s Canyon Blue (upper fuselage) red (undercarriage—the “belly”– and tail) and orange (tail) Boeing 737’s. Empty planes will be ferried in from Dallas on Saturday, February 11, and the first scheduled Southwest flight will depart ATL on Sunday morning, February 12 at 6 a.m. destined for Baltimore. Later that day, flights will depart for Chicago MDW, Denver, Houston Hobby and Austin. On March 10 Southwest will add nonstops flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix. On June 10, it will add one daily nonstop between ATL and LAX in addition to AirTran’s three daily flights. Southwest flights will, at least for now, arrive and depart from Concourse C at ATL.

AIRTRAN DOWNSIZING. As Southwest moves in and re-arranges things to its liking, ATL will be losing some nonstops to smaller cities currently served by AirTran. Starting August 12, AirTran will stop flying to Allentown, Lexington, Harrisburg, Sarasota, Huntsville, and White Plains. Southwest will not deploy its aircraft on these routes leaving the nonstop market to Delta (only) so you can expect to see higher fares and more restrictions on those tickets. (See below…)

KEEP AN EYE ON SEATTLE. On August 12, those loooong flights between ATL and Seattle will changeover from AirTran to Southwest aircraft… meaning no more business class, and no more guaranteed Gogo wi-fi. (Southwest offers wi-fi on only 150 out of 500 jets now…so there’s no guarantee you’ll get it on the ATL-SEA flights.) Keep an eye on Seattle fares… it’s going to be interesting to see how Delta and Alaska Air respond as the only two carriers with nonstops with premium class service between ATL and SEA—and will help us predict how Delta will respond when Southwest no longer offers AirTran business class between ATL and other long haul west coast routes like Los Angeles or San Francisco.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES ROUTE MAP. (See map above) If you are interested in watching how Southwest takes over AirTran’s hub at ATL…keep an eye on its route map. Right now, AirTran and Southwest offer two separate maps, and will continue to do so until they get a “single operating certificate” (SOC) from the FAA—expected this March. Southwest told The TICKET, “The Southwest route map shows what Southwest is currently selling; the AirTran route map shows the same for AirTran.  Until we obtain SOC from the FAA, the carriers continue to fly separately and have not published any schedules where the networks are connected. When Southwest launches ATL service on February 12, we’ll do so with the nonstops and published schedules we’ve already announced:  Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Denver, Houston (Hobby), Las Vegas Los Angeles, Seattle and Phoenix.  The Southwest map references those nonstop options and additional, published connecting services. AirTran continues to offer its schedule and, as the integration progresses, it will have fewer flights and Southwest will have more – more routes, more Employees, more aircraft, etc.”

ATL-DFW: A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME? As most TICKET readers know by now, AirTran/Southwest was forced to abandon its nonstops between ATL and Dallas Ft Worth due to the Wright Amendment. We predicted that fares would increase on the nonstop route dominated by only Delta and American. Today we got this email from TICKET reader RP: “Wow, what is up with prices from ATL to DFW on Delta? Pricing out three and four weeks in advance and its $700 round trip. I’ve been traveling from ATL to DFW for 11 years and have never seen prices like this outside of the 14-day window and plenty of seats are unsold.  Just for fun, I priced out a ticket for next week and it’s not much more.”

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AIRPORTS TRIM THE FAT. Eating healthy on the run has always been a challenge that road warriors must face, but the nation’s airports are beginning to take notice. According to the latest report from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), which assesses the fare on offer at restaurants in 15 major airports, Delta’s Detroit hub offers some of the healthiest food option in the country. Other airports that ranked high include Washington Dulles and San Francisco. Airports are ranked based on the percentage of their restaurants that have at least one healthy option on the menu including a low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free vegetarian entrée. Charlotte scored as the most improved in the country. Other top choices included Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, and Miami. Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson and Washington Reagan National ranked at the bottom of the pack. (You know you’ve been sneaking in too much of that fried chicken and waffle fries at Popeye’s and Chick-fil-a.) Regarding Atlanta, the report offered this advice: “But travelers looking for healthful meals can find a few choices, including spicy tofu made with vegetarian broth at Asian Chao, burritos or tacos with black beans, pinto beans, or tofu crumbles and grilled veggies (hold the cheese) at Moe’s Southwest Grill, or Bistro Del Sol’s Mediterranean Trio: hummus, tabouli, and stuffed grape leaves.” Gosh, imagine what’s going to happen to the score when the Varsity arrives at ATL…What’s YOUR favorite food at ATL?? Leave your comments below.

DELTA SKY PRIORITY GOES GLOBAL. The Sky Priority branding familiar to Delta SkyMiles Gold, biz and first class passengers that provides expedited boarding, ticket counter assistance, and other preferred travel benefits in the US will now be adopted by the entire SkyTeam alliance. This means that eventually, the Sky Priority features will be available on all SkyTeam flights including the popular separate boarding lane allowing customers to bypass the line. It will take some time to implement this at all SkyTeam airports, but major hubs in the alliance network will see it first including Amsterdam, Nairobi, Shanghai, and Taipei. In 2013, the premium airport program will be rolled out at nearly 1,000 airports worldwide. SkyTeam is the first alliance to adopt such a program for its premium travelers.

DO BIZ TRAVELERS LUV SOUTHWEST? A Travel Leaders travel agent network survey found that many AirTran clients are seeking alternatives that offer a premium cabin now that Southwest has announced it will eliminate Air Tran’s business class offering. Southwest does offer two free checked bags and does not assess those awful $150 change fees, but many travelers have come to love their Delta upgrades and see them as the only solace left in today’s travel environment. Delta is bound to be the prime beneficiary of defectors, but other airlines may also take notice and offer competitive fares and frequent flyer promotions to lure away AirTran loyalists. What about you? Will you give Southwest a chance when it arrives on February 12? Please leave your comments below.

TECHNO-DELTA. PC World magazine named Delta the top tech-friendly airline in the US. Delta has been a leader in this category with amenities like recharging stations in the top 19 airport gate areas, a clever smart phone app, and more wi-fi equipped aircraft than any other carrier. A favorite of many passengers is the smart phone app’s baggage tracking feature and the ability to view upgrade lists in real time. The @DeltaAssist Twitter program also has earned instant respect from travelers who reach out for assistance during their travels and receive on-the-spot assistance. Do you agree? Please leave your comments below…

SKYMILES UP NORTH. Delta has signed a codeshare agreement with Canadian airline WestJet allowing travelers to earn SkyMiles, through check their bags, and book connecting itineraries with ease. In the partnership’s first phase, the Delta code will be placed on WestJet flights to 15 cities including flights between Toronto and Edmonton, Halifax, Kelowna, Ottawa, Regina, and Vancouver; between Calgary and Las Vegas, Vancouver, and Victoria; and between Vancouver and Honolulu, Kelowna, and Las Vegas. The WestJet code is being placed on flights to five Delta city pairs including between Detroit and Montreal, Quebec City, and Ottawa; and between Boston and Toronto.

