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Travel blog — Jul 2009

Jul

31

20 09

This week’s airfare dip by Fareologist

Travelers who watch fares every day got a nice bonus this week: Airfares dropped about 5 percent on Tuesday and Wednesday, then gave back about half of that decline over the past two days. To put this in perspective, Wednesday’s price level was the lowest we’ve seen since the end of May. Here’s how prices have trended over the past three months: Those of you who have fare alerts set up for your most-desired trips should have received an e-mail notifying you of the huge price drops, if they applied to your itinerary. And if you follow @fareologist on Twitter, you would have heard about some of the great deals that were available. But even if you missed the low point for airfares this week, there are still deals out there to be had. Take New York City, for example. Even after the recent rise in fares, flights into JFK are still down 6 percent from a week ago. Flights into Newark are still down 5 percent. And flights into LaGuardia are still down 4 percent. (Check out our deals page to see where the bargains are from your city.) Another tip: Consider avoiding travel in August. I analyzed the Bing Travel 100 Index for this week by month of departure, and saw... Read More Travelers who watch fares every day got a nice bonus this week: Airfares dropped about 5 percent on Tuesday and Wednesday, then gave back about half of that decline over the past two days. To put this in perspective, Wednesday’s price level was the lowest we’ve seen since the end of May. Here’s how prices have trended over the past three months: Those of you who have fare alerts set up for your most-desired trips should have received an e-mail notifying you of the huge price drops, if they applied to your itinerary. And if you follow @fareologist on Twitter, you would have heard about some of the great deals that were available. But even if you missed the low point for airfares this week, there are still deals out there to be had. Take New York City, for example. Even after the recent rise in fares, flights into JFK are still down 6 percent from a week ago. Flights into Newark are still down 5 percent. And flights into LaGuardia are still down 4 percent. (Check out our deals page to see where the bargains are from your city.) Another tip: Consider avoiding travel in August. I analyzed the Bing Travel 100 Index for this week by month of departure, and saw... Read More
Jul

31

20 09

Air travel’s perks and penalties

Get bumped, you win. Change your plans, you lose. That’s one way to look at a pair of recent articles about flying. In a new Bing Travel column from The Wall Street Journal, Scott McCartney writes that airlines reap more money from change fees and cancellation penalties than from the much-ballyhooed baggage fees the carriers have implemented in the past couple of years. For example, American Airlines’ haul from cancellations and ticket changes was $116 million in the first quarter of 2009, McCartney writes; the baggage-fee take amounted to $108 million. All told, he reports that cancellation and change penalties add up to $2 billion a year for airlines. (Indeed, one blogger is already wondering whether cancellation fees could “ save the airlines .”) Furthermore, these fees are increasingly going up; if you bought a ticket at a discount, changing or canceling your itinerary could easily cost you more than your flight did in the first place. Meanwhile, a Bing Travel article from The Associated Press notes that with airlines operating fewer flights this summer, more and more fliers are volunteering to get bumped off of planes for which there are more ticketed... Read More Get bumped, you win. Change your plans, you lose. That’s one way to look at a pair of recent articles about flying. In a new Bing Travel column from The Wall Street Journal, Scott McCartney writes that airlines reap more money from change fees and cancellation penalties than from the much-ballyhooed baggage fees the carriers have implemented in the past couple of years. For example, American Airlines’ haul from cancellations and ticket changes was $116 million in the first quarter of 2009, McCartney writes; the baggage-fee take amounted to $108 million. All told, he reports that cancellation and change penalties add up to $2 billion a year for airlines. (Indeed, one blogger is already wondering whether cancellation fees could “ save the airlines .”) Furthermore, these fees are increasingly going up; if you bought a ticket at a discount, changing or canceling your itinerary could easily cost you more than your flight did in the first place. Meanwhile, a Bing Travel article from The Associated Press notes that with airlines operating fewer flights this summer, more and more fliers are volunteering to get bumped off of planes for which there are more ticketed... Read More
Jul

