So often, Clark will get a call on the show from someone griping about an awful hotel they booked. The most important question he asks is, "Did you stay?" There's a phrase in the travel industry that goes "If you stay, you pay." The time to fight about your money is at the get-go, not after you've stayed multiple nights.

In a small number of instances, Clark has turned right around and left when he's gotten a bad hotel. It happened last year when he was booked into a gang-infested hotel, and the year prior when executive producer Christa mistakenly booked him into a hotel on Prostitution Row in a Florida city.

The best way to avoid a problem in the first place is by checking hotel reviews online. TripAdvisor is an extremely influential site for this purpose, and has now unveiled its 2010 list of the Top 10 Dirtiest Hotels. This tainted tally contains both listings for the United States and abroad.

European hoteliers have gone crazy in response and are trying to get the European Union to crackdown on review sites like TripAdvisor. The hoteliers say they need a way to ensure that anonymous reviews are not being posted by rivals.

The web experience is chaotic by its nature, but it also offers collective wisdom. when you go to an unfamiliar place, it's great to be able to look at hotel reviews and benefit from the collective wisdom.

Make sure you get the best experience possible by doing your homework upfront.

Aloha from Maui! Clark and his staffers recently returned from their annual staff trip and this year they opted for the sunny climes of one of Hawaii's most famous islands. See a slide show of some of the beautiful sights we saw!

There is one cardinal rule that governs all staff trips: Buy the deal first and then figure out why you want to go there. Of course, when you're talking about Maui, you don't have to look too hard for reasons!

This year's location was picked when $497 roundtrip tickets became available on American Airlines. Unlike prior years, everyone on the team stayed at different places on the island based on their interests. Some wanted to be on the waterfront while others wanted to be near the city. Clark and his wife, however, wanted to be up on the hills.

One of the consumer champ's best tips for saving money in Hawaii involves buying food at Costco Wholesale. The markup is just too high elsewhere. Fortunately, there was a Costco conveniently located adjacent to the Maui Airport when the crew flew in.

Producers Kim and Joel stayed (separately) with their guests at a high-rise hotel in Ka'anapali that they booked on Priceline. They paid $90/night and were even upgraded to a condo suite for free.

Meanwhile, our engineer Deborah and web producer Kate chose a 2BR waterfront condo on a beautiful private cove near Napili where they could watch the whales and turtles from their deck. They got their deal through a resort company that manages condos. They were able to talk the price down from $380/night to $225/night.

Clark and his wife stayed at Kapalua in a magnificent condo for $225/night. Sounds too rich? The consumer champ made up for it by eating off the dollar menu at local McDonald's restaurants.

Kim identified the highlight of her trip as a motorized hang-gliding excursion over Hana. Both Deb and Kate said the drive up to Hana was a highlight. On the road, they saw a rainbow eucalyptus tree, amazing waterfalls, breaching whales, rainbows and turtles. Joel said playing disc golf at Kapalua (with Clark) was his favorite moment.

Car rentals were going for about $100/week plus junk fees. Kim put some of Clark's longstanding advice into play: Fix a rental yourself if you have some minor damage. She spent $25 out of her own pocket to fix a broken mirror rather than face a bill that could have been several hundred dollars from the rental company for the fix.

The difficulty of flying to and from Maui was one slight damper on the trip, according to Clark. American Airlines unfortunately had cancellations going both ways.

The most important rule when dealing with a cancellation is do not stand in line at the airport. That's a guaranteed road to nowhere.

Instead, try picking up the phone and talking to reservations. Keep your cool, keep smiling and be polite, but don't let them treat you like a pushover. If you get someone unhelpful on the phone, just hang up and call back to speak with a more level-headed representative.

The hard deals you can drive with hoteliers right now are simply unreal. Why? The hotel business is hurting because there's a tremendous oversupply of rooms.

The hotels are in a unique and unenviable position. Airlines can park planes when demand drops. Rental car companies can downsize their fleets.

But pity the poor hotel owners; they can't just pick a hotel up and move it to another location! And to make matters worse, new hotels that have been in development will continue entering the market throughout 2010.

Let's look at the Orlando market as an example. Orlando hotels had their worst year ever in 2009. On a typical night, there was a vacancy rate of about 40 percent, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

There are also similar numbers elsewhere in the country -- even in New York City. Clark recently received an e-mail from QuikBook.com that listed two dozen Big Apple hotels with prices starting at $70/night up to $120/night. Historically in New York, your taxes on a room were $70!

So now is the time to drive a hard bargain. Use Hotwire and Priceline to help you. Do not bid for anything below four stars because the ratings tend to be inflated. See Clark's previous shownotes for more bidding tips.

The nation's airlines are looking for more ways to get in your pocket. The latest effort by Delta and Continental involves raising baggage fees to the point that they may exceed some tickets!

The first checked bag will be $25 ($23 if you do it online) and the second somewhere in the $30 range depending on airline.

Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, still has no baggage fees. Nor will this discount airline charge you to change a trip once you've booked. Perhaps that's why Southwest keeps gaining more market share while the full-fare airlines watch their shares shrink.

Think Southwest is crazy? Well, they must be crazy like a fox. Customers who may be on the cusp about taking a trip are probably more likely to book because they know they won't get hit with a fee to change a ticket.

Nobody knows if Southwest will continue with no baggage fees, but it certainly has made for some strong imaging for them. You can see their "no baggage fees" commercials on constant rotation during the NFL playoff games.

But what if Southwest doesn't serve the markets you need? There's still one way to avoid baggage fees on the full-fare airlines: Don't check a bag! Clark only travels with what an airline permits free as a single carry-on -- usually a 22x14x8 piece of luggage. That way he never worries about the airline losing his baggage, either!

Just be sure you follow the carry-on rules of your airline to the letter. During the Christmas season, Clark saw a woman with a single carry-on and a shopping bag in her hand. They would not permit her to take both on. The woman had words with an airline representative who was extremely rude, and she was made to pay the baggage fee in the end.

A lot of recent media attention has been dedicated to the new mega-cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas. This behemoth has room for 6,000 people!

All of the cruise lines try to "one up" each other with the launch of increasingly fancier ships. The launches are planned years in advance and certainly don't account for the possibility of fewer passengers because of a slumping economy.

So where will the customers come from? Even if the economy recovers, natural demand can't soak up all the new cabins in the marketplace.

The new supply of accommodations means older ships will have to discount to attract passengers. There's a real chance of scoring a deal -- if you don't care about having bragging rights because you cruised on the newest, hottest ship.

Remember, if you want to book a cruise, Clark recommends using a cruise-only agency or a cruise-only agent at a regular agency especially if you're a first-time cruiser. Every ship and every itinerary has its own personality and you want to find a good match.

Many of you have asked for an update on getting the best travel deals for the holiday season. Unfortunately, there's a reason Clark's been mostly mum on this issue.

This is not a normal travel year. While you can steal a deal on a hotel, car rentals are extremely expensive. The car rental companies are responding to the down economy by not adding to their fleets, which reduces the supply of available vehicles.

Air travel, meanwhile, has some real deals for fall and winter travel on the domestic and international fronts -- particularly to Australia and New Zealand.

But don't expect to find a deal during the Thanksgiving travel period for domestic travel. For example, some routes that are typically $59-$69 one-way to Florida are now selling in the $200 range -- if you can find a seat.

Her's Clark's best advice for getting something approximating a deal this holiday season:

• Have a flexible travel date. United Airlines has an online calendar that can help you suss out the best travel days, no matter which airline you're flying.

• Fly before 3 p.m. on any travel day if possible. You're likely to avoid weather delays that way.

• Beware of excessive baggage fees if you're taking presents to or from your destination. Southwest Airlines has no baggage fees at all, but they don't serve every market. Shipping packages with UPS Ground or FedEx Ground can help.

• Finally, Clark recommends searching both Kayak.com and Southwest.com when looking for fares. Southwest does not publish its fares to screen-scraper sites like Kayak.

MONEY-SAVING MOMENT: Cruises present some of the best travel opportunities right now. This is your time if you can scrounge together enough money.

Last month, Clark talked about what a deal cruises are in the fall. Demand just drops off after Labor Day. Meanwhile, so few people are focused on booking cruises into next year. That's why the industry has steadily expanded its World's Largest Cruise Night promotion.

October has become a great month to buy, even into the spring of next year if you can plan that far ahead! The industry continues to roll out the deals as it reels from the recession. USA Today has a list highlighting some of the offers.

If you want to book a cruise, Clark recommends going to a cruise-only agency or a cruise-only agent at a regular agency. Every ship and every itinerary has its own personality. Inexperienced cruisers would be wise to consult with a professional so they get the most out of their vacation.

Don't like cruises? Walt Disney is offering a buy four nights, get three night free offer at Disney accommodations that are mid-price and above. That's a big deal considering that Disney historically has not discounted their properties. And it's just another symptom of how badly the hotel business is hurting too.

The deals out there in the travel marketplace are the best they've been in just about forever.

Hotels.com reports that hotel rates are down 17 percent year over year. That's a very large drop in price. Clark typically uses Priceline and Hotwire to book his hotels and he's found some very decent accommodations in the $30 range. Top tier four-star hotels, meanwhile, are going for $65-$75. The luxury end of the business is offering some of the best bargains in the form of packages. That means you'll get value-added services -- free meals, free spa treatments, etc. -- bundled in with the price of a room.

Airlines are also offering great deals. If you have tons of frequent flier miles, try cashing them in to fly international front of cabin.

Car rentals are the one segment of travel that has gone up in price. The car rental companies sensed the softening economy and refused to buy new fleet cars, thus driving down supply. Clark suggests booking your car rental when you book your flight. Then one week before your trip, re-shop your car rental. You may find a slightly better deal this way.

Finally, cruises are a deal too -- even though many companies are focusing on overseas markets instead of domestic cruising. But with the weakening dollar, Clark would prefer to do Europe by land rather than by sea.

Sheraton is offering a chance to win a free night stay in dozens of North American locations as part of a promotion to highlight the chain's $4 billion makeover.

The free night lottery is available for stays only on Friday, October 23 for 2,100 lucky winners.

Eighty-six new or recently renovated Sheratons in the U.S. and Canada are participating. That's about 40 percent of the brand's North American locations.

Visit Sheraton.com/FreeNight to register and book online from Oct. 6-9.

