Not every airline will charge for carry-ons

The major airlines must have noticed how Spirit Airlines had finally went over the proverbial "line". The publicity of the most recent addition to the airline fee scheme seems to have thwarted any kind of domino effect in the industry. Check out the story below to find out what airlines will not be charging you for a carry-on anytime soon:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36628806/ns/travel-news/

Don't forget to find great prices on www.JetSetPilot.com and call us at 215-272-3221 if you are ready to experience the best vacation ever without the high cost!

Packing Pointers from our Friends at Frommers

If you plan on going on a city vacation, whether it be Rome or Paris, below are a few items that are sometimes overlooked which you will want to bring:

1. Sandals are great for walking the boardwalk or meandering from beach-house to local eatery, but remember that city trips often require much more walking on hard pavements and cobblestone in Europe. As such, remember your pair of sturdy, comfortable flat-heeled shoes. Loafers wonderfully double as casual and formal shoe wear.

2. Don't forget your local etiquette concerning dress. While in most cities and countries you're fine wearing shorts, etc, don't forget some Churches and cities as a whole are more formal. You may stick out as little or as much as you want, though!

3. LAYER! If you are out all day, you can certainly expect the weather to change at some point. Even if it's beautiful outside all day, some museums, etc can be down-right cold!

4. Don't forget that nice outfit for the opera or high-end dinner. I know this takes up a lot of room in your luggage, but it is a must for those elegant occasions. One outfit will be enough as long as you're not attending these events with the same people!

5. Umbrella, need I say more? Don't expect perfect weather every day!

6. While most crime isn't malicious in Europe, there are pickpockets, etc. Please consider wearing a money belt/pouch under your shirt in the cities and keep fine jewelry to a minimum. Also, keep your money/credit cards divided between you and your travel companions.

We will have many more tips in the future, but these are necessary items that travelers frequently forget. Leave your suggestions as comments for everyone to learn from!

Luggage, Carry-Ons, Purses, Oh My!

There is a lot to think about when planning a trip to Europe, especially when it comes to packing and toting around your personal items. What kind of luggage should I bring? How much can I fit in my carry-on? What should I use to carry my camera and money once I arrive?

I'm here to help! Below I've highlighted some of the basics to get you started.


Luggage

• My favorite brand is Samonite, but depending on your style there are many many great values out there to be found. A set of 5 pieces for $120 may sound too good to be true, but for the casual traveler this quality of luggage is just fine. As for size and number of bags...



• Remember, you may find yourself roaming the streets of a city with your luggage, and no airport trolley to be in sight. Even if you plan to take a taxi to or from your hotel, you may find yourself without. A quick story from when Brian and I traveled to Vienna…we road the rail to Vienna from Prague and tired from the trip we decided to take a taxi, as we wanted the fastest way to get to our hotel (although the subway system in Vienna is excellent!!). We informed the driver of the name our hotel and away he went. 15-20 minutes later we arrive at a beautiful hotel, exit the taxi and make our way to check-in, only to find we do not have a reservation. Turns out, there are several hotels in the city with the same name and our driver took us to the wrong one!! Our hotel was about 10 blocks away. The very friendly concierge gave us a map and pointed us to the closest subway. Too tired to be mad, we laughed and walked out of the 4 star hotel. Turns out the subway system is fantastic and we only ended up walking about 3 blocks in total. BUT it would have been horrendously difficult if we hadn't recently purchased two great rolling suitcases. Both of us only had one suitcase and a small tote to carry. Moral of my long-winded story? My recommendation is to go as big as you can with your main piece of luggage and only travel with one bag. You can always pack a duffel if you plan on buying a lot on your travels for use on the trip home. Make sure your luggage is relatively light to start, because with the 50lb weight limit on most airlines you're much more likely to go over with one huge heavy bag.

Backpacks

• I've personally never used one, and don't think I could ever fit all of my belongings in one. And if I did fit everything, it would be so heavy there's no way I could carry it on my back! But if you are a light packer and/or backing around Europe, this is your best option.
  
• Checkout REI.com for a great selection of backpacks, and some great customer reviews to help you decide on the right backpack for you. http://www.rei.com/category/4500001_Backpacks?cm_mmc=ps_google_CH-_-Category%20-%20Camp%2fHike-_-Camping%2fHiking_BackPacks_General-_-backpackbackpack&mr:adGroup=343975865&mr:ad=3255043685&mr:keyword=backpack&mr:referralID=NA&gclid=COn3v7-SwJwCFQJD5godHFBVnQ

Carry-On

• Most airlines allow 1 carry-on bag and a personal item including briefcase, computer bag, purse or small tote.
  
• Size regulations - each airline specifies a size limit, but I've never seen anyone turned away unless the bag is really above and beyond the norm. If you're really worried about it and want to measure, the standard sizes are around 22" x 14" x 9" (British Airways, Air France, United, Virgin Atlantic)
  
• Prohibited items - To name a few, box cutters, knives, scissors are allowed in checked bags only, not carry on. For a full list see the TSA's website : http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
  
• Liquid Carry-On - 3:1:1 rule - 3 ounces or smaller containers of liquids or gels; 1 quart size plastic, zip top bag holding 3 oz or smaller containers; 1 bag per traveler placed in the security bin. For a full details on liquid carry-on rules please see the TSA website here: http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm
  
• More and more people are using larger carry-ons, which is forcing those boarding later in line to check their larger bags due to overhead compartments being full. The last 2 or 3 flights I've flown have been this way, both domestic and overseas. - Just something to be aware of.


• Carry-on luggage doesn't need to be as sturdy and durable since it won't be thrown around as much, so I recommend investing in your checkedluggage opposed to the carry-on. You can find great deals at your local Target or Walmart, which are probably better than any online store so you can avoid shipping charges. Of course a lot of retailers are offering Free Shipping so if you can find a great deal, go for it!

Purse / After arriving in Europe

• Anything with a zipper opening and not too large for someone to easily grab and keep running. At least one inner pocket with a zipper is ideal as well, to keep money and a copy of your passport out of reach from potential pickpockets.

Money Belt

• This is something every traveler can't live without! A money belt! And better yet, a Rick Steves' money belt! (for those of your unfamiliar with Rick Steves look our for future posts, I'm sure we'll get to him eventually). This handy belt is similar to fanny pack but goes under your clothes and is literally undetectable and also comfortable. One problem is when you do need to pay for something, you need to reach under your shirt for your money and it basically blows your cover.




• http://www.luggagepros.com/mpb/IID15232.shtml?zmam=6548955&zmas=1&zmac=22&zmap=IID15232

There you have it! I hope this guide is helpful, and let me know if you've come across anything that you can't live without when packing or traveling.