AIRTRAN DUMPS XM. Atlanta is preparing for Southwest’s arrival, which will bring many positive changes for travelers like no baggage or change fees. However, one change will not be so exciting. Southwest has opted to remove XM satellite radio from Air Tran planes to standardize its entire fleet. The free amenity will be removed from planes progressively beginning immediately. What do you think? Did you use the XM service? Will you miss it? Leave your comments below.

NEW FLIGHTS TO HAITI. Delta will launch new Saturday-only flights from Atlanta to the Haitian capital Port Au Prince April 7. This new flight follows a two-decade hiatus for nonstop service from Atlanta. Delta also flies daily from JFK to Port Au Prince to serve the large Haitian community living there. After the massive earthquake in Haiti two years ago, Delta was among the first airlines to fly relief aid to the country.

Construction updates from ATL regarding the new Maynard Jackson International Terminal F are fast and furious as opening day approaches in April or May (no hard date set yet). The latest “January Update” video (below) shows a nearly completed terminal— it looks like all they need to do is add the potted plants and passengers.

Won’t it be exciting to see a big A380 lumber up to the gate? Our bet is that Korean Air may be the first with the big bird…but who knows? Maybe Air France or Lufthansa will run one in here next summer.

Best part about the new Terminal F? Atlanta-bound passengers (ie TICKET readers!) will no longer have to re-check bags and pass through security in order to leave the airport (as they do when arriving at Terminal E). Also, the Terminal’s new parking deck will include a special GOLD RESERVE parking lot.

What are your thoughts about the new International Terminal? Please leave you comments below.

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It’s that time of year again, when travel pundits and prognosticators do their best to predict what may or may not happen in the coming year. Here’s what I see on the horizon for frequent travelers in Atlanta and around the worlds in 2012.

Apart from uncertainty about the eurozone, the global economy is slowly improving, meaning individuals and companies are likely to increase their budgets for both business and leisure travel. But just like improvements in the global economy, any expansion in travel budgets is going to be slow– very slow. Atlanta seems to be emerging from the great recession at a slower pace than many other US cities– but nonetheless, we are still traveling, still out there working hard and helping our companies recover.

Increased demand for travel in 2012 will mean higher prices for transportation, fuel, lodging and food, with the biggest jumps in fast-growing regions such as Asia, India and South America. Business travel to and from Japan should continue to improve, but leisure travel there will stay slow — forcing down rates for what has long been one of the most expensive countries in the world.

In the US, hotel prices will continue to increase in big coastal cities such as New York, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco where business is brisk, but will remain mostly flat in the heartland where economic recovery is slower. Airfares in the US are currently 10% to 20% higher than two years ago, and should remain high as airlines continue to reduce capacity, consolidate, or, like bankrupt American Airlines, shrink their way to profitability.

In Atlanta, Delta has already announced several cuts to its transatlantic schedule and AirTran/Southwest is trimming away at its domestic schedule from ATL and elsewhere. We are seeing some decent fare sales, but the restrictions around them make it tough for business travelers to use– for example, the current AirTran sale for January is only good for those who can travel on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

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With Europe’s economic woes, demand and prices for travel in the region could flatten, but this will not be by much. European companies are likely to crack down on extravagant spending by cutting back or eliminating business class air travel, enforcing the use of midrange hotels and asking travellers take trips by car or train instead of flying. In the unlikely event Greece reverts back to the drachma, prices could take a tumble there, opening up opportunities for bargain-focussed vacationers.

Click here on my BBC.com column for a full round up of what to expect regarding… Airfares, hotel rates, travel deals, gas prices, wi-fi, mobile and meetings & conventions…

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(Photo: Skampy / Flickr)

NOT TOO LATE FOR MQM PROMO. Delta has extended the time in which SkyMiles members can buy their way into Medallion status with MQMs next year. When the news about the promo broke in The TICKET last month, Delta said it would end on Dec 14. But last week it extended the deadline to Dec 30. (Why would Delta put limits around a nice revenue stream like that?) Did you take Delta up on this offer? LET US KNOW! Leave your comments below.

FREE WIFI AT ATL! Skype is sponsoring one hour of free wi-fi at ATL (and many other big airports) during the holidays– Dec 21-27! Details here.

MORE FREE HOLIDAY WI-FI. eBay is sponsoring a half hour of free Gogo inflight wi-fi on Delta flights now through Jan. 2. The move should help  spur online shopping purchases for the holidays and post-holiday sales—you can shop on eBay as long as you want, but access to the web ends after 30 minutes. Has anyone experienced difficulty logging on or staying online as a result of heavy usage by others? Please leave your comments below!

DELTA BUMPS UP BRAZIL. With business booming in Brazil (and demand soaring for flights there), Delta has placed its 767-400ER aircraft (with true lie-flat seats in biz class) on all nonstops between New York and Atlanta to Sao Paulo. Delta now offers daily service between Detroit and Sao Paulo and Atlanta and Brasilia. These latter two flights, however, are not part of Delta’s all-flat announcement just yet since they do not operate with the 767-400ER aircraft. In addition, Delta recently announced that it would make a $100 million investment in Brazil’s Gol Airlines, a SkyMiles partner.

A Virgin America A320 touches down in Palm Springs, the carriers's newest destination (Photo: C McGinnis)

VIRGIN AMERICA TO ATL? “We want to be flying to every major business travel destination, and Atlanta is in the top five cities we are targeting for expansion,” said Virgin CEO David Cush in a recent interview with TICKET editor Chris McGinnis. “But we’ve got Delta, the 800-lb gorilla, to deal with there, and we want to see how the AirTran-Southwest integration plays out before we make a move. We won’t fly there unless it is profitable for us, especially since it is a long haul route.” I asked, “Do you think there would be an opportunity for you to capitalize on Southwest’s decision to eliminate AirTran’s business class on the route, leaving Delta as the only carrier offering premium seats on those long hauls to San Francisco and Los Angeles?” After a long thoughtful pause, Cush grinned and said, “Yes, that is something we are taking into consideration. Our first class, and even our coach class is like something Atlanta’s never seen before.” What new carrier would YOU like to see at ATL? Please leave your comments below!

WE [HEART] PRE-CHECK. We continue to get plenty of love letters (and comments on our recent post) from users of the nifty new TSA Pre-Check lines at ATL. TSA recently has or will soon expand Pre-Check to three more airports: Las Vegas, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles. Will it last forever?

