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Travel Secrets: Scoring Super Bowl Tickets & Hotel For NEXT Year

You don't necessarily have to know someone to score Super Bowl tickets for next year in Arizona.  But you do have to be willing to spend a few thousand dollars to buy a package that includes a hotel room, game tickets, preferred parking, parties and other perks.

A few years ago, the NFL began offering packages aimed at corporate buyers that wrap all those goodies up into one deal.  This past Super Bowl, there were six different offers ranging in price from $4,299 to $9,949.  While the packages are generally aimed at corporate big-spenders (the web site CareerBuilder.com bought more than 100 of the most expensive packages, for example), there's nothing preventing an individual from buying, as well.  As of this writing, the NFL web site has not posted details on pacakges for '08.  However, you may call the offices of NFL On Location at 212-655-5665 for information.

Footnote: There are other premium-event sport packages, as well, on offer from companies that specialize in putting together sports getaway packages.  Two companies worth checking out are RazorGater Experiences and Premier Sports Travel.

Travel Secrets: How To Snare a Passport In As Little As One Day

Effective Jan. 23, 2007, US citizens flying into the US from Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean (excluding the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) are required to display a valid passport.  Travelers returning to the US via land or sea from some of those destinations will have another year before they need a passport, though the precise deadline has not yet been determined.  My advice: If you have any plans to leave the country, get a passport.

If your plans call for travel within the next two months, today would be a good time to apply for a passport or to renew an about-to-expire one.   I talked to the passport folks at the State Department earlier this week and learned that in December, the office experienced a whopping 57 per cent increase in the number of passports issued compared to December of 2005.  The wait can be as long as six weeks.

What if you need to travel sooner?

Request the State Department's "expedited" service.  It costs an extra $60, but if you need a passport in two weeks or so, the extra fee is obviously worth it.  To learn how to get an expedited passport from Uncle Sam, call this toll-free number: 877-487-2778. 

Need a passport even faster?  Retain the services of a private company that will "walk" your passport application through the bureaucracy in a day.  You'll pay the expediter as much as $150 for that service, less if you can wait a few more days.  Just type "passport expediter" in any search engine and go shopping.

For general details on how to apply for a passport or how to renew one, check out a new website set up by the Travel Industry Association.

So What's With This Indian Company Taking Over the Boston Ritz?

I received an e-mail the other day from a correspondent lamenting the fact that an India-based hotel company called Taj had just taken over the Ritz-Carlton Boston, the one that's been a beacon of the Ritz-Carlton chain for decades. In fact, until Ritz management realized that there was nothing wrong with their hotels reflecting the community in which they stood, the Boston Ritz was nearly a template for the dark wood, and hunting prints--that English club look--that distinguished Ritz-Carltons for so many years.

I write to say, "Fear not."  The Taj Hotels company can be expected to maintain Ritz standards and, perhaps, even surpass them.  After all, the Boston property could use a bit of a renovation here and there.  (And if you MUST stay in a Ritz, there's the newer hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common, just across the park.) 

Taj is part of the Tata group of companies, and in India, the name "Tata" is something like the name "Rockefeller" in the US. Tata owns more than 90 companies involving engineering, chemicals, information systems, energy, and trucking.  With more than 70 hotels in the Taj portfolio, the company knows what it's doing.  It has a collection of five-star hotels and resorts in India and elsewhere--from Australia to Zambia--that make even the most jaded traveler drool.

The CEO of the Taj hotel group is Raymond Bickson, formerly the legendary general manger of the late, lamented hotel-of-choice for celebrities on New York's Madison Avenue, The Mark.  I know Mr. Bickson and was personally sorry when he moved to India four years ago.  But I'm delighted that Taj picked a smart, warm guy to run its hotel empire.  And to expand it.  Remember the Four Seasons' Fifth Avenue jewel, The Pierre?  That's now a Taj.

I expect you'll be seeing the Taj flag flying on other legendary properties in the US over the next several years, because Taj's task is to get its name better known in North America.  Which is why I'm going to send an e-mail right after I post this to Raymond suggesting Taj become a corporate underwriter for my public television travel series.  Isn't it wonderful when self-interest coincides with a brilliant marketing idea for someone else?

Unbelievable! A Third Entry in the NY-London, All-Biz Class Market

Can the NYC-London market handle a third competitor in the all-business class-only airline category?  Investors in London think so, as Silverjet launches this Thursday, Jan. 25, linking Newark airport with London's Luton airport.  With six-foot, three-inch, lie-flat seats, Silverjet is hoping to get a piece of the action that eos and Maxjet have been wooing now for more than a year.

