Enter to Win a Trip to Vegas From U.S. Airways Magazine

Enter to win a Las Vegas vacation for two from U.S. Airways magazine. The winner will receive round-trip airfare for two to Las Vegas, a two-night stay in a Mandalay Bay suite, two tickets to see The Lion King, and dinner for two at Charlie Palmers Aureole. Enter today - because the contest ends Friday.

Delta Airlines To Roll Out Fourth Level of Elite Status

Coming in early 2010, Delta Airlines will introduce a fourth level of elite status to SkyMiles Medallion, the airline's frequent flyer program.

This highest tiered status - Diamond level, is achieved only after earning 125,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles in a calendar year, or flying a whopping 140 segments. Previously, and typical of other frequent flyer programs, the highest level of elite status officially comes after earning 100,000 flight miles or 100 segments.

So what benefits come your way for flying just a "tad bit" more? A complimentary Sky Club membership, entitling you to visit club lounges around the world; 125% Medallion Miles Bonus on all paid flights; and the ability to rollover Medallion Qualification Miles for status the following year. These benefits are in addition to ones afforded to the next tier down - the Platinum level, such as waived award ticketing & redeposit fees, complimentary upgrades, and a selection of Choice gifts.

Delta is expected to make an official announcement of these upcoming changes later today.

American Hikes Baggage Fees Another $5

In a press release, American Airlines announced it plans to hike the fees for checked bags another $5. The extra charge applies to tickets purchased on or after August 14, 2009 for all flights within the United States and U.S territories. The new fee is $20 for the first bag, $30 for the second, up from $15 and $25 respectively. As is the current policy, elite members, full-fare economy, as well and first and business class passengers are exempt from baggage check fees.

To compare, many other U.S.-based airlines charge around $15 to check a single bag. Southwest and JetBlue are the lone airlines who continue allow one piece of luggage free of charge.

Expedia $200 Off Coupon For Vacations of 3+ Days

How about a 3-day vacation, including air and hotel, for under $150? It's available for the asking.

Expedia has teamed up with Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) and various airlines to give customers an instant $200 cash back on select Expedia vacation packages priced $200 (pre-tax) or more.

Check out this sample itinerary above. Flying round-trip Virgin America SFO to Orange County and a three night stay at Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites near Disneyland, for just $129 bucks! Plus, in addition to the frequent flyer points you earn for flying, if you are a member of the ThankYou network (yet another frequent travel program), you earn points for making this purchase through Expedia.

Here are the details (a bit vague) of this offer. Essentially, you need to book at participating IHG properties, such as Holiday Inn's and Crowne Plaza hotels, and select airlines, including U.S. Airways, JetBlue and Virgin America. Travel valid any day of the week through September 30, 2009. Enter promo code 200IHG during checkout.

So have some fun with this promotion. An opportunity for some cheap getaways to Phoenix, Portland, or Vegas, or apply the funds to a larger vacation elsewhere.

Click here to start your search.

United Airlines To Reduce International Capacity By 7%

This week, during their quarterly earnings report, United Airlines announced an extra 7% cut in international capacity for the last four months of the year. According to airliners.net, all UA hubs are impacted by the reduction in flights. If you have upcoming international itineraries on United, be sure to check for possible schedule changes. Below is a listing of impacted flights from San Francisco:

San Francisco (SFO) to:

London (LHR) - 2nd daily flight suspended

Tokyo/Narita (NRT) - 2nd daily flight suspended

Certain other routes are flying fewer flights during the week and/or operating smaller aircraft.

5 Creative Ideas to Saving on Car Rentals

By Mike Grasso

www.inFLIGHTout.com

Sure we've heard the advice to use websites sites as Kayak which search multiple sites at once, enabling you to easily compare car rental prices. Great recommendation, but if you are a bargain shopper (and who doesn't love a great bargain?), it's only a start. Here are five creative tips to ensure you drive off the lot paying some of the lowest car rental rates available:

• Once you locate the appropriate fare and car rental agency, do a web search for discounts that can be applied to your reservation. Literally hundreds of discount codes are available for use, it’s just a matter of finding the right codes. My favorite site for finding these discounts is fatwallet.com. Be mindful of the terms and conditions with discount codes. For example, if you are using a discount code which nets 25% off to Stanford Alumni, you should be prepared to show your credentials.
• Book early and revisit later. Most car rental agencies in the United States do not require prepayment of rentals. So make your reservation early, then revisit as your rental date nears. This allows you to take advantage of any last minute car rental discounts, but also piece of mind knowing if, instead rates happen to spike up, you still have your original reservation.
• Consider Priceline’s, “name your own price” bidding option. When companies have a surplus of cars on their lot, they turn to Priceline to unload these at discounted prices. I’ve easily saved 40% on identical car rental reservations by using this Priceline feature. Drawbacks: You don’t know which car rental agency you are matched with until your bid is accepted. Also, full prepayment is required, and changes are generally not permitted.
• One more place! Check with Hotwire.com – another favorite of mine. Like Priceline, they do not give you the choice of car rental agencies, but they are upfront about the price of the car rental – often heavily discounted. I’ve found $14.99/day rentals at SFO before.
• Finally, just before you click that purchase button, review your itinerary. If you are flying to Seattle, make sure the quoted car rental is for the airport (assuming that’s where you want to pick up), and not a downtown location. Are your dates and pick-up times correct? Are the discount codes being properly applied to your reservation? Sometimes getting so caught up searching so many sites, it’s easy to overlook the small – yet most important details. Resolving issues early on will help ensure a smoother process when you pick up your car later.