Please note that if the free room offer is not available at the Sheraton website, you can only re-request the stay once per day, or each day from October 6-9. Sheraton says it will offer a discount coupon for future stays for those not lucky enough to get the free night offer.

The hotelier is making this unique offer because they had let many of their properties go to seed and really had their brand name beat up in the marketplace.

If you own a business, you can't lose the focus on serving the customer. Look at the iPhone, for example. It has raised the profile of Apple immeasurably and at the same time really trashed AT&T because of the carrier's botched network capacity issues. Talk about a double-edged sword.

No matter what you spend on ads, promotion and marketing, it's the experience you give the customer that really matters. Sheraton is now belatedly figuring this out.

There's a real donnybrook going on between AT&T, the federal government and Google. Google has figured out a way to let iPhone users text and make unlimited calls with the cheapest AT&T data plan.

It's all possible with Google Voice. You can bypass AT&T's block of Google Voice and use the iPhone web browser to access this free service. Google Voice requires an invitation to join. Sign up today because there is a waiting period of 4 to 6 months to get your invitation.

This is just one of the new telecommunications changes coming in the near future. The idea of a company charging you per call is so yesterday's news -- whether the cellular providers like it or not. In short order, Clark predicts we'll be making all calls for free!

If you travel overseas, the consumer champ wants you to know about VoxOx.com, which is in beta and still having the bugs worked out.

VoxOx makes it possible to use your cell phone to call back to the United States for mere pennies a minutes -- instead of $1/minute or more. Once you signup for this free service, all you need is a local SIM chip to start saving.

One man is paying as little as 2.2 cents/minute to call from Thailand to the United States using VoxOx.

Now that's cheap!

Clark loves discount airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, AirTran, Frontier and others. When they go into a market, airfares start dropping like flies.

In April, the consumer champ took an hourlong flight to a market that was only served by full-fare airlines. He had to pay $1,350 RT! Had he had access to a discounter, he would have paid at most a few hundred dollars for the same trip.

Little wonder then that discounters are the only ones making money right now. The full-fares, meanwhile, are reporting major losses of up to $250,000 billion each quarter.

How is it that the discounters can offer their services so much cheaper? Typically, they run a much simpler business. The full-fares fly up to 8 or 10 types of airplanes in their fleets. Discounters, however, will only fly one or two types of jets.

In addition, discounters put the focus on customers by offering deals instead of trying to come up with new ways to fee you to death like the full-fares.

Let's take a closer look at the fees. Discounters like Southwest and JetBlue charge you zero to check-in a bag. The full-fares generally charge $15-$25 for the first bag.

How about sending a minor unaccompanied on a flight? Most discounters will charge you $25-$50. The full-fares will run you $100.

When it comes to talking to a human over the phone, a discounter like Southwest lets you do that for free. Most of the full-fares, however, will charge you $20-$25 to pick up the phone.

And taking a pet on the airplane? The full-fares will charge up to $150. Southwest, however, charges zero dollars.

Visit Kayak.com for a full list of airline fees.

Trip insurance policies should always be purchased when you are taking a cruise, a tour or traveling on a trip that requires pre-payment of thousands of dollars.

Such policies are designed to protect consumers by giving them refunds in the event of illness to the traveler or an immediate family member. They also provide a refund in the case of company, tour operator or airline default.

Consumers should always purchase a policy independent of the cruise, tour or vacation planner. Never purchase the trip protection plan from the trip organizer. Those types of policies are designed to protect only the company and not the consumer!

InsureMyTrip.com allows you to comparison shop for policies online.

Clark is back from a family vacation that saw the consumer champ, his wife and their 2 daughters visit England and Ireland. The penny-pincher is used to doing Europe in the winter because that's when the deals typically pop up. But the travel market is so depressed that you can score deals right now in the heart of summer!

The family flew in on British Airways (one carry-on per person for a week of travel!) and promptly got their Oyster Cards when they disembarked. The Oyster Card allows you to ride the Tube (aka the subway) into London at a deep discount.

The first hotel they stayed in was a Hilton for a pricey $89/night from Priceline. From London, they flew to Cork, Ireland on Ryanair for $38 RT including junk fees!

Ryanair is an acquired taste. The boarding process is as frenzied as a rugby scrum. The flight attendants work on commission, and so you have them running around the plane in 5-inch heels trying to sell cigarettes, lotto tickets, trinkets and more during the entire flight.

While in Western Ireland, Clark and his family spent time on the Dingle Peninsula, which is more picturesque in person than in travel photography. Just beware of traveling on the very narrow roads!

And the kids can't stop raving about the Cork International Airport Hotel.

On their return trip to London, the Howards stayed at a $95/night Marriott that was a true 5-star hotel.

The family also saved money during the trip by only eating 2 meals a day!

Here we are in the midst of vacation season and the deals are everywhere!

Clark has found a new website called Voyij.com that scans cyberspace for the best airfare sales, hotels deals and vacation packages.

You simply select a departing airport and supply a general idea of when you'd like to travel. No specific departure date is required. Of course, some of the results may be false leads, but others will be real savings opportunities for you.

Deals are easy to come by these days. The international airlines have doubled their dismal estimates about the losses they expect to take this year. They're just having too much trouble filling seats, even as they park more planes in the desert.

The best deals from the United States right now are all to Australia. You may even be able to get a fare to Down Under that's lower than it would be to go to Europe from many U.S. markets. Richard Branson's V Australia airline is partly to thank for this.

There are also other great deals to Central America, as well as to various locations in the United States of America itself.

Here's the key Clark Howard rule when it comes to travel: Buy the deal first and then figure out why you want to go there! You'll save a fortune and eventually see the whole world this way, just like Clark. And he's done it cheaper than just about anybody else, except a rot-gut cheap backpacker!

When you're talking about budget air travel, it doesn't get much cheaper than the hard discounters in Europe and Asia.

Ryanair -- the most successful of them all -- has stripped every frill out of its planes to deliver the lowest fares. For example, the seats don't recline, there are no seat-back pockets and you won't find any window shades. They even cram 199 seats onto a 737 that usually only holds 150 people.

But, oh, what savings: Clark took a flight from England to Ireland for the equivalent of $1.75!

Now an American airline is launching with prices to rival the international hard discounters. Jet America offers 9 seats for $9 on every flight, and fares step up from there. They're starting with one single aircraft per route and will add more over time so they don't risk growing too quickly.

(Editor's note: Jet America has since gone out of business. If you are having difficulty getting a refund, contact your credit card issuer to do a charge-back. You have 60 days from the date of purchase to do so.)

The only other hard discounters in the United States include Spirit Air and Allegiant Air.

Clark compares the hard discounter trend in air travel to the discount bus services that are available in the United States. Bolt Bus (fares starting at $1) and Mega Bus are both prime examples.

Planning on taking an international trip this year? Demand is down and you can score a deal on airfare, hotels and resorts. In Europe, it's not uncommon now to pay $75/night for a room that would have run $200/night during the peak.

But you can still get burned in a couple of areas.

First, don't take your cell phone and think you can use it overseas with your standard U.S. carrier's plan. You'll need an unlocked world phone and a SIM chip. More details here.

Second, be careful when it comes to using credit cards and ATMs.

Most credit card issuers charge 3% if you use their card outside the United States. Capital One, however, has no fees at all on their credit cards when used internationally. And Charles Schwab has a great 2% cash-back credit card that is also fee-free when used abroad.

When it comes to using ATMs, banks will charge fees that start at 9$ per transaction! The Practical Traveler recommends a Capital One card for fee-free ATM transactions. Schwab also typically absorbs all ATM fees for many of its customers.

Think you can't afford Hawaii? Aloha, McFly! It's never been more affordable to stay in paradise!!

Hotel bookings on the Hawaiian Islands are at the worst level in 20 years, since record-keeping first began. In fact, 1 out of 3 hotel rooms sat vacant during the recent peak season. Historically, hoteliers hope to sell out more nights than not in a peak season.

So what's going on? Several airlines that flew to Hawaii -- including Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines -- have both gone out of business. That leaves mainly the full-fare airlines serving Hawaii.

But even the full-fares are reducing their number of flights. Their business model is too inefficient to support extensive flying to some far-flung vacation destinations.

So if you're lucky enough to find a deal on airfare, you can count on your accommodations being very affordable. Clark particularly likes VRBO.com for finding cheap vacation rentals by owners.

Imagine if you're able to use frequent flier miles to get free airfare and use free stay points to get your hotel accommodation for nada. Hmmm…Free airfare + free stay points = time in paradise for FREE. That's the kind of math that Clark likes!

Where will gas be as we begin slowly approaching the summer of 2009? $3/gallon? $4/gallon?! How about between $2.25 and $2.35! That's the latest word from The Houston Chronicle, which closely follows the oil industry.

Some of you may recall that last year before the peak of the run-up in prices, Clark predicted the national average for a gallon of gas would be $2.25 come May 1.

Long-term, there's no question that we have a problem with supply and demand in the oil market. With today's relatively cheap prices at the pump, this may be the perfect time to steal a deal on a fuel-efficient vehicle since nobody else seems to want them.

Meanwhile, the airline industry is another sector that relies heavily on the price of a barrel of oil.

The airlines have been experiencing terrible sales as of late. So if you have frequent-flier miles in an account, this is the best time to redeem them since the '80s.

For the rest of us, domestic coach fares will be a real deal. Southwest Airlines is offering $98-$238 roundtrip anywhere they fly in the United States. And it looks like the "Gang of 5" full-fare airlines will have to follow with their own heavy summer discounting.

Clark predicts buying a ticket in April for summer travel will be a much better deal than buying closer to the summer -- if you can get the kind of lead prices Southwest is advertising.

Looking to go to Europe? Book a flight for May and you could score a roundtrip ticket in the range of $400. May fares are the best they've been since 2002. No word as of yet on the international deals for June, July and August.

It started off with Hyundai's layoff coverage -- you know, the deal everyone's buzzing about where they let you off the hook if you buy a car and lose your job.

Now JetBlue is doing the same.

What a novelty factor for the airline business. JetBlue will actually give you a full ticket refund if you're laid off from your full-time job within one year of booking!

That's a major about-face from accepted policy across much of the industry. Airlines can cancel a flight for any reason and all they're required to do is give you your money back. But if your plans change, they can charge you up to hundreds of dollars in cancellation fees -- unless of course you're talking about Clark's "girlfriend" Southwest Airlines. At Southwest, there's no penalty for changing a ticket ever!

