Up Front with Tim Winship Archives

Marriott Targets Elites for New Summer Promotion

May 5, 2009 9:05 pm by Tim Winship

In yet another sign of the seriousness of the travel slowdown, Marriott is offering double elite-qualifying nights for stays through June 26....read more»

Continental aircraft tail close up (Photo: Continental)

Continental Matches Delta's Online Booking Bonus

May 5, 2009 12:50 pm by Tim Winship

It was only a matter of time before one or more of the major airlines matched Delta's 500-mile bonus for bookings made on the airline's own website. First up: Continental....read more»

Spring is the ideal time to visit Europe: The weather is pleasant, the summer crowds haven't yet arrived, and best of all, everything's affordable. I've compiled 10 of the best Europe vacation deals for travel in the upcoming months, with accompanying photos that will leave you daydreaming about your spring vacation.

<h2>Paris in the Springtime (and Fall)</h2>

Air France Holidays' <a href="http://www.airfrance-holidays.com/site_afh/pub_detail.asp?id=12996&iType=0" target="_blank">Presenting Paris</a> vacation package is an affordable option for exploring the City of Lights. Round-trip airfare on <a href="http://www.airfrance.us" target="_blank">Air France</a> and six nights' accommodations at the <a href="http://www.choicehotels.fr/hotels/hotel?hotel=FR295" target="_blank">Comfort Gare de L'Est Hotel</a> are included, with extras such as a <a href="http://www.airfrance-holidays.com/site_afh/sightseeing-tours/paris-1057.asp" target="_blank">Bateaux Mouches river cruise</a>, a city map of Paris, continental breakfast, and hotel taxes and service charges.

The base price of $799 is based on spring departures from New York City between April 1 and May 15, and again from September 8 through October 25. You can customize this package based on your departure city. For example, Philadelphia departures are an extra $30, and Washington, D.C., departures are an extra $70.

(Photo: iStockPhoto/urbandevill)

The Top Five Frequent Flyer Award Destinations for May

May 4, 2009 1:58 pm by Tim Winship

This month's best bets for award travel include Albuquerque, San Francisco, Kona Kailua, Vancouver, and Paris....read more»

Alaska Airlines 737 over mountains (Photo: Alaska Airlines)

Alaska Airlines Gets Recession Marketing Right

May 1, 2009 1:17 pm by Tim Winship

Alaska's new double-mile offer is the first airline promotion that is as serious as the circumstances it is designed to address....read more»

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About Up Front with Tim Winship

Every weekday, travel expert Tim Winship offers his take on the latest news from the frequent flyer world, and weighs in on the newest airline and hotel award promotions. From the best deals to offers to avoid, Tim brings his three decades of expertise to the Up Front blog. Email him at ff@smartertravel.com.

Tim Winship

The founder of FrequentFlier.com and its weekly newsletter, The FrequentFlier Crier, Tim Winship has more than 20 years of travel industry experience. more »

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