You will want to remember these airline travel tips to keep you on budget. Find advice on how to avoid getting snagged in security delays.  Some of these tips found on Fare Compare are big money savers. We hope you have success shopping for your next trip or vacation.

Airline Travel Tips to Keep You On Budget

This site is often called on to provide guidance to flyers who find themselves in all sorts of dilemmas. We decided to cull our best advice and put it in one place to benefit airfare shoppers, veteran travelers and infrequent flyers. Feel free toadd your question to the mix.

Shop Tuesday

Shopping on Tuesday is the single most important thing you can do to win the airfare game. Here’s why:

Typically airlines launch airfare sales on Monday night – and by Tuesday, rival airlines match the sale prices to stay competitive. These lower prices usually hit airline reservation systems by 3 p.m. eastern time. Shop then and you get more cheap flights to choose from.

Smart tip: Always use a comparison shopping site to be sure you get the best deal.

© Photographer John Wallace | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Be Flexible on Travel Dates

Know when to fly. Airfare sales often require travelers to fly on Tuesday or Wednesday because those are the days airlines have trouble filling seats – and these are usually the cheapest days to fly. Even if you can only fly one midweek day, you will still see some savings.

Smart tip: Avoid the most expensive days to fly – Friday and Sunday.

Be Flexible on Airports

Know where to fly. Flying out of Cincinnati? It might – might – be cheaper to fly out of Dayton. Californians living near Burbank’s airport have a similar decision to make about LAX. This is why you must compare prices not just with airlines but with nearby airports.

Smart tip: Usually, the bigger the airport, the cheaper the flight.

Get to the Airport Early

Here are three good reasons not to dash to the airport at the last minute.

Planes can leave early. This happens more often than you might think with planes leaving as much as 15 minutes ahead of schedule. This helps airlines meet those all-important on-time departure and arrival goals (such statistics are collected by the Department of Transportation).

Security lanes can be slow. This is no surprise to veteran travelers and at airports where there are no ‘fast lanes’ for frequent flyers, bottlenecks can occur in the blink of an eye.

Tight connections. Think a two-hour layover at JFK is enough time to make a flight to London? It won’t be if there’s a mechanical problem or bad weather on the first leg of the trip. Build in plenty of time for a worst-case scenario.

Smart tip: Pack a book, pack a Kindle, pack a game – and make sure batteries are fully

charged in case you have to sit around. And know the basic TSA security rules before you head to the airport.

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This article published in the Jerusalem Post takes a hard look at the latest news on failing airlines. It is painfully clear that failing airlines don’t care about passenger woes caused by sudden disruptions in service. Apparently consumers are out of luck when it comes to refunded airfares or re-booking flights.

Failing Airlines Don’t Care About Passenger Woes

Last week, three airlines’ actions and a very angry CEO created confusion and challenges for all involved in the airline industry.

It was on a cold and blustery Friday night that Spanair, the Barcelona-based airline, grounded all its airplanes. Citing the country’s economic crisis, its owner said it would not sink any more money into the company. Earlier in the day, a potential rescue plan for Spanair fell apart when Qatar Airways pulled out of talks to buy a stake in the airline.

One of their busiest routes was between Tel Aviv and Barcelona, and thousands of passengers were left stranded. Part of the largest airline alliance in the world, the Star Alliance, led by such heavyweights as Lufthansa and United Airlines, their fellow partners elected to not lift a finger.

Airline alliances are the lifeblood of the airline industry, allowing passengers to earn frequent flier miles, access business lounges and fly on a variety of code-shared flights. When there’s bad weather or an airport strike, the other airlines in the alliance gladly pick up the slack, allowing passengers to be rebooked on another airline. But when one of their members goes belly-up, no such sympathy is shown.

In response to the Spanair move, their “ethical|” response was to allow stranded passengers to pay up to $300 to switch their flights.

Of greater concern, however, are the future passengers. One of the largest conferences in Europe, the Mobile World Congress, is held each year in Barcelona in late February. Annually attended by over 60,000 people, Israeli companies such as CatchMedia and Vringo have planned a large presence at the Congress. Spanair had offered an entire plane to fly in these businesspeople, who then woke up to discover their tickets were now worthless.

Travel agents throughout Israel quickly rebooked their clients on El Al, Iberia and Vueling flights, with the additional cost falling firmly on the shoulders of the passengers. The reasonable travel agencies did all in their power to credit each client in full for the price of their Spanair ticket, taking the responsibility upon themselves to somehow get the prepaid tickets refunded.

