Renting a car can be complicated. From fees to fuel purchase options, the process is enough to confuse even the most experienced traveler. But let’s keep it simple. Here’s your ultimate guide on how to rent a car. (last updated Jan 2021) Read more “How to rent a car: the ultimate guide”
Author: Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes weekly columns for King Features Syndicate, USA Today, and the Washington Post. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter.
Read more of Christopher's articles here.
Hidden hotel fees are the worst! Can you help?
What’s going on with these hidden hotel fees?
This traveler assumed his room at the InterContinental New York Barclay would be $863. So what’s the hidden hotel fee on his folio? And why won’t anyone help him get rid of it? Read more “Hidden hotel fees are the worst! Can you help?”
The ultimate guide to travel loyalty programs
Loyalty programs offer a powerful incentive to travel, and to travel more. Since the first frequent flier programs appeared in the early 1980s, frequent flier and frequent stayer incentives have mushroomed to proportions no one could have predicted. Today, it’s possible to collect miles without darkening the door of an aircraft, or points without checking into a hotel. You can earn them from buying groceries or subscribing to Netflix.
But should you? Read more “The ultimate guide to travel loyalty programs”
Just in time! Here is some expert winter driving advice
Looking for some expert winter driving advice? Here it is — and just in time for 2021!
Of course, getting behind the wheel in below-freezing conditions probably isn’t your idea of fun. Even the most experienced motorists slide around on icy roads as if they just graduated from driving school. But you can have a better road trip this winter without losing your cool, say experts.
No one knows for sure what kind of winter weather lies ahead. But the good news is that forecasters are predicting a mild winter for 2021 in most areas of North America. However, since predictions are not always reliable you should still prepare yourself for the worst. Here’s how. Read more “Just in time! Here is some expert winter driving advice”
The ultimate guide to losing and finding your luggage
It weighs you down, it costs extra, and airlines love to lose it. Luggage is something most travelers wish they didn’t have to worry about — which is exactly why you should think about it before your next trip.
Selecting the right luggage might be the easy part. Knowing your rights when your bags are lost or misplaced isn’t. (And if you travel enough, your luggage will eventually get lost.) Read more “The ultimate guide to losing and finding your luggage”
The best way to buy airline tickets
From phoning a travel agent to clicking an airline site, there are many ways to book air travel. Maybe too many. So what’s the best way to buy airline tickets?
It depends. Here’s a guide to help you sort it out. (last updated Jan 5, 2021) Read more “The best way to buy airline tickets”
How to get an airline to waive its rules now
Well, that didn’t take long. The U.S. airlines have quietly started tightening their rules again, even as COVID-19 cases take off in America. And now, travelers want to know how they can get an airline to waive its rules. (reprint) Read more “How to get an airline to waive its rules now”