The JetBlue announcement has garnered a lot of attention because it's another angle on the insecurity people feel about getting laid off. If JetBlue is as successful as Hyundai with their tactic, you may see this kind of thing in more industries that are reliant on discretionary spending.

Still, a lot of our unease on the job front is not necessarily rational. The fact is that most of us won't be losing our jobs. Yet the idea of doing a financial fire drill has powerful appeal in a time of fear.

There's a summer fare war brewing between Southwest, AirTran and all of the full fare airlines. Southwest got the ball rolling with a nationwide sale on travel through June 24. They're capping fares at $98-$258 round-trip.

AirTran quickly matched the deal and also expanded it to the entire summer -- not just through June 24. Their fares start at $39 one-way and mostly cap out at $189 one-way.

Once both major discounters threw down the gauntlet, the full fare airlines matched their rates. They full fares can't really afford to match those rates, but nor can they risk losing business all summer.

More good news on the hotel front, as well. Once you get where you're going, the bargains on accommodations are fantastic.

The only potential ugliness this summer will be with car rentals. The rental companies are reducing their fleets, which results in the possibility that you'll get older, run-down vehicles. The decline in fleet also means the cost of a car per day is going up.

Clark recommends booking a car at the time that you book your air travel; remember, car rental fees are completely refundable. Then one week before your trip, check the rates again and see if you can grab a better deal at a lower price.

Team Clark has just returned from its annual weeklong staff trip. This year the gang went to Shanghai over in communist China. Clark had previously been to this Chinese city in 1983 and 1994. That gave him a great chance to observe Shanghai's growth over more than 2 decades.

There were virtually no paved roads, only a few people had cars and everyone wore the Mao suit when he first went there. Today, Shanghai has a massive infrastructure and the people dress freely and fashionably.

Still, the city is more than it seems on the surface. On the one hand, there's great freedom of movement and citizens can speak their minds about a variety of topics. Yet the censors are everywhere; the penny-pincher's beloved Wall Street Journal was 100% censored and its website inaccessible the whole trip.

When it came to cuisine, Clark found himself eating at McDonald's once a day throughout the trip. One night, Joel dragged him out to a place that served fried dumplings for 4.5 renminbi (aka the people's money) or around 63 cents. Joel ate 11 dumplings one night at a stand that Clark jokes was last cleaned when Chiang Kai-shek was operating in Shanghai!

There were also plenty of fancy malls, but many staffers preferred shopping at the imitation goods markets geared toward foreigners. It was at one such market that Joel picked up a pair of counterfeit Ray-Bans for 50 renminbi, which is about $7. One thing is for sure: The Chinese who work in these markets are capitalists. They're really into making money!

For more on the trip, see a photo gallery shot by a non-staffer who accompanied Team Clark on the excursion.

Clark is back from a Las Vegas vacation that he and his wife enjoyed during the recent holiday weekend. Las Vegas doesn't have to be all about the gambling. In fact, the penny-pincher loves it because he believes the city offers the best people watching on Earth.

That's not to say Clark didn't do any gambling; he did wager $1 in a Tabasco slot machine on executive producer Christa's behalf and promptly lost it!

Clark and his wife stayed at the new Trump International, which they got on Priceline for $105/night for a suite. Right now the regular rooms can be had for as low as $89/night. In general, hotels were practically giving away rooms because their occupancy levels are so far down. Ditto on the restaurants, which offer specials at certain times of the day when business is slow.

Another bright spot of the trip was that Clark's rental car cost only $8 before junk fees thanks to a new no-frills, automated Hertz discount subsidiary called Simply Wheelz by Hertz.

Other activities the consumer champ enjoyed included a day-trip to Utah's Snow Canyon State Park and several trips to In-N-Out Burger.

Clark and his wife are about to embark on a trip to Las Vegas thanks to some cheap airfare they managed to land. Though they'll be going on a holiday weekend, they had no trouble finding bookings at hotels.

The penny-pincher tried bid after bid, day after day on Priceline to get a deal that was suitable. But before he entered his first bid, his first stop was BiddingForTravel.com to get a feel for what other successful bids looked like. He noticed the general trend was around $110 for a night at a 5-star hotel and started his first bid at the ridiculously low $59 before going up incrementally.

He made 24 bids over 3 days in total. How is that possible? In general, Priceline only lets you bid once a day. But in Las Vegas, there are multiple neighborhoods you can bid in -- and only 2 had 5-star hotels. He simply added a new neighborhood and rebid each time as he got turned down.

Clark ended up paying $105/night, which is way more than he expected. He thought he would be at a Wynn property, but he actually got the new Trump property. The reviews on TripAdvisor.com suggest the staff has a real attitude toward customers, so we'll see what happens…

The bright spot of the trip is that his rental car is only $8 before junk fees. That's cheap, thanks to a new no-frills, automated Hertz discount subsidiary called Simply Wheelz by Hertz.

MONEY-SAVING MOMENT: Clark is not a fan of cruises, but right now there are great deals for those who do enjoy them.

USA Today recently reported that NCL has been offering 3-night and 4-night cruises for $99/person! That rate is so low it may seem like a scam, but it's completely legitimate. Other NCL deals include $40/day for a Mediterranean excursion, according to the article.

It's not just NCL that has the sweet deals. There are deals from many of the ultra-luxury cruises that traditionally catered to high-end customers who historically weren't price sensitive. But right now, the people feeling the most pinched are precisely these "aspirational" wealthy clients.

What's in it for a cruise line to offer these kinds of deals? A cheap cabin and cheap meals are loss leaders; the real money comes not from cabin fare, but from what you spend in onshore excursion packages and onboard extras like gambling and liquor.

So if your finances are ship shape, find a ship and go! There are 2 ways to do this, Clark says. If you are an experienced cruiser, you can shop on the web and use sites like CruiseCritic.com for guidance. For the rest of us, however, it's best to book with a real person at a cruise-only agency or an experienced cruise agent at a regular agency. A good cruise agent will ask questions about your lifestyle and what activities you enjoy to gauge which ships and cruise lines will best suit you.

This winter, you can expect to see the most travel bargains since 2002. In today's economy, so much travel is discretionary and airlines are trying to compensate for the decreased demand by grounding planes. But there are still too many seats!

Need proof? Just look at Southwest -- historically one of the cheapest discounters -- which has had sale after sale in recent weeks. One of their latest promos was for $98-$218 roundtrip to just about anywhere Southwest flies (excluding Orange County).

In another indicator, Treasure Island casino (aka T.I.) was recently purchased for about one-sixth of the replacement cost if it had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Why so cheap? Well, it's not surprising when you consider room rates are completely depressed -- sometimes going for as little as $49.

Ditto for deals on accommodations in the Caribbean and Hawaii. In fact, Hawaii has seen tourism rates drop as 2 airlines that served it both folded. So if you can get to Hawaii, the bargains on accommodations are the best they've been in a long while.

In a further example, USA Today is reporting that hotel rooms in New York City are going in the $100 range. Last year, the average hotel price was some $400/night!

You shouldn't, however, expect to see any deals to Europe. The airlines are still levying their ridiculous fuel surcharges and driving the price of a ticket up -- despite the low cost of a barrel of oil.

Why not instead spend your money in America where our economy really needs it? One in every 3 airline seats in the U.S. is flown by discounters. Overseas, however, discounters account for just a fraction of 1%.

So now may be the perfect time to heed Clark's first rule of travel: Find the bargain, buy it and then figure out afterward why you want to go there!

Clark has a trio of travel tidbits to share involving cruises, airlines and car rentals.

First, look for deep discounts on cruise cabins coming soon. The industry has overbuilt too many giant ships with too many cabins. In fact, the number of cabins will be up roughly 10% year over year for the next 3 years. So cruise lines will be willing to take a hit on the price of a cabin because they're really just loss leaders; the real money comes not from cabin fare, but from what you spend in onboard extras and onshore excursion packages.

Meanwhile, redeeming frequent flier seats is the most difficult it's ever been. The airlines flooded the market with frequent flier miles through promotions with mortgage lenders, car rental companies, florists and just about anybody else who wanted a piece of the action. But with more and more planes being parked in the desert, it's near impossible to use the miles you have accumulating.

Now Yapta.com has a new function that allows you to search for available frequent flier seats. Clark thanks The Practical Traveler for this tip. Of course, he'd prefer you'd stop using frequent flier credit cards altogether in favor of those that give you cash back.

Finally, there are some oddball opportunities to rent a car for as little as $1/day. Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental have been advertising cheap deals like this for people willing to move their vehicles from the Northeast and Midwest to Florida in time for peak vacation season, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

It's certainly to their benefit -- because otherwise they'd have to fly paid employees out to do the same work. There may also be similar deals to reposition cars from the West to vacation destinations like Arizona and Southern California.

Ryanair is widely acknowledged as the world's cheapest airline. Clark has flown them in Europe for as little as $3.50 roundtrip.

Their chief executive is a wild man with a foul mouth named Michael O'Leary. They mostly hire flight attendants from formerly communist Eastern European countries and pay them on commissions from in-flight sales of goods. This is an airline that will cram 200 seats on a 737. So expect to be uncomfortable if you weigh more than 100 pounds or are taller than 4 feet, 8 inches!

Now The Daily Telegraph announces that Ryanair is planning to fly from Europe to America at fares starting at $15 one-way. That was not a typo. That's $15 one-way.

However, the actual launch date is yet to be determined. It's based on when O'Leary can find enough trans-Atlantic planes available at deep discount rates for sale or lease. It could easily be the second half of 2009 or even much later.

When you fly Ryanair, your suitcase must be less than 22 pounds -- or you'll pay a $15 fee to check it in. Clark's favorite Ryanair story involves the time he wore multiple layers of clothing in Dublin to make sure he avoided that fee!

Clark is amazed at how quickly the prices on tech items keep dropping. Right now, he wants to shares a historical note that he's actually very embarrassed about. Back in the '80s when he owned a chain of travel agencies, he had a pager that would go off all the time. So he'd pull off the road, find a payphone and drop in a dime to make a call.

He later got a huge, clunky carphone secondhand for $1,025. Getting it new would have cost him nearly $2,500! Then he had to pay an installer a few hundred dollars to wire it up in his car. In addition, he paid $35/month for service, plus 35 cents/minute for usage. There were no free minutes back then and he couldn't call long distance.