31

20 09

Great drives around national parks

The splendor of America’s national parks can be hard to see through the crowds of people and traffic jams that often plague these gems during the height of summer. With some careful planning, though, you can avoid the crowds and instead find yourself deep in some of the most scenic natural beauty around. In a new article on Bing Travel, Budget Travel has suggested itineraries at parks that are easy to reach by car from nearby cities. Once you arrive, you can park the car and explore the trails, waterways, views and vistas each park has to offer. For example, drive north from Boston into Maine, past fishing villages and along stunning coastline, to Acadia, New England’s only national park. Or, from Seattle, head a few hours west to soak in hot springs set deep in the Olympic National Park on the Pacific Coast. Do you have any strategies for avoiding park crowds or any favorite undiscovered national parks ? Share your suggestions in the comments section. Read More The splendor of America’s national parks can be hard to see through the crowds of people and traffic jams that often plague these gems during the height of summer. With some careful planning, though, you can avoid the crowds and instead find yourself deep in some of the most scenic natural beauty around. In a new article on Bing Travel, Budget Travel has suggested itineraries at parks that are easy to reach by car from nearby cities. Once you arrive, you can park the car and explore the trails, waterways, views and vistas each park has to offer. For example, drive north from Boston into Maine, past fishing villages and along stunning coastline, to Acadia, New England’s only national park. Or, from Seattle, head a few hours west to soak in hot springs set deep in the Olympic National Park on the Pacific Coast. Do you have any strategies for avoiding park crowds or any favorite undiscovered national parks ? Share your suggestions in the comments section. Read More
Jul

30

20 09

The perils and pitfalls of navigating by...

All I wanted was a cheeseburger. According to the mapping application on my phone, In-n-Out Burger should have been right in front of us. Instead, we were parked in the employee parking lot behind Merry Maids somewhere in Culver City, Calif. This wasn’t the first time a mapping service failed me. Even my trusty GPS has led me down dirt roads and toward dead ends. It’s enough to make me question the reliability of using these services to get me where I need to go. As a backup, I’ve been carrying old-fashioned paper maps, road atlases and even AAA’s TripTiks. Human error can be another factor in getting lost. If you type Place instead of Street or NE instead of NW, you may not end up where you intended. Correctly spelling the name of your destination is also crucial. Two Swedish tourists recently learned this lesson the hard way . They transposed two of the letters in Capri, the picturesque island off the coast of Italy, when entering the destination name into their GPS. Upon reaching their “destination,” they discovered they were in the town of Carpi, about 400 miles north of Capri. How do you navigate to or around an unfamiliar destination... Read More All I wanted was a cheeseburger. According to the mapping application on my phone, In-n-Out Burger should have been right in front of us. Instead, we were parked in the employee parking lot behind Merry Maids somewhere in Culver City, Calif. This wasn’t the first time a mapping service failed me. Even my trusty GPS has led me down dirt roads and toward dead ends. It’s enough to make me question the reliability of using these services to get me where I need to go. As a backup, I’ve been carrying old-fashioned paper maps, road atlases and even AAA’s TripTiks. Human error can be another factor in getting lost. If you type Place instead of Street or NE instead of NW, you may not end up where you intended. Correctly spelling the name of your destination is also crucial. Two Swedish tourists recently learned this lesson the hard way . They transposed two of the letters in Capri, the picturesque island off the coast of Italy, when entering the destination name into their GPS. Upon reaching their “destination,” they discovered they were in the town of Carpi, about 400 miles north of Capri. How do you navigate to or around an unfamiliar destination... Read More
Jul

