From now until January, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are offering a holiday gift of free wifi at 47 airports around the country. Flight delays seem to happen more often during the holidays, so on the off chance that your flight gets delayed, you can at least stay connected.

I ran across a handy wifi guide for airports on the Kayak site and was surprised how many of the smaller airports already offer free wifi year round. Very few of the major airports offer free wifi – so its nice that the big three search giants corrected this Scrooge-like behavior by the airports with their free holiday wifi promotion. Happy holiday travels!

Airport wifi guide

Wondering what you’ll be this Halloween? How about a zombie? Every year, Thrill the World hosts a global event, inviting the world to dance to Thriller at the same time. The 2009 event is scheduled for this Saturday, October 24 in the U.S. (8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST) and is expected to be the biggest event yet.

The goal is to set a new Guinness World Record, so to participate, register at the Thrill the World site, learn the dance and show up as your favorite zombie for the event in your area.

Via: Thrill the World | zombie make-up tips

It happens to me all the time. I’m late for the airport and realize I still need to print my boarding pass, itinerary or map to where I’m going. With HP’s latest announcement it should take seconds instead of minutes to get out the door with your travel print-outs.

Yesterday HP announced the first web-enabled printer with a variety of apps that streamline the printing process. HP’s new wireless printer doesn’t require a computer and connects directly to the web. I was able to attend the announcement and partners from Google, Fandango, Coupons.com and Nickelodeon demonstrated their apps which make printing maps, movie tickets, coupons and recipes a breeze. The printed pages I saw were perfectly formatted, utilized both sides of the paper and appeared to use less paper than standard web printing. Scheduled to be available this fall, the printer will cost $399.

Between now and January 29, 2009, British Airways is offering their ‘London for Free’ promotion. Book a flight for travel between now and the end of June and your trip will include a free stay of up to two nights at selected hotels. Interested? See below for more details!

Thinking of taking a vacation abroad but afraid you don’t have the dough? London might be a perfect choice, as it offers attractions and culture-rich activities for visitors that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Start the trip off right by flying to London on British Airways for as little as $312 roundtrip if you book between now and January 29 and receive a free stay for up to two nights at selected three and four star hotels (based on double occupancy; single occupants receive one free night). For additional savings, travelers can register and book online at www.ba.com for $20 off each roundtrip ticket.

But once you’re there, what to do? After you’ve booked your ticket online, head over to www.metrotwin.com and get the inside scoop from local Londoners in-the-know on where to eat, play and shop. For example:

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For those well-heeled travelers out there who normally fly first class – good news - there’s a new, even more luxurious option for you.  Singapore, Emirates and Qantas Airlines are offering passengers private suites on some select international flights.  With the availability of the superjumbo Airbus A380 – the largest passenger airline to date - first class passengers have more space then ever before. 

If you opt for a private suite, you can sleep in a real bed and relax in a leather reclining chair with a 23” flat screen TV.  For entertainment, you can choose from hundreds of TV shows, movies or browse the internet while you enjoy some fine cuisine. 

From a green perspective, the superjumbo also claims to be more fuel efficient, quieter and produces less carbon emissions than a comparable plane of its size. 

How much does it cost to fly in a suite? The ticket price for the round-trip flight I started to book from San Francisco to Tokyo on Singapore Airlines was almost $17,000.

The superjumbo boasts two large bathrooms (at least by airplane standards), so you can take a shower and change into fresh clothes before you reach your destination, where undoubtedly some paparazzi will be photographing your  arrival! 

The first time I went to a destination spa was for a milestone birthday - I joined my three sisters at Lake Austin Spa for a long weekend and enjoyed every minute with the beautiful surroundings, excellent food, fun activities and relaxing spa treatments.  Staying at a destination spa is a definite splurge, but worth experiencing at least one time. 

Here is Travel + Leisure’s list of Best Destination Spas in the World for 2007. 

Be sure to check the spa websites and SpaFinder.com for the current Getaway Spa Deals before booking.

1. Mii amo at Enchantment Resort  (Sedona, Arizona) 
2. Alder Thermae Spa Resort  (Siena, Tuscany)
3. Les Sources de Caudalie  (Bordeaux-Martillac, France)
4. Miraval, Life in Balance  (Tuscan, Arizona) 
5. Canyon Ranch  (Tucson, Arizona)
6. Chiva-Som Health Resort  (Hua Hin, Thailand)
7. Plateau at Grand Hyatt  (Hong Kong)
8. Green Valley Spa & Resort  (St. George, Utah)
9. Lake Austin Spa Resort  (Austin, Texas)
10. Rancho La Puerta  (Tecate, Mexico)
11. Canyon Ranch  (Lenox, Massachusetts)
12. Mayflower Inn & Spa  (Washington, Connecticut)
13. Lodge at Woodloch  (Hawley, Pennsylvania)  
14. Maya Tulum Wellness Retreat & Spa  (Pueblo Tulum, Mexico) 
15. Golden Door  (Escondido, California)

 

Girl getaways have become so popular that now there’s even a television show about them! All-Girl Getaways premieres on the Fine Living channel Thursday, April 24 at 9pm EST. The show will follow a different group of women each week (friends, co-workers, family members) as they plan their ultimate getaway vacation. 

In case you’re wondering if you get the Fine Living channel, go to FineLiving.com and enter your zip code to look-up your local channel, if available.

Via  Fine Living Channel

Normally when I fly, I pack only one bag and try to carry-on my luggage.  I can avoid baggage claim and be on my way that much faster.  There are some trips – especially those with lots of varied activities - where it’s a challenge to fit all my outfits into one bag.  The shoes alone seem to take up half the space!

Checking a second bag when needed is currently free, but that changes May 5th.  Delta, United, Continental, US Airways and Northwest Airlines will be charging normal passengers an additional $25 for a second checked bag. 

Why the change?  Lighter airplanes mean less fuel is burned on the flight.  United expects the new baggage policy to generate $100 million in revenue and cost savings.

To avoid paying this surcharge, brush up on your packing skills and check-out our post on packing tips!