Seven Important Tips for Smooth Airport Connections

Have you ever had to run from one end of the terminal to the opposite end to catch a connecting flight or find you aren’t even in the correct terminal to make a connection that leaves in 15 minutes? Unless you’re flying in and out of a major hub, you likely must connect somewhere. And, missed connections, whatever the cause, are arguably, the number one cause of untimely arrivals.

Here are some tips to help you make smooth connections.

1. Don’t assume that because the airline sells a connecting pair, that there is adequate time built into the connection. Yes, if they sell it and they’re at fault for you not making it, they must make it right and get you on a later flight. But, that does nothing for your stress, comfort, and overall satisfaction. Not to mention missed time of your vacation. Do you want to arrive two days late for your once-in-a-lifetime trip?
2. Not all airports are created equal. Know the minimal connection time that is reasonable for your connecting airport. The amount of time needed to change planes at New York LaGuardia is far more than at Chicago Midway.
3. Make sure your connection is at the same airport. Think I’m kidding? Nope. The airlines will sell connecting pairs with arrival at one airport and departure at another. For example, arrive from US to Charles de Gaulle in Paris, with a connection at Orly to Bern. Getting from CDG to ORY takes over an hour. The airline will inform you that it’s a different airport, but people make assumptions they shouldn’t about time and distance. New York, London, LA, Paris, Osaka, Washington DC, and the Bay Area (California) are common regions where this practice is utilized.
4. Pad your schedule a little. The airlines will sell connection pairs that require stars or angels aligning to make. 40 minutes at DFW is asking for trouble. Just because they sell it doesn’t mean it is likely to happen. Too many variables with no wiggle room. And even if you do make it, is it worth the stress? Schedule the next flight. If all goes as planned, you’ll have time to stroll through the airport instead of run; pick up a drink or coffee, use the restroom, have lunch, and enjoy a little people watching. If your flight is delayed, you’ve given yourself some extra time to make up for it.
5. Connections should be on a single ticket. First, if you’re checking bags, you can’t check them through if your flights are on separate tickets. You’ll need to pick them up, re-check them and go through security again. Second, if you miss a connection on a single ticket, the airline will rebook you. If you are holding separate tickets, the second carrier won’t know why you didn’t make the flight and will cancel the whole ticket, impacting your return flights.
6. Don’t change airlines. With code-sharing and partnering, this cannot always be avoided. But, if you have a choice, stick with the same airline for the entire inbound or outbound segments. If you do have to change, allow extra time for the connection for you and your bags.
7. Avoid the last connection of the day. The earlier in the day you are connecting, the better your chance of a smooth connection. As the day progresses, scheduling hiccups can have an exponential impact. If you miss a connection early, you have a decent chance to be re-booked and make your destination on the same day. If you miss the last connection of the day, you’re spending the night at the airport or a nearby hotel.

Hopefully these tips will help you avoid a missed connection, or mitigate the impact if you do miss a flight. Have you ever missed the beginning of a vacation due to a missed connection?

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Four Factors to Consider Before Buying Travel Insurance

Rental car companies and airlines have, arguably, spawned the negative response that some of us have for travel insurance. Most of us know that Flight Insurance and Loss-Waiver Damage Coverage are sucker bets. And that attitude, for many of us, has extended to travel insurance.

But, comprehensive travel protection is a different entity and you should evaluate it like other insurances with your specific needs in mind.

Do you insure your car or your home? Do you think you’ll ever need to use it? Hopefully, not. Insurance is one of those expenses that we incur with the hope that we’ll never utilize the product. We do so because of the great financial risk, otherwise.

Travel insurance is no different. You hope you’ll never need it. But, boy if you do, it is great to have. Do you need travel insurance every time you travel? Probably not. Then, when?

Here are a few considerations to help you decide if you should purchase travel protection.

1) Medical coverage. No one wants to think about becoming seriously ill or having an accident while on vacation. But, it does happen and most US health insurances will not cover medical expenses outside the US. Oh, and FYI, cruise ships are considered foreign entities. If you do become ill or have an accident do you have resources to cover your medical expenses?