30

20 09

A full day in London for $15

A vacation doesn't have to be expensive to be amazing — which is good news since no one seems to have much money these days. London's a perfect example: It's famously one of the most expensive cities in the world, but you could easily have a great day there for just $15 (not counting your accommodations, of course). Public transportation in London is pricey, so it’s important to base yourself within easy walking distance of many of the city's top sights. The Victoria and Albert Museum, for one, just premiered a first-rate exhibition of design art, and offers free admission. Science-minded families can then venture next door to the Natural History Museum, where kids can roam the dinosaur exhibits and gawp at the life-size model of a blue whale. And there’s no admission charge there either, so stay as long (or as short) as you like. For lunch, eat where Londoners eat — at a sandwich shop like Eat or Pret-a-Manger; it may not be The Ivy, but it's a much more authentic experience. A drink and a sandwich will cost you about $6. After lunch, walk up Brompton Road for some window-shopping at Harrods, the ultimate London department store. (At least for window-shopping;... Read More A vacation doesn't have to be expensive to be amazing — which is good news since no one seems to have much money these days. London's a perfect example: It's famously one of the most expensive cities in the world, but you could easily have a great day there for just $15 (not counting your accommodations, of course). Public transportation in London is pricey, so it’s important to base yourself within easy walking distance of many of the city's top sights. The Victoria and Albert Museum, for one, just premiered a first-rate exhibition of design art, and offers free admission. Science-minded families can then venture next door to the Natural History Museum, where kids can roam the dinosaur exhibits and gawp at the life-size model of a blue whale. And there’s no admission charge there either, so stay as long (or as short) as you like. For lunch, eat where Londoners eat — at a sandwich shop like Eat or Pret-a-Manger; it may not be The Ivy, but it's a much more authentic experience. A drink and a sandwich will cost you about $6. After lunch, walk up Brompton Road for some window-shopping at Harrods, the ultimate London department store. (At least for window-shopping;... Read More
Jul

29

20 09

Become a temporary European by Rick Steves

Many travelers tramp through Europe like they’re visiting the cultural zoo. “Ooh, that guy in lederhosen yodeled! Excuse me, could you do that again so I can take a picture?” When I’m in Europe, I become the best German or Spaniard or Italian I can be. I consume wine in France, beer in Germany and small breakfasts in Italy. While I never drink tea at home, after a long day of sightseeing in England, “a spot of tea” really does feel right. So on your next trip across the pond, resist the urge to look at Europe through a lens, and find ways to really be there. One of the best ways to connect to the culture is to play where the locals play. That means choosing destinations busy with local holiday-goers but not on the international tourist map. For instance, while tourists outnumber locals five to one at the world-famous Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s other amusement park, Bakken, is enjoyed purely by Danes. Disneyland Paris is great. But Paris’ Parc Astérix amusement park is more French. Hang out in a city’s fairgrounds and parks, which are filled with local families, lovers and old-timers enjoying a cheap afternoon or evening... Read More Many travelers tramp through Europe like they’re visiting the cultural zoo. “Ooh, that guy in lederhosen yodeled! Excuse me, could you do that again so I can take a picture?” When I’m in Europe, I become the best German or Spaniard or Italian I can be. I consume wine in France, beer in Germany and small breakfasts in Italy. While I never drink tea at home, after a long day of sightseeing in England, “a spot of tea” really does feel right. So on your next trip across the pond, resist the urge to look at Europe through a lens, and find ways to really be there. One of the best ways to connect to the culture is to play where the locals play. That means choosing destinations busy with local holiday-goers but not on the international tourist map. For instance, while tourists outnumber locals five to one at the world-famous Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s other amusement park, Bakken, is enjoyed purely by Danes. Disneyland Paris is great. But Paris’ Parc Astérix amusement park is more French. Hang out in a city’s fairgrounds and parks, which are filled with local families, lovers and old-timers enjoying a cheap afternoon or evening... Read More
Jul

29

20 09

Rooms for less with Bing Travel's Hotel...