Silverjet's tickets begin at about $1,800 round trip, or half that for a one-way ticket.  The airline flies Boeing 767s that are normally outfitted with 300 seats; with the all-biz class configuration, there are only 100 seats (and none of them middle seats).  There are five lavatories on board as well as expanded luggage lockers and hanging closets.  Other perks: You only have to check in a half hour before your flight.  And if you want to sleep until landing in London, the airline will give you your breakfast to go.

It's worth noting that the legacy carriers on this highly-competitive route, such as British Airways and American Airlines, have had to offer all kinds of business class special fares to hold on to passengers.  After all, if you can do NY-London round trip for slightly less than $2,000 (after taxes and fees are added), why pay twice or three times that?   

United Slashes Time For Frequent Flyers To Use Miles To 18 Months

"By shortening the amount of time a Mileage Plus account can remain inactive," reads the press communique I just received from United Airlines, "United's most loyal customers will compete with fewer people for award seats, making it easier for them to redeem their miles."

And, said senior VP Dennis Cary, the change "brings our program in line with major competitors."

Well, not necessarily. 

American Airlines doesn't take anyone's miles away until an account has been inactive for 36 months.   Delta doesn't take any action unless an account has remained dormant for 24 months.

Now, I'll be the first to admit it's not difficult to keep an account "active."  After all, you don't have to fly on an airline to keep your miles current.  You can start that 18-month clock ticking all over again if you do just about anything related to your United account, including using miles to acquire merchandise or designating your United Mileage Plus account the recipient of miles when you patronize any partner vendor, such as a hotel chain or rental car company.  In short, any activity that budges your miles up or down counts toward proving your account isn't "inactive."

But there may be some passengers who have accumulated lots of United miles but because of circumstances, haven't had occassion to fly the airline recently.  When I lived in Washington, DC, I flew United often; since I've moved to Saint Paul, where Northwest dominates the local market, I rarely have reason to fly United.  Yet I have almost 500,000 miles on United.  This new 18-month rule behooves me to pay attention and make sure I generate some kind of activity in my account lest I begin to lose those half-a-million miles I've piled up.  I know, I know--I should be using those miles before they get devalued when United raises award levels.  I will, just as soon as I find the time to make an optional trip using United.  Presuming, of course, United has an award seat available when I want to fly. 

You Be the Judge: Should Muslim Cab Drivers Be Allowed To Say 'No' To Fares Carrying Alcohol In Their Luggage? I Do a Bill O'Reilly Rant

Whenever I fly into the world's eighth busiest airport--that would be the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport--I have an eight out of ten chance of encountering a taxi with a Muslim driver behind the wheel. 

Which is fine with me.

While St. Paul became my home three years ago, I used to live in Washington, DC, and New York City for decades, and one of the fun parts of both those cities is the ethnic and religious mix of drivers; I loved getting to know the entire United Colors of Benneton array of cabbies. 

But a few months ago, a group of Muslim airport cabbies that serve MSP decided they needed to follow the dictates of the Koran and refuse to transport anyone carrying any kind of alcohol.  So if you deplaned carrying a cardboard box with a couple of bottles of wine you picked up while in the Napa Valley, or if you bought a bottle of liquor as a hostess present in the airport, well, you best not let your cab driver see it.

This was not exactly new behavior.  A Twin Cities friend of mine, a National Geographic contributor named Dan Buettner, said that five or six years ago, he took a cab with his kids and then wife from the airport on a cold and snowy day.  A mile or so later, the driver figured out there was a bottle of alcohol in the cab, and he pulled over to the side of the road and demanded the Buettner family exit.  Dan told him that simply wasn't happening, and finally the driver relented and delivered them to their destination.  He refused to accept payment.

About a year ago, about 77 passengers a month were refused service at MSP airport because they were carrying alcohol, according to Patrick Hogan, an airport spokesman.  Oh, and a half-dozen or so people that year were refused service because Muslim drivers refused to transport animals, including service animals such as seeing-eye dogs.

The issue stayed under the rader until last fall, when someone came up with the idea of putting lights on all cabs that would not accept anyone accompanied by alcohol or an animal.  But the cabbies protested, fearing it would cost them fares.  In October, I delivered a "Savvy Traveler" commentary on public radio's evening business show, "Marketplace," that sounded more like it came from Fox News than public radio.

