JetBlue adds General McChrystal to board of advisors

by McLean Robbins on

He’s no longer flying military … and he’s budget-conscious too! JetBlue announced yesterday the addition of General Stanley A. McChrystal to their corporation’s board of directors.

“We are honored to have Gen. McChrystal join our airline’s leadership ranks,” said Dave Barger, CEO and president of JetBlue. “As we enter our second decade and continue to grow in new directions, the fresh perspectives and counsel of leaders like Gen. McChrystal will be truly beneficial to maintaining our competitive advantage.”

Considered one of the nation’s most accomplished military leaders, the 34-year Army veteran commanded the U.S. and NATO’s security mission in Afghanistan, served as the director of the Joint Staff and was the Commander of Joint Special Operations Command, where he was responsible for the nation’s deployed military counter terrorism efforts.

Let’s just hope that he isn’t followed by another Rolling Stone reporter and encouraged to express his views on this airline after a few drinks.

Group buying site LivingSocial launches curated travel deals section

by McLean Robbins on

Today group buying giant LivingSocial has launched LivingSocial Escapes, a new travel site offering sweet savings on one-of-a-kind day trips, packaged “nearcations”, quick escapes that don’t require air-travel and weekend excursions.

“LivingSocial is not just about deals, it’s about creating experiences and memories at a value. People really cherish their vacations – whether it’s an overnight trip to a local Bed & Breakfast or a tropical beach getaway – traveling is special, and LivingSocial Escapes is the best place to find one-of-a-kind travel packages to places you love, have been dying to try, or ones that will surprise you,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, CEO and Co-founder of LivingSocial Escapes.
“We want to make it as easy for people to discover new things, so each travel experience offered through LivingSocial Escapes is authentic, accessible and requires minimal planning.”

LivingSocial Escapes packages are available for one week – not just for 24 hours like the daily deals – and are accessible to anyone who clicks on them. To enhance the social experience, LivingSocial’s referral model allows users to get their experience for free if they refer three friends who also participate in the deal.

We’re super excited to see how this new service works – LivingSocial has long been one of our favorite group buying sites for our hometown marketplace. Now expanded into more than 100 areas, this new vertical for the company should provide even budget-aware travelers the chance to get out on the road and explore.

If you are not already a LivingSocial member and would like to join, sign up here.

Conserve passport space by skipping the US entry stamp

by Grant Martin on

It’s been a long hard seven years of traveling together, but this week I determined that my passport is going to die young. With an expiration date in 2014 and extra pages already stapled into the center, my passport has been through a lot with me, numerous trips to doctor for vaccinations, crumpled in my back pocket in public transportation from Malaysia to Indonesia to Dakar to Istanbul, brief time apart at the the Indian, Russian, Vietnamese consulates. With each new destination another stamp and another border crossing, the Quetzal bird flying across the Guatemalan tourist visa and the postage stamp style visas in Egypt and Jordan.

Now, three years prior to its expiration date and just after getting two pages of Indian visas, there are precious few slots left in my road worn passport, just a few more possibilities before I’m due back at the post office. I certainly can’t get any more full page sticker visas, and if I travel conservatively I figure I’ve only got about six months left.

One way to conserve space though is at immigration on the way back into the United States. For American citizens it’s not a requirement to have each and every inbound border crossing stamped. As a result, page-stingy travelers like myself can politely ask the homeland security officer to not leave any ink. Those few remaining spots can mean one or two last trips squeezed out before the dreaded trip back

Stay at the Hard Rock San Diego hotel in December, get a free hybrid car rental

by Amy Chen on

Travelers who stay at the Hard Rock San Diego from Dec. 1 to 30 will get a free hybrid car rental during their stay. Considering that the fees for renting a car can quickly add up, this affordable deal gives you more for less.

The “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas” package starts at $149 per room per night. The one-day hybrid car rental (either a Toyota Prius or a Nissan Altima Hybrid from Enterprise-Rent-A-Car) is worth at least $70.

Perfect for families, the Hard Rock San Diego hotel is about a 10-minute drive from the San Diego Zoo, a 15-minute drive from SeaWorld, and a 40-minute drive from LEGOLAND in Carlsbad.

Details: Book at least 24 hours in advance. Mention promo code GREEN or check availability at www.hardrockhotelsd.com/greenxmas. Limit one 24-hour car rental per stay.

National parks free for Veterans Day

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service will host its final fee free day for 2010 this Thursday, November 11th, in honor of Veterans Day, allowing travelers to experience more than 100 parks that generally charge admission at no cost. For a complete list of those parks, grouped by state, click here.

A number of the parks will host special ceremonies or commemorative events to honor America’s veterans, including Valley Forge, the birthplace of America’s army, which will hold a moment of silence and a wreath laying-ceremony at 11AM near the National Memorial Arch. There will also be living history interpreters near the Muhlenberg Brigade huts throughout the day who will share insights and thoughts on the history of the place. Meanwhile, visitors to Morristown Historical National Park, located in New Jersey, can enjoy a new trail that is 27 miles in length and wanders through George Washington’s historic army encampment.

The Park Service’s fee free days have been quite a hit with travelers over the past couple of years, drawing visitors in by the thousands, and helping to set new attendance records across the system. It seems they’re planning on continuing the practice in 2011 as well, as they have already announced that entry to the parks will be free from April 16-24 to celebrate National Parks Week, and again on September 24 for Public Lands Day and November 11 for Veterans Day. More dates are expected to be announced soon.

Additionally, a number of the parks’ partners will also be offering special discounts, prizes, and other deals to visitors on Veterans Day. Click here to view a sampling of those special offers.

[Photo credit: National Park Service]