With Labor Day weekend fast approaching, perhaps you’re thinking about a quick trip to Vegas. Airfares aren’t too expensive, but the cost of a hotel room may give you second thoughts, especially since the best properties tend to get up booked up during holiday weekends. Fortunately, Bing Travel has created an intelligent tool to help you figure out whether the hotel rate you’re being offered is a deal or not. Unlike the Price Predictor , the Hotel Rate Indicator doesn’t project whether the cost of a room will go up or down on the dates you want to stay; instead, it compares the current rates to past rates for that hotel, helping you buy with confidence. Here’s how it works. From Bing Travel , search hotels in Las Vegas for your dates. On the search results page, you can filter by the number of stars, amenities, brand or geographical location. Then, click “open map” to see a visual layout of the available hotels for your selections: In this example (the search was conducted on July 27), the yellow coloring shows that most of the hotels on the Strip have an “average rate” for Labor Day weekend. Mouse over each property... Read More With Labor Day weekend fast approaching, perhaps you’re thinking about a quick trip to Vegas. Airfares aren’t too expensive, but the cost of a hotel room may give you second thoughts, especially since the best properties tend to get up booked up during holiday weekends. Fortunately, Bing Travel has created an intelligent tool to help you figure out whether the hotel rate you’re being offered is a deal or not. Unlike the Price Predictor , the Hotel Rate Indicator doesn’t project whether the cost of a room will go up or down on the dates you want to stay; instead, it compares the current rates to past rates for that hotel, helping you buy with confidence. Here’s how it works. From Bing Travel , search hotels in Las Vegas for your dates. On the search results page, you can filter by the number of stars, amenities, brand or geographical location. Then, click “open map” to see a visual layout of the available hotels for your selections: In this example (the search was conducted on July 27), the yellow coloring shows that most of the hotels on the Strip have an “average rate” for Labor Day weekend. Mouse over each property... Read More
Jul

29

20 09

The world’s worst travel scams

Scammers never sleep. Well, of course they do — but given how creative and enterprising they are in coming up with new ways to separate you from your money, it could be easy to believe otherwise. A new Bing Travel article describes some of the hazards to your monetary health to look out for when you’re traveling. Pickpockets are always a worry, of course, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Beware the taxi with the broken meter, the way-too-good-to-be-true vacation offer, the overinflated exchange rate, the extortionist “train inspectors” and the ever-popular shell game. Oh yes, and about those pickpockets: Be especially wary of any public disturbance, whether a street scuffle or roadside entertainment — sticky-fingered thieves are just waiting for you to pay attention to the distraction rather than to your valuables. Fortunately, even though scammers seemingly stay up all night trying to outsmart you, there are ways for you to beat them. Keep up to date on the latest scams; searching Bing for “travel scams” is a good way to start. A fun way to educate yourself is to play the Federal Trade Commission’s online game, “Gear... Read More Scammers never sleep. Well, of course they do — but given how creative and enterprising they are in coming up with new ways to separate you from your money, it could be easy to believe otherwise. A new Bing Travel article describes some of the hazards to your monetary health to look out for when you’re traveling. Pickpockets are always a worry, of course, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Beware the taxi with the broken meter, the way-too-good-to-be-true vacation offer, the overinflated exchange rate, the extortionist “train inspectors” and the ever-popular shell game. Oh yes, and about those pickpockets: Be especially wary of any public disturbance, whether a street scuffle or roadside entertainment — sticky-fingered thieves are just waiting for you to pay attention to the distraction rather than to your valuables. Fortunately, even though scammers seemingly stay up all night trying to outsmart you, there are ways for you to beat them. Keep up to date on the latest scams; searching Bing for “travel scams” is a good way to start. A fun way to educate yourself is to play the Federal Trade Commission’s online game, “Gear... Read More
Jul

28

20 09

Will Oyster.com be a pearl for hotelgoers...

Is user-generated content helpful to travelers? When the topic is restaurants, I think it can be. Such Web sites as Yelp.com , Chowhound.com and Roadfood.com offer solid information, posted by local foodies who know the scene, have tried many different eateries and write knowledgeably about their topic. Web sites that concentrate on hotels are less sure-fire, for two major reasons: 1. The reviews on them may not be genuine. Some marketing folks spend their time posting bogus reviews for the hotels that hire them. The practice of “buzz marketing” has now become so widespread that TripAdvisor has recently started posting warnings on reviews it thinks may be fake. (I doubt very much they’ll be able to catch more than a small fraction of the fake reviews.) 2. Even when the reviews are real, they’re written by folks whose knowledge of the topic is necessarily limited. Very few will have visited more than one hotel in the area, so they have no basis for comparison. I can’t tell you how many reviews I’ve read touting a hotel as being “the best” in a particular area, when I know — having done extensive research as a guidebook writer... Read More Is user-generated content helpful to travelers? When the topic is restaurants, I think it can be. Such Web sites as Yelp.com , Chowhound.com and Roadfood.com offer solid information, posted by local foodies who know the scene, have tried many different eateries and write knowledgeably about their topic. Web sites that concentrate on hotels are less sure-fire, for two major reasons: 1. The reviews on them may not be genuine. Some marketing folks spend their time posting bogus reviews for the hotels that hire them. The practice of “buzz marketing” has now become so widespread that TripAdvisor has recently started posting warnings on reviews it thinks may be fake. (I doubt very much they’ll be able to catch more than a small fraction of the fake reviews.) 2. Even when the reviews are real, they’re written by folks whose knowledge of the topic is necessarily limited. Very few will have visited more than one hotel in the area, so they have no basis for comparison. I can’t tell you how many reviews I’ve read touting a hotel as being “the best” in a particular area, when I know — having done extensive research as a guidebook writer... Read More
Jul