Contrast that with Clark's experience when he was recently in England and had to get a new worldphone. He went to the Carphone Warehouse chain and bought an unlocked phone for $14. He also purchased a chip to go in the phone that let him call back to the United States for 6 cents/minute. Wow!

If you're going to Europe, you should know about LycaMobile.com. They sell ultra-cheap chips that you can use to call back for practically zip -- some 6 or 10 cents/minute.

In related news, T-Mobile is releasing the first phone that will operate on the Android platform. Clark compares this to the next revolution after the iPhone. Whereas the iPhone is a closed system, the Android phones allow the use of open-source software with its limitless possibilities. T-Mobile is selling their phone for $148 at Wal-Mart.

Meanwhile, Clark's been hearing about iPhone customers using their phones as a substitute for home Internet service and disconnecting the latter. The penny-pincher loves that they've found a way to take a money burner like the iPhone and turn it into a money saver!

USA Today reports that airlines are cutting 3,000 flights during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. That's going to make tickets massively more expensive than during any other Thanksgiving in recent memory.

But the more significant story is that -- outside of that trend -- the economy has declined so much that airfares are dropping left and right. The bellwether here is Southwest Airlines, which has great fares on travel up until just before Christmas.

Meanwhile, the slowing of the travel business also means that hotels are a deal. The Orlando Sentinel reports September stats for hotels near Disney World show that only 30% of rooms were filled. That means 70% went empty every night! People are on strike when it comes to spending money for leisure travel. In Las Vegas, ultra-high end hotels are being offered in the $70 range, according to posts on BiddingforTravel.com.

The bottom-line is this: There are deals and there will continue to be until the economy gets stronger -- unless you're looking at limited travel times like Thanksgiving. Try arranging to see your family the weekend before or after the holiday to beat the high fares.

Clark has a unique money-saving tip to share. While recently in Portland, he found that he could rent an SUV for $23.41/day vs. renting a sub-compact for $55/day. He didn't plan on using much gas during the trip, so that's a real deal! Ditto for a recent rental experience in Florida where all he could find was an SUV for rent. He practically begged the rental company for a sub-compact, but he couldn't get one because they were all booked up.

Over the years, Clark has always advised people to book sub-compact and then reap the benefits of a free upgrade. Now it's all turned around -- the free upgrade is the smaller car that you can't even get!

But think about the bigger picture here. Used SUVs are an unbelievable deal right now. The dealers can't give them away. CarMax recently reported a 78% drop in quarterly profits all because they're stuck with SUVs on their lots.

So if you have a need for more space and drive under 13,000 or 14,000 miles/year, an SUV might work for you -- even with the high price of gas. This is strictly from a straight economics perspective. How about buying a new SUV? No, the math doesn't work in your favor.

Looking for a silver lining in the slowing economy? Airlines may be parking planes in the desert and raising ticket prices, but hotels and resorts are really hurting. That's great news if you want to stay at a hotel!

Clark books 95% of the hotels he stays in through Priceline or Hotwire. With both sites, he only knows the star-level of a booking and doesn't find out the brand until after he pays non-refundable money. His latest deals on 4-star hotels have been in the $49-$59/night range. He won't even touch the 1- or 2-star hotels because both sites inflate their ratings of hotels.

If you're not comfortable with booking "blind," you can always use Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. All 3 of those sites still offer really good fall sales and some perks like free gasoline with your stay. You'll pay more than on Priceline or Hotwire, but at least you'll know where you're staying upfront.

If you choose to go the Priceline route, check BiddingForTravel.com, which is a forum where travelers help each other and share knowledge -- including tips on how to bid multiple times a day.

For Hotwire, check BetterBidding.com for an equivalent service.

To figure out what hotel you might get on Hotwire, follow these steps: Select the dates you want to go; click on the "build a package" option for a rental car (even if you don't plan on renting one); and then they'll show you what hotels would come with the car rental. This trick will work about 80% or 90% of the time. Just remember it is non-refundable once you buy!

The run-up in price for a barrel of oil has created terror in the travel biz as more and more people opt for "staycations." That's when you're off from work yet you stay home to save money. To offset sluggish sales, some chain hotels and independent proprietors are offering free gas -- a 35-year old tactic not seen since the first energy crisis in 1973. Clark recalls that Days Inn locations actually had their own gas pumps on premises! SmartMoney.com reports that Hilton, Holiday Inn and Marriott are among the chains reviving this promotion at select locations only.

Want to save even more? Hotels that once snubbed Hotwire are giving the website their inventory as bookings soften. Look for deals on 4-star hotels because Hotwire inflates its ratings. You may even find some steals on accommodations in elusive New York City. Some people don't like Hotwire because the site doesn't disclose where you'll stay until after you pay a non-refundable deposit. Check BetterBidding.com to vet the hotels you're likely to get and TripAdvisor.com for user-generated reviews of the hotels. Finally, try using Priceline if you're willing to do the work of bidding. Visit BiddingForTravel.com for additional resources. Clark finds that he saves about 50% on car rentals and between 30% and 45% on hotels when using Priceline or Hotwire.

In the era of staycations, Clark wants to challenge you to find fall travel deals. They're certainly going to be out there. In fact, fall air travel should be more pleasant than in recent years. You may see up to 15% fewer travelers because of the reductions in flights and the emphasis on staycations.

Fewer air passengers also means better deals on accommodations, especially in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. Even fancy hotels may start offering deals to encourage traffic.

Package trips will be a deal too. With air service being cut to Orlando and Las Vegas, you can try looking at those hotspots for deals. Steve Wynn has had to do some discounting in Sin City.

Hawaii, meanwhile, is its own deal. The failure of Aloha and ATA Airlines means there are many less travelers going there, which equals heavy discounts on hotels and other accommodations. Try ferreting out the deals using VRBO.com for Hawaii and the Caribbean.

It's no surprise that the airlines are feeing us to death. Clark recently saw a story where a reporter called all the full-fares and asked if they would ever consider charging for bathroom use. All six emphatically replied in the negative. But that fact that it even made the news makes you wonder…

About 2 years ago, Clark predicted that airlines would soon be charging you to check a bag. Did he have the gift of prophecy? Not really.

He had just flown Ryanair and was forced to wear 3 levels of clothing so that his suitcase would be light enough to be considered a carryon. So Clark wore 3 pairs of pants, 2 shirts and a sweatshirt over that while flying! His wife even has the pictures to prove it.

Remember several years ago when Internet cafes were all the rage? Over in Europe, some of these cafes were huge and occupied multi-floor buildings.

The last time Clark was in London, however, he saw one formerly popular cafe that was reduced from 500 terminals to about 75. What happened? The marketplace changed. Free wifi became wide-spread and suddenly everyone could access the Internet from their cell phones.

Likewise, the Internet will increasingly be anywhere you go. Delta Airlines will have high-speed connections on all its flights by 2009. The price for access will be around $10 for a few hours or around $13 or $14 on longer flights. Delta's system will not be compatible with Skype.

Meanwhile, what you surf on is undergoing a transformation. A new class of ultra-lightweight mini-laptops -- called "netbooks" -- is all the rage. Many of them are Windows based.

Clark recently (over)paid for one Hewlett Packard model at $599. Lenovo's S10 ThinkPad is going for $399, which is not much for a fully functional mini-computer. Expect a big marketing push for netbooks this holiday season. People will be snatching them up for themselves and their favorite road warriors.

Speaking of traveling, there are new TSA-approved computer bags available where you don't have to unpack your laptop at security checkpoints. The TSA can actually check your laptop while it remains in the bag.

The latest oil trade just reached close to $115/barrel. By the time you read this, it may have topped the $115 mark. We're also paying an all-time record high for gas, adjusted for inflation. That makes this the perfect market for low-cost luxury bus service to expand around the United States. Companies like Mega Bus, Bolt Bus and others run city-to-city throughout the Midwest, the Northeast/New England and on the West Coast. On-board amenities typically include hi-speed Internet, HDTV and comfortable seats. The Wall Street Journal reports that business is up 137% in the Midwest for one company.

So what about the price? A Washington Post reporter went from Washington D.C. to midtown Manhattan for $1.50! Of course, there are only a limited number of seats at those kinds of prices. Other seats can run up to the $20 range. But taking a plane or your car would definitely be more costly. This new breed of bus lines also attracts people out of their cars by avoiding traditional crime-ridden bus terminals. They instead pick up in high-income commercial districts and drop passengers off at other high-income areas at end of the line. The irony is that Bolt Bus is owned by that parent company that owns Greyhound. They were obviously smart enough to ditch the Greyhound reputation and go with new branding and a new fleet of buses!

As the economy slows, there will be bumps along the way in the travel industry -- along with some opportunities. Aloha Airlines, a full-fare airline that served Hawaii and parts of the United States, has gone out of business because it could not survive against a discount airline called go! Fares went down from about $200 one way to $49 one way because of go! We may see more full-fare failures in the industry as the discounters continue to offer appealing rates. One caveat: Those who bought their Aloha tickets with cash or a debit card (and haven't yet used them) lost their money. So be safe and only buy tickets with a credit card.

A new report finds that air travel is really softening in the United States, which means there will be great deals available. Richard Branson's V Australia opened a route between Los Angeles and Down Under and was offering a $777 roundtrip special before it sold out. Meanwhile, the open skies policy will open up new flight routes between America and Europe, which will also mean lower fares. Clark will update you again in the coming weeks on summertime travel deals to the Old World. On the domestic front, the decreasing demand for travel means airlines can't raise fares willy-nilly just because of high oil prices. So watch out for the gotchas, such as baggage-handling fees or high charges for bringing your pet onboard.

Airlines are parking hundreds of planes in the desert, and car rental companies are dialing back on new purchases for their fleets. But hotels are sitting ducks during this travel recession. After all, you can't just stop production on a hotel that's been in the pipeline for several years.

All the extra room inventory means that what you pay for a booking will be going down. Marriott is just one chain that's reported soft bookings.

4-star hotels and below will respond to these market conditions with cuts in price. Fancier hotels, meanwhile, will offer package deals instead of outright discounting. In general, you should also look for weekend rates to be expanded from Friday-Saturday to Thursday-Sunday.

In addition, the growing number of parked planes has really hit cities like Las Vegas, Orlando and other vacation destinations.