Those that purchased online were told by Spanair representatives to write or fax the airline’s headquarters in Barcelona in the feeble hope they could get some type of refund. Rest assured any such refund will take months, if not years, to receive, and nobody can give a straight answer as to what percentage of what was paid will ever be refunded.

One week later, a Friday morning with the sun trying to peek through the clouds, a Malev plane was attempting to fill up her fuel tanks at Ben-Gurion airport when airport authorities requested payment of outstanding debts. The Hungarian-based airline, with over 66 years of service, had a similar request made by the authorities in Dublin.

Fearful that local authorities would seize the aircraft as a guarantee, cash-strapped Malev balked, fearing it would set a precedent and the airline would be unable to finance future requests.

She simply stopped operating, cancelling all Malev flights, leaving more than 7,000 passengers stranded. Although part of another airline alliance, One World, led by BA and American airlines, their partner airlines also chose to turn away and offered no assistance to the stranded passengers.

Why are other airlines refusing to accept El Al in an alliance?

This brings us to our very angry El Al CEO, Mr. Eliezer Shkedi, who spoke recently at the Annual Conference of Israeli travel agents. Although he heads up El Al, he pointedly requested to speak as an Israeli citizen. Enraged and engaged, he told the tortuous tale of El Al’s attempts to join any of the three airline alliances. It wasn’t an issue of El Al’s stringent security conditions, or the fact that she flew only six days a week thus forgoing potential revenue.

It was, pure and simple, due to the fact that El Al is an Israeli airline and, more to the point he asserted, a “Jewish” company. Rarely discussed in public, he told hundreds of travel professionals, airline executives and seasoned journalists that there was simply no way El Al would ever be permitted to join an alliance.

The “start-up nation” that is Israel sorely needs entrepreneurs and creative thinkers in these companies. While I have no problem criticizing government policy, I fervently believe that cogent, cohesive and comprehensive private companies are our best path.

Mark Feldman is the CEO of Ziontours, Jerusalem.

It seems that El Al has made attempts to form alliances with other airlines in order to be able to offer assistance when flights are cancelled or rerouted. According to Mr. Shkedi the CEO of El Al, the airlines have refused to accept an alliance because El Al is a Jewish company. The way I see it these failing airlines don’t care about passenger woes or they would work with any airline to provide a suitable outcome.

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Discover a world of romantic vacation spots starting with this list found on Breaking Travel News, the top honors going to Greece, France and Italy. These winninglocations are chosen by travelers around the world for their romantic and luxurious accommodations.

Discover a World of Romantic Vacation Spots

TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, today announces the winners of its 2012 Travellers’ Choice Romance awards, honouring the most romantic hotels in Europe and the world. Unlike any other hotel honours, TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travellers around the world.

The Greek island of Santorini performed extraordinarily well in the romance stakes, laying claim to Europe’s two most romantic hotels: the winner, Andronis Luxury Suites and runner-up, Aspaki & Oia Castle. Santorini also claimed the seventh place hotel, Anastasis Apartments, which was named the world’s second best hotel in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Hotel awards in January.

“With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Romance awards highlight the world’s and Europe’s best hotels for a romantic getaway according to those who really matter – travellers themselves,” commented Emma Shaw TripAdvisor spokesperson. “Santorini was revealed as a lovebird’s haven with both the winner and runner-up calling this gorgeous Greek island home, while France and Italy also revealed their romantic prowess with three properties each in the top ten.”

Europe’s most romantic hotels:

Andronis Luxury Suites Santorini, Greece
Aspaki & Oia Castle Santorini, Greece
Seven Hotel Paris Paris, France
Tiara Yaktsa Cannes Theoule sur Mer, France
Boutique Hotel Villa Sostaga Lake Garda, Italy
Castello Bevilacqua Bevilacqua, Italy
Anastasis Apartments Santorini, Greece
Villa Contessa Bad Saarow, Germany
Sogno di Giulietta Verona, Italy
Chateau de Marcay Chinon, France

Europe during the late winter, early spring is full of romance and adventure for couples looking to spend some real quality time together and experience the trip of a lifetime. Discover a world of romantic vacation spots and start planning your next get-a-way.

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As the we approach the spring travel season I wanted to provide some budget friendly travel tips from top travel experts. The article below published in the LA Times has some really great ideas for saving money on your next vacation. Experts in the travel industry share their favorite budget friendly advice.

Budget Friendly Travel Tips From Top Travel Experts

If you don’t know where you’re going on vacation this year, you may not be indecisive. You might just be a bargain hunter.