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TICKET SURVEY! Thanks VERY much to our loyal TICKET readers. We were heartened at the HUGE response we got to our recent rader survey—620 of you took the time to tell us a bit more about you and your travel habits. Stay tuned for a full report on exactly who you are! So far, we’ve been super surprised and delighted. Thank you again.

SORRY SILVERS. Delta quietly instituted another sleight to Silver Medallions last week by cutting their allotment of free checked bags from two down to one (but with the more generous max weight of 70 lbs).  Of course, if the Delta Gold, Platinum or Reserve AMEX is in your wallet, you still get that second free checked bag!

Delta tail and La Guardia's new control tower (Photo: Pro-Zak / Flickr)

DELTA’S MARCH ON NYC CONTINUES. Delta’s long-sought “domination” of the New York market is getting closer… With its slot transfer deal with US Airways complete, Delta has announced more than 100 new flights from its rapidly expanding La Guardia hub, pushing it to near top of the heap in the NYC market. By next summer, Delta says it will be serving 60 cities from LGA, up from the current 35. The majority of flights will be operated by Delta Connection and fly to cities along the East Coast, replacing those that were operated by US Airways prior to the slot swap. While the addition of flights for Delta customers into the New York area is great news, passengers in many communities on the East Coast are actually losing flights because US Airways operated to LGA with heavier frequencies than Delta is planning. Delta will soon expand into US Airways Terminal C in addition to its Terminal D, and continue to operate its shuttle flights between LGA and Chicago, Boston and DC from the Marine Air Terminal.

CITIES getting additional or new Delta service to LGA include Burlington VT, Denver, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Norfolk, Richmond, and Roanoke, Charlotte, Greensboro/High, Point/Winston-Salem, Raleigh/Durham, Wilmington, NC, Jacksonville, Ft. Myers, Miami, Cleveland, and Dayton among others.

MORE JFK, TOO. Delta is also boosting its capacity at JFK by adding new flights to Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, New Orleans, and Kansas City. Other existing JFK network cities like Buffalo, and Richmond will see additional frequencies.

SKTEAM BEIJING. All SkyTeam carriers now fly from under the same roof at Beijing Capital International Airport’s sprawling Terminal 2. Speaking of SkyTeam, check out my recent BBC.com biz travel column about the best airline alliances and see how it stacks up to the competition.

ATL TO LOSE “BUSIEST AIRPORT” CROWN. According to a variety of sources, Beijing Capital airport is set to overtake ATL as the world’s busiest next year. Too bad it will lose the title in the same year it opens the shiny new International Terminal F.

VOUCHER? SCHMOUCHER! Do you have any Delta electronic travel credits in your account that need to be used? Be careful. Delta has quietly implemented a policy that limits the number that can be used per ticket to just one. This means that if you have only one ticket to book before two vouchers expire, you will need to choose the one with higher value to use. If you received these vouchers (denied boarding, remaining credit from unused ticket, etc) before Dec. 15, you can still use more than one at a time, but only one post-12/15/11 voucher will be applied per ticket going forward.

WORLD’S LARGEST CARRIERS. A series of mergers over the last decade has created a group of mega-airlines that reach almost every corner of the globe. Here are the world’s largest airline companies based on the number of miles their passengers flew in 2010:

1. United Continental: 181,939 million
2. Delta Air Lines: 165,900 million
3. American Airlines: 125,443 million
4. Air France, KLM: 125,043 million
5. Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian: 108,811 mm
6. British Airways, Iberia: 97,384 million
7. Southwest, AirTran: 97,360 million
8. Emirates: 89,266 million
9. China Southern Airlines: 68,689 million
10. Qantas Airways: 62,082 million

Source: AP calculations on International Air Transport Association data

NEED A NEW BAG? I’ve dragged around the same black, two-wheeled Briggs and Riley carry-on bag for at least 10 years, and it’s still going strong. But when I’m at the airport and see travelers toting four-wheeled “spinners” or shiny polycarbonates in a rainbow of colors, I get luggage envy. To help me decide if it’s time to bag my old bag and try something new, I asked the experts for some advice on what to look for, and wrote the results up here in a recent BBC.com column.

How do you define business casual? (Photo: Tink20seven)

DEFINING BUSINESS CASUAL. “Two of my least favorite words in the English language are ‘business casual’ as it means different things to different people,” said Joyce Newman, president of the Newman Group, which offers high-level speaker, media and image consulting to global executives. “The definition varies widely between cities, countries, cultures – even industries – and it’s a real dilemma for travelers because you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” Are you vexed by invitations to business casual event in the US or abroad? Then check out my recent BBC.com column “Defining Business Casual” which offers some great tips and advice.

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AIRTRAN: Get the latest, greatest airfare deals from AIRTRAN.COM

DELTA: Click here for the latest fare sales and deals at Delta Air Lines

HOTWIRE: Great hotel deals and $13.95 per day rental cars with low Hotwire Hot-Rates!

ATL's train...or a four-door Porsche Panamera? (Photo: SocialisBetter)

Delta is being uncharacteristically coy about a flashy new program underway at ATL since early November. Several TICKET readers report being pleasantly surprised by  new chauffeur service (via Porsche no less) from the jetway to their cars upon arrival at ATL.

Here’s what we are hearing:

From reader Eason Jordan:

As I disembarked from my LGA-ATL Delta flight last night, I was surprised to see in the jetway two young men holding up signs with the names of six passengers – my name included.  When I asked the fellow holding the sign with my name on it what he wanted, he escorted me down the jetway stairs to the tarmac and ushered me into the front passenger seat of a new Porsche Cayenne SUV.  He told me Delta recently embarked on a trial program in partnership with Porsche to show their love for top-tier Delta frequent fliers.  Two fellow frequent fliers hopped in the back seat, after which we were whisked not to the main terminal but directly to our cars in separate parking lots at opposite sides of the airport. What a ride!

I quizzed the gregarious driver about the program.  He said the unpublicized program was the brainchild of Delta’s CEO.  Why Porsche’s involvement?  Porsche is moving its North American headquarters to a new site adjacent to the airport, and Porsche wants to impress Delta’s most elite passengers – potential Porsche customers.  The ATL Delta-Porsche program fields eight always-working passenger-shuttling Porsche vehicles – six SUVs and two sedans.  Two vehicles work each select inbound flight.  Sometimes the Porsche team shuttles late arriving connecting elites to a far-flung terminal connecting flight, while other times the Porsche team shuttles incoming elites directly from the arriving tarmac to their cars in airport parking lots.  My driver said the program caters to medallion fliers – mostly Diamond, but others, too.  I’m a three million miler with Delta, and at times I’m among Delta’s most vocal critics.  I pleased to say this surprise reward program is a big-time winner, leaving me grateful and dreaming of owning a Porsche SUV.