When you do fly, you should only do so with a carry-on. Four of the Gang of 6 full-fare airlines now charge you $15 from the moment you check in your first bag!

And don't go over the weight limits with bags you do check in. Christa and her family almost faced an $80 fee for being 5 pounds over the limit -- until she opened up the suitcase and started taking things out!

Be sure to get a standard FAA-approved carry-on and don't remove the FAA tag. A couple of the full-fares have "revenue-enhancement officers" who watch passengers with non-standard carry-ons and force them to check the their for a fee.

Recently, Clark discussed safety issues on cruise ships.

The cruise industry has been so focused on Congressional hearings that would require standardized crime reporting among the carriers. The industry's focus historically has been on covering up crimes and not cooperating with investigators.

California had a push to put police on all ships that touch a Golden State port. While the effort passed in the state senate, the industry shot it down in the house. It's a shame because Clark thought California was on the right track.

Mind you, the penny-pinching guru does not want you to think that cruises are dangerous by their very nature. In fact, they're generally a safe form of vacation travel.

But the cruise industry is uniquely poised to crack down on crime -- their ships are controlled environments, after all -- and they're not doing it. If they need a model to follow, they should look to Disney World and its safety procedures.

Are you going on a cruise soon? Here are a few pointers Clark wants to share: Don't take nice jewelry on the ship and invite theft. And when you make port, don't buy from the local jewelers recommended by the ship. The cruise lines have kickback arrangements with these usually overpriced merchants, especially in Caribbean ports.

Again, if the cruise lines think they've been painted unfairly, Clark invites them to come on the show and rebut his comments.

The Internet is truly going to be everywhere. Chrysler is putting a wireless Internet service called UConnect Web in all its cars. The hope is that people won't create a road hazard by surfing while they drive!

This idea of the Internet in vehicles became popular with the high-end bus services that operate on city-to-city routes throughout the Northeast. The bus carriers put in wireless Internet capabilities in a bid to attract business travelers.

Meanwhile, American Airlines is testing Internet for it fleet of planes. AA is using strategically placed towers -- similar to cell phone towers -- to implement the technology. Clark expects the market price will be around $10 a flight.

Boeing lost money when they tried equipping their planes with Internet capabilities using a satellite-based technology. Their price point would have been around $30 a flight.

Some travelers see airplanes as the last sanctuary away from work, but Clark would like the ability to surf the 'Net at 30,000 feet -- if the price is right.

Looking for a great deal to Hawaii this summer? Clark was looking at VRBO.com for a relative who wants to go to the Aloha State. This site -- offering vacation rentals by owner -- was surprisingly packed with availabilities at great prices.

Why Hawaii, why deals? Recall that both Aloha and ATA Airlines failed this past winter, so that drove up the cost of air travel to the Islands. But fewer travelers has meant less demand for accommodations. Fortunately, the drop in price of hotel and resort bookings is outpacing the rise in the cost of air travel. So you can still win on a weeklong vacation in the long run -- even if you are paying more for the flight.

Try finding a fare on Kayak.com, SideStep.com, FareCompare.com or Mobissimo.com (for international travel). They are all "screen scrapers" and search hundreds of sites to find the best deals. You'll probably find better deals than you would on Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia.

Kayak is now testing an option to calculate the true "fly-out" price for a ticket. Their beta actually factors in baggage handling fees, the price of an in-flight beverage if you select that option, etc.

But what if you're driving rather than flying to your vacation destination? Some hotels are offering free gas card deals. You may, however, still be better off with a condo or a cheaper room rather than opting for the lure of a free gas card.

So for those who can afford a vacation, they are more affordable. Clark's golden rule is when you see a deal, grab it. Then figure out why you want to go there!

Clark aims to provide you with great service on his show. Yet in some sectors of the service industry, it seems that they only want to nickel and dime you to death. Airlines are one example of an industry that has alienated American customers more so than any other sector of the travel business.

Clark recently saw an editorial cartoon that depicted passengers clinging to the wing of an airplane -- that's the only seat they could get without paying a fee. But the pilot was leaning out of the window to say there's a fee for gripping on to the wing!

In response to the fee-happy trend, Southwest Airlines has launched a new ad campaign that promises "no surprise fees." They're obviously on to something; they're the only airline making a profit right now, and they carry more customers on domestic routes than any competitor. They also won't charge you a fee if you need to change your ticket, check up to 2 bags or talk to a human.

The Dallas Morning News recently did a comparison of the full-fare airlines on the fee front.

Among the highlights: American Airlines charges you to redeem frequent flyer miles online and will begin charging you $15 to check a bag; Delta charges a $100 fee each way for an unaccompanied minor. There's also a $100 fee to travel with a small pet onboard; United charges $150 to change a nonrefundable ticket; and US Air charges you an additional fee if you want an aisle or window seat.

Christa has long called Southwest one of Clark's 2 "girlfriends" -- the other being The Wall Street Journal. In fact, he made a bold prediction that they'd become the largest airline in the U.S. some 17 years ago in a newspaper column.

The reality is that Southwest runs an efficient operation, unlike the Gang of 6 full-fare airlines. The Gang of 6 flies too many different types of aircraft, which require too much training for too many mechanics. In addition, Southwest had the presence of mind to buy fuel futures years ago. So they're paying up to a third less for fuel today than any of their competitors.

But the bottom line is that they make money by serving the needs of their customers. JetBlue and AirTran would do well to follow Southwest's lead and eliminate their fees for changing a ticket.

Are you shell-shocked by the weak dollar and looking for alternatives to expensive travel destinations? Forbes has some suggestions both at home and abroad. As the old saying goes, "When a door closes, a window opens." Below are a few of their picks:

• Thinking about Barcelona? Try Buenos Aires instead.
• Looking at Italy? Consider Portugal.
• Want to sip wine in Napa? Get your vintage on at Santa Ynez Valley.
• Headed to Dubai? Visit Jordan instead.
• Eager to relax in Hawaii? Go to Barbados.
• Phuket breaking your budget? Look at coastal Vietnam.
• Prague too expensive? Warsaw is cheap!

For domestic travel, this is going to be a year of deals on hotel stays. The hotel business has overbuilt and created too much inventory. On top of that, people are staying home for "staycations." So look for bargains on Hotwire and Priceline.

Clark is back from a trip to Appleton, Wisc., where he visited his affiliate station WHBY and also attended a Habitat for Humanity fundraiser. While in town, he spoke to a lot of people who got into annuities. The funny thing was that most really didn't know the first thing about them. It's often said that annuities are sold, not bought; nobody gets up in the morning looking to be ripped off. It's only through the efforts of persuasive salespeople that others get taken. So when you get the pitch, run the other way! Be especially wary of commissioned salespeople at bank locations selling annuities.

Meanwhile, Clark fesses up to nearly blowing his credibility during the Wisconsin trip. Why? He got a $25 parking ticket because he didn't want to pay $1 to park right next to his hotel! Read all about the strange episode in Joel's latest Blog of Truth entry.

Clark has jokingly vowed to skip lunch for 8 days to make up for the financial loss. The whole incident recalls the time when the penny-pincher tried to find free parking in New York and wound up getting his rental car crushed by falling debris! Oh, Clark Howard! When are you going to learn? Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be cheap…

The run-up in price for a barrel of oil has created terror in the travel biz as more and more people opt for "staycations." That's when you're off from work yet you stay home to save money. To offset sluggish sales, some chain hotels and independent proprietors are offering free gas -- a 35-year old tactic not seen since the first energy crisis in 1973. Clark recalls that Days Inn locations actually had their own gas pumps on premises! SmartMoney.com reports that Hilton, Holiday Inn and Marriott are among the chains reviving this promotion at select locations only.

Want to save even more? Hotels that once snubbed Hotwire are giving the website their inventory as bookings soften. Look for deals on 4-star hotels because Hotwire inflates its ratings. You may even find some steals on accommodations in elusive New York City. Some people don't like Hotwire because the site doesn't disclose where you'll stay until after you pay a non-refundable deposit. Check BetterBidding.com to vet the hotels you're likely to get and TripAdvisor.com for user-generated reviews of the hotels. Finally, try using Priceline if you're willing to do the work of bidding. Visit BiddingForTravel.com for additional resources. Clark finds that he saves about 50% on car rentals and between 30% and 45% on hotels when using Priceline or Hotwire.

If you've traveled on a full-fare airline recently, you know that you have about a one-third chance of flying what Clark calls a wind-up toy propeller plane. For many years, these smaller planes were routinely overbooked because the airlines weren't required to compensate passengers who got bumped. Now that's changing. The compensation for being bumped will apply to any flight that has more than 29 passengers. You can get a maximum of $800 in compensation, however the exact dollar amount with be based on the actual fare you paid.

The latest oil trade just reached close to $115/barrel. By the time you read this, it may have topped the $115 mark. We're also paying an all-time record high for gas, adjusted for inflation. That makes this the perfect market for low-cost luxury bus service to expand around the United States. Companies like Mega Bus, Bolt Bus and others run city-to-city throughout the Midwest, the Northeast/New England and on the West Coast. On-board amenities typically include hi-speed Internet, HDTV and comfortable seats. The Wall Street Journal reports that business is up 137% in the Midwest for one company.

So what about the price? A Washington Post reporter went from Washington D.C. to midtown Manhattan for $1.50! Of course, there are only a limited number of seats at those kinds of prices. Other seats can run up to the $20 range. But taking a plane or your car would definitely be more costly. This new breed of bus lines also attracts people out of their cars by avoiding traditional crime-ridden bus terminals. They instead pick up in high-income commercial districts and drop passengers off at other high-income areas at end of the line. The irony is that Bolt Bus is owned by that parent company that owns Greyhound. They were obviously smart enough to ditch the Greyhound reputation and go with new branding and a new fleet of buses!

After traveling recently in Europe, Clark was reminded how expensive it can be to call back to the United States. While in Venice, Italy, he overheard an American woman telling her friend how she got ripped on calls back home. She was charged $68 for a 5-minute call to family and $10 for a 1-minute call to check her voice mail. Clark told the woman he was only paying 5.8 cents a minute and offered to let her use his cell. She probably thought he was another con artist, and she definitely didn't take him up on his offer!