Increasingly, travelers are trading the certainty of the destination for savings, Peter Yesawich, vice chairman of MMGY Global, a marketing firm with expertise in the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries, said at the Los Angeles Times Travel Show. Instead of saying, “I want to go to Hawaii,” bargain buffs who say, “I just want warm and sunny” open their horizons. In other words, being geographically agnostic pays off.

Which raises the question of where the bargains are likely to be. At a panel discussion last weekend at the Travel Show, three bargain travel experts discussed their strategies for stretching vacation dollars.

–Look for trouble, said Gabe Saglie, senior editor of deal site TravelZoo — not trouble you create but trouble that’s been visited upon a destination. Places that have recently experienced some type of turmoil, whether it’s financial (Ireland and Greece) or climatological (Thailand with recent floods) may be ripe for plucking from the bargain bin. Japan, still recovering from the earthquake and resulting tsunami in March, also may offer some opportunities.

–Look for the crowds, said John Di Scala, founder of JohnnyJet.com. This year, you may find the Mediterranean crowded with cruise ships, which means the per-night cabin price may drop dramatically. He also suggested the Caribbean in September, which is still hurricane season but may offer some deals. (”Ships can navigate around storms,” he said.)

–Look for where the crowds aren’t, said Doug Miller, senior vice president of new initiatives for LivingSocial. Ski resorts suffered a well-publicized dearth of snow early in the season, and although Mother Nature has since stopped being so stingy with the white stuff, the perception that the cupboard is bare lingers. Look for specials at resorts eager to be myth busters.

–Sign up for everything. Because airlines don’t have as much inventory as they once did, and thus less of it to move at fire-sale prices, some take to Twitter or Facebook to announce last-minute sales of the few seats they do have. When looking at an airline, hotel or car rental site that asks whether you’d like info about special offers, just say yes. (You could create a separate email account just for those special deliveries because they’ll clog your everyday inbox.)

–Peruse plenty of places. Miller of LivingSocial says deal hounds will check 18 to 23 sites in the course of their research. All three experts suggested looking at the sites they work for, of course, but they also suggested Airfarewatchdog.com, Yapta.com, Kayak.com (an airfare aggregator),Priceline.comand BiddingforTravel.com, which can help guide you before you place you bid; Homeexchange.com (for house swapping); VRBO.com (vacation rental by owner); and FlyerTalk.com (good for info on rewards programs). To their list I would add SmarterTravel.com, CruiseCompete.com and WhichBudget.com (with a thank you to Kiplinger’s for calling out this site, which compares prices for airfares within Europe).

–Watch out for those “bite you in the budget” hidden fees that can wreck your best-laid plans. Make sure you ask about such cost extras as hotel parking (ask whether the fee quoted is per night or for your total stay); hotel resort fees (you can try to negotiate them with the hotel if you don’t use, say, the spa or the phone); baggage fees (learn to pack lightly and carry it on, except on airlines that charge for that — Spirit in the U.S. and many foreign carriers abroad); and fuel surcharges (foreign carriers are increasingly adding these).

–Most of all, be flexible. Don’t fly on the days that are busiest for business travel — Fridays and Mondays — because you may pay higher prices; stay at business destinations when the business folks have gone home for the weekend; and go in the off-season, because it’s never the wrong season for saving money.

I’d also like to warn travelers about hidden fees with rental cars and in some foreign countries there is actually a tax on all travelers just to leave the country. A friend recently traveled to Costa Rica and was surprised to find out at the airport that she needed to pay a tax to help build and repair roads. If you are standing at the check in and they say you have to pay a fee to leave the country there is nothing you can do but get out your wallet. We hope these budget friendly travel tips from top travel experts are helpful to you.

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© Photographer Laura Stone | Agency: Dreamstime.com

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We are always trying to bring you ideas we hope will help you take the hassle out of vacation planning. Today we found a few of the of basic things to remember when vacation planning by Sarah Lynn at Transfer America. We know you want to get started it’s already February and the spring and summer are right around the corner.

Take the Hassle Out of Vacation Planning

Vacations are used to escape reality. By being able to leave your life behind, even if it’s just for one week, is exhilarating. However, what makes vacations more complicated is the process that leads up to it. Planning a vacation can be extremely tiresome and frustrating. Many spend countless hours searching for the best deal or comparing prices with different sites. However, the best way to avoid all the anger and frustration is just to plan ahead.