I pointed out that only certain taxis from the Twin Cities that are licensed by the airport are allowed to pick up airport passengers.  Therefore the companies or individuals that controlled those licenses had a government-protected monopoly.  And I argued that if you're going to work for such a company whose job it is to serve the public, you should abide by local laws and regulations, none of which permit a taxi to refuse a passenger who happens to be carrying unopened alcohol or an animal.

Minnesota's neighboring state of South Dakota has for all intents and purposes outlawed abortions. Which has driven some women to come to Minnesota to seek them.  Should a taxi driver who doesn't believe women should be allowed to have an abortion have the right not to transport a woman to a clinic if he happens to recognize the address?  What if a driver--Muslim or not--doesn't like Goths?  Or the political message on someone's t-shirt? 

The questions can be endlesss.  Should a Muslim pilot not fly a plane on which alcohol is offered?  (I know national airlines from Muslim countries often don't serve alchohol.  Fine.  But I have a hunch there are Muslim pilots flying US planes, as well.)

Last week, MSP airport officials finally screwed up their courage and suggested that drivers who refuse to accept passengers for no legal reason should have their licenses suspended.  The first offense would cost them their licenses for 30 days; a second one would result in a two-year suspension.  Hearings will follow, and the airport hopes to have the new rules in effect by May 11, when drivers must decide whether to renew their aiport licenses for another year.

I say, "Bravo." 

We don't land in Muslim countries and demand that everyone abide by our laws by, say, bringing a bottle of wine to a restaurant in downtown Jeddah.  I don't expect to be held to the standards of the Koran when I enter a government-licensed taxi in the US. 

I'm glad the airport bosses decided that instead of trying to bend over backwards to be politically correct, they realized that taxis are at the airport to transport passengers.  Now I just have to change the mind of the Minneapolis transit official who relented when one of his bus drivers announced he wouldn't drive a city bus with an ad for a gay magazine on the side of it.  Puh-leeeze. 

Am I verging too closely to Bill O'Reilly here?  Do let me know your opinion.

   

Now Here's Some Darn Good Travel Advice: 'Avoid Dark Alleys'

Prior to the start of "Visit Malaysia Year 2007," the country's tourism minister, Adnan Mansor, told a Bloomberg News reporter that while crime against tourists has "dimished," tour operators and travel agents have been instructed to advise visitors "not to go into dark alleys."

I sort of think that's good advice for just about everywhere in the world, don't you?

Malaysia is generally a safe country--Kuala Lumpur is a vibrant, exciting and well-priced city for visitors--but reported crime was higher last year than in 2005.  Obviously rising crime--and news of it--can be a disincentive to visitors.  In an additional step to make sure the country doesn't fall into disfavor, taxi drivers have been warned not to manipulate fares.

What?  Taxi drivers not manipulate fares?  Why should Kuala Lumpur be any different than any other major city in the world?

My bottom line advice: Above all, don't go cruising dark alleys with cab drivers maniupulating fares.  Anywhere.

JetBlue Moves Into the Turf of Major Competitors In San Francisco

Discount carrier JetBlue has been flying to San Francisco via nearby Oakland's airport, traditional home to Southwest Airlines, for years now.  The weather is better in Oakland--less chance of fog delays--and landing fees are a lot less than at San Francisco's main airport, SFO. 

But on May 3rd, JetBlue begins serving SFO with once-daily flights to New York's JFK airport and Boston's Logan.  If you book travel by January 22 for flights between May 3 and June 13, JetBlue is selling a limited number of $99 one-way fares.  Act fast.  Your best bet for finding that discount fare is to plan your travel during midweek. 

JetBlue says it plans to continue its successful service to Oakland, but it's also keeing a wary eye on Virgin America, the cut-rate airline that hopes to begin flying soon from SFO.  (Last month the Transportation Department refused Virgin Atlantic permission to start flying because it didn't think the airline was sufficiently controlled by US citizens, and the airline is appealling that decision.)   Apparently JetBlue thinks its preemptive move might blunt the success of Virgin America.  And SFO is the airport of choice for hundreds of thousands of San Francisco residents and those who live on the Peninsula in towns such as Palo Alto.

JetBlue expects that generally, it's coast-to-coast fares will be between $150 and $399 each way.  In planting its flag at SFO, JetBlue challenges both United and American that have traditionally dominated the trans-continental routes out of that airport.  Don't be surprised if their fares drop as if by magic beginning May 3.

 

How's Your Sneer? Think You Can Hold Your Own Against a Parisian? If You Can't, Here's a Website That'll Teach You How

Sometimes the smartest move a marketer can make is to play to his product's strengths--even if those strengths include a generally condescending attitude toward folks of another nationality.

