Win a Trip to NYC from AirTran

Tennis fans - this one is for you. Fly to NYC and hang out with tennis pro Melanie Oudin. The trip includes flights to New York for two, 4-night hotel stay, a $100 Adidas gift card, $500 shopping spree and an autographed tennis racquet from Melanie. Good luck.

Win a 3 Night New York Getaway from Travelocity

Follow in the Roaming Gnome's footsteps and enter for a chance to win your very own road trip in New York State. You and a friend could embark on your own getaway and enjoy the free round-trip airfare to New York, 3 nights hotel accommodations, and a $200 rental car gift certificate. Entries must be received by March 31, 2009. Click here to register.

Behind the Gossip Sweeps: Win a Trip to New York

Enter the Behind the Gossip Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to New York for two.  Prize includes a 3/night stay in NYC in February 2009, hotel, airport transfers, 2 NYC dinners, a Nikon Coolpix camera, and a meet and greet with either Leighton Meester or Ed Westwick. Enter by December 31, 2008. 

Southwest Airlines: Buffalo 50% Off Sale

Southwest is running a 50% off promotion for flights to/from Buffalo, New York. Some great deals to be had from the San Francisco Bay Area:

From San Francisco: $87+ each way ($216 RT, including taxes)
HOT! From San Jose: $41+ each way ($138 RT, including taxes)
From Oakland: $70+ each way ($174 RT, including taxes)
From Sacramento $76+ each way ($196 RT, including taxes)

Book by Thursday, for travel between October 28, 2008 through February 12, 2009. Some blackout dates apply during the holidays. Use promotion code: FLYBUF if the discount is not already taken off for you.

Eos Airlines Files Chapter 11, To Cease Operations Today

New York-based Eos Airlines announced Saturday they have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will cease operations by Sunday afternoon. Established in 2004, Eos is known for their all business class flights, operating daily departures from JFK to Europe. They had announced plans to expand their routes, including flights from Los Angeles.

Jack Williams, Eos' CEO said they were unable to secure additional financing to keep the airline and its unique business model flying. In a press release, Williams added, “there are times in business when even though you execute your business plan and even though your employees do their jobs beautifully, external forces prevent you from controlling your own destiny."

Worst hotel ever?

While they certainly aren't the official ratings or rankings, hotel guests have long used tripadvisor.com to post reviews and experience ratings. Contrary to the prestigious T+L hotel ratings, some hotels are at the top of the charts in less admirable ways.

For example, users of tripadvisor.com rated the Hotel Carter in New York City as one of the dirtiest hotels in the United States. Here's a few excerpts from some mildly opinionated guest reviews:

"All of the reviews you read about hotel carter are accurate. Police in the lobby, blood stained sheets, filth, horrid staff. Our room looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in about 18 years. I have never in my life seen anything like this."

"On arrival I found that there were various small bugs in the room and paint crumbling off the walls in the bathroom and bedroom."

"When telling the cab driver at JFK where we were staying he instructed us not to leave anything in our rooms. (bad start!) On arrival at the hotel at about 7pm there were 3 prostitutes standing outside."

"Four of us stayed in this so called hotel over the new years eve weekend. Our room was disgusting, filthy carpet with ash, ash in the drawers and even cigarette butts left around. The bathroom had hairs all over the place, and let me tell you they weren't all head hairs."

"This hotel is good for one thing that is burning downit is the most discusting place i have ever stayed in i checked out after one3 hour stay as the smell of stale sweat and grease is un bearable the rooms are filthey cold unheathy"

U.S. Helicopter: $99 bucks to downtown Manhattan

Of course, you need to fly to the New York area first

On your next flight to New York, consider being flown directly into Manhattan from your arrival airport. U.S. Helicopter Corporation is offering a $99/one way - 10 minute flight from JFK or Newark to downtown Manhattan (and vice-versa). Instead of being part of the morning or evening commute, simply fly over it. Plus the cost isn't much more than a cab ride. Plus plus, it sounds fun! The special $99 promo is valid through October. U.S Helicopter partners with some airlines to handle checked baggage. Visit U.S Helicopter here.

San Francisco to Newark, NJ $185/rt taxes included. Valid for travel Tues/Wed/Saturday August 14th to November 14th. Non-stop service. United Airlines

San Francisco - New York City non-stop $219/RT w/taxes Aug 18-Sept 29th
Travel not allowed on Fridays or Sundays. Booking through Travelocity

JetBlue commences San Francisco
- Salt Lake City flights today

The airline is offering introductory $79/one way fares booked now through August 8th for travel between September 5-November 14th.

JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach, and is the only airline to offer free seatback satellite television -- featuring the airline's signature 36 channels of DIRECTV(r) -- on all flights to/from Salt Lake City International Airport. They have plenty of complimentary munchies and drinks on board as well.