San Francisco to Florida From $170 RT w/Taxes

Fly Delta/Northwest Airlines from San Francisco to Miami for $170 round-trip, including all taxes and fees. Travel permitted through early summer 2010 for outbound flights Monday-Thursday and Saturday. Example dates: September 15-21, 2009. Click here to book.

Earlier tonight on Twitter, we reported on a $187 "all in" fare SFO-Ft Lauderdale on Continental Airlines.

Free Subscription to Sherman's Travel Magazine

Register for a free subscription to Sherman's Travel Magazine.

From the editor: Created for sophisticated travelers, Sherman's Travel spans the globe to provide expert travel tips and advice on domestic and international destinations. Experience all the world has to offer with Sherman's Travel Magazine, the industry standard for Smart Luxury.

Do these free subscriptions ever work? YES. I've received this magazine free of charge since last year. During your registration, I recommend you provide a non-primary ("spam") email address, in case your contact information is sold to other companies.

Earn 2,000 Bonus Miles Signing Up for U.S.Airways FF Program

Through August 31, 2009, new members who join the U.S. Airways Dividend Miles frequent flyer program and book & fly one flight, will earn a whopping 2,000 bonus miles. Promo code f109. Click here to register.

United to Offer Complimentary Cocktails Over the Pacific

From UAflyer06 over on the Flyertalk forums comes word of some exciting food and beverage changes on future United flights. Effective August 1, 2009, United will offer free alcoholic drinks in economy class over the Pacific. Previously free booze and cocktail service was limited to folks in the front of the plane. This change better aligns United with Asia-based airlines, who have historically offered free drinks to all passengers on flights.

Other changes: For short-haul flights, those $6 snack boxes will each have a unique theme (Active, Classic, Luxe, and Organic) with tasty new goodies inside. The fresh food menu, offered on select routes in North America, will soon include a vegetarian option. These menu changes are also expected to begin August 1st.

Win a Trip for 2 to Chile from the Travel Channel

Enter to win the "Best of Chile Wine Tour," including a roundtrip airfare for 2 to Santiago, Chile, 7 nights hotel accommodations, and a chance to enjoy the world of wines throughout Chile. Contest ends July 31, 2009. Enter today.

One Week Only: Save up to 50% at 600 Starwood Hotels when you book on Expedia!
Expires 7/20/09

inFLIGHTout is Tweeting more news today:

• United Airlines Frequent Flyers: Get a 20% Discount on award travel - systemwide - August 18-November 18, 2009. For example SFO-New York for 20,000 miles (instead of the usual 25,000)

• 168 Killed Wednesday morning when Caspian Airliner crashes shortly after takeoff in Iran.

Follow inFLIGHTout @ Twitter

JetBlue Re-times San Francisco - Austin Route

From the Flyertalk forums comes word JetBlue has re-timed their daily non-stop flight between San Francisco and Austin, Texas. The adjustments mean the flight to Austin will depart late in the afternoon, returning back to San Francisco early the next morning. The changes have been updated on the JetBlue website.

-Current schedule through September 8, 2009:

AUS-SFO 1850-2032

SFO-AUS 0832-1403

-Schedule beginning September 9, 2009:
AUS-SFO 0815-1005
SFO-AUS 1630-2156

Related:

Last month American Airlines announced they were pulling their 'Nerd Bird' route - San Jose-Austin effective later this August, citing operating costs exceeding actual revenues. This announcement caused Alaska Airlines to quickly get into the action and replace the American Airlines flight with one of their own, believing they can find a way to turn a profit on this route. That flight is expected to start on September 2, 2009, a week after the American flight ends.

$25 Off an AirTran Flight to Florida

Just provide your email address to AirTran and receive an electronic voucher for $25 off your next flight to Florida. Book the flight by October 31 and travel by December 18, 2009 to qualify for this discount. AirTran currently offers four daily departures from San Francisco to its Atlanta hub, connecting onward into Florida. The airline also offers seasonal service SFO-Milwaukee nonstop.

inFLIGHTout Travel Tip: Program Airline Phone Numbers

Be sure to program your cell phone the phone numbers of airlines you frequently fly.

In the event your flight has a last minute cancellation or significant delay, you can immediately call the airline for rebooking on alternate flights. Use this method while concurrently waiting to speak with an airport gate agent. If several people are impacted by the cancellation or delay, your wait to speak with a gate agent may be quite long.