That's the apparent premise behind a campaign by a Paris travel agency to convince more Brits to visit the City of Light by encouraging them to learn how to be as snooty as they perceive the French to be.

Don't get me wrong--I have spent years defending the French--and Parisians, in particular--from charges of unfriendliness.  I have generally found the French to be most helpful and even charming.  And given my French accent, that's saying something.  (Not that I actually speak French, but I know enough words for the important things in life--like securing  a reservation at a decent restaurant.)

At any rate, not only can you learn to be haughty and dismissive by visiting the "C'est so Paris!" web site, but if you can "cop a Parisian attitude," as the web site puts it, feel free to send in a photo of yourself doing just that, and it may get posted.  The web site helpfully instructs on how to feign ignorance or indifference by thrusting our your lower lip while raising both your shoulders and eyebrows.

About 3.2 million folks from Britain visit France each year, but apparently that number slipped by one per cent last year, and the Parisians thought a self-deprecating approach to selling their city might work.  After all, a survey revealed about two out of every three Brits consider Parisians to be difficult to talk to, arrogant and rude.   

And the Winner Is . . . United, New Owner of DC-Beijing Route

It's tough to win when 110 members of Congress, former senior government officials from eight presidential administrations, China policy experts, aviation unions, and various transportation officials are against you.  That's what three airlines learned yesterday when the Department of Transportation awarded United Airlines the right to fly between Washington, DC, and Beijing, China.

This capital-to-capital route was one of four being considered by Transportation--Northwest's bid to link its Detroit to Shanghai was considered another strong contender.  American and Continental bid for service to China, as well. 

United intends to fly a three-class, 347-seat Boeing 747-400 on the route beginning with 90 days of the Transportation Department's final order.  Service will be daily.  US Airways will codeshare with United on the flight. 

United's victory may help account for the $2.01 rise in the value of its stock on Wednesday.

NYC-Paris-NYC $999 Business Class Special On L'Avion; Mon Dieu! Can That Be True? For 999 Passengers Who Act Fast, Yes It Is

Last month I reported in this space on a new, all-business class airline starting flights linking New York City and Paris.  Now, that airline is offering a sale price on 999 seats through March 31st.  Move fast and you may be able to fly L'Avion at the bargain price of $999. 

There's no way of knowing how many of those 999 seats have been claimed, but if Paris is in your future, I'd move now.  To be able to snare a business-class seat at that price, even in this slower travel season, is quite a coup.  Two all-business class airlines, Maxjet and eos, are trying to make a go of it flying between London and New York.  L'Avion is the first effort to expand that kind of international service between Paris and New York. 

A New Discount Airline Grows Quietly Near Chicago; Is There a Gary In Your Future? If You Want to Fly Somewhere Warm, There May Be

When it started up last year, SkyValue USA, a new airline based in Gary, Indiana, planned to only fly during winter months, offering discounted flights to warm spots such as Florida, Arizona and Nevada.  But apparently business has been good enough to justify a year-round schedule, according to Darrell Richardson, CEO of SkyValue. 

The airline currently serves Mesa, an alternative airport to Phoenix, as well as Las Vegas, Orlando, and St. Petersburg, FL.  Its founders hope low fares along with Gary's smaller, less busy airport will lure travelers from the Chicago area weary of fighting crowds at O'Hare and Midway. 

Fligths to Ft. Lauderdale were canceled due to lack of interest, but the airline is considering adding a flight to the Los Angeles area. 

Interestingly, SkyValue flies chartered Boeing 747-800 jets.  Fares begin at $79 each way and rise in cost as seats are sold.

Rudy's Favorite Travel Links

CellularAbroad: Cell Phones & Chips For Overseas - One of the most frequent questions I get asked is: Should I buy a cell phone to use overseas? Rent one? Rent a chip for my US phone? The answer depends on how much you need a cell phone while on the road. Do you go abroad for only a week or two a year? Or do you travel overseas more often? Do you expect to receive a lot of incoming calls when you're out of the US or do you just need to make a few calls a week? No matter your answer, the folks at Cellular Abroad can outfit you with the right phone or chip depending on your needs. know, because my public television crew and I use the company for all our cellular needsin Europe and Asia. Whether you need a country-specific chip (which makes all incoming calls free) or one of the new (as of the summer of '05) "Talk Abroad" chips that work all over Europe and other countries, talk to Cellular Abroad and get the right equipment for your needs at an attractive price. Use the code "MAXA" if you make a purchase at www.cellularabroad.com or tell them Rudy Maxa sent you if you order by phone at 800-287-3020 and receive $10 off a tri-band phone or a "Talk Abroad" chip.

