HOTEL DISCOUNTS
HOTELS 70% OFF IN OVER 65 CITIES WORLDWIDE!
SAMPLE CITIES:
Paris..............from $59
London..........from $79
New York.................from $69
La$ Vega$......................from $79
CLICK HERE FOR ALL CITIES:
 

• Sheraton Hawaii
• Pulse 'Actualizar' para cargar el último fotograma

*BONUS MILE OFFERS*

• Bank deal: NetBank.com offers Six Continents Hotels' frequent guests up to 10,000 points for opening a NetBank account. Details will be posted in mid-February at priorityclub.com. Restrictions.
• Debit for miles: American Airlines' frequent fliers earn miles for purchases using Citibank's new AAdvantage debit card. Go to citibankonline.com.
• Lifting blackout restrictions: Delta said Wednesday that it will eliminate blackout dates for all frequent-flier award travel Feb. 1, following similar plans from Northwest and American airlines. Also, Delta's e-ticket frequent fliers can now check in and print boarding passes at www.delta.com.
• Awards for less: Delta reduced the number of miles needed for domestic award tickets by 5,000 miles. Fly coach for 20,000 or first class for 35,000. Book tickets online; travel through March 20.
• Continental And KLM Launch Codeshare Flights With Double Miles
• Earn Double US Airways Dividend Miles On Swissair Flights To Europe
• Air Canada Lowers Miles Needed For 2002 Elite Status
• Three New Bonus Offers From Delta SkyMiles
• Earn 450 Miles For Charity & 50 Miles For You With Each Northwest Flight
• Reduced SkyMiles Award Travel Between The Continental U.S. & Alaska
• Earn AAdvantage Miles With A New Citibank Debit Card
• Double Asia Miles With Cathay Pacific Visa

• FOR $888 PER PERSON, LIVE IT UP in Singapore. Deal includes round-trip airfare on Singapore Airlines from JFK or Newark, three nights at a first-class hotel, daily breakfast buffet, airport transfers and local tours. Book through Asian Affair Holidays, 877-523-0562; Discount Air and Tour, 888-395-9205; Grand Select, 888-333-0601; or Pacific Delight Tours, 800-221-7179.
• Bonus funds: Book a trip to Europe on British Airways by Feb. 22 and earn $100 bonus after spending a minimum of $500. Travel April 1-March 31, 2003. Details at britishairways.com/vacations.
• Stay Three Nights At Wyndham And Get One Night Free
• Last minute: Fly Midway $188 round trip through Feb. 13 between Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and Boston, New York LaGuardia and Newark, N.J. No advance-purchase or Saturday-night stay requirement.
• British Airways is offering full-fare customers the chance to earn free tickets or triple miles, as follows: Free Tickets Earn 2 free tickets for 1 roundtrip or 2 1-way transatlantic sectors in full-fare Club World or First or Concorde  (D, J, A, F, R class) through Apr. 15, 2002. Offer is good one time only during this promotion.  Registration is required.
• Israel deal: Fly El Al between U.S. gateways and Israel for a combination of dollars and El Al frequent-flier points. Lowest fare: $350 plus 400 or 800 points between New York JFK or Newark, N.J., and Israel.

WHERE'S JOHNNY JET?
 I'm back from Hawaii.  :-(  What a bummer.
The trip was short, sweet, and cheap.  I was really impressed that United and Hilton made it so easy for me to cash in miles and points at such short notice.
For those of you who have never been, you might be disappointed when you get off the plane and you do not receive a lei from one of the pretty Hawaiian ladies waiting by the gate.  (It's only for those who have gone with a tour group.)  Don't despair because they now have lei carts in baggage claim, and like good boyfriend Johnny, I got Amber lei'd right when she got off the plane.  The correct way of lei'ing someone in Hawaii is putting the lei on with both hands and then kissing them on each cheek.
Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the Hilton Hawaiian, which has added a fourth hotel to their 22 acre village.  We were supposed to stay in the new tower, but since it wasn't near the ocean we nixed that idea.  We stayed in the Rainbow Tower which overlooks the ocean. They upgraded us to a suite and were kind enough to give us 2 complimentary breakfast passes for every morning which are normally $13 a piece.  Man you gotta love being an elite member of Hilton Honors when business is slow!
Almost everyday, we walked the half a mile from the Hilton to the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, which I consider to be the heart of Waikiki.  (That's the other hotel I like to stay at in Waikiki.)  I gave Amber a quick tour of the historic hotel, chilled out on their patio, and had lunch out by the pool.  Which, BTW, was very reasonable: $5 for a hamburger and $4.50 for a grilled cheese with bacon!  Warning: If you are afraid of birds, like Amber, you might not like dining out there because these birds have no fear!
Next door to the Surfrider is one of my favorite restaurants in the world.  Dukes!  How can you not love this place?  Okay it's touristy, but come on.. it's steps from the pacific, very laid back (you can wear flip flops and shorts), everything on the menu is tasty, and it's reasonably priced.