28

20 09

Why are rental cars so expensive?

Airfares, hotels, cruises and just about everything else associated with travel is considerably less expensive than it was at this time a year ago. So renting a car should cost less than in 2008 too, shouldn’t it? Wrong. A new Bing Travel article by Pauline Frommer tackles the car-rental situation, where the cost to consumers is way up over last year. According to The New York Times , in June you would have paid a whopping 65 percent more on average for a compact car rented at the airport, compared to the previous June. In May it was even worse, to the tune of a 73 percent increase. As Frommer notes, the rate jump can be explained by car-rental companies accomplishing what other sectors of the travel industry have been unable to do: increase prices by cutting supply. The major companies have all slashed their fleets, Frommer says, and one Hotwire employee believes the number of rental cars on the roads is down at least 15 percent from last summer. What’s a prospective car renter to do? Frommer lays out a number of options. Try renting anywhere but at an airport; independent rental agencies can also be a good bet. Be sure to use any coupons or discount codes you’re... Read More Airfares, hotels, cruises and just about everything else associated with travel is considerably less expensive than it was at this time a year ago. So renting a car should cost less than in 2008 too, shouldn’t it? Wrong. A new Bing Travel article by Pauline Frommer tackles the car-rental situation, where the cost to consumers is way up over last year. According to The New York Times , in June you would have paid a whopping 65 percent more on average for a compact car rented at the airport, compared to the previous June. In May it was even worse, to the tune of a 73 percent increase. As Frommer notes, the rate jump can be explained by car-rental companies accomplishing what other sectors of the travel industry have been unable to do: increase prices by cutting supply. The major companies have all slashed their fleets, Frommer says, and one Hotwire employee believes the number of rental cars on the roads is down at least 15 percent from last summer. What’s a prospective car renter to do? Frommer lays out a number of options. Try renting anywhere but at an airport; independent rental agencies can also be a good bet. Be sure to use any coupons or discount codes you’re... Read More
Jul

27

20 09

Blinks: Our favorite links from around...

We’re back with another roundup of Blinks: the Bing editors’ favorite links to travel-related stories from around the Web. If you’re planning a trip or dreaming about an upcoming adventure, check the Bing Travel blog regularly for more Blinks. Share your discoveries or feedback in the comments section. And then, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed and become a fan on Facebook . Here are some of our recent favorites: Need ideas for your next European adventure? The Los Angeles Times has a new feature sharing 63 off-the-beaten-path destinations in Europe , showcasing a less-crowded alternative in Provence and a waterfront gem on the Adriatic Coast. The story also includes often-overlooked big-city gems like Warsaw, Poland; Vienna; and Oslo. ( Los Angeles Times ) National Geographic names the best U.S. national parks in a new feature called Essential Guide to Ten American Classics . The handbook includes scenic drives, easy hikes, travel strategies and tips on where to stay. The best part? The editors aren’t stopping at just 10 parks — more will be added to the site in September. ( National Geographic Traveler ) We love applying geek-productivity... Read More We’re back with another roundup of Blinks: the Bing editors’ favorite links to travel-related stories from around the Web. If you’re planning a trip or dreaming about an upcoming adventure, check the Bing Travel blog regularly for more Blinks. Share your discoveries or feedback in the comments section. And then, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed and become a fan on Facebook . Here are some of our recent favorites: Need ideas for your next European adventure? The Los Angeles Times has a new feature sharing 63 off-the-beaten-path destinations in Europe , showcasing a less-crowded alternative in Provence and a waterfront gem on the Adriatic Coast. The story also includes often-overlooked big-city gems like Warsaw, Poland; Vienna; and Oslo. ( Los Angeles Times ) National Geographic names the best U.S. national parks in a new feature called Essential Guide to Ten American Classics . The handbook includes scenic drives, easy hikes, travel strategies and tips on where to stay. The best part? The editors aren’t stopping at just 10 parks — more will be added to the site in September. ( National Geographic Traveler ) We love applying geek-productivity... Read More
Jul

