Flights 

It's not exactly the busiest holiday travel period, but there are some Saint Patrick's day-themed airfare specials / travel packages on offer. From green beer to being Irish for the day, some of the different Irish-loving destinations.

Cheapflights has several suggested itineraries including  Ireland and Toronto, Canada. It is obvious and important to start with where St. Patrick's Day began, and Cheapflights looks at Dublin as a destination for St. Patrick's Day.  The flights from Houston to Dublin from $636 between March 17 - 23.

North America's tallest tower at 553 meters (605 yards) is the CN Tower and will have a green glow for St. Patrick's Day.  Toronto also hosts one of the biggest St. Patrick's Day parades in the world. Cheapflights quotes flights from Los Angeles to Toronto available from $409 for March 17 - 21. 

CheapOair also has several travel suggestions for St. Patrick's Day including Boston, known for its deep Irish roots. CheapOair cites Boston flights from March 15 to March 22, 2010 starting at $132 roundtrip - enjoy the  parade, walk the Irish Heritage Trail, and visit some of Boston's many Irish pubs.

St. Patrick's Day Travel originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 00:01:06.

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Let's see if these scenarios sound realistic: it's better to book at the last minute; you can change the name on your ticket anytime; and if your flight cancels you can walk over to another airline and take their flight. These are some of the topics that probably better fall into air travel mythology than reality.

Airline tickets have changed so much in the past dozen years. Remember when it was a novelty to have an electronic ticket? Some of the rules have changed, some have never changed, and some are misunderstood.

Let's address some of the myths about airline tickets, and see what a ticket can and cannot do for you.

Top 10 Airfare and Airline Ticket Myths...

Common Airfare Myths originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 21:42:35.

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It's a good week for airline promo codes to save you a bit extra on your next flight or travel package. JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and Air Berlin are all offering discounts via promotional codes right now.

JetBlue is making it pretty easy to get a discount - just sign up for its getaways alerts. Sign up for their email alerts and get $50 off a JetBlue getaway. Must sign up by March 12 and book a getaway by that date. Definitely a quick way to save some money if you are planning a trip on JetBlue soon.

Southwest Airlines Vacations has a promo code that is running for virtually all of their vacation package destinations which makes this promotion that bit sweeter. Book a flight and hotel package to any Southwest Vacations destination and save up to $200. Use promo code: SAVENOW. Book by March 22.

For the traveler looking to fly overseas, Air Berlin is keeping it simple to get a promo code. Just fill out a brief form on the page and get your code. Seems to be good for all of their European destinations when originating out of the United States. The offer is a promo code that will save you an extra $60 on a roundtrip airfare. Book by April 30. Travel must be completed by the end of July.

Airfare Specials - Promo Codes - Week of March 7, 2010 originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 11:17:05.

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Having worked for an airline for over 15 years, friends often ask about how to get free upgrades. Are there any particular strategies that can secure a bigger seat for you flight? The short answer is if you are entitled to it yes, and if you aren't then you kind of need luck on your side. But luck can turn into opportunity for a few of the top 10 ways to get upgraded from economy class to coach.

If you are a top tier frequent flyer then you know you have a good shot at upgrades, but the infrequent traveler may need to dress the part, volunteer to be bumped, etc. to have a chance to sit up front.

Top 10 Ways to Get Upgraded on a Flight

Getting Free Upgrades originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 13:33:26.

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A few new specials caught my attention this week and I don't want the weekend to pass without posting them. One is a discount, and another involves an all-inclusive package to an exotic locale.

Sign up for JetBlue's Newsletter and Save $50 - An easy way to save $50 off of a booking with JetBlue. Sign up for their email alerts and get $50 off a JetBlue getaway. Must sign up by March 12 and book a getaway by March 12 as well. Definitely a quick way to save some money if you are planning a trip on JetBlue soon.

Ecuador Travel Package from $1199 - The listed price is for the package from Friendly Travel is originating out of Miami, but other departure cities are available. Travel to this South American country on an 8 day escorted, all-inclusive vacation, including airfare, superior hotel accommodations, meals, ground transportation and English-speaking Ecuadorian guide. Book by March 31 for select August and September departures dates.

The tour includes Quito, Otavalo, the Amazon region, the Andes and heads south to the highest active volcano in the world.

For more airfare specials please see - Airfare Travel Deals this Week - March 4 - March 11.

More Airfare Specials this Week originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 01:02:47.

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A sampling of some of the cheap, discounted, airfare specials on sale this week...several of which expire later this week.

