According to Expedia the average domestic airfare for the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas is $383, 4 percent higher than last year…Now that is expensive…..

But get this as airlines fly fewer routes to cut costs, there are fewer seats available. Flights are fuller than ever, and airlines can charge more.

Airlines have an additional reason to charge families more during the holiday season: there are fewer high-paying business travelers, and airlines need to make up for that loss of revenue.

My Suggestion is that you can save money by manipulating travel websites, planning itineraries that are a little less convenient and taking advantage of airfare refund policies.

A simple but valuable strategy: If you find a good fare, jump on it. The price might drop later on, but not much…well its hardly the case anyways….

Here are seven tips to help you save…..

Adding a couple of days to your trip before or after peak travel days can lower fares significantly. So can flying on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or early on the morning of New Year’s Day. These days tend to be less busy.

A flight from Chicago to Seattle, leaving the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and returning Sunday, cost a whopping $420 on a recent search. A budget-conscious traveler could leave on the morning of Thanksgiving, return the following Monday and cut the airfare to $327…BINGO….

Most travel websites have search options that make it easy to find the cheapest days to travel.

LOOK FOR CONNECTING FLIGHTS
Flying nonstop is ideal, but that convenience isn’t free. Booking an itinerary that includes one stop could save you $100 round-trip. Just make sure to leave plenty of time to connect so that even if your first flight is late, you don’t miss the second leg.

And be careful booking an itinerary that includes a stop in a cold-weather city. Last year, a Christmas weekend snowstorm on the East Coast caused more than 10,000 flight cancelations, stranding passengers for days.

FLY, THEN DRIVE
Some airlines have a virtual monopoly at certain airports, allowing them to charge more. One of America’s most expensive airports is Cincinnati, which is dominated by Delta. To save money, many fliers instead choose airports in Dayton, Ohio, Louisville, Ky., or Indianapolis.

Other airports are expensive to fly in and out of because they lack a low-cost carrier to keep prices in check or because business travelers are the primary customers.

PICK TWO DIFFERENT AIRLINES  Most airlines now sell one-way flights at reasonable prices. One airline might be cheaper for the outbound flight and another for the return. You could even arrive at one airport and depart from another. Many sites automatically display these multi-carrier itineraries; others require separate searches.

CONSIDER THE 24-HOUR RULE
Most big airlines allow passengers to cancel and rebook tickets purchased through their websites within 24 hours without penalty. After you book, check the next morning and see whether the price fell. Alaska, Continental, Delta, Southwest, United, US Airways and Virgin America all allow this.

SEARCH MULTIPLE SITES
The cheapest flight doesn’t always show up on every website. Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity are the biggest online ticket-sellers. Sometimes better deals can be found on sites such as Kayak, Hipmunk, AirfareWatchdog, Yapta, FareCompare, CheapOair, Mobissimo and Fly.com.

Some airlines, like Southwest, aren’t included on many of these sites. Most airport websites list the airlines serving them. Look there to make sure you aren’t missing a carrier.

SAVE ON HOTEL ROOMS, CAR RENTALS
Hotel and car-rental reservations are typically refundable. Check frequently and rebook if prices have fallen. Alternatively, if you’re willing to commit, many hotels offer discounts for non-refundable bookings.

Hotels and car-rental companies frequently offer discounts to members of AAA and AARP and to government workers. They also have special rates for employees of certain companies. It never hurts to ask.

I’m with you guys — I hate those fees. And while my personal strategy for avoiding them is to cram everything into a carry-on no matter how far or how long I’m traveling, that’s not the only way to outsmart the airlines. 

“Virtually all major airlines offer some kind of frequent flier program that includes baggage fee discounts or waivers for ‘elite’ or ‘preferred’ members. … If racking up 25,000 miles a year doesn’t seem attainable, consider applying for an airline credit card. Several major airlines waive checked bag fees for cardholders. For example, Delta SkyMiles cardholders can check one bag for free on Delta flights, and Continental Airlines Presidential Plus cardholders can check two bags for free.”

Of course, you’ll want to read the fine print before adding yet another piece of plastic to your wallet. The annual fee on the Delta SkyMiles credit card is $95 — so getting that free checked bag won’t pay off until you fly at least two round trips. (A single checked bag on Delta usually costs $25 each way.) Alternatively, if you travel with a buddy, you can cancel out that annual fee even sooner; the card grants a free checked bag not only to you but also to your travel companions — up to eight of them.

