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8 Costly Las Vegas Travel Mistakes

2012-05-13T22:31:06Z

Millions of visitors arrive in Las Vegas each year with little understanding of the city. The mistakes that spring from this lack of knowledge can lead to overspending.

It's very easy to spend far too much for show tickets, hotel rooms and entertainment.

It's a unique and popular destination, so budget travelers should consider at least 8 Costly Las Vegas Travel Mistakes and tips for avoiding those pitfalls.

Extra: Take a look at costly travel mistakes in other cities.

8 Costly Las Vegas Travel Mistakes originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, May 13th, 2012 at 22:31:06.

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Deals for the Week of May 14

2012-05-13T01:20:49Z

Here's the latest list of 10 travel deals for this week. Many of these links lead to offers with a very limited shelf life, so if you're interested, act quickly. But don't act so quickly that you miss the fine print. Spring Travel Deals aren't quite so fleeting, and are also worth a look. Among this week's deals: discounts on the Paris Pass as well as sales on stays in Las Vegas and at all-inclusive resorts.

Deals for the Week of May 14 originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, May 13th, 2012 at 01:20:49.

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How to Save Money on Urban Travel

2012-05-13T01:15:40Z

Big cities are distinctive, and those differences make them worth visiting. But you'll also find some similarities that can become predictable and money-saving. For example, big cities frequently better mass transit and more competitive pricing on airfares. Take a look at a step by step approach to saving money on urban travel. Don't get lost in a big city's high prices. Learn ways to make every city an affordable destination.

How to Save Money on Urban Travel originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, May 13th, 2012 at 01:15:40.

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Summer Vacation - A Travel Guide

2012-05-06T23:21:26Z

Useful travel writing does more than describe mountain grandeur and appealing cities. It provides the details necessary to formulate a solid itinerary.

Guides across the About.com travel channel are dedicated to providing that kind of content. Every day, they post stories focused on information upon which you can take action.

Recently, I drew upon these deep resources in the creation of a summer vacation travel guide. As the work unfolded, Guides sent me suggestions for links; sometimes I discovered great content on my own that fit the summer vacation theme. I've earned an even greater appreciation for the stellar work of my colleagues.

The result is about 150 links from more than 40 About.com travel Guides. Start with these links and you'll find additional stories. In other words, you should be able to surf your way across the About.com travel channel and plan a great summer trip.

The guide is organized into nine sections:

Don't put off your planning. Get started now and bookmark this guide for further consultation in the coming weeks as your plans take shape.

Summer Vacation - A Travel Guide originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at 23:21:26.

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Deals for the Week of May 7

2012-05-06T02:23:00Z

Here's the latest list of 10 travel deals for this week. Many of these links lead to offers with a very limited shelf life, so if you're interested, act quickly. But don't act so quickly that you miss the fine print. Spring Travel Deals aren't quite so fleeting, and are also worth a look. Among this week's deals: discounts on rail passes for Europe, an on-board cruise savings book and a sale on all-inclusive beach resort stays.

Deals for the Week of May 7 originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at 02:23:00.

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The Costs of Budget Air Travel

2012-05-06T02:16:43Z

Spirit Airlines got lots of attention this week.

The low-cost airline announced new carry-on baggage fees that are effective Nov. 6. The charge for stowing a carry-on bag in an overhead bin will climb to $100 when arranged at the gate. That's more than double the $45 Spirit currently charges for carry-on bags, and double the $50 checked baggage fee. Spirit was the first to charge a carry-on fee, and Allegiant has since followed.

There was also the story of Jerry Meekins, a veteran who requested a $197 refund from Spirit. Meekins said he was a dying man and doctors did not want him to fly. Spirit refused to bend its no-refund policy. The firestorm of media coverage that followed prompted Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza to release a statement on Friday in which he admitted "I did not demonstrate the respect or the compassion that I should have, given his medical condition and his service to our country." Baldanza didn't break policy, but he did personally refund the $197 and made a $5,000 corporate donation to Meekins' charity of choice, Wounded Warriors.

The strict no-refund policies and a growing array of fees are typical practices for low-cost airlines as they seek to keep their ticket prices as low as possible. Traditional airlines do some of the same things. But that marketing strategy has been blunted by the new USDOT requirement of listing total prices (including taxes and fees) in advertising.

