advice Archives - TravelSkills

TravelSkills: Staying safe while abroad [Infographic]

July 24, 2017

Relaxed, fun-loving selfie takers should remain wary of cell phone snatchers on summer trips (Photo: Whitey Blustein)

Travelers are popular targets for thieves because they carry large amounts of money and expensive electronics, and tend not to keep their guard up when relaxing or exploring a fun new place. They are more vulnerable in physical and social spaces that are not their own. And the probability of a visitor reporting a crime and sticking around to testify is very low.

Peak summer travel season is here. With low transoceanic airfares and a strong U.S. dollar, more Americans than ever have summer plans abroad. Does that include you? Or someone you love? Then it’s time to spend a few minutes to consider the new risks of international travel, and familiarize yourself with the customs, and potential dangers, of where you are going.

Don’t let these warnings scare you away from seeing the world… remember, you are likely as much at risk in your home town as you are in another country.

This morning Mike’s Gear Reviews sent us a helpful infographic that should help get you started in preparing for international trips. It’s packed full of helpful TravelSkills, such as:

>Check country specific information and alerts at the US State Department’s website for travelers travel.state.gov. I also like the reports from the CIA World Factbook, the U.K. Home Office Travel Abroad site (which also offers specific country advice) and Australian Foreign Affairs Office SmarterTraveller site.

>You might get harassed by locals in Middle Eastern countries if you are perceived as not being conservative and sensitive to Islamic culture.

>It’s not on Mike’s list, but never leave your mobile phone, tablet or laptop exposed on an outdoor cafe table in Europe. I’ve seen so many of them snatched, sometimes violently.

>In Central and South America criminals may use drugs to temporarily incapacitate victims, so don’t leave food or drink unattended.

>In Asia, you might be scammed into having tea with a “friendly” local, and then be left with an exorbitant tab. (I’ve heard of this one before… typically the friendly local says that he or she would like to practice English with you.)

>If confronted by criminals in Africa, always clearly display your hands and don’t make sudden moves that could be interpreted as resistance.

>Emergency phone numbers vary around the world. While we dial 911 in the U.S. and Canada, in Europe it’s 112, in Australia, 000. In Mexico, it’s 060. Know the number before you go!

What safety tips would you offer international travelers this summer? Please leave them in the comments.

Source: https://www.mikesgearreviews.com/safety-tips-traveling-infographic/

What safety tips would you offer international travelers this summer? Please leave them in the comments.

Fall travel season outlook & advice

October 3, 2016

New York’s Central Park puts on a spectacular show in the fall (Chris McGinnis)

Fall is my favorite time of year to travel. Why? Because it’s typically less crowded, prices come down from steep summer peaks, and the weather is fine just about everywhere. Business travelers always breathe a sigh of relief reclaiming their territory at airport security lines and hotel breakfast bars as hordes of family vacationers have gone home.

Fall is the perfect season for finding last-minute travel deals due to the seasonal dip in demand. But as this past summer came to a close, I began to think that autumn months would see an even deeper dip in demand due to all the angst and uncertainty over the election, Brexit, Zika and terrorism.

But it appears that travelers in the U.S. are as resilient as ever, and this fall remains busy (or busier) than last year. For example, with over 2,000 hotels in the U.S., Best Western Hotels & Resorts is expecting a robust fall travel season with advance bookings for September and October up 6.7 percent in the U.S. compared to this time last year. In Canada, advance bookings for autumn are up a strong 19 percent over this time last year, mostly due to increased interest by Americans attracted by the strength of the U.S. dollar there.

National Gas Price Heat Map (Source: GasBuddy.com)

National Gas Price Heat Map- red is highest, green is lowest. CLICK for more details (Source: GasBuddy.com)

Gasoline prices: One key reason for continuing interest in travel during in the months ahead is the declining price of gasoline. Currently, the average price per gallon nationally is about $2.20—down from a high of about $2.35 in June. Gas remains least expensive in the Midwest and Gulf Coast states (less than $2 per gallon in some areas), but recently edged up in the southeast due to a major pipeline break which caused supply problems. As usual, prices along the West Coast are highest, where $3 per gallon is the norm. (See map above where green show least expensive and red is most expensive.)

