Stephanie Serino's Travel Blog

Now that summer’s over, you might consider thinking about your winter travel plans sooner rather than later. Although the media has been gloom-and-dooming about gas prices, airline crisis and economic downturn for months, the truth is there are some fabulous deals out there. -The airlines have cut back their schedules, so booking early is more important than ever. -Resorts are nervous about the economy so they have released great Early Booking incentives with discounted rates and free-night promotions (many require booking by October 15 for 2009 travel). -Cruise rates are lower than last year according to trade publication Travel Weekly . -Continental Airlines’ new service has decreased fares from Ithaca across the board. -Fares to the Caribbean and Mexico are the same as last year. -Fall travel deals are the best I’ve seen in years, so consider a getaway during Fall Break or Thanksgiving. On a personal note, it’s been one year since my association with Linden Travel and it’s been a ve...

Flying from Central New York is always a gamble, but in winter it’s especially so. With very few non-stop flight options and smaller commuter aircrafts more prone to delays, its no wonder flying can feel like a crapshoot sometimes. Here are a few tips to improve your odds when flying in winter. 1. Book the earliest departure of the day. This is always true regardless of the weather because the plane should be ready and waiting to depart from the night before. Subsequent flights must arrive from other cities and turn around for your departure, increasing the possibility of delays. 2. Avoid booking the last flight of the day whenever possible. Unless you don’t mind spending the night at the airport, only book flights with back-up options. 3. Book sufficient layovers. Give yourself an hour or two to change planes so there’s a cushion to accommodate delays due to de-icing aircraft. Avoid 30-minute connections (regarded as ‘legal’ by the airlines) at all costs. 4. Choose your routing caref...