Fare sales on the way

by Grant Martin on

I have to give the Times credit on this one. Last week I read an online article by Joe Sharkey in the travel section that suggested that fare sales might be coming and pretty much dismissed it as crap. In it, Sharkey pointed to a recent drop in demand that may be motivating carriers to launch discounts across the board.

Wouldn’t you know it — as predicted, fare sales are starting to pop up. Is it directly related to Mr. Sharkey’s predictions ? Is it aggressive competition between low cost and legacy carriers in a tight market? Is it tied to the astrological calendar? Maybe a little bit of everything. I’m personally still not sure, but the numbers are definitely looking good, especially for the summertime.

For example, the tickets between Detroit and New York I was looking at for June 14th weekend just went from 300 to 180$. Virgin America, and Spirit have launched a spectrum of fare sales across their routes, causing other carriers to post competing prices.

Keep an eye particularly on transcontinental fares above everything else. That market has recently become particularly saturated, so competition should be high and prices low. Maybe now is the time to schedule that wedding in California or party in New York City.

Make sure you get your act together quick too, these prices won’t last long.

Thanks for the tip, Joe.

Washing your own clothes while on the road

by Aaron Hotfelder on

For my money, the San Francisco Chronicle’s travel section is one of the best around. Recently, they featured an article by John Flinn on a problem familiar to most backpackers: how to wash clothes cheaply while on the road. The answer is not, as I’ve long suspected, to fill an emptied Skippy peanut butter jar with hot water and toothpaste and stuff your clothes inside. Apparently, there’s a better way.

First of all, as most travelers know, avoid packing slow-drying cottons. Go instead with synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester, or become one of the many faithful who swear by Patagonia’s Capilene fabric. If you’ve packed the right clothes, washing and drying is much less of a hassle.

Also, be sure to bring a sink-stopper, a clothesline, and your favorite soap (not toothpaste, knuckleheads). Scrub your clothes in warm water for a short time, then rinse until the soap is gone from the clothes.

For a quick dry, Flinn has a smart tip: “Lay out a dry towel on the floor, place your clothes on it and roll it up lengthwise. Take off your shoes and shuffle back and forth a few times on the roll to squeeze the moisture from your clothes. Give it a quarter turn and repeat. Let it sit for a few minutes and repeat once more. When you unroll your clothes, they’ll feel almost ready to wear.”

Washing your own clothes while on the road can be a bit of a hassle, sure, but it allows travelers to pack lightly while not breaking the bank– or smelling like a dumpster.

Whole thing here.

Is haggling bad for third-world merchants?

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Will Wilkinson seems to think so. In a recent post over at his blog, Will explains that on his recent trip to Turkey, he was looking to buy some souvenirs, but knew he was at a disadvantage in bargaining with local merchants. Not only that, but Will– like many people I know– says that he’s no good at haggling and he hates having to do it. Writes Will:

“[P]robably hundreds of my dollars stayed in my pocket because I didn’t have good information about the quality of products and I knew the retailer is better at bargaining… than I am.” Although haggling does allow merchants to come out ahead in lots of transactions, Will says, “[A]dd up millions of instances of ‘I know you’re going to screw me,’ and I suspect that the average retailer is doing worse rather than better under the haggling system.”

Although I don’t share Will’s distaste for haggling– I find it an entertaining, sometimes even fun experience– fixed prices might provide tourists with a bit more assurance that they’re not getting completely screwed by local merchants. If everyone’s paying the same price, the thinking goes, certainly it must reflect reality at least in some sense. What do you think? Would merchants, particularly those in poor countries, benefit from eliminating the pre-purchase haggling ritual?

Back in March, Gadling talked travel with Will Wilkinson here.

Free drinks on Wednesday Virgin America flights

by Grant Martin on

Nothing beats the mid-week travel blues like a good bevvy when you’re up in the skies. Whether it’s straight up Jack Daniels with a dash of Tobasco sauce or straight shots of Skyy vodka, a little bit of spirits always helps take the edge off a flight. Just ask Kato Kaelin.

Virgin America knows this well, having served the likes of Richard Branson, Playboy bunnies, Victoria’s Secret models and rock stars. So they’re kicking off a promo offering free drinks on select Wednesday flights for the next five weeks.

Flights 313 from JFK to LAX, 1839 from SFO to LAX, 1777 from SFO to LAS and 1852 from LAX to SFO will all be participating in the promotion.

Furthermore, if you flash your boarding pass at select destination hotels, you can score a few more drinks and special room rates. These include the W Hotel in San Francisco and The Venetian out in Vegas.

So stop by the airport bar on the way to your Wednesday flight coming up, grab some pretzels and get thirsty. Flying Virgin is a real treat and you’ll be extra happy when you get free drinks and start chatting with the hottie in 7C. Check out Gadling Flies Virgin America to read more about the perks.

Make sure you also check out the promo page where you can get exact flight times, see all of the participating partners and read the 38 pages of fine print.

Debauchery at 35,000 feet?


Just ask these girls…

South Beach, as in “a backpacker-friendly destination”

by Iva Skoch on

What do backpackers and South Beach have in common? Easy. They both love thongs. (Not bad, considering I am only on my first cup of coffee today, eh?)

There many many places that come to mind when a visualize a “backpacker destination.” South Beach, Florida would not be on that list. Apparently, I am wrong.

This AP article talks about South Beach becoming increasingly more backpacker-friendly, offering affordable hostel accommodation right in the center of it all: “Anywhere between three to 14 travelers are cramped in one room at a hostel, sleeping on bunk beds. A room with 12 beds can run for US$18 a night per person; an eight-bed room is $18; $30-$40 for smaller rooms.”

That, interestingly enough, is cheaper than the last Strawberry Daiquiri I ordered in South Beach. I remember paying $16 (and that’s way back when the dollar was actually worth something) and they gave it to me in a small plastic cup. Maybe that’s why I could never picture South Beach as a backpacker-friendly place…

[via canoe.ca]