Airfare: Increased competition and growth by ultra low-cost airlines such as Frontier, Spirit and Allegiant combined with lower fuel costs is keeping airfares in check. Fall is a great season for finding last-minute airfare deals as airlines are much more likely to offer unsold inventory at deep discounts during the fall. If you have the flexibility to fly at this time of year (meaning you don’t have kids in school) you’ll find plenty of good deals—some so good that they might tempt you to leave the car at home and take to the skies. The best way to find these deals is to follow airlines’ social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook or Snapchat—that’s because by the time the deals hit major media outlets, they’ve disappeared. If you like to fly in business class, now’s the time to start poking around for discounts that usually pop up for flights in late December– last year, we saw fares drop as low as $1,800 round trip!

Hotels: Due to strong demand, hotel prices should remain about the same or increase slightly this fall compared to the same time last year. Due to the seasonal dip in demand, leisure travelers will find some very good deals at this time of year compared to pricey summer months. Fall is also the peak of the convention season, which means that rates at big city center hotels (especially large coast cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, New York and Washington DC) tend to spike during the week when attendees are in town, but decline on weekends when hotels are relatively empty. Tip: During fall months, travel suppliers reach out to business travelers with special deals and incentives tied to their loyalty programs. For example, now through November 20, Best Western is offering a discount of up to 15% and 1,000 Bonus Rewards Points to those booking on bestwestern.com.

View from my room at the newish Best Western Herald Square in NYC (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TIPS:

Conventions: Since fall is peak convention season, demand (and therefore prices) for hotels can vary dramatically from one week to the next. That’s because one week, there might be a huge citywide convention in town and the next, nothing. A good example of this is when we see the huge Oracle OpenWorld (Sept 18-21) or Dreamforce (Oct 4-7) conventions come to town- hotel rates soar, Uber/Lyft impose surge pricing, and it’s impossible to find restaurant reservations. Same thing happens in New York City for Fashion Week or the UN General Assembly. If you have the ability to postpone trips during peak weeks, you’ll save your money and your sanity.

London: Now would be a very good time to go. The weather has not turned cold and damp yet. Airfares have come down from summer peaks. A wobbly economy and recent devaluation of the British pound means that London (and the U.K. in general) is a relative bargain these days, especially for dollar-wielding Americans. (The dollar/pound exchange rate is hovering at around $1.30, down from around $1.60 last year.) Just remember to call this season autumn when you are there… not fall.

Mom’s famous sweet potato casserole a welcome sight after a long Thanksgiving flight! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Cheapest Weeks: Bargain hunters will find the best fall travel deals during the first two weeks of November and December. If possible, schedule trips to coincide with these dips in demand. (The primary exception to this would be New York City, which is flooded with business travelers and holiday shoppers during the first two weeks of December.)

Thanksgiving- Thursday Nov. 24: As always, traveling around Thanksgiving can get crazy. But in recent years, airlines and travelers have pretty much learned the drill, and the only time we see major problems is when bad weather intervenes. As always, the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday and Monday after are most crowded. But recently airlines have found the Friday before Thanksgiving is now one of the busiest days, too. Plan accordingly.

Holiday bookings deadlines: My rule of thumb for making holiday bookings: If you have a very strict holiday schedule, you should have already made your Thanksgiving and Christmas travel reservations. If you have some wiggle room and want to shop around, Thanksgiving trips should be booked no later than the first week of October. Christmas/New Years trips can wait until about Halloween.