27

20 09

What Big Macs tell travelers about exchange...

Economics is so much more intriguing when it comes in burger form. In case you’ve never heard of the Big Mac Index , it’s The Economist magazine’s way of analyzing exchange rates in a way that’s digestible (as The Economist puts it) to the general public. The index analyzes Big Mac prices around the world — the McDonald’s staple is produced in about 120 countries — by looking at how much the sandwich costs in each country. It then calculates the Big Mac PPP, or purchasing-power parity, to compare each currency to the U.S. dollar. Why is “burgernomics” helpful to you, the traveler? It’s a good indication of exchange rates’ real value. The Economist explains : “The Big Mac PPP is the exchange rate that would mean hamburgers cost the same in America as abroad. Comparing actual exchange rates with PPPs indicates whether a currency is under- or overvalued.” Those comparisons are pretty interesting. The Big Mac Index’s most recent report finds that you get the most burger for your buck in Asia — notably China, where at present you’d spend the equivalent of about $1.83 for the... Read More Economics is so much more intriguing when it comes in burger form. In case you’ve never heard of the Big Mac Index , it’s The Economist magazine’s way of analyzing exchange rates in a way that’s digestible (as The Economist puts it) to the general public. The index analyzes Big Mac prices around the world — the McDonald’s staple is produced in about 120 countries — by looking at how much the sandwich costs in each country. It then calculates the Big Mac PPP, or purchasing-power parity, to compare each currency to the U.S. dollar. Why is “burgernomics” helpful to you, the traveler? It’s a good indication of exchange rates’ real value. The Economist explains : “The Big Mac PPP is the exchange rate that would mean hamburgers cost the same in America as abroad. Comparing actual exchange rates with PPPs indicates whether a currency is under- or overvalued.” Those comparisons are pretty interesting. The Big Mac Index’s most recent report finds that you get the most burger for your buck in Asia — notably China, where at present you’d spend the equivalent of about $1.83 for the... Read More
Jul

27

20 09

The world’s most amazing buildings

Centuries after their creation, the architectural marvels of the ancient world are still much beloved by travelers. For example, the Great Wall of China and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which many consider to be two of the greatest engineering feats of their time, are visited by millions of people each year. But what will travelers consider the most notable buildings of today, 1,000 or 2,000 years from now? Award-winning architects are creating amazing structures around the world that may serve as a legacy of the 21st century to future generations. A new photo gallery on Bing Travel highlights some of these modern marvels, which span the globe from New York to Singapore. Two of our favorites are in Europe: the whimsical Dancing House in Prague designed by Frank Gehry, and a creaturelike educational complex in Spain developed by Santiago Calatrava. There’s also a rendering of a tower under construction in Chicago that will be one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers when (and if) it’s completed. What are some of your favorite architectural wonders around the world? Have you visited any of the ones featured in our slide show? Share your experiences in the... Read More Centuries after their creation, the architectural marvels of the ancient world are still much beloved by travelers. For example, the Great Wall of China and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which many consider to be two of the greatest engineering feats of their time, are visited by millions of people each year. But what will travelers consider the most notable buildings of today, 1,000 or 2,000 years from now? Award-winning architects are creating amazing structures around the world that may serve as a legacy of the 21st century to future generations. A new photo gallery on Bing Travel highlights some of these modern marvels, which span the globe from New York to Singapore. Two of our favorites are in Europe: the whimsical Dancing House in Prague designed by Frank Gehry, and a creaturelike educational complex in Spain developed by Santiago Calatrava. There’s also a rendering of a tower under construction in Chicago that will be one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers when (and if) it’s completed. What are some of your favorite architectural wonders around the world? Have you visited any of the ones featured in our slide show? Share your experiences in the... Read More
Jul

24

20 09

Why are West Coast fares so expensive?...

