AP Travel

You've just finished off the leftover turkey and stuffing, and it's already time to worry about another holiday trip. But procrastinators may find good deals for Christmas and other year-end travel — if they act fast.Fares will be higher than last year, as they were for Thanksgiving. But airlines are starting to examine their December bookings, and lowering fares on some flights where competition is tight or demand isn't as strong. For the traveler willing to study up and act soon, it could...Read Full Story

Shareholders in British Airways PLC and Iberia SA have approved a 5.7 billion pound ($8.9 billion) merger that will create Europe's third-largest airline.More than 99 percent of shareholders from both airlines on Monday voted in favor of the deal — a result that was announced at investor meetings in London and Madrid.The two airlines announced the merger earlier this year as a way to survive in an industry facing falling demand from both business and leisure travelers in the wake of the...Read Full Story

Several U.S. airlines have raised fares by up to $10 per round trip.Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com, said Wednesday that American Airlines started the increases by boosting prices on flights over 500 miles by $5 each way or $10 roundtrip, and by $3 each way and $6 roundtrip for shorter trips.American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith confirmed the fare increases. He said fares are dictated by supply and demand, and were also influenced by recent increases in fuel costs.The higher fares were...Read Full Story

It's probably the most precious thing on planes this holiday season: space in the overhead bin.Planes are stuffed with travelers, bag fees have driven more luggage into the overheads and Christmas gifts will soon be part of the mix. Some travelers pay extra to get on the plane first and avoid competing with other passengers for bin space. But you don't have to shell out more money just to ensure your bag will fit. The trick is knowing where to sit and when to board.Here's a review of airline...Read Full Story

It just got a little easier to get around for residents and the 5 million visitors drawn each year to this city of quiet gardens and pastel buildings.Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. announced Thursday that, beginning Nov. 22, there will be no fares charged on the green trolley buses with the wooden trim that travel the Charleston peninsula.The free service will encourage the use of public transportation and make it easier for visitors to get around, the mayor said."It will take cars off the street...Read Full Story

The solitude, quiet and frozen cold of a winter landscape are great reasons to head outdoors in January and February. You can snowshoe, ski, trek or go sledding. Sleep overnight in a tent, lean-to, yurt or cabin. Tree branches may snap, and lake ice may groans as it freezes and buckles. Or maybe the only sound you'll hear is the gentle shoosh, shoosh, shoosh of your snowshoes in powder.But the backcountry in winter can also be a challenging landscape to stay safe in, and if things go wrong...Read Full Story

Declining demand has Philadelphia's port getting out of the cruise ship business.The Delaware River Port Authority says bigger ships and lower interest have led to fewer departures out of Philadelphia's Navy Yard terminal. Only two cruises are scheduled to depart out of Philadelphia next year, down from more than 30 a few years ago.The authority's executive committee approved a plan Wednesday to end the terminal lease on January 1. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the agency would save $18...Read Full Story

Tour boat operators have halted sight-seeing cruises on the Seine River in Paris because of unusually high waters following heavy snow.The Bateaux Mouches Company and Batobus both halted traffic on Sunday and Monday. They are leading operators of the popular trips down the Seine, with dozens of tours daily in good weather.City authorities said in a statement they're warning homeless people sleeping along the quais about the high waters. Some motorways along the river were closed.Water lapped...Read Full Story

Explosive snow globes? You've got to be kidding, Robyn Burford thought when security inspectors at the Portland, Ore., airport demanded she hand over her two glitter-filled souvenirs.The snow globes might contain explosive nitroglycerin, an officer informed the 16-year-old from Houston. Instead of complaining, Burford did what thousands of other travelers are doing when confronted with pat-downs, body scanners and the other indignities of air travel this holiday season.She bit her tongue and...Read Full Story

A powerful East Coast blizzard marooned thousands of would-be air, rail and road travelers Monday, shutting down major airports and rail lines for a second day, stranding buses on buried highways, and forcing New York City subway riders to spend a cold night in unheated trains.Officials urged anyone who did not have to drive to stay off roads in the region, where high winds pushed snow into deep drifts across streets, railroads and runways. More than two feet of snow had fallen in some areas...Read Full Story