Here’s another from Reader JK:

Have you heard about the DL/Porche customer appreciation program that started Nov. 1 (I’m sure you have…you know everything!).  We landed this morning at ATL, B24.  As the door opened, my name and another passengers were announced to proceed to the plane door where we were met by a member of DL’s Elite Service Representatives.  He briefly explained that as Diamonds, we were to follow him down the jetway stairs where a Porsche Panamera was waiting.  He told us that DL and Porsche were partnering to provide a special customer service for Delta’s best customers.  We loaded into the car and he drove us from the tarmac to our cars in the Daily Parking lots!  What a thrill!!!!  Way to go Delta!  Way to go Porsche!

**Porsche because, as you know, it will be building its NA HQ on the site of the old Ford plant adjacent to I-75 and end of runway.

Interestingly, Delta’s being very tight lipped about this. We asked for more details, but Delta would do nothing more than just confirm that the program is indeed in effect. Delta’s only made one public comment about the program over on the FlyerTalk boards:

I see that you’ve noticed a few of the spanking new vehicles trolling around ATL. It’s true that we have a team dedicated to transporting our highest value customers around the Atlanta hub and they’ve got a fleet of several vehicles with which to do so. As part of our partnership with Porsche (which includes shipping cars from Germany to Atlanta), they’ve provided us with a few fancy new rides to add to our VIP fleet. A couple of things to clarify:

1. Delta didn’t pay for these cars.
2. You won’t see any of our executives in these cars – they’re for HVCs ["High Value Customers"] only.
3. The Porsches are quite literally a new toy we get to play with so we’re testing out how to best use them. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, they’ll be used as a “surprise and delight” for some of our best customers.

Have you been picked up in a Porsche yet? Why do you think Delta’s being so coy about this? Perhaps they don’t want to be seen catering to the recently maligned 1%? Maybe they don’t want Medallions to start to expect the service, and complain if they don’t get a ride? Please leave your comments below! And if you get picked up in a Porsche, take a picture and send it to us… we’ll post it right here!

___ ___ ___

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HOTWIRE: Great hotel deals and $13.95 per day rental cars with low Hotwire Hot-Rates!

Why wait in a long holiday taxi queue? Reserve a car instead! (Photo: Enrico Salad / Flickr)

As the peak holiday travel season approaches, everyone’s looking for a deal or a steal. But the truth of the matter is that bargains are difficult to come by during the Thanksgiving and Christmas peak travel season.

And if you snag what you think is a bargain, you might end of  “getting what you pay for.”

As a matter of fact, paying a little more at this time of year usually translates into more peace of mind, more quality time with friends or family, and the increased likelihood of a low-hassle trip home for the holidays…. which is what we all want.

Here are six examples to illustrate what I mean:

1> Take a nonstop flight. While you might be tempted by the price of a one-stop flight, by choosing one, you are increasing your chances of a delay or cancellation by 100%! Why take that chance, especially if you are headed home for just a few days, and a delayed or canceled flight could spoil the entire trip?

Cost: $50 to $200 depending on flight length

Example: Flying during peak Christmas week between Atlanta and San Francisco, you’ll pay $660 (ouch!) for a six-hour one-stop journey on Frontier connecting in Denver. On the other hand, fly four hours nonstop on Delta or AirTran and the fare is $730 (ouch again!)– $70 more. Worth it to fly nonstop? I think so. (Fares checked Nov 13 for flights departing Dec 23, returning Dec 27 and are subject to change.)

2> Book your trip via a real, live travel agent. Most budget-conscious travelers shy away from travel agents who charge fees. But as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) likes to say, “Without a travel agent, you’re on your own.” Most travel agents can use their experience, connections and clout to help get you out of sticky situations, plus they’ve got knowledge and experience to offer you the best alternatives when or if you get stuck.

Cost: $20-$50 or negotiable

Example: ASTA’s motto surely rang true last year when a monster storm blew up the East Coast on Christmas day, stranding travelers across the country. Most of those who booked trips via travel agents were able to get through to them by phone and adjust travel plans faster than those who only had airline 800-numbers. (Note: Be sure the travel agent you choose has an after hours emergency number.)

Rooms dip as low as $80 over Xmas at a brand new Best Western near Dallas, TX

3> Stay at a hotel. Why burden the in-laws with the stress of houseguests during the already stressful holidays? Instead of bunking on that lumpy sofa bed or stuffy guest room, book a nearby hotel. Tip: Due to lack of demand from business travelers, most hotels are dirt-cheap during the holidays, especially those located in suburban office parks. Travel expert John DiScala, who edits the popular johnnyjet.com website suggests that the holidays are a great time to consider redeeming loyalty points for nicer hotel digs, saying, “For example, Hilton HHonors points can also now be used to upgrade an existing reservation to a premium room or suite at hotels worldwide, with no blackout dates.”

Cost: $50 to $100 per night, depending on location.

Example: Thinking you might want your inlaws to stay at a hotel? A nice, newish Hilton Garden Inn in the northern Atlanta suburbs costs only $67 per night during Christmas week—but book it two weeks later when business travelers are back on the road and you’ll pay nearly twice that much– $127.

4> Review your charge card benefits. Most banks have added a slew of new benefits to charge cards in recent years to woo free-spending, credit-worthy frequent travelers, so you might be packing more power in your pocket than you know. While annual fees are higher for such cards, many now offer benefits that come in handy for holiday travel such as waived baggage fees, access to airport lounges, early boarding privileges, early check in/late check out or upgrades at hotels, concierge services and more.

Cost: $100-$500/year

Example: While the American Express Platinum card sounds expensive at $450/year, the benefits can pay off big time when it comes to peak travel season. For example, the card gets you out of the airport holiday mayhem and into 600 airport lounges (gratis) around the world, covers up to $200 airline fees from checked bags to in-flight food or cocktails, and Global Entry membership, which gets you to the front of the line US Customs and Immigration. The $95/year Delta SkyMiles Gold card now offers a free checked bag and early boarding privileges, regardless of your Medallion level.  Many high-end cards also offer concierge services that can help get you out of travel jams—worth a call if you get stuck!

5> Book roomier airline seats. While you can always pay a lot more to sit in first class, you can now pay a little bit more, and get a more comfortable coach seat. During the busy, crowded holidays, that’s money well spent. While getting a few extra inches of room always helps, the real benefit of paying for a better economy seat is that you usually get to board early—with elite level flyers—which means you get first dibs on scarce overhead bin space.

Cost: Varies based on carrier and flight duration– $10-$100 per segment

Example: Delta is expanding its popular, roomier “Economy Comfort” seating from just international flights to domestic ones, too. For example, it’s now available on transcons between New York and San Francisco or Los Angeles.

6> Hire a car service to/from the airport. There are lots of reasons why you should use a car service for a ride to or from the airport during the holidays. First, don’t burden friends or family with the chore of driving to the airport during rush hour traffic to pick you up or drop you off. Second, when arriving, you walk straight to your waiting car instead of waiting in those long, cold taxi queues at airports that form during peak holiday season.