Example: A gentleman broke his leg while para-sailing in Mexico. He didn’t have travel insurance and his health insurance didn’t cover him in Mexico. He sat in the hospital waiting room for 12 hours while his friends and family scurried around trying to raise $25,000 cash via credit card advances and wire transfers before the hospital would admit him. And, his expense didn’t end with the hospital bill. After he had his leg set, he incurred extra costs to book a flight home (he had been on a cruise). He is fine now and has a unique, albeit expensive, anecdote to tell.

2) Medical evacuation. While some health care systems are far superior to ours, many are less than adequate. If you have an illness or injury in a country with less than stellar medical care, you want to be moved quickly to a suitable facility. And, even if you are in a country with great medical care, you want to be able to get home as soon as is safe. If you need to be accompanied by a nurse or need more than a regular airline seat to get home, can you cover the extra cost?

3) Trip cancellation or interruption. You are on Day 2 of your dream vacation and you get a call from home. Your father-in-law was hospitalized with a heart attack and is not expected to survive. Not only will travel insurance cover your costs to get home, it will reimburse you for the vacation missed.

4) Travel delays. You allowed plenty of time for your connection in Heathrow, en route to your cruise departing from Athens, and even included a pre-night stay in Athens so you’d make your cruise in plenty of time. Oops. Transportation strike in Greece. No flights in or out for 72 hours. Do you have the extra bandwidth to cover expenses to catch up with the cruise in Santorini?

Those are the four main elements of risk that I think you should consider. There are a lot of other things that travel protection will cover. Theft or loss of passport, delayed or lost baggage are a couple of examples. For me, these are nice little extras to have, if needed. But, I don’t evaluate my need for travel protection based on the possibility of the airline losing my bag.

Not every vacation carries the same amount of risk. You should review your health insurance policy, consider the amount of financial risk you are comfortable with, consider where and with whom you’ll be traveling, and then decide if travel protection is needed.

Do you buy travel insurance?.

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Where to Find the City of Three Rivers?

And we don't mean Pittsburgh. This beautiful European town, in southeast Germany, is located at the Austrian border. Known as the “City of Three Rivers,” it is situated where the mighty Danube River joins the Inn River and the Ilz River.

Passau is a historic town which can trace its roots to the 2nd Century BC. First founded by the Celts and then a Roman town for 400 years, like many European cities, it has traded hands a few times. The Old Town of Passau, rebuilt in the 17th century by Italian baroque masters after a devastating town fire, is outstandingly beautiful.

The picturesque and unique gothic Old Town abounds with museums, shops, churches, cafes, winding lanes and enchanting riverfront promenades. Left undamaged during World War II, the Old Town was left as it has been for hundreds of years and is home to multiple, quaint Bavarian shops. Cuckoo clocks, anyone?

In the heart of Passau on the Old Town’s highest point, rises historic St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which houses the world’s largest cathedral organ.

Nestled atop the St. Georgsberg Mountain, and nearly 350 feet above sea level, the Veste Oberhaus was originally built in 1219 to express the strength of the town and make those who might think of invading reconsider. One of Passau’s top destinations and most recognizable sights, it soars high above the Danube and provides panoramic views of the Old Town and rivers below.

The castle’s most notable inhabitant was Napoleon Bonaparte who used the fortress in his campaign to take Austria. Not long after, and for almost a hundred years, the Oberhaus was a state and military prison, feared as the “Bastille of Bavaria.”

Today, the Veste Oberhaus is home to a museum (the Oberhausmuseum), an art gallery, a viewing platform, a youth hostel, a restaurant and a pre-World War II amphitheater.

Would you like to visit Passau? It’s one of our stops on our Spring river cruise.

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All Inclusive Resort Pros and Cons

Think all-inclusive resorts are only in the Caribbean and Mexico? How about the Maldives, Thailand, China, Japan, Africa, Italy, Morocco? French Alps for skiing anyone?

