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! 

To put it mildly, this has not been a good week for air travel.  Thousands of American Airline flights have been cancelled, along with cancellations by Alaska Airlines, Midwest Airlines and Delta. 

The reason?  Stricter guidelines by the FAA. The airplanes for these flights are MD-80s — and subject to FAA wiring guidelines that many of the airlines seem to have either ignored or just been confused by. 

We all know air safety is important, but I can’t help but wonder if the FAA and the airlines could have handled this in a better manner.  During the past week over 250,000 air travelers have been affected and the cost to airlines like American will be in the tens of millions of dollars. 

A word to the wise: check your flight departure status before heading to the airport.

Via: MSNBC

Do you like to travel with 3-4 other women on girl trips and live near New York City? If so, then the Tyra Banks show is interested in talking to you about an upcoming show. 

The theme of this show is how many of us women dread going to the beach in our swimsuits with less than perfect bodies.  Your group will try out some cellulite reducing products at home over a 4-6 week period and report your results on the show.  You’ll need to come to their New York City location twice (once for casting, once for taping the show), so a group close to New York City is preferred. 

If you are interested in being on the Tyra Banks show (and help us all prepare for the swimsuit season) fill out this form on the show’s site.

Swarovski chandeliers, a champagne bar, spa treatments and private cabanas aren’t normally what come to mind when I think of an airport terminal.  However that’s what premium passengers of British Airways’ (BA) will be able to enjoy at Terminal 5 in London beginning next month.

The $8.8 billion state of the art terminal opens on March 27, 2008 and British Airways’ lounge complex, known as ‘Galleries’ is the largest and most luxurious in the world. It is for the exclusive use of up to 2,500 British Airways premium passengers and top tier frequent flyer members.

British Airways’ premium passengers will be able to enjoy 15 minutes of ‘heaven on earth’ in Terminal 5 before they fly.  The airline’s new spa partner Elemis has developed an exclusive range of treatments to revive or relax which include facials, foot, head, shoulder and back massages.

The Elemis Travel Spa will offer “Flying Facials” - four types of customized flying facials to combat the dehydrating effects of flying:  the Flight Rehydrator, the S.O.S. Skin Saver, the Skin Thirst Quencher and the Anti-Age Wrinkle Control. 

British Airways’ frequent flyers can also cool down with a glass of bubbly at the Gold bar featuring intricate gold leafing or shop in any one of 100 boutiques and restaurants including Harrods, Prada, Tiffany & Co. and Mulberry.  

April 7th update:  So far Terminal 5 is off to a rocky start. Since its opening on March 27, hundreds of flights have been cancelled and thousands of bags lost. Once it can handle the basics smoothly and efficiently, maybe passengers will begin to notice their luxurious surroundings. 

Links: Terminal 5