Cost: 10%-20% more than cab fare

Example: Last month I was greeted by a taxicab queue at SFO at least 100 people deep after a loooong transcon flight. Wish I had booked a car service! In New York, I always use the economical Dial 7 car service (212-777-7777) which costs $5 or $10 more than a cab, but offers a comfortable sedan ride to/from Manhattan versus the tight squeeze, bumpy ride, and possible wait for a NYC Taxi.

Where are YOU headed for the holidays? Please leave your comments below.

A few inches makes a difference! (Photo: Dipdewdog / Flickr)

ECONOMY COMFORT EXPANDS. Good news for sore knees! Following in the footsteps of rival United Airlines (and its Economy Plus seating), Delta is expanding its popular Economy Comfort seating from just international flights to nearly all aircraft fleet wide—including domestic flights. The first three to five rows of the main cabin on all Delta mainline and regional jets (except CRJ-200′s) will soon feature three more inches between rows. Passengers seated in this section will enjoy priority boarding—but there will be no free booze in domestic Economy Comfort. The first domestic 757 with Economy Comfort will enter service this month, and Delta says all aircraft will be equipped with the seating by late 2012. Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallions can select these seats at time of reservation free of charge. Silver Medallions may request them 24 hours prior to departure free of charge or reserve them at a 50% discount at time of reservation. All other passengers may purchase these extra legroom seats for a fee of $19-$99 depending on the length of the flight. Note: With Southwest doing away with AirTran’s popular business class seating, Economy Comfort will be a welcome option on those long transcons out to the west coast. What do you think about Economy Comfort?

HOLIDAY FARE SHOPPING? AirTran and Southwest launched another winter fare sale today (must book by Nov 14), but as usual the fine print reveals multiple blackout dates around Thanksgiving or Christmas. That’s not great news for holiday travelers, but if you’ve avoided business trips due to high fares, you’ll find some great deals for flights during the first three weeks of December, and much of January. So get out there and see some clients you’ve been avoiding! Here’s more advice on holiday travel peaks and valleys.

FREE BLURBS ON DELTA/GOGO PORTAL. Gogo wi-fi users will notice a new landing page when they launch their web browser on Delta flights. It includes details for your flight including the remaining flight time. Additional free content will include select news stories, PEOPLE magazine content, destination information and events, and shopping opportunities.

MORE SOUTHWEST CHANGES COMING. Bloomberg reports that Southwest plans to cut back on AirTran flights from ATL to smaller cities and focus on adding more nonstops to larger cities that are more profitable. Southwest’s first flights to/from Atlanta (with no biz class…and no bag fees) begin in February. Stay tuned! Have you decided whether you’ll give Southwest a go when it comes to town? Leave your comments below.

FLAT BEDS AT 30%. Delta updated its progress page last month showing that 30% of its international fleet now has true (vs fake) lie-flat seats, up from 25% in August.

SNACK BASKET CHANGES. First class loyalists have learned to love the famous Delta snack basket on flights without a meal (increasingly common). First class customers now get Walker’s shortbread cookies, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, fun size Snickers, Chewy granola bars, and the traditional peanuts, pretzels, Twix and M&Ms. What is noticeably missing, however, are Delta’s famous Biscoff cookies (oddly still available in coach) and those puffy bags of SunChips. Delta confirmed the case of the disappearing Biscoff from the first class basket during afternoon and evening flights, but said that they are still offered on morning non-meal flights.  Thoughts on the new snack additions (and deletions)? Is Walker’s shortbread a suitable substitute for the beloved Biscoff? Please leave your comments below.

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LAST MINUTE MQMs? Remember when Delta teamed up with certain SkyWish charities last December offering valuable MQM’s to those who gave generously? AID Atlanta hauled in a tidy $745,000 as a result of the promo. Generous SkyMilers were able to avoid those pesky end-of-year mileage runs. Delta built a lot of goodwill. Everybody won! We are now trying to determine if Delta will offer something similar this year for those hoping to snag or maintain Medallion status by the end of the year. So far our Delta sources say there’s nothing in the works, but that could change. Another reason to stay tuned to The TICKET!

DELTA IN THE BLACK. Delta reported its financial figures for the third quarter of 2011 and continues to stay in the black partly due to wise fuel hedging, growth in ancillary fee revenue (ya know, those change fees, baggage fees, etc), and a slight decrease in capacity to adjust to travel demand (that’s why flights are fuller these days). In the end, when Delta succeeds, it can spend more to invest in a better product…right?

DELTA #1 FOR FEES. Delta collected more baggage fees and reservation change fees than any other airline in the second quarter of 2011, according to the DOT. In the second quarter, it brought in $226 in baggage fees and $201 million in reservation change fees. American Airlines ranked #2. Overall, airlines brought in an extra $1.5 billion in fee revenue in the second quarter.

DELTA EXPANDS AT LGA. In case you were wondering what happened to the slot exchange at New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Washington Reagan National (DCA) between Delta and US Airways, well, it’s back on. The Department of Transportation has approved the exchange, allowing Delta the right to the majority of US Airways’ landing and takeoff slots at LGA in exchange for a major chunk of Delta’s slots at DCA. The move will allow both airlines to strengthen their position in the marketplace. Delta plans to use the neighboring US Airways’ terminal at LGA, build a connecting bridge between the two terminals, and add an additional Sky Club in the new terminal. A specific timeline has yet to be announced, but this swap will certainly mean more nonstop destinations for Delta passengers at LaGuardia.

HOW TO TRAVEL LIKE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. Delta’s new Sky Store (www.deltaskystore.com) offers a selection of travel items including luggage, bag tags, apparel, and electronics. Many of the products come recommended by Delta employees themselves who provided the suggestions and inspiration to include certain items in the store. This new venture is designed to showcase the expertise of Delta’s own employees to help travelers find the best, most durable gear for their own travels. A special introductory offer includes a free Gogo wi-fi pass with your first purchase. NOTE: This is different than the Delta Shop (www.deltashop.com), which sells Delta-branded gear, apparel, and merchandise.

TICKET READERS RAVE: Did you see all the positive comments regarding the TSA’s new Pre-Check trusted traveler lanes at ATL? Who knew the much maligned TSA could provoke that kind of praise from jaded biz travel vets like TICKET readers? The program’s still in beta-testing, but let’s see what happens.

MCGINNIS ON BBC.COM. Have you read TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s recent business travel columns on BBC.com? Here’s a sampling of his most popular recent posts:

>Business Trip: Atlanta (Lemme know if I got it right!)