Here are some travel tips that should help relieve the stress of planning a vacation:

1. Use A Travel Agent: Most agents rarely charge for their services and with all their expertise and information, they will be able to save you time and money.
2. Begin Planning Early: The sooner you plan your trip the better. This will give you plenty of time to make arrangements and it’ll be more likely that you’ll get everything you want.
3. Share the Planning: If you are traveling by yourself, then stick with tip #1. However, if you are going on a trip with others try and divide the work load. Have someone research activities while someone else researches hotels.
4. Set A Tentative Budget: Make sure you know exactly how much you are willing to spend on this vacation. That way you can pick which activities you prefer.
5. Take It Easy: Don’t stress yourself out on perfecting every single detail. Sometimes things don’t always go as planned. Just make sure you have a back-up plan just in case.
6. Take Advantage of Free Info: Try contacting tourist boards. They may have some valuable information about your destination.

I think the best suggestion for anyone who wants to take the hassle out of vacation planning is to use a travel agent. I can’t tell you the amount of money I have saved by calling my travel agent and allowing him to book all the flights and hotels it’s a wonderful way to reduce your stress too. He is always on top of the best travel deals and always saves me time and money with his useful tips and information.

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Stretching the budget to include a family vacation is really a challenge these days. We are all trying to figure out how to save time and money on family vacations. Let’s start with a few basic tips published on the Journal Sentinel covering Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

How to Save Time and Money on Family Vacations

The slow economy hasn’t hindered travel plans for most families. Family travelers take an average of 4.5 trips each year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Savvy families are able to travel and build lasting memories by making trips more affordable with the help of simple money-saving solutions.

Here are five money-saving travel tips to help you plan your next family vacation:

Tip 1: Plan ahead of time
Once you decide where your family will go, it’s time to research what to do. From visiting theme parks and museums to spending relaxing days at the park or beach, it is smart to do your research. Some places will give deals for advanced purchases or allow you to combine several activities into one discounted price. Your research might also help you discover some fun free activities in the area.

Tip 2: Seek out inclusive activities
Food, rides, shows and souvenirs, a day at the theme park – vacation expenses add up pretty quickly. Consider seeking out options where one price includes everything. All-in-one activities are great for families on a budget. Does the water park include free lunch with your ticket? Does your amusement park pass include a ticket to the music show they present? How about free child care for mom and dad while they’re at the restaurant? Activities that include extras can make for a hassle-free day where you never have to take out your wallet.

Tip 3: Book a hotel with all the amenities – and perks
A nice hotel with many amenities can make all the difference after busy days of sightseeing or visiting friends and family. Home2 Suites by Hilton, for example, have comfortable suites for the family to stretch out and sleep soundly each night. Cook a meal in the suite’s kitchen for a relaxing night in and a money-saving alternative to nightly dinner outings. Make a day of hanging out at the outdoor patio where you can grill lunch or simply relax and catch up with the family in the Oasis, the hotel’s common hub for social gathering. The saline-based pool, maintained with natural chemicals, is also a fun spot for the family to enjoy. Bringing the family pet? Enjoy time with your furry family member on the outdoor green area for pets at this pet-friendly hotel.

Tip 4: Cut your food costs
By eliminating eating out for one meal a day during your trip, you can save a lot of money. A family of four can spend $40 a day on breakfast at a restaurant – that’s $280 for a week’s vacation! By choosing a hotel that provides a complimentary breakfast, you can pocket that money for a fun activity, or save it for paying down the credit card bill when you get home. Not all hotel breakfasts are equal – look for options like the ones from Home2 Suites that provide a variety of tasty options to please everyone: hot breakfast sandwiches, cereal, yogurt, oatmeal and a variety of bakery products.

Tip 5: Pack light when flying
With most airline carriers charging for luggage these days, your family can rack up fees quickly if everyone has a full bag to check. For example, at $25 per bag per flight, it costs a family of four $200 extra round trip. If you can cut down on the amount of clothes and supplies you bring, you can save a ton. Check only a couple bags or just use carry-on luggage. Then, look for accommodations that offer on-site guest laundry. If you stay with Home2 Suites, you can easily do laundry on-site and either relax in the outdoor common space, or grab a quick workout in the adjacent gym.

Family travel is quality time you spend together creating memories that will last a lifetime. With these strategies, your next trip will not only be memorable, but it will be affordable too.

I love these ideas and will definitely keep them in mind when I take the family on our next vacation. If you are still eager to find out how to save time and money on family vacations you may be interested in joining a travel club. Travel clubs can offer a ton of savings on all kinds of vacations.

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