April 09 enewsletter

Tips for Travelers Newsletter April 2009

 

News you can use about packing and travel from Susan Foster, packing expert and author of Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler.

 

This newsletter was originally written for March delivery, but the computer gods frowned upon my hard drive and it was totally toasted. Naturally the entire newsletter went in the crash. This edition is filled with goodies and is a re-creation of the original. It comes with two warnings:

 

1. BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER FILES right after you finish reading this newsletter!

2. If you recently sent an email to me at susan@smartpacking.com and have not had a reply, please re-send as all of my past email is gone. When backing up your files, don’t forget to back up your email and address book or you will be in my position, which is without both.

Now on to the packing and travel news, which is grim or great, depending on your perspective.

 

1. Travel 2009 Forecast: Grim or Great?

2. Deal! Save $100 more on Grand European Tours

3. Helping the global economy – Europe here I come!

4. Deal! Reader discount at Magellan’s

5. Airline fees: Fact, fiction, and the truth

6. TSA implements “Secure Flight” behind the scenes

7. Smart Travel Press supports Kiva

 

Airfares and hotel rates are down due to the current slump in the economy so now is an excellent time to travel if it is still within your budget. If you work in the travel sector, you may no longer have a job so that is obviously the “grim” portion. However, for everyone who still has a job, the bargains abound. They cross all price spectrums; even 5-star hotels that have NEVER discounted in the past are offering “stay three nights, get the fourth night free” and better. Breakfast included, dining room credits, and credits for sport and spa are only some of the incentives being offered.

 

Airlines are facing a downturn worse than the post-9/11 drop and are discounting fares like crazy too, but this will not continue forever as they will cut flights and drop destinations to minimize costs and maximize fares as soon as they possibly can. Never have I seen such discounts as those being offered in premium seating -- business class prices were rarely cut in the past and now they are as flexible as coach fares. Even mileage programs are offering discounted deals: United Airlines recently announced roundtrip travel to Europe is available for 40,000 miles instead of 55,000 for a short period of time. Mileage award seats are actually available so this is a great time to cash in those miles that you have not been able to use.

 

Look also at cruises and package tours – they all are offering incentives and discounts. Every travel brochure I receive sports a “new savings” sticker that offers “Two for One”, free airfare, 50% discount, “new special offers” and more. And, as always, travel agents provide the experience and expertise to guide your decision-making.

 

Plan ahead and shop for travel now, this is about as cheap as it gets.

 

Here is a perfect example of the point above. Grand European Tours is currently offering special pricing on their trips PLUS an additional discount to readers of “Tips for Travelers.” Fully escorted tours are currently the best value in travel. I have frequently worked with Grand European Tours and am very impressed with the people and their trips. Traveling internationally on a tour means almost zero planning time for you – the tour company does all of that work instead. From famous cities to charming villages, on a river cruise or by motor coach, these trips will create a lifetime of memories and far exceed your expectations.

Jo Basley, GET’s Marketing Manager, says “With over 40 tours across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North and South America, Grand European Tours makes your world travels effortless and rewarding. Each fully escorted tour includes international airfare, first class accommodations, most meals and extensive sightseeing. Our competitive pricing, combined with our exclusive savings programs, can make your European vacation a reality today!”

 

Book by May 22, 2009 and receive an additional $100 per couple savings just for being a “Tips for Travelers” subscriber. Call 1-800-552-5545 or visit www.getours.com and be sure to mention “Smart Packing” for the discount.

 

Or to request a copy of their catalog click here:http://www.getours.com

 

When one of my closest friends said she wanted to spend her milestone birthday shopping with her girlfriends in Paris, I jumped at the chance! We will spend six days doing “girly-girl” things: shopping, flea markets, fashion museums, tea rooms – the things husbands despise. Following Paris, I will meet my husband in Barcelona for two weeks in Spain.

 

This trip is a packing nightmare: packing for three countries, three climates, fashionable city and tourist in the countryside, all in one small 22” rolling bag. Whew! But I can do it. Watch me in action as I show you exactly how to do this in my new DVD “Smart Packing – It’s a Suitcase, Not Your Closet!”

 

The DVD is the perfect gift for your “packing challenged” family members or traveling companions.

 

My suitcase will contain versatile clothes based on one color (black works best for me) that can be interchanged so that I can be appropriately dressed each day, but not wear a totally different outfit. I will have clothes for warm weather, rainy days, layers for cold weather, and accessories to spiff up my daytime pieces for dressier evenings. For my “Seven Smart Packing Tips” click here.