Meanwhile, Continental’s Presidential Plus card will set you back a whopping $395 per year. That fee gets you plenty of extra perks, such as waived foreign transaction fees and miles that never expire, but they may not be worth it if you only travel once or twice a year.

If you are traveling internationally….dont “OVERPACK”….and if you are traveling domestically…well some airline such as Southwest, Bags fly free with them….

My sister just came back from Fiji….she paid $200.00 for the overweight luggage…..i think that is ridiculous..for me, baggage fees are a major rip-off…..believe it or not.

One of the last spaces yet to be completely changed by the Internet is the airline cabin, where in-flight entertainment systems with content controlled by the airline and delivered on seatback screens are still the norm.
But now that in-flight Wi-Fi is fast becoming  affordable — in some cases, FREE — and as an increasing number of people travel with their own mobile devices, many predict seatback systems will soon go the way of cassette tapes and film cameras….

“It will be great to see no seatback systems on new planes in five years….well I am just assuming…. Especially on planes flying heavily traveled routes less than five hours in North America, Europe and Asia.

I, for one, would rather have the airline carry my bag or give me some legroom than buy me talking dog movies I have no intention of viewing.”

“It may happen. It probably will happen, but so far it’s not happening. More people will bring their own devices, but are my mom and dad going to take an iPod or iTouch with them on vacation?” ….Something to think about….

The Miami-based line says the 3,690-passenger Carnival Breeze was “floated out” on Friday from a dry dock in Italy where it has been under construction for nearly a year — one of the last major milestones before the vessel’s debut next June.

The initial stages of a cruise ship’s construction take place in a dry dock facility. Once exterior outfitting is completed, the dry dock is flooded with water and the ship is floated to a wet dock facility where construction continues.

In keeping with maritime tradition, the shipyard that is building the Carnival Breeze held a “coin ceremony” on Friday aboard the Carnival Breeze before it was floated out. The milestone-marking ceremony involves welding a commemorative coin to a ship’s mast.

Like a number of earlier Carnival ships, the Carnival Breeze is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

The next major milestone for the ship — sea trials in the Adriatic Sea — will take place early next year.

Like the Carnival Magic, which was christened in May in Venice, Italy, the Carnival Breeze will debut in Europe before heading across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Following an inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice departing June 3, 2012, the ship will operate a series of 12-day Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona through Oct. 25, 2012. After a trans-Atlantic crossing, it’ll sail year-round from Miami beginning Nov. 24, 2012, offering alternating six- and eight-day cruises.

To book a cruise, call us @ (877) 725-8728 today.

The modification will allow kids 12 and under to leave their shoes on. TSA will also permit multiple passes through the metal detector and advanced imaging technology by children to clear any alarms as well as [employ] the greater use of explosives trace detection. The idea is that these changes in protocol will ultimately reduce — though not eliminate — pat-downs of children that would have otherwise been conducted to resolve alarms.

Though keep in mind that children may be required to remove their shoes, and could still undergo a pat-down, if anomalies are detected during security screening that cannot be resolved through other means. These changes will allow officers to better focus their efforts on passengers who are more likely to pose a risk to transportation while expediting the screening process.  

The changed procedures will begin in some airports as early as today, with full implementation expected by September 26th, 2011.

In August, TSA tested the new procedures in a pilot at six airports: Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Houston (IAH) and Denver. Those pilot sites were selected based on airports that had a higher volume of travelers in the desired age range to allow for a better overall sample during our testing.

Here’s an interesting fact: Children in the 12-and-under age range represent about 3 percent of all passengers, although during peak travel seasons at certain airports, children may make up about 8 percent of the passengers. That’s great news for families, of course, but also for any traveler who has had to wait in line behind a 3-year-old balking at being parted from his Spider-Man sneakers.

So here are the Top 10 travel Tips….

1.) Always check that your name matches the name on the passport and that your passport will be 6 months valid at the time of travel….through experience this is the most obvious mistake anyone can make, so avoid the hassle and embarrassment at the airport…

2.) Check your itinerary, go over it thoroughly, discuss with your friends and families just to make sure you have not overlooked the date and Time..(this is exactly what my sister didn’t do)

3.) Divide each person’s belongings amongst all luggage. This is especially important for traveling with a baby, but good for everyone too. just in case the luggage gets lost in transition….