This post is sponsored by Best Western and originally appeared on its YouMustBeTrippin.com blog

Disclosure: Thank you for reading TravelSkills! We will periodically send out messages like this one from commercial partners about topics relevant to frequent travel. Our sponsors’ support, and yours, help us keep TravelSkills a free publication.

How to shop for summer airfare “deals”

June 13, 2016

Google Flights maps entice, for July 4 weekend flights from SFO (Image: Google)

My eyes roll and I sigh every time I see a study or opinion about “the best day” to shop for low airfares. Gimme a break!

For many years, Tuesday was supposedly the “best day” for airfare shopping. A recent study shows that weekends, especially Sundays can be even better. I’ve heard some people advise staying up until 1 a.m. on Wednesdays. According to some experts, you should buy your ticket 42 days ahead of time. Oh, wait, the latest study says 57 days.

That advice is even more bogus as peak summer travel season approaches— a time when all “rules” get thrown out the window. (Peak summer season this year starts about June 15 and ends around August 21.)

The fact is that there is no “best day” for buying airlines tickets because each traveler and trip is different.

July 4 is on a Friday this year. Cavallo Point in Marin County, CA (Photo Chris McGinnis)

July 4 is on a Monday this year. Cavallo Point in Marin County, CA (Photo Chris McGinnis)

One bit of good news right now? Airfares are trending down due to lower fuel prices and overcapacity. But don’t think you are going to find any real bargains if you are planning to travel in July or August this year. While fares will probably be about the same or slightly lower than last summer, they are still painfully high during summer season and this year will be no different. (For example, I just booked a midweek trip from SFO to New York City- to get the nonstops and time that worked for my schedule, my client is paying a whopping $740! Ouch!)

The best time to find true fare deals is during slower fall “shoulder” season and airlines roll out deals to help keep all those seats full. Fall is one of the best times of year for those with schedule flexibility to troll for last minute fare deals– or last minute “deals” on frequent flyer mile redemptions. Fall shoulder season begins the week after Labor Day.

Here are 6 steps to remember when fare shopping:

1) Determine the “going rate” for the trip on the dates that work best for you– and keep in mind that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are generally the cheapest days for flying. Shop for fares on your airline of choice and also on fare comparison or shopping sites (my favorite is the ITA Matrix, but it’s kinda geeky). Google’s Flight Search tool is great for a cursory glance. And don’t forget to check Southwest.com since Southwest fares don’t show up on most comparison sites.

2) Factor in fluctuations in demand for your target price. For example, you won’t find that $300 transcontinental round trip in July or August…but you might find it during the slower fall months, or dead weeks of early January. You’ll likely find decent summer fare to Europe in September… but feggedaboutit in July or August. Subscribe to blogs like TravelSkills or follow our Facebook & Twitter feeds to stay on top of periodic fare sales.

3) Set up fare alerts for price drops— fare shopping sites such as AirFareWatchDog, Kayak, Hipmunk, FareCompare or major online travel agencies will do this for you. Based on your research of the “going rate” set a fare level that feels comfortable for you (based on demand), and you’ll get an email if the fare drops below that. Don’t forget to include all the airports near your destination– some can be significantly cheaper than others (such as Oakland instead of SFO, or Long Beach instead of LAX).

Economy class on United p.s. 757 (Chris McGinnis)

When was the last time you had an empty seat next to you? (Chris McGinnis)

4) Once you see a fare that fits into your budget and timeframe, BUY IT. Feel good knowing that you snagged a good seat on a convenient flight at a reasonable price. Don’t sweat it. By waiting, you’d likely not find the most convenient flight for you. Convenience is worth paying for.

5) Monitor for fare drops during the 24-hour grace period you have for canceling reservations without penalty. In the rare case that you find a lower fare within 24 hours, cancel your original reservation without penalty, rebook, and repeat. (Tip: Clear your cookies before doing another search.)

6) If you are still worried that you might have paid too much, Yapta.com will monitor your fare and help you get a refund if you discover you overpaid. (But Yapta can’t get you out of paying cancellation or change penalties.)