MedjetAssist - Many travelers think a perk of "premium" credit cards is medical evacuation in the event of a serious injury or illness while traveling. They're right--up to a point. You're usually covered for evacuation to the nearest hospital. But what if you don't want to stay in the nearest hospital? Consider paying $235 for an annual membership (or $365 to cover a family) with MedjetAssist. The company will provide a medically equipped private jet to take you to the hospital of your choice if you require hospitalization while traveling more than 150 miles from home. If you only travel once or twice a year, the MedjetAssist also offers short-term memberships for seven, 14, 21 or 30 days beginning at $95 for an individual. I always carry a MedjetAssist card when I travel, and I insist that the crew that travels with me when we're filming.

Dream of Italy, The Travel Newsletter - Kathy McCabe, a former USA Today travel writer, loves Italy. If you do, as well, consider subscribing to her 10-times-a-year, very personal newsletter, Dream of Italy--the Insider's Guide to Undiscovered Italy. For luxury travelers, the newsletter covers all things Italian. That means art, cooking schools, cultural events, destinations, hotels, museums, restaurants, shopping, and villa rentals. National Geographic Traveler and American Airines' magazine, American Way, both recommend the publication. And all subscribers receive on-line access to more than two years of back issues--a great resource for planning a trip. A mail subscription is $79 per year, while an e-mail subscription is $69 annually. Visit www.dreamofitaly.com or call 877-OF-ITALY to subscribe.

Europe By Car - When we shoot our Europe series for public television each summer, we often obtain our cars from europebycar.com. The reason is simple: great cars at a great price. Of particular use for anyone traveling in Europe 17 days or longer is the lease option that allows you to avoid paying the high Value Added Tax that normally applies to rental cars. Not only that, but when you opt for the lease option, you'll be driving brand new Peugeot and Renault cars that can be picked up and dropped off at hundreds of sites in Western Europe. Europe By Car calls the longer-term rentals the "purchase/re-purchase" or "buy-back" option, but it's no more complicated than a standard rental. The company also has very competitive prices for standard, short-term rentals. Details: wwww.europebycar.com or 800-223-1516.

French Culinary Adventures - Les Liaisons Délicieuses is a culinary tour company that offers extraordinary, in-depth, one-of-a-kind gastronomic adventures in France, Morocco, and Quebec Province. In addition to dining at Michelin-starred restaurants with deluxe accommodations, guests enjoy cooking alongside master chefs, accompanying the chefs to local markets and wineries, and meals arranged by the chefs in private homes. Intimate groups of eight to ten like-minded travelers experience the history, art, and culture in a way that is unavailable to the typical tourist. All levels of cooking ability are welcome, and custom trips are available.

www.gayot.com - When was the last time you read a guidebook that you really trusted, especially when it comes to the highly personal subject of restaurants?  Check out the Gayot guides for restaurant advice in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.  Or for general travel advice, as well, the company's "Best Of" series includes more cities, including London and Paris.  Andre Gayot is the paterfamilias of the series, as well as the inventor, along with his foodie friends Henri Gault and Christian Millau, of the term "nouvelle cuisine" in the 1970s.  Check this website for reviews and information on ordering books.

joesentme.com - For years, Joe Brancatelli has been one of the country's smartest travel columnists and observers. If you fly commercially or stay in hotels frequently, visit this site every week to learn the nuts and bolts of the travel business. In addition, Joe has several colleagues whose columns are worth a peek, as well. You'll find those on his home page. Tell him Rudy sent you.

asta.org - If you receive an offer for a travel deal that seems just too good to be true, check out the web site of the American Society of Travel Agents at asta.org. There you'll find information on how to reach ASTA -- you can then ask if the travel company soliciting you is a member.

johnnyjet.com - Want a link to just about every newspaper, magazine (and any other kind of) travel web site in North America? Click on our friend Johnny Jet's eclectic home page.

maxa.tv - For information and to order tapes of Rudy's PBS-TV series, this is the place to go. This series, rich in history, culture, and stunning photography, is 78 shows on destinations ranging from Paris to Rajasthan and Stockholm to Shanghai.

transitionsabroad.com - If you're looking for something beyond mass tourism this is the place to find it. You can read past articles from their bimonthly Transitions Abroad magazine, order a copy of Work Abroad, The Complete Guide to Finding a Job Overseas, or follow links to a whole world of information on working, living and learning overseas.

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