>What to check out before you check into a hotel

>Avoid paying for overweight bags

>International travelers: 9 must-learn local phrases

>Good idea: Hire a tour guide on your next business trip

ATL’S TERMINAL F. Have you been watching the construction and wondering what ATL’s newest terminal will look like on the inside? Then see this very cool virtual “fly through” of the new International terminal. Well done. Can’t wait to give it a try when it opens this spring…

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AIRTRAN: Get the latest, greatest airfare deals from AIRTRAN.COM

DELTA: Click here for the latest fare sales and deals at Delta Air Lines

CHEAPO AIR: Air, hotel car rental and package deals galore from CheapOair.com

HOTWIRE: Great hotel deals and $13.95 per day rental cars with low Hotwire Hot-Rates!

Here’s one of several first-person accounts among TICKET readers who have been selected for the TSA’s special “PreCheck” expedited security line at ATL.

So far, it seems like the frequently maligned TSA has knocked one outta the ballpark with this test. Time will tell if or when we see how far it expands beyond the testing stage. By the time the holiday crowds appear at airports later this year, everyone’s going to want to get into this special program! (Currently only at airports in Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Miami.)

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Here’s how TICKET reader DW described his recent trip through the super special line:

I flew to Ohio this past weekend to visit family and tested the new expedited screening line at Atlanta.  From what I had read, I would qualify because I’m enrolled in Global Entry, but I wasn’t clear how they would verify that – so I brought my passport just in case.  Turns out I didn’t need it.

The location is at the end of the Delta ticketing area (the “T-South” screening area).  They have two lines there, one for regular travelers and one for the expedited line.  They scan boarding pass as you approach, so my Global Entry status must have been captured on the Delta boarding pass because they directed me into the expedited line.  There was one person in front of me at the ID check station and by the time the agent had confirmed my boarding pass and ID, that person was walking through the metal detector.  I walked in, put my bag on the belt and walked through.  No hassle.  From the time I approached the line to the time I was through the security screening it took a total of less than three minutes.

They don’t need liquids or laptops to be removed from cases, so bags can go direct on the belt and through.  And they don’t require that we remove shoes, belts or blazers so I kept all three on.  Really very easy – and if they do roll it out and the crowds increase, it’ll still go much faster without all the jockeying at the metal detector to remove shoes and laptops.

The experience was positive enough that my partner and his son are both going to enroll in Global Entry* – not because they travel so much internationally, but because it qualifies them for this lane . . . .

*Note that American Express Platinum card holders get Global Entry free as part of the card’s new benefit package.

What do you think…Are YOU one of the chosen few who’ve tested the new PreCheck line? Please leave your comments below!

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As we predicted in The TICKET last week,  Delta today unveiled more details including menus (and prices) for its new Sky Club Luxury Bar concept.

Delta says:

>Customer feedback has been very positive during test phases.

>The current selection of complimentary beverages will remain complimentary (Canadian Club, Bailey’s, Jack Daniels, Dewar’s, Skyy, Bacardi, Tanqueray and Martini and Rossi). The Luxury Bar is a separate program.

>Delta teamed up with beverage giant Diageo to offer its portfolio of premium wine and spirits (See below for full menu).

>Sky Club members will periodically see cocktail master classes, educational sessions and tastings.

>Luxury Bars will be managed by professional bartending staff selected for industry knowledge and skills.

>The Luxury Bar will be rolled out by the end of this year at all domestic Sky Clubs except Portland, OR (due to local licensing issues). Current locations in operation include: Newark, NY – (EWR), New York, NY – (JFK & LGA), Palm Beach, FL – (PBI), Seattle, WA – (SEA), Washington, DC – (DCA).

(Photo: DavidKenny / Flickr

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NEW CHARGES FOR PREMIUM BOOZE AT SKY CLUB. Delta is quietly unveiling new charges for premium brand liquor, wine and specialty cocktails at its Sky Club lounges, while well brands and non-premium beer and wine remain complimentary.  Other airlines charge for premium brands in their airport lounges, but Delta’s offering appears significantly more expensive with drinks such as mojitos and premium, top-shelf or call-brand cocktails fetching between $10 and $35. Prepare for the up-sell from your bartender mixologist! Not all clubs have instituted this program yet, but watch for it coming to a lounge near you soon– expect a formal announcement from Delta within days about this. (UPDATE: A TICKET reader just sent us what he says is a new Sky Club premium liquor menu, which includes $35 for Jose Cuervo 1942 tequila, $24 for Talisker 18 scotch, $18 for Johnny Walker Green, $12 for Bulleit bourbon or Ketel 1 Vodka, $199 for a bottle of Dom Perignon among others.) Have you paid for a cocktail yet at a Sky Club? What do you think about this new policy? Do you mind paying more for a premium brand that may not have been available before?

NEW TRUSTED TRAVELER LANES AT ATL. The AJC reports that the TSA’s beta test of a trusted traveler program called “TSA PreCheck” has begun at ATL. About 2,000 Delta frequent flyers and those with “Global Entry” status on their passports chosen for the program can use a special lane for expedited screening at the South security checkpoint. The lane has a metal detector instead of a full body scanner, and does not require travelers to remove shoes, belts or jackets.  TICKET reader Rupert Barkoff of Atlanta was startled to find the new expedited line open at ATL on Tuesday, and wrote, “If I hadn’t prepared for going through security (i.e., shoes, coat, pockets, etc.) I would have made it through South Security at Hartsfield from entry into the security area through the machine in less than a minute.” What do you think? Is a “trusted traveler” lane the answer to our woes, or is the current special lane for elite members enough for you? Please leave your comments below!

NICE ‘N EASY AIRTRAN A+ DOUBLE POINTS PROMO. Fly to any AirTran destination from September 15 through November 7 and earn double A+ Rewards credit for every flight. With this offer, you’ll earn two A+ credits for each one-way flight, which means you can earn a round reward flight after just 4 legs. Plus, if you book in business class, you will receive three A+ Rewards credits for each leg. You must register to get the bonus. And don’t forget, those A+ Rewards will eventually convert to Southwest Rapid Rewards points.

GOGO EXPERIMENTING WITH PRICING. Gogo has launched a new $1.95 15-minute in-flight wi-fi pass perfect for those who need to make a quick scan of email or check a website on a short flight. Right now, these bite-size passes are available on select flights only and appear on the Gogo home page when logging on during the flight. It’s also offering a $4.95 flight pass available on flights up to 650 miles, which is quite reasonable. On the higher end, Gogo is experimenting with raising rates. On a recent transcontinental flight, your TICKET editor paid $14.95 for wi-fi– $2 more than the standard $12.95 rate he was used to. A Gogo spokesperson told The TICKET:  “We are currently testing some new pricing structures on various routes to better gauge the value of the service on a per route basis.” Question: What’s the most you’d pay for wi-fi on a transcontinental flight? How much is too much? (I’ve always thought that charges for inflight wi-fi were quite reasonable given how much more productive I am on long haul flights. However, price seems to be an object for the general public—only about 7% of all passengers opt for wi-fi.)