4.) Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home and keep in regular contact with friends and relatives while overseas or simply register with U.S department of state this will provide a way for you to be contacted if there is a family emergency while you are away.

5.) Know your airplane.  This means you can use seatguru.com to get the details on specific seats you want to request… Be warned: Why be stuck on a seat that you wont be comfortable throughout your flight…

6.) ID your baggage, but don’t lock it…my mom will decorate her bags with duck tapes, so that she can identify her bag before anyone else…pretty smart” MOM”

7. ) Arrive early at the airport; avoid the lines….especially going out of country, tightened security delays everything…

8.) Travel Light, Pack Smart…be prepared either your backpacking, taking long journeys or short, or even a road trip, Travel light people, do not over-pack your luggage, different airlines have different baggage policy, ask your travel agent or do your research, if not you will have to pay the price…

9.) Always purchase Travel Insurance, again for your peace of mind you know you are covered for less then $100.00 for your trip.

10.) Finally relax and enjoy your flight to your dream vacation….after-all Life is a Journey, Travel it well.

Feel free to send in your comments…

Edited by: Zulfi Ali

Take a friend and they get 50% off…..YES 50% OFF on  AIR PACIFIC; Fiji’s International Airline.

Travel dates are starting September 1st, 2011 through March 31st, 2012. (though there are blackout dates in December)

An unforgettable holiday in Fiji is only a NON-STOP flight from Los Angeles. For one low airfare, you can fly to Fiji and beyond to Australia, New Zealand and selected Pacific islands.

Act Now……CALL US TODAY…..(877) 725-8725 to take advantage of this deal.

Just south of Viti Levu you’ll find Vatulele Island, with its steep bluffs on the west coast and a wide lagoon on the east coast. In the tidal pools at Korolamalama Cave near the north coast, sacred red prawns can be seen in the shallow waters. Their story explains why it is taboo to eat them or remove them from their pools, but don’t let that stop you from looking.

Vatulele Island Resort is recognized for providing guests the opportunity to experience the best food and beverage in the region. In the welcoming warm weather, dining is on the terrace of the large central pavilion overlooking the lagoon. All bures include breakfast, lunch, dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and daily cocktail hour. The bar provides a perfect setting to relax any time of the day or evening and serves an array of cocktails and healthy drinks. By night, tables are set beneath the stars and lit with lanterns and candlelight. Fresh ingredients are sourced from the resort’s own gardens and an emphasis is on seafood from the Fijian waters. Or, enjoy private dining in your own bure, in the wine cellar or on the beach underneath the stars and lit with lanterns and candlelight. A well-stocked wine cellar offers an outstanding selection of wines to complement the delicious cuisine and stunning settings.

Contact Raj Travel today for more details @ 877-725-8728. Visit our website @ www.rajtravel.net.

The Bora Bora Lagoon features 77 Polynesian style bungalows and villas set on a lush and tropical private motu with dramatic views of Mt. Otemanu. The resort highlights include 2 restaurants, 2 bars, a tree top Polynesian spa, and an extensive variety of leisure and romantic amenities and services. The Bora Bora Lagoon is conveniently located to the main village of Vaitape on Bora Bora where guests can find dining and shopping opportunities on the mainland.

Call us today (877)725-8728. Visit us www.rajtravel.net. Make your reservation via iphone..

   Raj Travel has great deals for Disney Cruise..It’s time to treat your kids for Holidays. Disney   cruise offers great destinations to visit.

 Character Greetings, where children and adults can meet and greet Disney Characters, occur throughout the entire fleet of Disney Cruise Line ships, both in designated places and during special surprises appearances. Adult Exclusive Dining includes a restaurant designed exclusively for adults, where adults can enjoy the magic of a more romantic and elegant dining experience during their vacationChildren let their imagination run free at Disney-themed activity centers like Disney’s Oceaneer Club or Disney’s Oceaneer Lab where kids can play games, create, explore and much more.

Castaway Cay Port Adventures—shore excursions specially selected by Disney Cruise Line—let you and your family experience all the best features and recreation of this Bahamian paradise. Disney’s knowledgeable guides provide a depth of insight and expertise not found elsewhere, ensuring you the best possible leisure and adventure on a rare tropical terrain.                                                                 

Call us today for more details (510)583-7777. visit us at www.rajtravel.net.