Expected or not, airline flights have become a training ground for team work and cooperation. And “road warriors”, those travel stalwarts who spend much of their business lives in the sky, seem the invisible maestros. Today I am on United Airlines 966 heading back home to Washington DC from my second stay in as many weeks at the - Read More -
Our staff is who make the HI-USA hostel stay a special one for nearly one million overnights annually. And at our hostels, a manager leads a team of staff members, from a few to several dozen depending on hostel size. Earlier this week I welcomed by webcast a meeting for managers of gateway hostels in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The - Read More -
Nearly three weeks ago, Hostelling International USA announced plans to convert a well-located bed and breakfast in Houston into a hostel. We have identified a handsome building that will reflect well on the city, and serve as a beacon for travelers worldwide who want to experience Texas affordably. For some in the community, the announcement seemed - Read More -
I often share how a hostel stay delivers a form of understanding that diplomats cannot: informal exchange among people diverse in background and nationality, but linked by openness to new conversations and friendships. In hostels, these conversations begin in the common room lobby where travelers meet, and can continue for hours over a coffee down the - Read More -
One of my favorite daily reads is the Wall Street Journal, but not because I expect to find budget travel advice there. Yet writer Scott McCartney in a recent “The Middle Seat” column (Thursday 27 January 2011) shares some valuable guidance for today’s budget minded traveler.
It’s all about finding the best deal on airline tickets. Ticket pricing is a mind-boggling topic with at least one commonly known truism: depending on when you fly, there are lower airline fares on some days of the week (typically Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday) than others. But what if you change the day of week, or time of day, when you book your flight?
Here’s where McCartney’s column delivers. It describes how airline pricing follows a cycle during the week. An analysis of domestic fares shows booking on Tuesday can mean a lower fare, and that Wednesday also has good ticket prices.