When people find out I’m a fareologist, they always want to talk about airfares. And recently, I keep hearing that “it’s getting so expensive to fly on the West Coast.” People in Seattle say it. People in San Francisco say it. Even people in Los Angeles say it. I haven’t heard the same gripes from my friends on the East Coast. So I decided to dig into the data and find out: Are things really that much worse out here? First, I compared the price histories for two “down the coast” trips: New York (JFK) to Miami (MIA), and Seattle (SEA) to Los Angeles (LAX): From the graph, it’s clear that prices for the West Coast trip have risen more and faster than fares for the East Coast trip. But these are just two sample routes. To get a more complete picture, I looked at every domestic airport, grouped by time zone. Then I compared the current average prices for August travel with the same prices from four weeks ago: From this analysis, I can see that prices from West Coast origins are not only more expensive than fares originating in the rest of the country, but they’ve risen by almost twice as much... Read More When people find out I’m a fareologist, they always want to talk about airfares. And recently, I keep hearing that “it’s getting so expensive to fly on the West Coast.” People in Seattle say it. People in San Francisco say it. Even people in Los Angeles say it. I haven’t heard the same gripes from my friends on the East Coast. So I decided to dig into the data and find out: Are things really that much worse out here? First, I compared the price histories for two “down the coast” trips: New York (JFK) to Miami (MIA), and Seattle (SEA) to Los Angeles (LAX): From the graph, it’s clear that prices for the West Coast trip have risen more and faster than fares for the East Coast trip. But these are just two sample routes. To get a more complete picture, I looked at every domestic airport, grouped by time zone. Then I compared the current average prices for August travel with the same prices from four weeks ago: From this analysis, I can see that prices from West Coast origins are not only more expensive than fares originating in the rest of the country, but they’ve risen by almost twice as much... Read More
Jul

24

20 09

The world’s weirdest attractions

It’s inevitable: Even if you expose your children on their summer vacation to artistic works by the great masters, wondrous historic sites and magnificent natural wonders, what the young fry will remember most is the world’s biggest ball of twine (where you stopped for five minutes after much whining from the back seat). Don’t get impatient with your kids, though; we can all appreciate novelty and silliness — which may help explain why there are so many offbeat attractions for you to enjoy during your travels. A new article from Reuters lists some of the zaniest things you’ll find around the world, including a museum in India devoted to toilets, a house shaped like a big shoe and an island where the local burros will happily quaff your beer. Bing Travel’s slide shows have plenty of additional suggestions for a wacky diversion, too. Check out the giant jackalope at Wall Drug in South Dakota, the Roswell UFO Festival and, yes, even a gigantic ball of twine . What other outlandish attractions have you visited on your travels? Was the stop worthwhile or just a waste of time? Share your impressions with fellow weird-attraction devotees by posting... Read More It’s inevitable: Even if you expose your children on their summer vacation to artistic works by the great masters, wondrous historic sites and magnificent natural wonders, what the young fry will remember most is the world’s biggest ball of twine (where you stopped for five minutes after much whining from the back seat). Don’t get impatient with your kids, though; we can all appreciate novelty and silliness — which may help explain why there are so many offbeat attractions for you to enjoy during your travels. A new article from Reuters lists some of the zaniest things you’ll find around the world, including a museum in India devoted to toilets, a house shaped like a big shoe and an island where the local burros will happily quaff your beer. Bing Travel’s slide shows have plenty of additional suggestions for a wacky diversion, too. Check out the giant jackalope at Wall Drug in South Dakota, the Roswell UFO Festival and, yes, even a gigantic ball of twine . What other outlandish attractions have you visited on your travels? Was the stop worthwhile or just a waste of time? Share your impressions with fellow weird-attraction devotees by posting... Read More