After filling your belly, walk 5 steps to your left and there you will find Aloha Beach Services.  I like this company to rent surfboards ($8 an hour), and to get a lesson for $25 which they guarantee you to ride a wave.  (I highly recommend getting one if you never surfed.)  Amber did and she got up every time!  We also went out on their outrigger canoe and rode 3 waves for $5 a person.  The only negative about this company is when we went to go on the 1 hour sail on the catamaran ($12) the dude wouldn't give me the second time around discount as the lady at the desk told me to ask for $10.  He just kept saying twelvdolla with his sarcastic drunk smile.  Literally,  he was so drunk he could barely speak, so we opted not to go with a drunken snaggle-tooth sailor.

MORNING: If you are jet lag and can't sleep at the crack of dawn, don't just lay in bed. Get up and jog or drive to Diamond head (about 2 miles away) and beat the mad rush of the tour busses.  It opens at 6am and closes at 6pm.  The cost is only a $1 to climb Hawaii's most famous landmark.  The hike will take about an hour, and it's not too hard.  (Remember my Dad did it last year with a broken back?)  The views from the top are spectacular and memorable.

If you feel like sightseeing some more, I recommend taking the 45 minute drive to the North Shore.  Take route 99 and you will pass the Dole Plantation in about 30 minute.  This place has the world's largest maze which is a gag to do ($5).  It takes between 15 and 30 minutes. We did it in 20 minutes, and the fastest is 7 minutes (you know they cheated as Amber did!).  When you are done with the maze, go inside and buy a pineapple soft-serve ice cream and a chocolate covered slice of pineapple on a stick.  These are so tasty!.
Take a right out of Dole and you are less than 15 minutes from the Norh Shore.  Unfortunately, it was raining on this side of the island and the waves were not the normal gigantic height.  It was fun anyway, and we stopped by Matsmoto's world famous shaved ice.  (Like we needed any more sugar.)
The last day was cloudy and instead of spending our last hours by the pool we drove 30 minutes to Hanauma Bay, again get there early because it gets mad crowded with tour busses.  After snorkeling, take a right out of the parking lot and 2 miles down the road you will hit  a great scenic point.  It's called "The Blow Hole."  I've seen this thing shoot up 50 feet in the air!  It's also a great place to spot whales and sea turtles, as we did.

Everybody knows Waikiki is very touristy, (they say about 90% of visitors to Hawaii go to Waikiki), but it's beautiful and it's a great place to go for business and sightseeing.  But if you want to relax, go to the other islands where they are not so populated.  I will next time but I just love surfing in Waikiki and eating at Duke's.

We left Hawaii on Thursday afternoon and the security lines at HNL were unbelievably long.  When we got dropped off by Alamo we were noticing all the long lines at the other airlines.  One was particularly long and we thought it was Northwest, but unfortunately it was for United.  It was so long, it  wrapped around the the building like a snake and was backed up to Northwest's terminal.  This thing was at least 500 people deep, and not moving very fast.  Like a bad boy we arrived at the airport 1 hour before departure and Amber thought for sure we were going to miss the flight.  I thought about going through the Northwest security line because it was much shorter and once you are on the other side you can walk to the other airlines.  But we banked on a United official to pull passengers out of line 45 minutes before departure, which they did, so we only had to wait a mere 5 minutes. Yeah Baby!
 

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Next Week:  Chicago

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TIP OF THE WEEK:   By Chris McGinnis
GOOD NYC EATS, CHEAP!
Many of New York City’s BEST restaurants are celebrating Winter Restaurant Weeks from Jan 28-Feb 8 (excluding Feb 2- 3) with $20.02 prix fixe lunches and $30.02 dinners. Interested? Make reservations NOW as the top spots are filling up fast. See http://www.restaurantweek.com. A quick scan of those participating: Aquavit, Aureole, Chanterelle, Lutece, Tabla and many many more!
 