Adults only with emphasis on romance. Singles resorts. Family oriented with dedicated kid camps and staff. Sports and activity oriented. Focused activities such as ski resorts and dive resorts. Cultural immersion resorts. You name it, there’s probably an all-inclusive resort dedicated to it.

Disclaimer. I used to have a very snobby attitude towards all-inclusive resorts. I thought of them as an “Americanized” means for people to visit Mexico or the Dominican Republic. The last few months have been a bit of an epiphany for me and I thought I’ d share some pros and cons to this vacation option.

Pros

• All-inclusive. Well, duh. Not coming home to a huge credit card bill is probably number one when considering the advantages. Activities, drinks, food, entertainment are all part of the package.
• Unpack once. You have a home for a week or two or three. The nomadic lifestyle is for another vacation.
• Activities galore. Tennis, sailing, paddle boarding, golfing, skiing (water or snow), snorkeling, volleyball, hiking, biking, yoga, Zen meditation, cooking classes, wine tasting, and on and on and on. You can’t be bored at an all-inclusive unless you’re trying. This includes the kids!
• Relax and chill. Want to just enjoy some quiet R&R? Spas, private plunge pools, private lanais or balconies are waiting for you.

Cons

• Little interaction with local culture. This applies primarily to the gated resorts where you stay on property your entire vacation. Some people love this while others loathe it. Picking the right resort to meet your expectations will alleviate this con.
• Too regimented. Yes, frequently, activities and mealtimes have scheduled windows of availability. But, room service and light meal options are always offered between scheduled dining. And, if an activity time isn’t to your liking, you can opt for a private lesson or schedule your own activity time.
• One size fits all. This is true within each individual resort. I mean, if you go to a ski resort in the Alps, it is assumed that you will want to play in the snow. And, if you’re a multi-generational family, you’ll want to go where there’s a good kids’ program.

Recap

An all-inclusive resort isn’t for everyone. But, they are more diverse and flexible that many people realize.

A specialist is vital to find the resort that’s right for you and meets your group’s expectations. Whether it’s team building, multi-generational family reunion, destination wedding, sporting group, it’s critical to have a good fit.

What type of all-inclusive would you pick for YOUR group?

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Six Tips for Ordering Wine Abroad

One of the best parts of traveling is trying out the local cuisine.  And not just the food – the beverages, too. Beer in Munich, coffee in Peru, wine in Everywhere. Just kidding. But, it’s so much fun trying the local brews, isn’t it? For some reason, wine seems to be a more challenging scenario than beer, coffee, or even the local spirits – tequila anyone?

Are you intimidated when trying to pick a wine in another country? Here are a few tips to help make it easy and enjoyable. Saluti!

1. Pick a color. And know how to say the color in the local language. Vino tinto, vin rouge, vino rosso? Knowing the color is a good starting point and makes it easier for everyone.
2. Set a Price. Determine how much you want to spend. Are you dining in a Michelin star restaurant and want to splurge or a casual bistro where you might consider the house wine? Most of us don’t have unlimited funds, so don’t be shy about setting a limit.
3. Request assistance. Probably the most important tip. Tell the waiter, maître ‘d, or whoever is serving you of your preference and ask for a recommendation. “We’re having thus and such for dinner. We’d like a red wine under $50. What would you recommend?” They’ll not only be happy you asked, but will give you some really good suggestions.
4. Stay regional. Encourage your server to steer you towards the local wines, when practical. If you’re in Tuscany, maybe a Sangiovese or Trebbiano. A Bordeaux blend or Sauternais while in Southern France, perhaps?
5. When in doubt, order the bubbly. If you can’t decide or don’t have someone to help you, you’ll not go wrong when ordering sparkling wine. And go for non-vintage. Unlike still wine, sparklers benefit when different years are blended together. Paying a premium for vintage sparkling wine isn’t a great spend for vacation dollars unless you know what you’re ordering.
6. Be unconventional. Unlike North Americans, Europeans tend to drink wine only with food. We treat wine both as a cocktail and a food accompaniment. It’s your vacation. Do what you want!

Sante!