SPEAKING OF GOGO. In a recent issue of The TICKET, you read that Delta Connection’s fleet of regional jets would soon begin getting Gogo wi-fi access. The first CRJ-700 of Atlantic Southeast Airlines is now ready to surf the web with 250 more to follow rapidly, and all regional jets with first class (CRJ-700s, CRJ-900s, EMB-170s, EMB-175s) will have wi-fi by early 2012. Have you flown one of these Barbie jets yet with wi-fi? Did it work just as well as mainline or was it faster due to fewer passengers on board? Good luck fitting your laptop on those tiny RJ tray tables, though!

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IS DELTA GETTING INTO BED WITH VIRGIN? Delta and Virgin Australia will launch a transpacific codeshare beginning in November as part of their existing joint venture. V Australia’s flights will move to Delta’s terminal at LAX to boost the number of passenger connection opportunities. This codeshare easily opens up nonstop flights to Brisbane and Melbourne from LAX in addition to Delta’s existing B777 service to Sydney. Earning and redeeming miles on each other’s flights and reciprocal lounge access are other benefits for consumers. And with Richard Branson’s near constant mentions of Virgin Atlantic’s interest in joining a global alliance, will this help SkyTeam bag one of the industry’s hottest names? Only time will tell! (Remember back in the day when you could redeem SkyMiles for Virgin flights to London from JFK?)

MCGINNIS ON BBC.COM. Have you read TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s recent business travel columns on BBC.com? Here’s a sampling of his most popular recent posts:

>How to book a better hotel room

>Using the train to catch your plane

>Five easy ways to brush up quickly on a new country

>Getting your money’s worth in business class

EASIER ROUND-THE-WORLD SKYMILES TIX. If you’ve racked up enough SkyMiles to take a trip around the Earth (and that would be 180,000 miles in economy and 280,000 miles in business class), it just got a lot easier to plan. In the past, travelers were forced to endure long phone calls with agents crafting together these complex itineraries with rules (like no geographical backtracking). Now, SkyTeam has launched a user-friendly tool on its website that allows travelers to piece together their own round-the-world itineraries themselves before calling Delta to book them. The awards cannot be booked online and must be booked through a special service desk, but this new online tool eases the experience considerably. Here’s the link. Bon voyage!

LATIN/CARIBBEAN SKYMILES BONUS. If you have flight plans between Atlanta, JFK, or Boston and several destinations in Latin America or the Caribbean this fall, there are some bonus miles in your future. Register for this Sept. 15-Nov. 15 promotion at  and fly one of the promotional routes to qualify for double SkyMiles. Destinations include Santo Domingo, Bermuda, San Juan, Buenos Aires and Rio.

DELTA HUBS TOPS IN ON TIME PERFORMANCE. FlightStats ranked airports based on on-time departures during September, and Delta’s hubs performed quite well. Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma, Portland, OR, and Minneapolis/St. Paul airports all exceeded 90% on-time departures. The average on-time departure performance for the group in September was 78% up over 6 percentage points from August’s 72%. On the downside, New York La Guardia and JFK ranked near the bottom.

1. SLC Salt Lake City – 92.01%
2. SEA Seattle – 90.84%
3. PDX Portland – 90.79%
4. MSP Minneapolis – 90.17%
5. MEM Memphis - 86.66%
6. OAK Oakland – 86.01%
7. TPA Tampa – 85.58%
8. YVR Vancouver – 85.28%
9. ATL Atlanta – 85.21%
10. PHX Phoenix – 85.14%

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As part of Delta’s multi-billion dollar overhaul designed to appeal to business travelers, its Sky Clubs have undergone a big transformation. In the last year, Delta has unveiled nine renovated or new clubs across the Delta system, all featuring the new Delta Sky Club design.

In just the last month, Delta’s unveiled a re-do and expansion of the club at Atlanta’s A-17.

It’s opened the first Sky Club ever out on Atlanta’s Concourse D.

And it’s built a brand new 8300 square foot perch on top of Seattle’s South Satellite Terminal near gate S-9 with big western sky views of Mt Rainier. Delta now has 38 daily departures out of Sea-Tac to 12 destinations, including Amsterdam, Beijing, Osaka and Tokyo-Narita.

Here are a few snaps of the new digs: What do you think of the new design? Please take a gander at the photos and leave your comments below! Thanks. And Happy Labor Day!

New ATL Sky Club at D27 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

New ATL Sky Club at D27 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Re-do and expansion at Delta's big Sky Club at ATL's A-17 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Re-do and expansion at Delta's big Sky Club at ATL's A-17 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Entry at the brand new Sky Club near gate S-9 at Sea-Tac (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

The bar at the brand new Sky Club near gate S-9 at Sea-Tac (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

The seated bar at the brand new Sky Club near gate S-9 at Sea-Tac (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

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This week Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly took a few minutes to chat with The TICKET about the arrival of those red bellies at ATL in February.

In this interview, Kelly talks about fares and fees, pointing out that Atlantans will soon have access to Southwest’s vast low-fare network.

He also shows no shame in discussing Southwest’s boarding process (which some refer to as the “cattle call”), no assigned seating, or the fact that Southwest plans to eliminate AirTran’s popular business class. He stresses that Southwest offers a different product than what we might be used to, but he’s clearly confident that Atlanta travelers are going to appreciate those differences.

It’s a great interview and we are very flattered that Mr Kelly took the time to talk to The TICKET! Take a look!

Please post your comments and questions about Southwest below.

*****

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Happy end of summer! Hope you all are having a good one…or had a good one.

NO PLANS TO CHANGE DELTA’S NEW 72-HOUR RULE. Our post last week about Delta’s new rule that disallows changes to SkyMiles award tickets within 72 hours of departure was the most read and forwarded post on The TICKET to date in 2011. Folks are ticked off! If you missed it, here’s the post--be sure and read the comments. Despite the outcry, Delta seems intransigent on this one. The TICKET sent Delta the following message: “Can you tell us if Michelle and the gang have decided to soften the 72 hour rule at all? Are they even discussing it, or is it case closed? We think most TICKET readers, once they get over their frustration, sort of see Delta’s point, but feel that the rule is too harsh, and perhaps it could be softened a bit. Seems like the few bad apples have spoiled something for the rest of Delta’s best, and mostly fair-minded customers. Let us know if you know if anything’s in the works.” Delta’s reply to The TICKET: “Thanks for checking in.  We have no plans to make further changes to the 72 hour rule.” There you have it.