NEWSPAPER OF THE WEEK: (THIS IS LONDON)

• Sail away from the January blues
• Gimme five ... H2Otels
• The Verbier ride of your life
• I lost my heart in Corsica
• Best hotels where real log fires burn
• The 'hot' spots that leave you cold
• Spa turns for spring
• A-Z travel guide for 2002
• Log: How Parc life has improved

• New (for a price): The freedom to cancel
• Two for the canal
• Returning to nature in the Galapagos
• Lazing aboard a true sailing ship
• How to contact the cruise lines
• Book or not book aboard?
• TOURISM COUNTS
• Rest up in PR before the ship sails
• SUNDAY'S TRIBUNE
• Weather
• Caribbean guides
• Agent can help with cruise decisions
• Go with the floe on Arctic cruise
• SUNDAY'S TRIBUNE
• Ecuador airliner wreckage found on volcano; no survivors

• Quest for a fallen star
• On a high-tech scavenger hunt
• Check online for deals on renting wheels
• Notebook
• Best Fares: Variety of deals available for air, sea and land travel
• 'Fantasticks' set the stage for getting to know communities
• Flight attendant has seen it all - at 30,000 feet
• The new airport routine: Hurry up and wait

• Living Luxe Vegas, for Less
• In a Gray Light, Lima's Softer Side Shines
• Low Profile, Low Key, High Class
• Tragedy Reforges a Bond Lost to the Past in a Onetime Home
• Wonders Down Under

• Grand Canyon still being loved to death
• At Airports, New Watchdog Is Taking Over
• Two Airlines to Ease Frequent Flier Rules
• Querétaro, Witness to History
• A Cultural Heritage in Clay and Copper
• Choice Tables: On the Fringes of Florence, Memorable Eating
• What's Doing: In Vail
• Essay: A Shuttle Between Chinatowns
• Practical Traveler: Singles Tours, Romance Extra
• Unloading Old Francs and Lire
• Correspondent's Report: Cuba, So Close, Remains Distant for Cruise Lines
• Travel Advisory: A Ritz-Carlton in Battery Park City; Britain Free of Foot and Mouth Disease; Security at Mardi Gras
• Business Travel: Keeping Airline Passengers Happy
• Q & A: A Wedding at Sea; Touring Bach Sites; A Word From Hotel Guests
• Letters: Whose Sarasota?; Park City, Utah; Canada
• At Airports, New Watchdog Is Taking Over
• Querétaro: Visitor Information
• Morelia or Guanajuato: Lodging, Dining and Artisan Information
• Florence: Restaurant Information
• Deal of the Day: Venice Values

• Normal Person Flies Concorde
• Artful Dublin
• Off to Hong Kong? Suit Yourself.: With custom outfits at $300, even a reporter can look good.
• In the Pa. Hills, a Search for Solace
• COMINGANDGOING
• SIGN HERE
• File This
• London Calls; Orlando Park Hopping
• EXTREME TRAVEL TRIVIA
• Reel Good Ski Resorts
• DETAILSDublin Art Scene
• DETAILSPendle Hill
• MESSAGE CENTER
• The Travel Writer's New Clothes: An Expert Opinion

• United may fold Avolar
• Winter tourism wilts
• 10 great... most distinctive used-book stores.
• Add a little flavor
• Julia Child, Oprah, other stars savor vistas of Montecito, Calif.
• Luxury hotel overlooking WTC site opens
• Is Heathrow worth the price?

• Lifting blackout restrictions: Delta said Wednesday that it will eliminate blackout dates for all frequent-flier award travel Feb. 1, following similar plans from Northwest and American airlines. Also, Delta's e-ticket frequent fliers can now check in and print boarding passes at www.delta.com.

