Is there a Hawaii without hotels?

The island nation of Vanuatu has all the trappings of paradise, without the luxury hotels and resorts (for now). Bill Weir caught up with guide and photojournalist, Jimmy Nelson, to look back at their extraordinary experiences on these extraordinary islands.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2015/02/27/wonder-list-skype-orig-bill-weir.cnn.html

Is It Worth Going Out Of Your Way To Earn Hotel Status?

Reader Bob asked the following question on the blog yesterday:

"Excluding simply personal preferences, in your opinion, which hotel brand offers the best rewards based on status? For example, is SPG Platinum truly worth the effort if it wouldn’t be achieved due to actual travel/stays?

We are partial to SPG and have lifetime Gold Status. We’re wondering whether it might be beneficial to chase another hotel brand’s status for 2015."

I think the thought process of deciding which status to go for is an interesting one. And I think before you even think about that, it's worth thinking about whether it even makes sense to go for hotel status at all.

The post Is It Worth Going Out Of Your Way To Earn Hotel Status? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/03/03/is-it-worth-going-out-of-your-way-to-earn-hotel-status/

I donated my eggs so I could travel

"My files were being judged. Women were looking at them and deciding whether or not they wanted my eggs to make a baby with."



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/donated-eggs-travel-world/

Hypocrisy Alert: Gulf Airlines Got Money to Finance Their Aircraft. Guess Where US Aircraft Financing Came From?

A couple of weeks ago I wrote US Airlines Should Shut Up About Having to Compete Against Gulf Carriers. I thought that would be my last word on the dustup between US airlines and Gulf carriers, with US carriers complaining to the government that they have to face unfair competition and the Chairman of Delta […]

The post Hypocrisy Alert: Gulf Airlines Got Money to Finance Their Aircraft. Guess Where US Aircraft Financing Came From? appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/03/03/hypocrisy-alert-gulf-airlines-got-money-to-finance-their-aircraft-guess-where-us-aircraft-financing-came-from/

Bookshelf: Great New Travel Reads

Looking for some travel inspiration? Our travel writing guru Don George sounds off on the latest and greatest #TripLit titles that will transport you from Montana to Tibet.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/03/bookshelf-great-new-travel-reads/

Can you name the UK film location?

How well do you know British cinema? Match these British places to the movies they were featured in!



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/network/can-name-british-film-location-quiz/

Here comes an even better way to share your comments

from Elliott http://elliott.org/blog/here-comes-an-even-better-way-to-share-your-comments/

Air Tahiti Nui To Join OneWorld Alliance In 2015?

Via a Tahiti Nui Television article, the French Polynesia Tourism Minister claims that Air Tahiti Nui may be joining the oneworld alliance in 2015. The article is in French, but here's the relevant section (translated using Google Translate):

In addition, to enhance service, ATN "is poised to enter the One World Alliance" which "would make us go from 6 to 7 code shares currently more than a hundred," said Jean-Christophe Bouissou, who hopes that this will happen "this year."

I wouldn't necessarily take this as fact given that over the years there have been dozens of airlines "in the process" of joining an alliance, and it never panned out.

The post Air Tahiti Nui To Join OneWorld Alliance In 2015? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/03/03/air-tahiti-nui-to-join-oneworld-alliance-in-2015/

7 surprises about Hungary

"#3. Hungarians are not Slavic. The origins of Hungarians, or Magyars as they call themselves, is a topic of heated debate and fantastical theories abound."



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/7-things-were-guessing-you-didnt-know-about-hungary/

Review: Sheraton London Heathrow Hotel

While I’ve had overnight connections in London more times than I can count, I’ve always either gone into the city or stayed at the Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 4. The Hilton is an ideal option if you’re connecting to/from Terminal 4, since it’s connected to the terminal by air bridge.

I find most of the other Heathrow hotels to just be a pain, given that they’re not connected to the terminals and don’t have complimentary shuttles.

In this case we were arriving on British Airways from Copenhagen at Terminal 5, and departing the following day on American to New York from Terminal 3. I figured we might as well check out one of the Starwood properties, especially since it was the first week of the year -- who doesn't want to get elite status requalification off to a good start? ;)

The post Review: Sheraton London Heathrow Hotel appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/03/03/review-sheraton-london-heathrow-hotel/

A United Award Booking Hack, No Seat Assignments for Elites, Delta Award Booking Improvement, and Hilton’s IT Still Bad

News and notes from around the interweb: How to put United award tickets on hold French Polynesia’s tourism minister says Air Tahiti Nui will join oneworld. (HT: Jean T. for the article, in French) Already American AAdvantage frequent flyers can spend miles for Air Tahiti Nui flights. It used to be possible to earn AAdvantage […]

The post A United Award Booking Hack, No Seat Assignments for Elites, Delta Award Booking Improvement, and Hilton’s IT Still Bad appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/03/03/a-united-award-booking-hack-no-seat-assignments-for-elites-delta-award-booking-improvement-and-hiltons-it-still-bad/

Why Banksy visited Gaza

'If we wash our hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless we side with the powerful.'



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/banksy-visited-gaza-heres-street-artist-wants-us-see/

The new Ryanair – a mobile-first travel retailer

Ryanair is promising “a big investment in digital and a big investment in data” this year as it enters the second year ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/ryanair-mobile-first-travel-retailer/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ryanair-mobile-first-travel-retailer-specialising-flights

Watch Chile's Villarrica Volcano Erupt

The volcano is considered one of South America's most active.



from Travel Feedly http://www.ibtimes.com/villarrica-volcano-eruption-southern-chile-sees-lava-ash-thousands-evacuations-photos-1834248

Six ways to connect user-generated content with marketing

Ready to integrate that beautiful picture of a guest enjoying your hotel’s pool into your marketing mix? How about that priceless video ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/ways-connect-user-generated-content-marketing/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rivet-sc-inspire-travelers-user-generated-content-6-best-practices