Los Angeles to Buenos Aires $340 RT Including Tax

11:15 PM

You are reading the title correct! $340 roundtrip, including all taxes and fees, from LAX to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Flight is on Mexicana Airlines, connecting in Mexico City, with travel valid through the Fall 2009. This is an incredible deal that won't last long. Example dates: 11/3-11/10/2009. Click here to book.

United Breaks Guitars: Band Takes UA Baggage Complaint to YouTube

Some might call it a taste of sweet revenge, but for musician Dave Carroll, it was a creative way of expressing his disappointment with United Airlines baggage handling, after they smashed his guitar and refused to pick up the $1200 tab to fix it.

Carroll and his band, based in Halifax, NS, were changing planes at Chicago's-O'Hare airport March 31, 2008, when the heard a passenger exclaim, "My God, they're throwing guitars out there," Carroll said. After spending nine months of unsuccessfully reasoning with United Airlines, including with representatives from the United States and India, he finally decided to write a few songs to describe his experience.

Meanwhile, United officials who have seen the video are asking Carroll for permission to use it internally to help change its culture.

Priority Club: Stay 8 Nights, Score 2 MLB Tickets

Here's a grand slam deal for baseball friends. Stay a total of 8 nights at any of the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Expresses worldwide, and earn a 2 Major League baseball tickets. Stays between now and September 30, 2009, will count toward the promotion. Register before your first stay. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are party of the Priority Club Rewards hotel incentive program.

Kids Ride Free on Weekends With Capitol Corridor

Kids ride free on Amtrak's Capitol Corridor train on weekends now through November 1, 2009. Limit is one kid, age 2-15, for each full-fare adult ticket purchased.

If you've never experienced a ride on the Capitol Corridor I highly recommend it. A variety of seating options, including tables for families are available. Trains are clean and well-kept, include amenities such as onboard food and beverage service, and offer a scenic and stress-free alternative to the busy freeways.

Click here for more information on this offer and read some of the recommended sights to check out, all easily accessible from the Capitol Corridor.

Southwest $30/$60/$90 Sale on Now

As we posted early this morning @ Twitter:
Seats are filling up quickly during a 48-hour sale from Southwest Airlines. Get yourself a seat for as little as $30 one way for flights of 400 miles or less, $60 for flights up to 750 miles, and $90 for any other destination greater than 750 miles. Purchase now through midnight July 8th, for travel September 9 - November 18, 2009. Discount not available for Friday or Sunday travel.
Visit www.southwest.com to book.

Plus, in markets where other airlines such as United, American and Virgin America compete with Southwest, you can find matching sale fares.

Alaska Airlines Launches Promotion for Upcoming Hawai'i Routes

As we mentioned back in May, Alaska Airlines plans to fly nonstop from Oakland to Maui and Kona beginning November 9, 2009. To celebrate the launch, the airline is offering introductory fares from $169 each way. Take an additional 10% off these sale fares by registering for their Bay to Paradise promotion. This promotion will earn you a discount code for up to 40% off Winter fares to Hawai'i when you complete four flights from anywhere in the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Sacramento).

United Airlines Adding San Francisco - Kansas City Service

From the airline route updates blog & GDS timetable comes word United Airlines will launch a daily nonstop flight between San Francisco and Kansas City (MCI). The new service is scheduled to begin October 25th, utilizing a CRJ700 regional jet.

The flight departs SFO at 4:07PM arriving Kansas City at 9:31PM. The return flight departs at 8:51AM, arriving back in SFO at 10:45AM. Tickets for the nonstop are now available for purchase at united.com.

Currently, only Midwest Airlines serves the SFO-Kansas City market nonstop, also with one daily flight.

Frontier Airlines Giving Away Miles To Celebrate Its Birthday

In celebration of its 15th birthday on July 5th, Frontier Airlines is giving away 1,500 bonus miles to EarlyReturns members for qualifying Fall 2009 flights. Members of the airlines' frequent flyer program can earn the bonus miles for each roundtrip flight booked between July 1 and August 31, 2009 and flown between October 1 and December 15, 2009. Registration is not required. If you are not currently a Frontier EarlyReturns member, sign up and earn an additional 1,500 bonus miles. Click here for more info.

Happy Birthday America!

Happy Independence Day!

Have a safe, enjoyable 4th of July weekend.

"Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else." — Lawrence Block

Parody & Son Video on the Guantanamo Bay Tourism Board

From Parody & Son:
Sure, President Obama is closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. But that hardly means the end for Gitmo!! In fact, I’ve just completed a short video for the Guantanamo Bay Tourism Board encouraging travelers to visit Guantanamo and experience the warm Cuban sun, cool Caribbean breezes and that infamous CIA hospitality. You’ll love Guantanamo so much, you’ll never leave!!!
-Bruce and Ross Hopman (a.k.a. Parody & Son).

Double Northwest/Delta Flight Miles With Delta AMEX

If you have a Delta SkyMiles American Express Card or are planning on applying for one, consider registering for the double flight miles deal that was just released. Simply sign up for the promo, then book your future travel plans on the card, and you will earn double flight miles for the rest of 2009. Click here for all the details.