The 1X daily flight leaves SFO at 420pm arriving Salt Lake City at 715pm except on Saturdays when the flight leaves at 220pm, arriving SLC 535pm local time.

On May 3rd, JetBlue began offering flights out of San Francisco. This new daily Salt Lake City service compliments the nonstop flights already offered to Boston and New York City.

Airfare War Continues: Bargains for Bay Area travelers

Round 2 of the fare war comes 24 hours after United Airlines temporarily dropped fares in markets the new airline Virgin America will be flying starting August 8th.

Late Friday evening JetBlue and Southwest matched or beat Virgin America's introductory fare offerings for routes from the Bay Area (OAK/SFO) to Los Angeles and New York. For example: Southwest is offering $99 each way OAK-NY LaGuardia. Fares are available for non-peak travel days, usually Tue/Wed/Sat for travel beginning on or after August 8th.

United punches away at Virgin America's intro fares

ROUND 1 630pm
After nearly 16 hours of swift ticket sales by San Francisco startup airline Virgin America, United Airlines is punching back hard, beating away at Virgin's introductory fares.

United has loading the following amazing fares;
SFO-Los Angeles $65rt taxes included (that's $22 each way + tax!)
SFO-New York $160rt taxes included
SFO-Washington $150rt taxes included
These fares are confirmed and available for travel August 9th through November 11th and are subject to availability. Looks like the New York flights require 1 stop (Chicago, Washington, etc) for that fare. "L" class inventory. Use Farecompare.com to find these fares. Get'em while they last.

1245pm Virgin America Update
VirginAmerica website seems to be having difficulties handling the masses. The site has been up and down through the morning.
Alternatively, you can book Virgin America tickets through ORBITZ

Here is a run down on their offerings:
-from$44/each way to/from Las Vegas or Los Angeles and San Francisco
-from $139 each way to/from New York and San Francisco

Flights start August 8th to L.A and N.Y
You can call 1-877-FLY-VIRGIN to make reservations ( I was able to get through in less than 10 minutes).

Be sure to sign up for their flying club frequent flyer club program on their website.

Virgin America begins selling airline tickets

Breaking News 10:30am: After years in the making...Virgin America began selling tickets early today on their website http://www.virginamerica.com/. Initial flights are San Francisco - New York and San Francisco to Los Angeles.

A lack of "Sun" at San Francisco Airport (soon to change)

Have you seen this plane hanging around at San Francisco Airport?
(probably not)

Sun Country Airlines, recently named top 5 on the list of Top Domestic Airlines in Travel+Leisure’s 2007 World’s Best Service Awards has daily service out of SFO. So where are their planes?
Well according to its schedule, the planes are on the ground at SFO for a mere 50 minutes - a quick drop off and reload of passengers, hardly time to gatch a glipse of their fairly new & crisp planes.

So who are they? The privatly owned company initiated its first flight in 1999 and today has over 1200 employees on staff. Based in Minneapolis, Sun Country offers year round service from San Francisco to destinations in the U.S such as New York's JFK, Washington Dulles and Dallas via its Minneapolis hub. Sun Country is really known however for its flights to Sunny destinations including Miami, St.Petersburg/Tampa, South Padre Island, Puerto Vallarta, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Acapulco, Montego Bay and San Juan.

The airline just announced a "UFLY" frequent flyer program in attempt to attract new business. For coach passengers this means 10 round-trip flights=1 free flight with no blackout dates or restrictions.

Beginning later this month, Sun Country will add to its existing 1240am "red eye" service to include a 605pm departure to its Minneapolis hub (arriving at almost midnight). The airline's entire 737 fleet is young, averaging less than 5 years old. Each plane has leather seats in both first and coach class, along with high fidelity audio programming.

With this added 2nd plane you may be seeing more "Sun" at SFO.
More information about the airline can be found here.

Virgin America: 1 Million seats go on sale in coming months

The federal government recently gave Virgin America 2 thumbs up to rev up their engines and take flight in the U.S. In response, Virgin then hired hundreds of folks, the drivers of airline, whisked them through new employee orientations and now seemingly ready for departures into the sky. But, so far there are no confirmed reservations on any flight. That will soon change.

According to InSide BayArea, Virgin America is now waiting on one final government hurdle - authorization to sell tickets. They've been cleared to have the airline, a-OK to have planes and use the airports - but to sell tickets, have passengers, and make money on flights, well, that's one last government hurdle. Once that is completed, likely sooner than later according to company big Whigs, expect a million seats to go on sale over a 4-5 month period.

Background:
Virgin America is a start-up airline based in San Francisco (Burlingame). Over the past couple years the airline has worked to get the airline operational, most recently pleading with the public and government to allow them to open for business. Virgin America has announced they will start flying by late summer with an initial route SFO-New York's JFK, followed by other popular routes within the U.S. They have marketed the airline as offering enhanced on board entertainment and customer service - without the hefty price tag.