BESTFARES

• Some Flight Attendants Say Airlines Are Skimping On Security
• Euro Cyber Cafe Opens At Philadelphia International Airport
• Frequent Flyers Lose More Benefits On Additional Airlines
• Delta SkyMiles Customers Can Now Check In & Print Boarding Cards Online
• Frequent Flyers Lose More Benefits On Additional Airlines
• United Accepts Presidential Panel's Suggested Of 34% Pay Raise For Mechanics
• American Airlines Begins JFK-Tokyo Service On April 19

• Southwest bids farewell to plastic boarding cards
• New British tourism ad campaign
• "New" Ansett to cause drop in Australian fares
• Pollution threatens to close Thai island

• New Exit Numbers To Make Traveling Easier
• Las Vegas Gets Direct Hong Kong Flight
• Screening plan for frequent fliers holds promise, risk
• American Air CEO says adding back service
• America West to recall 75 furloughed pilots
• Amtrak Offers Passengers Free Surfing
• American Trans Air recalls 600 furloughed workers
• Ryanair Orders 100 Boeing 737s
• Airlines bump plans for high-speed Net on planes
• Airlines use fees to encourage e-ticket use
• Airline to Restore 41 Dallas Flights
• NYC Tour Guides Put 'Ground Zero' on the Map

• BA, AA Effectively Rule Out Alliance
• Alaska Air Loss Widens Despite Govt. Aid
• Commuter Air Flight Attendants Dissatisfied with Cabin Security
• Budget Carrier Orders 100 Boeing 737s; Options 50 More
• Afghanistan's Airline Makes First Intl. Flight Since 1999

• Skiing Serre Chevalier in France
• Cosmonaut hero slams space tourism plans
• European travelers could see delays
• Immediate seating: Club Med
• Report: Amtrak no farther down the track
• Flight attendants: Airlines skimp on security training
• Man arrested for saying he took knife on plane
• Touring, 'Sex and the City' style
• It's carnival time in the islands
• Wine country: Napa and Sonoma
• The empire gives back: Gibraltar is rocked
• Toilet trauma for jet passenger
• Sighs in the skies: Few delays
• Tourists: Arizona snowbirds, California dreamers
• More training urged for screeners
• Smooth start for bag screenings
• Northeastern United States blanketed with snow
• FAA, airlines face off over pilot hours

• American jetliner in China diverted
• Taking flight slowly in Afghanistan
• Great dealsstarting to vanish,some bargainsstill out there
• American to restore some flights
• Tough timesfor British travelers
• Man tellsMiami securityhe has gun
• Kandahar airport bustling again
• Man breaches Israeli airport security
• WP: Dude, where’s my horse?
• WP: Learning how to mosey in Utah
• Confiscated items pile up at airport
• Pilots want Airbus A300 grounded
• Man evades air security in St. Louis
• Self-sufficiency far away for Amtrak
• Army seeks relief for National Guard
• Commuter airline security questioned
• Budget Travel: Can you Belize?

• FRACTIONAL HOTEL PRICING--WHAT A BARGAIN
• TEN WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR VACATION BUDGET

• U.S. & Canadian Airlines
• U.S. & International Hotels
• Car Rentals

GOOD TO KNOW!
Award Tickets Will Be Subject to Security Surcharge "Free"... it ain't what it used to be! (From Frequentflier.com)

Beginning Feb. 1, the federal government will begin collecting a security surcharge from the airlines for every ticket issued, including frequent-flyer program award tickets. The surcharge  will be used to fund enhanced airport security measures, including new screening machines and personnel.
While the airlines are not required to pass the surcharge on to their customers, they are almost certain to do so. (As one airline manager described the situation to me: It would be unseemly for the airlines -- which have accepted $5 billion in federal bailout funds and will be benefiting from billions more in federal loan guarantees -- to willfully allow their profit margins to be further eroded.)

The surcharge can be as much as $10 per roundtrip ticket, with $2.50 assessed for each "enplanement," up to $5 for each one-way trip. Complicating the calculation are various exceptions, including the following:

- No surcharge will be assessed for flights on aircraft with fewer than 60 seats.
- Connections made in "sterile concourses" will not count as additional enplanements, and will thus not trigger additional surcharges.

 The question at this point is not whether the airlines will charge up to $10 for every award ticket issued, but when they will be ready to do so. Making the necessary changes to the airlines' on- and offline booking engines in time for the Feb. 1 start date is no small undertaking. And it's likely that at least some carriers will in fact eat the surcharge initially, until their systems are ready to auto-process the newly required collection.

Is this something consumers should be up in arms about? In a word, no. (Although I reserve the right to change my assessment if the funds are ultimately mismanaged.)
 
 

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