 

I plan to check my bag because it is hard for me to lift a fully packed suitcase over my head into the overhead bin, and I want more liquids and gels than the little TSA 1-quart baggie allows. For my in-flight needs, I use a carry-on tote that contains reading materials (my Kindle!), glasses, water bottle, shawl, noise-canceling headphones, change of underwear (just in case the checked bag does not arrive with me), and essential medications.

 

My husband will check a 24” bag and he doesn’t know yet that I may sneak some of my warmer weather clothes for Spain into his suitcase. He always uses a sleek backpack as his carry-on, which is also handy for daily touring. Because this is international travel, we will not be charged for checking baggage so bag fees are not a consideration.

 

I'll return on April 28th and will give a full report in the next newsletter! Until then, I'll have limited email access, so please don't expect a prompt reply if you contact me.

 

Now you can buy that new lightweight suitcase you need or anything else your heart desires and save 10% at Magellan’s, the worlds most trusted source of travel supplies. This is my favorite catalog and online resource for all things travel. (Disclosure: they also sell my book and DVD so I love them for that reason too). We have negotiated a special 10% discount just for “Tips for Travelers” subscribers. If you are shopping online, use the following discount link and 10% will be taken off your total order.

If shopping by phone, use the code “Susan”.

 

Use this discount as many times as you like, including on Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler:

 

or our new DVD “Smart Packing – It’s a Suitcase, Not Your Closet!” available at www.magellans.com by mid-April. Check back with Magellan’s later and use your discount again!

 

Enjoy! And many thanks, Magellan’s!

 

Fact:  USAirways recently changed their mind and eliminated the $2 fee for sodas, juices, tea, water and coffee, a highly unpopular charge that began last summer. Now you no longer need pack your own drinks onboard or pay for water!

Fiction:  The rumor that RyanAir, a low cost European airline, was thinking about charging a fee to use the bathrooms onboard circulated recently and travelers were aghast. Thankfully, it was found to be an attention-getting device, which it accomplished. But it sets the stage…

 

Truth: From aisle seats to booking fees, what will they think of next? And how can we know what charges might be incurred? The following essential chart from SmarterTravel.com and sent by Nan Willis of AAA Travel (thanks Nan!) shows it all and is frequently updated. You will want to bookmark this and refer to it before booking an airline ticket so that you can compare prices accurately, then check again before you fly to see if changes have occurred.

The Secure Flight program transfers pre-departure passenger watch list matching responsibilities from airlines to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and carries out a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. TSA has begun the watch list matching for passengers on domestic commercial flights with four volunteer airlines and will add more carriers in the coming months.

 

Secure Flight streamlines and simplifies the watch list matching process by dozens of air carriers to one by TSA. Under Secure Flight, airlines require that passengers provide their full name, date of birth, and gender when making a reservation to travel. By requiring gender and date of birth information, Secure Flight will better prevent misidentification of passengers who have similar names to individuals on the watch list and will protect sensitive watch list data. It will help officials to address security threats sooner, keeping air travel safer. By implementing one watch list matching system, the program provides a fair and consistent matching process across all airlines.

 

The biggest change for passengers will be providing additional information when booking a reservation for air travel. This is happening now with the four volunteer airlines and will increase in scope to include all domestic and international flights by the end of 2010. Start now making sure that the name you use to book your travel is exactly the same as on your identification. Consistency is the key. To read more, click here:

 

We invest some of the profits of Smart Travel Press in people around the world through Kiva, “the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe”. By partnering with local microfinance institutions, Kiva gives individuals like you and me a way to lend business capital to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world so they can lift themselves out of poverty. Kiva shows an almost zero loan default rate with their active partners – that’s astonishing!

 

For as little as $25 you can be part of a small loan that will change an individual, a family, or an entire village, and you will receive your $25 back so you can lend it again to another. And the cycle continues. For the price of a couple of lunches, you can easily and quickly lend online and give hope and support to a struggling entrepreneur.

To learn more about this organization and their mission, click here: http://www.kiva.org

As always, I invite you to share this newsletter with friends, family and colleagues by forwarding this message or they may sign up for Tips for Travelers at smartpacking.com. I personally respond to every question and welcome your e-mails and comments.

Smart Packing for Today's Traveler is available in bookstores, travel and luggage retailers online, in catalogs, and in shops, and from our website, click here to buy.

 

Au revoir - Adios, and remember to always pack smart and travel easy!

 

Susan

 

Susan Foster, Author, Packing Expert, Speaker, Spokesperson

Smart Travel Press

PO Box 25514  Portland, OR 97298-0514

503.452.9384 fax 503.452.7558

Smart Packing for Today‘s Traveler, Third Edition, the most complete guide for what to take and how to pack

“Smart Packing – It’s a Suitcase, Not Your Closet!” DVD

pack for a week or more in one carry-on bag

© Susan Foster, Smart Travel Press 2009