So what's Clark's secret? He heeded a listener's advice and used a service called Pingo.com. There's a charge of about a dollar a month to be a customer, but the payoff is in the great rates. Clark even found an online coupon to receive bonus minutes when he first signed up. Meanwhile, Clark also has an unlocked world cell phone that he bought on eBay. He's equipped it with a SIM card from GoSIM.com that's been saving him big bucks. Remember, your wallet will be destroyed if you use your standard U.S. cellular from one of the 4 main carriers while traveling overseas.

Travelers are facing so much tumult and chaos right now. We lost 3 airlines in a little more than a week as the price of jet fuel has just eaten up the industry. The latest failure is Skybus, a copy of Europe's highly successful Ryanair. Other airlines haven't been helping to fly stranded passengers home; they're no longer required to by law. Meanwhile, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has chartered aircraft to fly stranded travelers by the 1,000s back to the mainland.

In related news, a respected study called the Airline Quality Ratings reveals that industry standards are the lowest they've ever been since the survey launched. So who did a good job in 2007? AirTran is tops, followed by JetBlue and Southwest Airlines. Who's doing the worst? In last place, the worst airline in America is US Air, followed by Delta and American.

Finally, leisure travelers will steal deal after deal this year because demand for travel is soft. Who's going to get the short end of the stick? Business travelers. With many full- fares reinstituting Saturday night stay policies, they're facing a double whammy -- Bad service and much higher fares.

Clark recently spoke about the failure of Aloha Airlines and warned how those paying for their tickets with cash or a debit card got burned. Of course, those who used a credit card are eligible to get their money back! Now another airline that frequently flew to Hawaii has failed. ATA left thousands of Hawaiians stranded on the mainland and thousands of mainlanders stranded on Hawaii -- can't really have too much sympathy for the latter group, can you? More airlines will fail if the price of oil stays high. Aloha and ATA together flew 3.5 million people from LAX to Hawaii. That has the governor of Hawaii in a panic about loss of tourist revenue.

As the economy slows, there will be bumps along the way in the travel industry -- along with some opportunities. Aloha Airlines, a full-fare airline that served Hawaii and parts of the United States, has gone out of business because it could not survive against a discount airline called go! Fares went down from about $200 one way to $49 one way because of go! We may see more full-fare failures in the industry as the discounters continue to offer appealing rates. One caveat: Those who bought their Aloha tickets with cash or a debit card (and haven't yet used them) lost their money. So be safe and only buy tickets with a credit card.

A new report finds that air travel is really softening in the United States, which means there will be great deals available. Richard Branson's V Australia opened a route between Los Angeles and Down Under and was offering a $777 roundtrip special before it sold out. Meanwhile, the open skies policy will open up new flight routes between America and Europe, which will also mean lower fares. Clark will update you again in the coming weeks on summertime travel deals to the Old World. On the domestic front, the decreasing demand for travel means airlines can't raise fares willy-nilly just because of high oil prices. So watch out for the gotchas, such as baggage-handling fees or high charges for bringing your pet onboard.

Clark is back fresh from a European family vacation that coincided with his middle child's spring break. The penny-pinching guru used frequent flyer miles and had to comb over a map of Europe and check ticket availability -- day by day and city by city -- in order to travel for free. They would up going to Venice, Italy, among other places. Clark never realized how much an 8 year old would love the picturesque canals and boats of Venice. He even sprung for that old tourist rip-off: A gondola ride for 70 Euros, which is equal to $110 U.S. dollars. Clark nearly fell in the canal when he heard that price!

The weakness of the U.S. dollar was a recurring theme throughout the trip. But there are ways to beat the slump. For example, Clark used Priceline to book the beautiful Venice Hilton for about $136/night. When you travel outside of the United States, you really have the chance to see how poorly our economy has been mismanaged. The dollar is like a Third World currency. In Switzerland, Clark and his family stopped at a McDonald's restaurant, where a Happy Meal, a combo meal and a burger and drink for his wife was $29.70! Meanwhile, there was not a bad meal to be had in Italy. Clark was even floored by the affordable and delicious food on a train between Italy and Switzerland.

Switzerland was soooo cold, and the snowflakes were the size of ping-pong balls. Clark loved visiting Lucerne, which had been the site of a massive street party when he and his staff went there a few years ago. It was difficult to explain the incredible history of the place to his child, who just wanted to catch snowflakes on her tongue! By the way, Clark got a hotel in Zurich for $85/night on Priceline. He and his family only ate out twice day instead of 3 time; they bought food at local markets for their third meal. That's another way to overcome the weak U.S. dollar when you travel abroad.

A few weeks ago, Clark told you about some trouble he had with Orbitz during a recent trip to visit his affiliates at WDBO in Orlando. After he went on the air with the story, he realized that he hit a nerve with people who have had trouble booking travel online. The Orbitz customer no service experience prompted Team Clark to take a look at Travelocity and Expedia. Clark's producer Kim had to contact Expedia 8 times to get a response. Travelocity answered promptly, but here's the sad truth about Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity: None of them have real travel agents answering the phones. They outsource customer no service across the globe to people who may have never left the borders of their own country. Why would you pay these companies a service fee to book with them when you can't get an experienced travel agent to help you?

Clark and Christa were recently in Milwaukee visiting affiliates at WTMJ. Clark was reading the Financial Times of London and there was an insert about Mauritius. That's where Clark's initial call to Orbitz was bounced. During the call, he spoke to a lovely woman with an intriguing accent who wasn't really able to help resolve his issue. That's symbolic of the problem with customer service at these online travel sites. Know that if you do book with these big outfits, they all deliver major customer no service. After all, there aren't any actual employees or actual travel agents available to help you!

There is a real market demand for cheap, reliable and safe city-to-city bus transportation. If you're thinking of a Greyhound terminal in a seedy part of town, boy, have things changed. Greyhound has launched a new line called Bolt Bus with 8 daily trips between Washington, D.C. and New York. Online fares start at $1 and on board amenities include free wifi. The push for cheap fares among big cities really started with bus lines running in the Washington D.C./New York/Boston corridor that were geared toward ethnic Chinese customers. There's also a European player in the game called Megabus with service in the Midwest states of Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee; and out West in Nevada and California. Any of these options offer great alternatives to flight delays and high gas prices the next time you have to move around.

Gripes about air travel are very common. But what if you could know fares and the quality of flights before you booked? That's the premise of a new website called InsideTrip.com. You can shop fares and learn about the load factor on flights, leg room, the age of the fleet, the rate of baggage loss and much more. InsideTrip.com offers Consumer Reports-type rankings with a system of little circles and a numerical ranking. The consistent No. 1 airline seems to be Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines, while United Airlines is usually the worst. Little surprise there!

Were you one of those cruise customers who got hit with a fuel surcharge fee after you booked on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity? Florida's attorney general has reached a deal to refund this rip-off surcharge to customers. The cruise industry is controlled by a small number of players who act in utter arrogance, so Clark is pleased to see this latest development. He completely supports the right of any business to jack their rates to whatever they want before a sale. But to tack on bogus fees after the fact is disgusting. While the attorney general deserves kudos, where was the FTC on this issue?

Through the years, people have had the attitude that you get what you pay for. But the opposite seems to be true among the airlines. It's a real paradox; the full fare airlines often offer less service for your dollar than the discount ones. For years, the full fares used their clout in Washington D.C. to block Virgin mogul Richard Branson's efforts to launch an airline in the U.S. market. So finally Branson reduced his role in Virgin America and now the airline is making waves on the West Coast. As with all Virgin-branded products, Virgin America offers ultra classy and extra thrifty service. He's brought elegant back to first class and near-elegant service back to coach. The Los Angeles Times is even reporting that the discount airlines are feeling the hurt from Branson's move. Look for Virgin America to expand if they're successful on the West Coast.

Need another reason why gift cards stink? Back in June, Clark was given a $25 gift certificate to an ice-cream store for his birthday. When he recently went to redeem it, the store was out of business! That's the big risk with gift cards. Similarly, Sharper Image has announced they won't be honoring gift cards as they re-organize through bankruptcy proceedings. Retail and restaurants are very sensitive to the economic slowdown, so you may see these scenarios play out elsewhere.

Mid-priced eateries are under severe pressure trying to maintain the volume of business. Several chains have begun putting glossy ads in the newspaper. BOGO offers on meals are unusual in the mid-priced sector. This trend tells Clark that the restaurant sector may face some door closures. So you may want to rethink buying that gift card at an eatery. When it comes to retailers, try to use existing gift cards before they're no good any longer. Clark and Lane have a bag full of them and are trying to use them before total depreciation.

Meanwhile, financial writer Pamela Yip has discovered that using a debit card to rent a car opens you up to a whole world of hurt. The rental counter will pull a credit report on you and drastically lower your score. Why? They're protecting themselves against auto thieves that love to use debit cards as a low-risk method to get rentals to steal. Use your real credit card instead!

Yesterday Clark revealed the customer-no-service problem he's been having with Orbitz. To recap, Clark had a hotel booked through Orbitz that proved to be a dump. So he checked in and then quickly turned right around and checked out. He then had to contact Orbitz to get his money back. Upon calling them, he went through 7 customer-no-service reps with no resolution. He also sent 2 e-mails and got no response. Then he went on the air yesterday to discuss what was going on.

Within 3 hours, he was tracked down at home by an Orbitz mucky-muck who fell all over herself trying to accommodate him because he was a premium member. Clark politely informed her there was nothing she could do to help him. He wouldn't accept a refund because they probably wouldn't have been trying to help him if he were just any John Q. Orbitz customer. The money would have been coming from unclean hands and only because of his status as a nationally syndicated radio host. In short, he values his integrity more than he values his wallet.

Clark did request that Orbitz improve its customer service experience. He and the woman had a pleasant yet tense conversation. The rep revealed that Orbitz out-sources 100% of its customer service overseas. It turns out that most major online travel sites out-source like Orbitz. Maybe that's why they all have customer service problems. He was assured that Orbitz's out-sourced reps are authorized to solve customer problems, but that definitely was not his experience as his call got bounced around all over the world with no solution.

