Receive a $50 Amex Gift Cheque with your next vacation!
It's not too late to plan your summer vacation with Summit. Our Vacation Counselors have uncovered a wide selection of money-saving last-minute vacation ideas that are sure to delight.
From now through August 31, book your vacation with Summit Travel Group and receive a $50 American Express Gift Cheque! Simply mention that you are a corporate travel client when you book your cruise or land package vacation of 5 days or more with Summit and receive a $50 gift cheque at time of final payment.
This offer is valid for current corporate travel clients and their accompanying guests only.
Offer does not apply to air-only reservations.
For more information, contact Summit Travel Group's Vacation Service at (800) 950-2030 or (650) 361-8111.
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Trying to combat their losses, major carriers increased their domestic ticket prices by $10 to $20 roundtrip last month, depending on the length of the flight. High fuel prices have forced the industry to try to raise fares several times over the past year. Only in the past few months have the price increases stuck, however, as passenger demand rises and fewer seats become available. The latest round of fare increases was launched by American Airlines, which increased ticket prices system wide on May 11 by $2-$6 roundtrip. Delta Air Lines upped the ante the following day by raising roundtrip fares by $10 to $20. Northwest Airlines Corp., UAL Corp.'s United Airlines, US Airways Group Inc., America West Holdings Corp. and Continental Airlines matched those hikes one way or another. (Source: USA Today)
In the latest airline cost-cutting move, Northwest Airlines is going to stop giving away pretzels on its domestic flights, months after it stopped serving free meals. Beginning June 9, coach passengers who want anything other than soda will have to pay for it. For instance, they can get a bag of trail mix for $1. Northwest Airlines said the airline has no immediate plans to stop offering free soda, adding that pulling the free pretzels should save $2 million a year. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
The Skyline Peoplemover system began service last month (May) at Dallas Forth Worth Airport. Right now it moves 5,000 people per hour in each direction at 35 mph on its elevated guideways; ultimately that will increase to 8,000 people. It connects passengers to flights that are less than 30 minutes apart. The average ride will be five minutes, the longest; nine minutes. Because the trains run in two directions, passengers will no longer need to travel to most of the loop to get to their destination. Besides speeding the trip, it means passengers with longer layovers can visit other parts of the terminal for shopping or viewing art displays. (Source: DFW Airport press release).
The hotel industry will start construction on more rooms this year than in any year since 2000 as the industry continues its sharp recovery from the post-9/11 downturn, according to a new study. Room starts will rise 21.5 percent this year to 98,000 rooms according to the study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The year-over-year increase is the largest since 1997. The spurt of construction comes as rates are showing strong growth nationwide as occupancy rebounds and business travel picks up again. High-end hotels have done particularly well in the past couple of years. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
Midweek hotel bargains are becoming harder to find, thanks mostly to a business travel comeback that's flourished since last year. Hotel rates are rising across the board, but they're increasing faster at hotels that cater to business travelers. The average daily rate at urban hotels rose to $115.77 in March, up 5 percent from a year ago, according to Smith Travel Research. Airport hotels averaged $85.05, up 7 percent from a year earlier. Despite a year-over-year rate increase of more than 10 percent in cities such as Washington and Orlando, most hotels in the USA are still charging less on average than they did before Sept. 11. But that's not the case in New York. New York hotels are expected to set records this year for prices and occupancy rates, PricewaterhouseCoopers says. The firm projects New York's occupancy rates will top 85 percent, and the average daily rate will top $225. (Source: USA Today)
The rise of sophisticated security features on keys has made losing a rental car key an expensive predicament. Some big rental agencies no longer keep spares on hand, and they may charge you hundreds of dollars to make a new key. If it happens to you, call the rental company's roadside-assistance hotline to report the problem, and find out what your options are. You may get lucky with an agency that still keeps spares, or can get you a new rental car free of charge. Then do some comparative price shopping on your own. Some 24-hour locksmiths can travel to your car and cut a new key on the spot for less than the agency charges. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
Foreign visitors departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are now required to follow new checkout procedures before departing on their flights. As of May 18, visitors are being asked to provide their two index finger scans and hold for a digital photo as part of the pilot program to test an automated biometric exit process. The US-VISIT exit procedures are currently being tested at a several airports, including Baltimore/ Washington, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit Metro, Atlanta, San Juan, Newark, Philadelphia and San Francisco and the Miami International Cruise Line Terminal. (Source: PR Newswire)
More and more business travelers are losing more and more things because they are lugging so many additional gadgets and communications devices--often misplacing them in airplanes, airports, hotel rooms, restaurants cabs and rented cars. The plague of forgetfulness has given rise to several services that locate vanished goods. For example, Trackitback in Winnipeg, Manitoba, uses coded identification labels and a reward system to encourage people to call a toll-free number when they find a lost item with an affixed label. (Source: The New York Times)
It’s smart to travel with a cell phone; it’s invaluable in dealing with delays and for staying in touch with family members and business associates. But, many U.S. mobile phones don’t work overseas, so U.S. business travelers have to rent them. To make renting phones more convenient and affordable, Summit Travel Group has negotiated special pricing with several international phone providers for American Express Card members. Here are the options:
- WorldRoam provides cellular mobile service across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Travelers can rent GSM wireless cell phones from Summit Travel Group at a cost $2.99 per day. Calls cost from $1.99 per minute to $5.99 per minute depending on the country in which you are calling or receiving calls. Incoming calls in the UK are free.
- Iridium satellite phones are ideal for customers who are traveling to destinations that do not have cellular coverage or who are going on a cruise, since these phones even work at sea. American Express Card members qualify for a special daily rental rate of $15. Calls to other Iridium satellite phones are $1.99 per minute; $2.99 per minute to non-satellite phones and $12.99 per minute to all other satellite phones. Incoming calls are free.
WorldRoam and Summit Travel Group are offering American Express Card members special cell and satellite phone offers, including free call minutes and companion rental rates. Specific offers vary according to each American Express Card type. Both products have international voicemail features and are delivered to the customer in the USA before traveling. For more information or to place and order for a WorldRoam cell or satellite phone, please contact Summit Travel Group at (800) 950-2030.
Summit Travel Group is committed to providing you with useful information on the latest developments in the travel industry. The preceding information has been compiled from a variety of sources and is updated monthly.
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