Welcome to the new look of SmarterTravel

A nationally recognized reporter, writer, and consumer advocate, Ed Perkins focuses on how travelers can find the best deals and avoid scams.

He is the author of "Online Travel" (2000) and "Business Travel: When It's Your Money" (2004), the first step-by-step guide specifically written for small business and self-employed professional travelers. He was also the co-author of the annual "Best Travel Deals" series from Consumers Union.

Perkins' advice for business travelers is featured on MyBusinessTravel.com, a website devoted to helping small business and self-employed professional travelers find the best value for their travel dollars.

Perkins was founding editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, one of the country's most influential travel publications, from which he retired in 1998. He has also written for Business Traveller magazine (London).

Perkins' travel expertise has led to frequent television appearances, including ABC's "Good Morning America" and "This Week with David Brinkley," "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather," CNN, and numerous local TV and radio stations.

Before editing Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Perkins spent 25 years in travel research and consulting with assignments ranging from national tourism development strategies to the design of computer-based tourism models.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Perkins lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife.

See recent posts by Ed Perkins

Welcome to the new look of SmarterTravel.com. We redesigned our site to be more responsive to the information needs of you, our readers, and to fulfill our mission of giving you expert advice on getting the right vacation at the right price.

We based the new look on extensive research, including focus groups, usability testing, and surveys of both current users and non-users of SmarterTravel. You told us you wanted it to be easier to find what you’re looking for and easier to read. We listened. Here are the highlights:

Starting at the top, we streamlined the navigation to emphasize the most in-demand information, while providing easy access to the full array of SmarterTravel content areas. Using the tabs labeled Deals, Compare Prices, Travel Guides, News & Advice, Specialty Travel, and Travel Tools, along with the dropdown lists and the sitewide search capability, you’ll be able to quickly find the travel deal stories, travel tips, and destination guides you need.
Understanding travel costs is an essential element in trip planning, so SmarterTravel has made it easier for you to compare prices. Simply enter your travel details once, then search across multiple travel providers to compare airfares, hotel rates, car rental rates, vacation package prices, and cruise prices.
Since news about travel deals, destinations, and strategies changes constantly, the new design gives SmarterTravel editors maximum flexibility in quickly presenting timely, relevant information to you.
We’ve also expanded our use of photos and introduced photo galleries to better convey the visual side of the travel experience. You can see examples at Destinations to watch in 2007 and Top 10 hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
To accompany the unveiling of the new design, SmarterTravel editors have compiled 10 Things You Need To Know Before You Go. This collection of the best travel tips and strategies from SmarterTravel staff and contributing editors is available as a free PDF download.
Please feel free to share your thoughts about how the new design works for you and how SmarterTravel could better meet your needs by emailing us at editor@smartertravel.com.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.