Clark has a personal experience of customer-no-service to relate that dovetails very nicely with all the talk of the ACSI results and the Business Week cover story. The penny-pinching guru was recently in Orlando with his associate producer Joel, marking his 10th anniversary of syndication at WDBO. The affiliate wanted Clark to book his own hotel because Clark usually thinks they overpay for his accommodations. Clark enlisted Christa's help, and she found rooms for $57/night on Orbitz. Being 24 years old and a lover of CouchSurfing.com, Joel does not have high standards when it comes to hotels. But even he thought the place was a dump! So Joel and Clark immediately checked out. Clark went on Hotwire and found a last-minute place that was great. Then he called Orbitz to get a refund of what he paid for the first hotel. He initially spoke to a lovely customer service rep in Mauritius, but was then bumped around 7 times to different people with no resolution. Each time he had to explain his situation anew. It was like Groundhog Day. Clark also tried e-mailing Orbitz but didn't get any response. He doesn't like to use his platform to air personal vendettas, but this just goes to show that even consumer advocates can get the short end of the customer-no-service stick.

Clark has a longstanding beef with his nephew David, who is addicted to frequent flyer mileage programs and jumps through all kinds of hoops to accumulate miles. Here's what David doesn't understand: There's an industry-wide trend of airlines devaluing frequent flyer miles. U.S. Airways is just the latest example; they're making the miles tougher to redeem and earn. Having a stockpile of miles is like having a reverse savings account -- the value leeches out of them everyday. What if you use a credit card that earns frequent flyer miles? Clark would prefer that you ditch it and get a card that pays you cash instead. With cash, there are no restrictions on when you can use it. Clark's producer Kim is one of those people conned by the mileage programs. She once redeemed miles and had to fly to the wrong city, while changing planes 2 times to get there and 2 more times to go home. That's a lot of work to take a "free" trip. So what should you do with your mileage balances? The full-fare airlines are adding international routes all the time, so look for new service announcements on their websites and jump when you get the opportunity.

A listener recently gave Clark a tip about Pingo.com, a website that offers a virtual calling card for ultra-cheap international calling. Please note that Clark has not personally tried this service yet. He's just passing along the information for you to make your own decision. Pingo is not a free service; you have to pay $12 to sign up and are immediately credited with $5 in calling time. So the net initial cost is $7. Some of the cheap rates advertised on the Pingo website include 3 cents/minute (Mexico) and 2 cents/minute (Russia). Clark plans to try this service when he travels to Italy and Switzerland next month. He'll keep you posted!

The airline industry repeatedly ranks as one of the least respected in commerce. The airlines have had a tough adolescence following deregulation. They're trying to figure out what you should get for the price of your ticket. You may have heard that United Airlines is testing the waters with a $25 fee for checking more than one bag. This is part of the process of unbundling what you get when you buy a ticket. The actual product airlines offer is the kerosene to fly you from point A to point B and some semblance of a seat. Remember the old skit about Straphangers' Airline? It was a standing-room only airline where you just got a strap to hang on to like in the subway. Thankfully, nobody is proposing that yet!

Clark thinks people shouldn't be fired up at United. The cost of hiring baggage handlers is a true cost, not to mention the hassle and trust that's lost whenever a bag goes missing. From a bottom line perspective, the airline's bean counters would love it if no one could check a bag. Of course, United's flight attendants would hate having to deal with all those carry-on bags in the cabin. So you should become familiar with UPS and FedEx if there's a lot you have to take when you fly. Try shipping your stuff instead of paying the baggage charges. It's more likely to get there! Isn't it funny that the sophisticated airlines don't have the simple package-tracking capabilities that UPS and FedEx have had for years?

The United move shows that more a la carte fees are coming in the airline industry. Clark recently had to pay $1.50 for a soft drink while flying in the Hawaiian Islands. The full-fare airlines just have to be careful not to get too fee happy. The only justification for flying a full-fare was that you got full service; now that's changing and it seems like you're just paying more money than going through a discount airline.

Clark is not thrifty, he's cheap. But there are some lines he won't cross. For example, he will not bunk with a stranger he's never met. Yet his responsibility on this show is to bring you ideas to save you money. So if the shoe fits, wear it. CouchSurfing.com is a site that allows people to meet others around the world and stay at their homes. It's like crashing at a friend's pad, but you don't know the friend! This site -- with its MySpace-like interface -- makes hostels seem expensive. Clark admits he wouldn't have done this even in his young, mostly broke days.

Show staffers Joel and Kim have been having animated discussions about the possible dangers of CouchSurfing.com. Joel says he has stayed with people he didn't know before, but he didn't meet them through CouchSurfing.com. He does, however, tentatively have plans to try out this site and see how the experience goes. Kim, meanwhile, found an article on ABC News that reports CouchSurfing.com has been around for 5 years and only had one minor safety incident in all that time. While it is not a dating site, the article also reports that there is one known baby that's come about as a result of a CouchSurfing.com connection.

Once a year, Clark takes his team on a trip to reward them for all their hard work. This year the crew went to Hawaii. Here's how the staff trips work: They pick dates and then Clark waits until a sale comes along and grabs tickets to wherever he can get a deal! So they've been to Tokyo for $410 roundtrip; Prague for $290 roundtrip; and Argentina in the $400s with junk fees included. This particular Hawaii trip was $322 roundtrip. Some of the antics the crew got up to during the weeklong respite were priceless. Associate producer Joel got 2 traffic tickets, and his friend had a wreck on a scooter while not wearing a helmet. Joel also managed to damage his rental car, plus he got a ticket for forgetting his high beams were on. Producer Kim loved the Waipio Valley. Her other favorite memories of the trip included driving through a lava field to get to an isolated geo-thermal pond where she swam with sea turtles. A few members of the staff -- including executive producer Christa and engineer Deborah -- went to Pearl Harbor and found the experience very solemn, moving and educational. Clark, meanwhile, spent a lot of time hanging out at the resort because he was sick. His cell phone got ruined and he had a real customer-no-service experience trying to get some assistance. Fortunately, the accommodations everyone had were superb. Christa and her husband loved their ocean-view condo, where they watched whales doing flips. It was like SeaWorld on steroids, according to Clark. Special thanks to Ilyce Glink for pitching in while Team Clark played in Hawaii!

Clark recently had the pleasure of taking 54 people to New York City for a day of shopping on behalf of WSB-AM, his flagship affiliate in Atlanta. All 54 people got a $1,000 shopping spree. One lucky person was upgraded to a $10,000 spree. Christa, meanwhile, brought her 5-year-old daughter on the excursion. Clark got a big kick out contrasting his daily expenses with Christa's for the trip. It all started for Christa when she opted for $28/day premium parking at the airport in Atlanta. From there, her Big Apple itinerary included seeing the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall; ice skating at Rockefeller Center under the big tree; going to the top of the Empire State building; and some quick shopping at H&M. She and Clark estimate that her expenses were around $177, not inclusive of food. Clark, meanwhile, spent just $7! He bought an unlimited ride card for the subway; walked from lower Manhattan to Midtown and then through Central Park; and also found time to squeeze in a Good Morning America taping during the day. As Christa says, there's no place like NYC at Christmastime!

Note: Clark is broadcasting remotely for his Christmas Kids 2007 initiative. You can donate online.

Clark's executive producer Christa is back from her Bahamas vacation. She and her family stayed at a timeshare where they got a great deal. Of course, they had to get pitched on the sale of a timeshare as part of the deal. But by bringing her 2 year old son to the pitch, she was able to expedite things! Meanwhile, Clark's latest travel story involves the hoops he had to jump through to his redeem frequent flyer miles. Clark had 1 million miles through Continental Airlines' One Pass program; 500,000 from American Airlines; 400,000 through Delta; and smaller amounts on a variety of other airlines. He used every trick in the book to find a Clark Smart way to redeem them. So now he and his family will be flying coach to Venice, Italy, and returning from Zurich, Switzerland, in business class. It only took him 2.5 hours to nail down the itinerary! If you're flying domestically, try redeeming your frequent flyer miles for first class tickets, not coach. That may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes it's easier. One final thought: Stop using your airline frequent flyer credit card! Frequent flyer milers are like fool's gold. Get a card that gives a cash dividend.

There's a lawsuit in California right now that's concerned with junk fees not being revealed until after you get to the car rental counter. This makes Internet comparison shopping very difficult. The lowest price you see online may be fake because it doesn't reflect junk fees. With airfare, the actual price is usually about 20 percent higher than the advertised price. What kind of junk fees are most common? For air travel, the passenger facility charge (PFC) is a biggie. This is where the terminal charges you for walking their halls -- a completely bogus charge that they convinced Congress to approve. Then you have a charge per flight segment, a federal security service charge and others. When Clark rents a car, the junk fees are sometimes higher than the price for the car itself. Rental companies charge a fee for the rent they pay at an airport. In fact, local governments see out-of-town business travelers who rent cars as sitting ducks for being taxed without representation. On the hotel front, you need to know if there are any daily facility fees before you book. The reality is that the pricing environment is unfair, and there's not a lot you can do about it. So your job when shopping is to know what the ultimate price will be before you book. Expedia does good job at showing the base rate and then what you will really pay.

When it comes to buying a second home or a vacation home, it's best to know the cycles of the market where you want to buy. There are certain times of year that are better to buy than others -- and it's all based on your desired location. The best times of year are generally the opposite of peak season. For example, try looking between the summer and the fall if you want a vacation home in a mountain state that has winter ski activity. But conversely, midwinter is the best time to buy in the Great Lakes, the Northeast or Canada; hardly anyone else will be looking and you may meet up with a desperate seller. So if there's a particular lake, ski resort, beach or mountain that you want to own on, study the rhythms of the local market and know when to strike. Knowing the calendar could save you tens of thousands of dollars.

What's the price of web surfing nowadays when you travel abroad? Whatever it is, Clark doesn't like to pay it! That's why he was excited in 2003 when he first heard about some vaporware from FON. This Spanish company now offers a router that allows consumers to share their Internet connection with travelers passing through their area. In return for sharing upfront, they too get free Internet around the world from other members when they travel. This is a big deal in Europe where British Telecom is installing 2.7 million FON routers across England. If you become a phone member here in the United States, you will routinely have access to free Internet when you travel overseas. So what's the cost? FON sells their router for a one-time fee of $40 -- that's it! Some cable and phone companies in the United States are hostile to this sharing model, but Time Warner is among those who have embraced it. Clark plans to order a FON router for his condo building in Florida and make his Internet connection available to his fellow residents for free. FON's routers even come with security so others can't eyeball your financial info. On a related note, The Los Angeles Times recently reported that both AT&T and Verizon reserve the right to fire customers if they say anything bad about them. Why should they monitor free speech? Clark thinks it's shameful what these monopolies are doing.