SKYMILES TRANSFER BONUS NICE BUT NOT CHEAP. From TICKET reader Tom in Atlanta: “I decided to be nice and transfer a few miles to a friend of mine since Delta was offering to double the miles I transferred (good thru 30 September).  Boy, was I surprised to find out Delta charges .01 per mile to transfer AND $30 per transfer.  So, according to my math,  I was going to give a friend 50,000 miles that would be doubled to 100,000 (what a nice guy I am). . .and it would cost me $530!!!  Not much of a deal if you ask me!  I’m nice, but not THAT nice.”

NEW AMEX SKYMILES BENNIE. If you’ve lost Medallion status, here’s a bit of good news: If you have the Gold or Platinum Delta Sky Miles American Express card, get ready to head back to the front of the line. Beginning Sept. 1, cardholders will receive priority boarding on all Delta and Delta Connection flights. This means boarding along with SkyPriority passengers including Medallion and SkyTeam Elite-level members. No need to show the card– if it is linked to your SkyMiles account, you and up to eight travel companions booked in the same reservation will automatically be placed in one of the first boarding zones. Once on board, you also get a 20% discount for inflight purchases including food, drinks, and movies. These extra benefits are in addition to the already substantial checked bag fee waiver.

TRIMMING THE FAT. Delta is discontinuing its seasonal routes from Atlanta to Barbados and from Atlanta to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. Delta has also said that it’s discontinuing flights to several tiny cities that had been subsidized by the federal goverment’s “Essential Air Service” program. Delta is also right-sizing its hub at Salt Lake City– cutting daily departures from 260 to 224. No route cuts planned, but flight frequencies will be reduced.  AirTran is discontinuing its flights from Atlanta to Atlantic City, N.J. (in January) and Newport News (in March).

We’ve got a BIG QUESTION for you this month, and we hope you can take a moment and share your comments at the bottom of this post: How has the recent stock market roller coaster affected your plans for fall business travel– if at all? Have you decided or have you been asked to cut back on travel spending at all over the last month as a result of the uncertainty? Please leave your answers/comments below.

TOO COZY WITH DELTA? The AJC reports that former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin is joining the board of Delta, nearly two years after pushing for a lease deal between the city and Delta that some criticized as too favorable to the airline. Thoughts?

EASY 1000 SKYMILES. Don’t forget: Using Delta’s new mobile app to check-in earns you bonus miles. First register, then check in using the Delta app to earn 1,000 miles between June 30 and September 7, 2011.

FREE INFLIGHT INTERNET IN AUGUST. Were you able to log on for a little bit of free inflight wi-fi this month? Diet Coke sponsored two promos that seemed to be a hit with TICKET readers….except that so many folks signed on that service slowed to a crawl. Our post about this was very popular this month…check it out and see the comments if you missed it. By the way, you should still be able to get a free 30-minute trial between now and Sunday, August 31.

Video of the week: Bat on a Delta plane.

NEW AMIGO: AEROLINEAS ARGENTINAS. The TICKET recently reported that Aerolineas Argentinas had been invited to join the SkyTeam alliance. While it is not a full member yet, Delta has begun codesharing with the Argentinean flag carrier between both Miami and Atlanta and Buenos Aires. Beginning next year, passengers traveling on Aerolineas Argentinas can earn and redeem SkyMiles for their flights. Currently, a reciprocal club access program is already in place for SkyTeam Elite Plus members at the airline’s lounge in B.A. Speaking of amigos, Delta recently bought a 4% interest in Aeromexico…which is already a SkyTeam and codesharing partner.

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SHIP LUGGAGE. EARN SKYMILES. FedEx has a partnership with Delta allowing those who ship packages to earn SkyMiles. Between now and Oct. 15, earn triple miles for each dollar spent. For every fifth shipment, SkyMiles members get a 1,000 mile bonus. Not only does this benefit those who ship packages for work, but travelers tired of paying overweight or oversize bag fees. The price (depending on the weight of your bags) may not be that much more expensive, and you get the added bonus of scoring Sky Miles too. Who wants to schlep bags to the airport when the FedEx delivery truck can escort them from your front door to your destination?

LIVINGSOCIAL WITH DELTA. Delta has partnered with LivingSocial, a web site focused on aggregating destination deals and bargains in tandem with trips booked at Delta.com. The initiative will make it easier to save money once you land by highlighting specific restaurant, hotel, attraction, and business promotions that can save you money and time. The offers appear in the My Trips section of delta.com and align with the dates and times of your trip to zero in on the promotions that would only be of benefit during your travel. Some of the deals hack as much as 50% off a variety of services. Worth a look!

NEW DIGS AT JFK. You may be surprised to learn that Delta is the largest airline in the state of New York serving 11 cities with 439 daily departures. The bulk of its operation now takes place at its creaky JFK hub. However, work is well underway to demolish, reconstruct, and renovate Delta’s facilities at Terminal 4, next door to the old Worldport. Want a sneak peek at what you have to look forward to in 2013 following the completion of this $1.2 billion construction project? Take a look!

BETTER FIRST/BIZ CLASS. Those enjoying the occasional complimentary Medallion upgrades (and those who pay for first class) will soon see a refreshed product in domestic and Latin American first class. Those pesky placemats are being crumpled up and replaced with classier tray linens along with new china, silverware, and service items. Business Elite service between JFK and Los Angeles and San Francisco is also getting classier and tastier with the introduction of menus from Napa Valley chef Michael Chiarello.  Amenity kits on international flights will have a new look and feel plus larger toothpaste, a softer eye mask, and high-quality Greek Korres brand toiletry products.

SKY CLUB PAYMENT PLAN. Considering a Sky Club membership, but don’t want to fork over for an entire year at once? Delta has taken a hint from financial services companies and now allows you to spread out the annual cost into monthly installments of $25.99-$39.99 each (depending on Medallion level). Like many lounge programs, there is a small annual fee (ranges from $25.99-$39.99 also depending on one’s status) in addition to the cost of the monthly payment. It is important to note this is not a true monthly membership since you must commit to one year, but it certainly does lessen the financial burden for cash-strapped travelers.

SPEAKING OF SKY CLUB. We need some comments about the new A-17 Sky Club on Concourse A at ATL! Did you know that this is the busiest Sky Club out there with 55,000 monthly visits? Delta removed the rarely used conference rooms to free up much needed space. Has anyone been yet? Please start a discussion below. What do you like or not like? The new club on Concourse D, down at “wheel level” is supposed to open this month…let us know as soon as you get in there! A new rooftop Sky Club is due to open in the South Satellite at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport—let us know when you check it out!

Repeat from above….We’ve got a BIG QUESTION for you this month, and we hope you can take a moment and share your comments at the bottom of this post: How has the recent stock market roller coaster affected your plans for fall business travel– if at all? Have you decided or have you been asked to cut back on travel spending at all over the last month as a result of the uncertainty? Please leave your answers/comments below.

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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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