Christopher Elliott reported in the Washington Post recently that the Obama administration's deficit reduction plan "includes increasing the passenger security fee, now between $5 and $10 per flight, to $15, with possible future increases." Americans already pay 17 separate airfare-related taxes and nearly 20 percent tax on their tickets, up from 7 percent in 1972.

Budget travelers need to plan accordingly. When you add up increased fees, strict no-refund policies, new fees, higher taxes and more taxes on the drawing board, the sum could send you searching for a road map.

_{Photo courtesy Spirit Airlines}

The Costs of Budget Air Travel originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at 02:16:43.

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Residence Inn Extended Stay Expands into Europe

2012-04-30T20:55:45Z

Extended stay hotels are not all that common in Europe. Major chain extended stay hotels are even less abundant.

So Residence Inn's foray into two European markets -- a first for the extended stay brand in Europe -- is interesting news. Properties in Munich, Germany and Edinburgh, Scotland are now open.

Extended stay hotels are not necessarily designed for budget travelers. The suites tend to cost a bit more than a standard mid-range hotel room. The rate structure caters to people who can spend at least five consecutive nights. But with the higher prices come amenities that offer added value to the trip, especially for budget travelers who like to establish a hub and then make day trips in a region.

Why plan hub travel at an extended stay hotel?

Among the benefits are unpacking only once, getting to know the hub city better, enjoying daily free breakfasts and other perks such as a bigger suite that includes a fully-equipped kitchen and a 24-hour store in the lobby.

The Residence Inn choices of Munich and Edinburgh hold promise for hub budget travelers. Both cities are situated in regions well suited for day-trip explorations. One could easily spend five consecutive nights in either place and see many other cities via day-trip (Glasgow, St. Andrews, Salzburg, Rothenburg and Nuremburg come to mind immediately).

As a jump-start to your hub travel planning, take a look at two features that will help determine if this option fits your budget and how it can work:

Residence Inn Extended Stay Expands into Europe originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 20:55:45.

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Deals for the Week of April 30

2012-04-29T01:49:20Z

Here's the latest list of 10 travel deals for this week. Many of these links lead to offers with a very limited shelf life, so if you're interested, act quickly. But don't act so quickly that you miss the fine print. Spring Travel Deals aren't quite so fleeting, and are also worth a look. Among this week's deals: a cruise sale, a discount on park-hopping passes at Disneyland and sale prices on adventure travel in Africa.

Deals for the Week of April 30 originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at 01:49:20.

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Walking Tour - Hire a Tourist Guide on a Budget

2012-04-29T01:44:36Z

So much of the budget travel experience involves getting the most for all the money you spend on airfares, hotels and other necessities. Once you arrive and that day for exploring is at hand, you must maximize your travel investment. One of the best ways to do that is to arrange a walking tour.

Many budget travelers hesitate when it comes to joining a tour of any kind. Many of us are independent travelers who don't spend money on group tour trips. But joining a small group for a few hours is not the same as riding a bus with the same 30 people for two weeks. There are also guides who will work exclusively for you and your travel party.

How do you find such a guide? What should you consider as you plan this day of exploring? Here is a step by step process for finding a walking tour and hiring a tourist guide on a budget.

Walking Tour - Hire a Tourist Guide on a Budget originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at 01:44:36.

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Airline Baggage Fees

2012-04-22T17:03:41Z

For years, airlines have charged more money for the best seats, non-stop flights and preferred travel times. But tough times in the airline industry seemed to usher in a host of new fees for services previously included in the ticket price. None of these fees is popular, but the checked baggage charge most frequently draws the ire of budget travelers.

Keeping up with these fees isn't easy, and airlines don't usually splash their latest fee schedules on the home pages of their web sites. So I've linked readers to those often hard-to-find checked baggage fee pages on the airline web sites. Take a look at the latest checked baggage policies for 10 major airlines and 10 major budget airline baggage fee policies.

It isn't always the most entertaining reading, but it is essential that budget travelers stay informed about these quickly changing fees.

More about Budget Air Travel:

Airline Baggage Fees originally appeared on About.com Budget Travel on Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at 17:03:41.

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