BOSTON – Being a sensible traveler can prevent money and time. CBS Information Journey Editor Peter Greenberg spoke with WBZ about what you must know as we head into the vacation journey season and the beginning of 2025.
Will Spirit be alive subsequent January?
The Wall Avenue Journal stories that Spirit Airways is discussing a attainable chapter submitting. What does that imply for the typical traveler?
Greenberg says vacationers ought to proceed reserving however assume forward. “The actual subject is, will Spirit be alive subsequent January? And proper now it's an existential risk to them. They’ve $three billion of long-term debt,” Greenberg stated.
Greenberg recommends reserving Spirit flights with a bank card to simply get your a reimbursement if the airline goes out of enterprise. Second, it urges vacationers to make a backup plan to achieve their locations. For very cautious vacationers, Greenberg suggests reserving one other airline's flight that’s refundable should you should get to that unique vacation spot.
Southwest seeks to alter its enterprise mannequin
Southwest Airways is seeking to change its enterprise mannequin. Greenberg says an investor group desires the airline to earn extra income via premium seating, assigned seating and better airfares.
However will the airline's well-known no-baggage payment nonetheless fly? “For them it’s the third rail: will they contact on the bags subject? Up to now they’ve introduced that they won’t, however you understand? At a sure level the accountants will take cost of the asylum and in January or February you might have to take care of it” Greenberg stated.
test your passport
Greenberg says it's a superb time to test your passport's expiration date. Many international locations won’t allow you to enter in case your passport expires in six months or much less. The State Division stories sooner turnaround instances with its new on-line renewal service, so you possibly can keep away from that journey to the put up workplace.
“The beauty of that is you could take your personal ugly passport picture at house. You don't need to go to Staples or CVS. And you understand what they are saying, once you begin to seem like your passport picture, it's time to come back house,” Greenberg stated.
Skip the customs line
Talking of coming house from overseas, Greenberg says there's no have to get caught within the customs line. As an alternative, you possibly can obtain a free app referred to as Cell Passport Management that helps you course of it electronically and places you in an expedited queue.
The quickest program remains to be International Entry. Their membership course of requires an utility, background test, interview, and a $120 payment. “Who desires to face in line for 2 and a half hours once you get off a world flight? Nobody. International Entry helps you to go straight to a kiosk, it mainly reads your eyes, now every thing is biometric and in two minutes you're within the declare space of bags. It's the most effective there may be. And should you apply for International Entry, you additionally get TSA precheck. It's a win-win,” Greenberg stated.
Courtney Cole
