Key to travel these days is savings. If you’re taking a flight, then it’s important to find an airfare that won’t exhaust the bulk of your budget. Indeed, doing one’s homework when it comes to air travel can help you save and get your trip off to a flying start. But where to begin?

Factors affecting a flight’s cost include the season, the price of fuel, ongoing “fare wars,” and in some cases, a surcharge. Fortunately, for travel within the United States, you won’t need to worry about a surcharge just yet. However, this is certainly something that can change in the future, as the rules to the airfare game are constantly evolving.

As competition for passengers increases, airlines and online agencies are all attempting to offer the most competitive (and thus, attractive) price. When doing your research, look at ongoing “wars,” which may include regional, mini, or system-wide offers. Nowadays, many of the smaller airline carriers are reserving their best prices for their own websites. For instance, jetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines offer sales on a weekly basis.
(more…)

A buzz word in the travel industry these days is definitely “green”. Although it’s true that this movement towards environmental responsibility is found most everywhere these days, for travelers, it’s becoming increasingly a focus. Along with the standard questions “where to go?” and “what to do?”, many travelers today are also asking: “what’s my impact?” and “what can I do to help?”

From this desire to “go green,” responsible travel has risen in popularity and even when traveling to America’s urban centers, it remains a goal. Thus, it’s no wonder that the travel industry has been working towards meeting that demand.
(more…)