Watch TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis offer his fare shopping advice on this CNN segment!

What are your best tips for snagging the lowest fares? What’s the best deal you’ve obtained this year? Please leave your comments below.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s newest, longest flight + Tipping Uber drivers + Qantas 747 Trip Report + Confusion over PreCheck policies + No-fee earlier flights

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How to survive a trip to San Francisco

September 14, 2015

San Francisco’s newest hotel, Dreamboat, docked on the Embarcadero (Image: Vimeo / Nic Bucci)

Nearly every frequent traveler visits San Francisco at least one time each year. And it’s most likely that visit will take place between September and December, the city’s peak convention season. With San Francisco at the epicenter of a global boom, techies from around the world are flooding into town this fall.

For example, San Francisco-based cloud computing giant Salesforce.com puts on its annual Dreamforce conference this week at the city’s sprawling Moscone Convention Center, attracting 60,000+ people (who spent more than $225 million during the 2014 event). The event has grown so huge that Salesforce is housing more than 1,000 attendees on a big Celebrity Cruise ship called “Dreamboat” docked this week on the Embarcadero at Pier 27. (See photo above)

This year, Oracle’s OpenWorld conference runs October 25-29 and attracts a similarly-super-sized crowd– Elton John is taking to the stage to entertain the throngs.

When a big “citywide” like that comes to town, nearly every hotel in the Bay Area is sold out, or its rates are hyper-inflated. During these peak weeks, you’ll pay a minimum of about $500 for an decent room and feel lucky that you even found one. When citywides come into town, Airbnb hosts lick their chops and fluff their pillows. Restaurant reservations become scant. And Uber drivers kiss their families goodbye and work double shifts for several days in a row. And locals grumble when downtown streets are closed for the duration leading to traffic headaches.

Oh, and don’t forget about the Super Bowl (February 7), which is expected to draw about 70,000 overnight visitors to the Bay Area during the week before and after the big game.

Video: Don’t make these 8 mistakes in San Francisco!

So now’s probably a great time to offer some advice to the arriving throngs—and this advice is good whether you are coming San Francisco next week or next year. (If you are in SF, please forward this to your future guests!)

1>Don’t schedule business meetings on Friday afternoons after 2 p.m. On Fridays, when New York closes for the weekend at 5 pm eastern, so does much of San Francisco (at 2 pm Pacific) especially when it’s warm and sunny outside. Cocktail and beer carts start making the rounds in offices at about 3 p.m. While there are exceptions to this rule, your Bay Area colleagues are likely to groan if you send out a calendar invite for a 4 p.m. meeting on Friday. Make it at 11 a.m. instead.

San Francisco’s a town that gets started early…even when it’s foggy out (Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Flickr)

2>Don’t be surprised about an early start. In a similar vein, know that the workday starts relatively early here, so an 8:30 a.m. meeting is not considered out of order. If that feels too early for you, just bring along some caffeine from Blue Bottle, Ritual or Philz and you’ll be fine. Lunch hour begins promptly at noon, but you find that locals may ask you to show up at 11:45 a.m. “to beat the crowds.” Expect the same early schedule for dinner meetings, which can and do start as early at 6 p.m. Most restaurants are empty by 9:30 on weekdays and by 10:30 p.m. on weekends.