Frontier Airlines has introductory airfares for several new routes. New routes include - Branson, Mo.; Grand Rapids, MI; Long Beach, CA; Madison, WI; Newport News/Williamsburg, VA; Santa Barbara, CA; and Green Bay, WI. Book by April 15. Travel dates go all the way into the end of September - September 28, 2010. 
Sample Airfare - One way airfares include Long Beach / Cancun $ 129.

AirTran Airways is hosting its latest sale. Domestic Flights on Sale: Fly Each Way from $44 on AirTran! Book by March 4, 2010. Travel by June 9.
Sample one way airfare - Akron/Canton, OH / Cancun, Mexico $86

The Land Down Under for Less! Fly Round-Trip from $798 on VAustralia Airlines! Book by March 4. Travel by June 8, 2010. This relative newcomer has been great for offering less expensive airfares to Australia.

Airfare Travel Deals this Week - Cheap Airline Tickets

image from the public domain

Airfare Specials This Week originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 00:39:37.

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Early Saturday morning, February 27, 2010 - an earthquake of 8.8 magnitude hits Chile. The earthquake is said to have been hundreds of times more powerful than the one that leveled much of Haiti in January, and is believed to be one of the most powerful earthquakes in history. Chile may have building codes that were established to make buildings more earthquake-proof, but an earthquake of this magnitude is extremely rare and extensive damage is to be expected.

Google has set up a people finder service for those looking for friends and family in Chile. Chile's second largest city, Concepcion, was hardest hit and CNN is reporting that curfews, partly for fear of looting, are in place.

In terms of air travel, the main airport in Santiago has been closed, and affected airlines are permitting flexible rebooking policies including - Air Canada, American Airlines, LAN, and Delta Airlines. Because of tsunami fears, several airlines have been permitting penalty-free changes for flights to Hawaii.

Chilean Air Travel Post-Earthquake originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 00:17:51.

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The fear of flying - aviophobia - is seemingly common to those of us who see the panicked look on the faces of some travelers. The palpable anxiety, the clasped hands, the odd emotional outburst are all different visible signs of a passenger who may be nervous or afraid to fly. Certainly, often it is just that a passenger wants to get on that plane and out of here, but the numbers of people afraid to fly are large.

Think about it - how many people do you know love to fly, or have a smile of comfort when an aircraft bumps around during turbulence. At the same time the numbers who suffer from fear of flying seems an imprecise science. I have read anywhere from 5-40% of all flyers have some degree of fear when it comes to flying.

Given that the fear of flying is a real presence in air travel, tips and resources for conquering this phobia or anxiety may be helpful if you are a nervous flyer, a fearful one, or just get those butterflies in the stomach as you anticipate your flight.

Air Travel Assistance - First Time Flyers and Fear of Flying
Fear of flying courses and treatment



image courtesy of Arlene Fleming

Fear of Flying - Overcoming Aviophobia originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 01:14:18.

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Oh those flights with the stomach rumbles. When you think of some flights being 4 hours or longer without any food being served at all, or having to pay for food on your flight, you may want to bring your own snacks on board.

So many times when I wanted to purchase a sandwich on board it wasn't available, leaving chips and candies as my only other palatable options. It is hard to find healthier options on board flights so I usually resort to packing my own snacks.

Many of the items don't require refrigeration so you can also create your inflight menu of items from your vacation location as well. I do tote it all in a small, soft-sided cooler bag so that I have everything in one place.

I am sharing my own list of food I often bring on board in - Food For Flights - Packing Snacks

Image courtesy of Arlene Fleming

Packing Snacks originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 02:24:42.

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Having worked for an airline for years, both friends and readers alike have asked me about flying with infants, and whether you can take an infant car seat on board a flight. So, can you bring your infant's car seat on board?

Currently, you do have the choice between carrying a child under two years old as a lap baby (no seat) on almost every airline, or purchasing a seat for your child. If you choose to purchase a seat, or chance it and try for an unoccupied seat for your child, the question then becomes whether you can bring the car seat you already own on board.

Having traveled with the under 2 set, I can tell you that it really can be confusing. And airlines are starting to restrict what you can check in for free, the types of strollers you can bring to the gate - and more. So let's look at what makes an infant car seat acceptable to bring on board.

Bringing Car Seats on a Flight for Infants and Toddlers Under Two

image courtesy of Arlene Fleming

Babies, Car Seats and Flights originally appeared on About.com Air Travel on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 00:25:33.

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