Imagine my excitement when I discovered the Tumi Alpha Bravo Brooks Slim Brief, a sturdy, classy laptop bag that manages to hold all of the things pictured here... including a bottle of wine one might be taking on the train or to join a friend after work.
Read morePlane vs Train decision for the savvy traveler
Unless you’re explicitly seeking the long-haul train experience, Amtrak is most useful in getting from one city to another "near" city, i.e. any combination of cities between Washington and New York, any similar combination of cities between New York and Boston, and other combinations such as St. Louis and Kansas City (a ride that I love!). We recommend you make your decision for individual trips based on a combination of total cost, total travel time, convenience, and the rather intangible "experience" factor.
Read moreDemystifying reward travel for "Traditional Miles" American, Delta, United, and Alaska Airlines
Frequent-flier rewards programs generally fall into one of two categories, each suited to a different type of traveler. Knowing which to favor based on the type of traveler you are will help you get the most from your airline rewards, and actually use them faster! In today's post we're tackling the Traditional Miles (+Perks) model that makes the American, Delta, United, and Alaska Airlines particularly attractive for very frequent travelers, but perhaps less enticing for more casual leisure travelers.
Read moreMay TGIflyday take you to a place you love, a great bottle of wine, and a moment to remember
Today begins a long Memorial Day weekend in the United States. This is what we see: Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We hope you'll use this TGIflyday to get to a place you love, share a great bottle of wine, enjoy the weekend, and make time to remember the fallen in some meaningful way!
Read moreThe Nomad life: Keeping charged on the go (for pictures of planes and directions to wineries)
We're no longer the people in the airport or on the train scrambling for every drop of power to keep our devices going through the day. For this we thank Nomad, whose brilliantly well thought out gadgets have kept us charged, sane, and looking like we know what we're doing for a couple years now. we've found that these accessories really will transform one of the more stressful aspects of your travel routine, and of course give you a lot more juice to take pictures, get directions, find the best wine bar, and tell the world all about it.
Read moreTravel further for less (or no) money by smartly earning and using credit card points
We're directly addressing the notion of smartly using credit card points to travel further for less money. Wine:Thirty Flight flies often with little or no cash spent on tickets. We do this by following three simple rules: Use your credit card(s) to cover as many of your daily expenses as possible, always earn more than one point per dollar spent, and use the points you earn to book free airline tickets.
Read moreWine:Thirty Flight's definitive guide to St. Thomas
We've spent the last several weeks highlighting various aspects of the great experience that is travel to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) through several posts each discussing a different element of travel to a great place. St. Thomas is an absolutely beautiful place. The rum is tasty, the people friendly, the weather delightful, and the scenery absolutely gorgeous.
Read moreScratching the surface on value, perks, and getting through the door of airline club lounges
Airline club lounges are part of the ecosystem around which many frequent travelers construct their routine. They really change the airport experience, offering a quieter and more comfortable respite from the bustling gate areas. Today we're breaking down the basics.
Read moreComparing two St. Thomas resorts: Marriott Frenchman's Reef and Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
We're taking two St. Thomas resort hotel situations head-to-head in a comparison on nine counts, not steering you in one direction or another here, rather encouraging you to read and pick the one that best suits your personality and travel tastes!
Read moreLike a fine wine: Appreciating the Boeing 757 airplane in the twilight of its long career
You've most likely flown on this plane, and might readily recognize it as seeming to go on for days (its dimensions -- long like a larger plane, narrow like a smaller one -- create the illusion of extreme overall length) and seeming to be rather high off the ground when parked. You might also recognize that the main boarding door is positioned about a third of the way from the plane's nose, just in front of the wing.
Read moreDay tripping by ferry from St. Thomas to Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands (of which the St. Thomas city of Charlotte Amalie is the capital) is shockingly close to the British Virgin Islands ("BVI" or simply "Virgin Islands" as the British call them, of which Road Town is the capital). The border between these two territories seems in fact to be the closest the two closest of allies come to one another geographically.
Read moreDining and (occasionally) wining in downtown Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Situated in the central harbor of St. Thomas, Charlotte Amalie is the island chain's largest city and capitol of the United States Virgin Islands territory. The nearby resorts could make for an all-inclusive vacation in and of themselves, but we're big believers that those who confine themselves to a resort miss the best food and most interesting experiences.
Read moreOn flying to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, from the Lower 48
Checking in from the main cabin extra seats on a Boeing 757-200 airplane en route from Charlotte, NC to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The sea is sparkling blue below, and a smattering of clouds hang like powdered sugar in the otherwise clear sky below, stretched out far as the eye can take in.
Read moreBest one for you: Breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of America's largest airlines
What if you travel anywhere from every couple months to several times a month, and live in a city where you have several major airline options? Congratulations if that sounds like you, because you're in the happy situation of getting to choose the airline that best suits your needs and tastes.
Read moreNashville "Music City" greatness and a newfound penchant for wine
Nashville manages to simultaneously seem both larger and smaller than it really is. It occupies that big range of American cities that are home to less than one million but more than half a million residents, a skyline dominated by tall buildings, yet everywhere a neighborhood. Tennessee isn't known for its wine, but you get the sense that this city's musical spirit breeds an inkling for experimentation.
Read morePlanes, Trains, and Automobiles escape from the (albeit majestic) Northeast winter
Never let airline incompetence, frozen pipes, loss of heat, a police incident in your hotel, cancelled flights, driving from Boston and New York City in a blizzard, or a surprise Amtrak train ride from NYC to Washington DC when your car just can't go any further stand in your way of a good time!
Read moreHow (and why) to choose your preferred airline
A go-to airline helps you make decisions that maximize your return on travel experience in terms of rewards, deals, benefits, and perks. Staying consistent with one or a few airlines also helps you get to know your preferred carriers' quirks. Comfort and familiarity mean you spend less time panicked at the airport, and more time sipping wine.
Read moreVino Volo airport wine bars make travel better
If your travels take you through any of a growing number of airports, you'll find Vino Volo wine bars there treating you to nice wine (and wine education) while making your travel experience so much better.
Read moreSt. Louis: Great beer town, uninspiring wine situation, odd but friendly airport
I respect the city and its people because they love their baseball team more than most any other place I've visited. Sadly my travels last week had me staying somewhat suburban, rather than checking out downtown where most cities get interesting. I've yet to uncover a particular cultural affinity for wine there: it's definitely more of a beer town. Here's what I learned.
Read moreWhy travel: Good friends, good wine, good karma, AAdvantage Gold, and a quick adventure
This is why we travel, to see two of my very best friends, get re-acquainted with the Goose Ridge g3, gift of a road soda from the girls up front, walk away with a year of AAdvantage Gold (details below), and enjoy a quick planes, trains, and automobiles adventure.
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