3>Try ridesharing. This is the hometown of ridesharing giants Uber, Sidecar and Lyft, so download their apps and use them if you haven’t already done so– just be aware of “surge pricing” when conventions are in town. Here you can sample all the different “flavors” of Uber, which include the standard town car UberBLACK, private car “citizen driver” UberX (cheaper than taxis), UberSUV, UberXL, and the new UberPOOL where you share a ride with someone else headed in the same direction. Don’t rent a car at the airport unless it’s absolutely essential. SFO rental rates are notoriously high, the car rental center at is distant and unloved, and downtown hotel parking rates are in the $60 per night range. If you’ve not signed up for Uber yet, do so here and get $20 off your first ride. In addition to your discount, TravelSkills gets a $20 Uber discount when you sign up, so help us out 🙂

4>Don’t put off making dinner reservations. This town is HOT and wealthy right now, full of cool kids and visitors with sophisticated palates who love to dine out. If you are here to try the city’s best restaurants, make reservations at least two or three weeks in advance…or more for top spots like Boulevard, Frances, State Bird Provisions, Gary Danko, and others. One common mistake among visitors is thinking that the city’s best Chinese food is in Chinatown. Not necessarily. Grab an Uber or jump on Muni and head out to the western neighborhoods like the Sunset or Inner Richmond which stake claim to the real thing.

MUNI, pictured here, and BART are not the same thing. (Photo Torbakhopper / Flickr)

5>Don’t confuse subways. You should know that San Francisco has TWO main subway systems—BART is the rapid rail regional system with several stations along Market Street connecting out to the suburbs and airport. MUNI is the slower central city subway & streetcar system used frequently (and frequently derided) by inner city residents. Of course, there are San Francisco’s fabled cable cars, but those are mostly a tourist attraction and rarely a primary means of transport for locals.

6>Don’t think BART to airport is going to save much time. BART is a great option for those who travel light, but you should know that takes 30-40 minutes to get to the Embarcadero from SFO (for $8.65 each way). Plus, you’ll have to walk to your hotel from the nearest BART station (see below). If there’s no traffic, a taxi or Uber can get you to or from the airport in about 20 minutes. UberBLACK flat rates are $68. UberX can be about half that. And cabs run about $50 including tip.

7>Consider hills when walking. First timers with hotels on Nob Hill may look at a map and think, “Oh, I’ll just walk to my hotel from Market Street. It’s close.” Well, yes, it’s close as the bird flies, but try lugging your rollaboard up the side of the hill to the Ritz-Carlton, Fairmont, Scarlet Huntington or Mark Hopkins and you’ll learn quickly that this may not be the smartest option. Especially if you are wearing heels!

8>Don’t forget your layers. While the rest of the country is experiencing an autumnal cool-off right now, SF is experiencing its typical October heat wave, so that new black sweater or suit won’t work when it’s 85 in the city during the day. But of course, it could be perfect in a matter of hours when the fog, a storm or cold front blow in off the Pacific. (By the way, wear black here. It always works.)

Finally, never call San Francisco “Frisco” or “San Fran.” Laid back locals won’t say anything, but inside, you can bet they are groaning. To be safe, just call it “The City” or San Francisco.

I’m sure our many Bay Area readers can add to this list, so please fire away in the comments section below and help your fellow frequent traveler headed west!

–Chris McGinnis

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Airport updates in LAX, DFW + Photos: New United first class seat + Save money on calls from other countries + 6 secrets for snagging low fares

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Don’t make these mistakes in San Francisco (VIDEO)

June 22, 2015

Chris McGinnis offers San Francisco tips on CNN (Image: CNN)

Last year during the peak of the convention season in San Francisco, we wrote up Don’t make these 8 mistakes in San Francisco to help visitors avoid looking foolish when arriving in the City by the Bay.

Well, CNN producers liked that post so much that they sent out a crew from Atlanta to tape TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis offering up his best tips and advice for visitors on TV.

Check out the two-minute video here:

See the video for Chris’s advice on finding the best coffee in town, when to schedule lunch, why not much work gets done on Fridays, how to try ride sharing, and perhaps most importantly, dispelling the myth about what Mark Twain said about summer weather in San Francisco.

Take a look at the video and offer up YOUR best advice for first time visitors to Frisco San Francisco! What did we leave out?

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Free airport parking? + Fastest airlines + CLEAR goes cardless + Cool gasoline price heat map + More!

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