It's been 28 years since Clark checked in a suitcase when he was traveling on a plane. That was 1979. Clark doesn't like the process of watching the carousel go 'round and 'round and hoping to see your bag. He was recently on a flight where the attendant had a sense of humor and announced, "You can claim your bags on carousel whatever and they should be there by tomorrow." The loss rate of baggage has more than doubled over the past few years. In fact, people now ship their luggage via UPS in advance of their trip to ensure it gets to where they're going. Some ultra high-end hotels now are used to getting UPS packages with people's belongings; they even hang their clothes up in the closet before they arrive. Clark and his wife both used carry-on luggage when they went to Montana recently. His wife was able to fit her cowboy boots, several pairs of shoes and eight days worth of clothes in her carry-on. If you do decide to check in luggage the next time you travel, be sure you don't pack anything the airlines deem to be valuable or they won't cover it in the event of a loss. So don't check in jewelry, electronics, computers or medication that you need on a daily basis. Always keep one change of clothing in your carry-on in the event that your luggage is lost. And bear in mind that you're also allowed to bring a computer bag or purse in addition to a standard carry-on case.

During Clark's recent trip to Montana, he was talking with a waiter who is engaged to a Peruvian woman and went down to Peru to meet her family. The waiter found that his cell phone worked in Peru so he used it as he normally would. When he got back to the U.S., he had a cell-phone bill of $800/day! Clark just discovered a service called MAXroam.com that could have helped the waiter. MAXroam sells a SIM chip that's compatible with unlocked T-Mobile and AT&T world phones -- it doesn’t work with Verizon or Sprint phones. You just put the chip in the back of your phone, and then you can travel anywhere in the world and enjoy rates that are about one-fifteenth of what U.S. companies charge you overseas. Please note that you have to be 90 days into your contract with T-Mobile to get them to unlock your phone, while AT&T requires you to have completed your initial contract. If you're in the market for a world phone, check eBay and try to get one for about $50.

Clark also provided an update about his FCC inquiry regarding AT&T's compliance with the $10 DSL deal. AT&T is contractually bound to provide $10/month DSL for customers in a 22-state region as part of its takeover of Bell South. But the problem is that AT&T keeps unethically hiding the deal on its website. Clark asked the FCC to look into this, but they didn't give him a straight answer. Later this year, AT&T will be required to offer naked DSL. Let's see if they're more forthcoming with that deal.

There's a new development in the banking world that Clark is excited about. For years, airlines have had great success buying customer loyalty through frequent flyer programs. Now Capital One has a new program that's built on the same idea. The company offers a Rewards Money Market Account that earns 4.66 percent -- slightly lower than Capital One's normal rate of five percent. But you can get travel rewards based on how much money you have in the account and how long you keep it there. The best part is that when you redeem your points, you're not locked into one level or rate of ticket. So if you can find a super cheap travel deal, you'll get the ticket and also get to keep the points you might otherwise have "spent" on a ticket of average price. It's like being rewarded for being a good airfare shopper. This is a potential win-win situation all the way around. Look for similar loyalty programs from banks and credit unions in the future. As Clark says, they're all about the "sticky," which means they're always trying to come up with new ways to retain you as a customer.

Have you noticed that car rental rates have dropping recently? Now that fall is arriving, there are very few leisure renters in the marketplace. So that drives prices down. Also, Clark's been seeing a lot of coupons that offer things like $25 off a rental or 20 percent off the entire bill. The easiest way to get these coupons is to sign up online with the individual car-rental companies.

Clark rents cars up to 40 or 50 times a year, so he's very interested in a new Hertz sub-brand that he read about in The Orlando Sentinel. Simply Wheelz is a discount Hertz company doing a trial run in Orlando -- the world's largest leisure car rental market. Weekly rentals are less than $100! Clark believes that Simply Wheelz is patterned after Europe's easyCar. You book online and use an automatic rental machine to get your vehicle -- the whole process is automated and there's no human interaction. Hertz is hoping Simply Wheelz will give it an edge over Enterprise, which is usually 30 percent cheaper head-to-head at the airports.

There's good news and bad news on the passport front. The good news is that the state department finally has processed the backlog of passport applications that fouled up so many hopeful travelers. The bad news is that it took about $700 million in extra taxpayer dollars to do so. The state department had to bring in employees who are normally stationed abroad and provide temporary housing and per diem salaries so they could work 12 hours/day playing catch-up. Clark says now is the time to apply for a passport because most people won't begin doing so again until March. The projections for next year suggest that the demand for passports will be double what it was this year. So get in early and you won't have to pay an expedited fee or worry about if you're passport will arrive in time for your travel plans. When you apply for your passport, try to have your passport picture taken at a warehouse club where you'll get a great price. Be sure you also have your original birth certificate or a certified copy with you when you apply. If you're getting a passport for your child, both parents have to be present; if that's not possible, download a statement of consent for the absent parent and have it notarized.

Back in the dinosaur days, Clark used to be a travel agent. For a while it looked like travel agents themselves were going the way of the dinosaur, but recently Clark was surprised to read in the NY Times that travel agencies are starting to grow again. When airlines stopped offering commissions on ticket sales with the advent of the internet, it was assumed they wouldn't be needed anymore. But it turns out this industry won't be affected as much as predicted, because people have discovered that when the chips are down, the internet can't help you. Travel agents are there, though, because they work for you. 64 million people per year are booking with travel agents. Depending on the trip, it just may be worth an extra $20 to book with an agent -- you'll have to make that call. But with international travel, especially, agents can often find deals you can't find yourself. You could save you more than you spend on their commission. However, if you're going on a cruise, Clark always recommends you book it with an experienced agent, since there are so many traps there.

Not very long ago, Clark mentioned that people from the United States are now going to Mexico for dental care. That discussion sparked some unfriendly response. Now London's Financial Times has done a report about the medical tourism trend. People are going overseas to Thailand and India to save money on surgeries. The number of Americans going overseas is rising 20 percent per year, according to the report. The savings can be extraordinary -- up to 75 percent. The big question is, "What kind of care will you get overseas?" While the quality does vary, many third-world countries have first-rate hospitals that cater to foreigners. The Financial Times reports that Singapore is the best place to go for overseas medical care that is roughly equal to American care. You'll still save substantial amounts there -- up to 50 percent off -- and have a private nurse for 24 hours a day. While Clark admits that he is a medical idiot, he does believe that if you are grappling with the cost issue alone you should consider this option. There are now medical tourism businesses that handle accommodations, finding doctors and all the other logistics of getting care abroad. Be sure to vote in our new poll when you visit our homepage and tell us what you think about this emerging trend!

It's a great time to vacation at the beach -- not just because it's summertime, but because it's really a renter's market right now. Many owners are stuck with second homes on the water they can't use. So they're trying to rent them in the summer market at deep discounts. The Boston Globe recently reported that Cape Cod is now a great renter's market. For years the Cape has been a notoriously hard place to find a decently priced rental. But now due to the lack of people willing to rent, owners are offering their places at discounts of up to 20 percent. Just be aware if you're going to do a summer rental up north that the beach season there is shorter than it is elsewhere.

So what's the best way to take advantage of this soft market for rentals? Clark recommends a website called Vacation Rentals by Owner. As the name suggests, it helps you rent directly from owners -- whether it's a home, condo, cabin, villa or apartment! For extra value, be sure to look at "fill in the gap" deals where you rent accommodations that are available in between other renters. But be wary of pictures supplied by the owner. Photography can cover up a lot of sins, as Clark says. He recalls when he was in the travel business and someone showed him a brochure with a picture of a hotel next to a picture of a beach that was nowhere near the hotel! Meanwhile, if you're renting an older property, look to see that it's been renovated within the last three years. And don't be shy about asking for more pictures from the owner. What you get initially may be misleading, so watch out!

If you are hesitant to go to Europe because of the weakness of the dollar, Clark wants you to know that it’s still possible to get a deal. Bookings are soft right now, first of all. Secondly, European discount airlines that previously only flew within Europe now fly from the States to European countries. RyanAir, EasyJet and Venere are three of the airlines you may want to check out. You can also get a great deal on accommodations if you book in advance. If you’re going to be in Europe for a week or longer, consider renting a condo or “flat.” VRBO, or Vacation Rentals By Owner, is a great place to start. Just remember that star ratings are different in Europe; 4 stars in Europe is equivalent to 2 stars in the States. So, when you see 4-star, it might not be much at all. If you’re trying to keep meals to a minimum, consider eating a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner. Also, eat at carry-out restaurants as often as possible. And in Italy especially pasta goes a long way!

Have you heard of airfare envy? It’s when you buy a ticket and find the same itinerary for less money afterward. The good news is that there are a handful of airlines that will give you a voucher for the difference if you ask. They are Alaska, Southwest, United, USAir and JetBlue. So how do you know if the fare goes down on your particular flight? There is now a site that e-mails you when your flight goes down in price. It's called yapta.com and you must register to get the alerts. Then, you must jump on the deal immediately. Of course, it will take a little while to figure out if it’s worth it. But for now, it’s a great way to save money on flights. On the other hand, keep in mind that some airlines charge outrageous fees if a cheaper flight comes along and you want to buy it. American and Continental charge $100. Delta charges $50, Frontier charges $35 and Northwest charges $25. Shame on those airlines, says Clark.

Do you have a lot of frequent flier miles that you haven’t used? You may want to dedicate some time to using them. That’s because airlines are changing the expiration deadlines and they are not in your favor. United and USAir now require that you use your miles within a year and a half, and with Delta it’s now two years. It’s getting harder to use miles and the time limits are decreasing, so it may be time to switch rewards cards. About 12 years ago, the idea of earning miles other ways came about. You choose a certain lender, you earn miles. You buy a certain car, you earn miles. So, these miles are piling up and it’s important to burn them. Clark recommends using them on overseas trips. It’s the best way to avoid losing all those miles you’ve earned. Also, Visa is coming out with a new product that will offer fancy rewards and higher amounts of cash back. The cards will be out by summer and people who spend a lot of money will benefit. Visa will target people who use American Express. Merchants won’t like this deal because they will be charged a heft price per transaction. But airline card refugees who are looking for a new deal may want to consider this one.

Clark loves traveling to Europe. He goes as often as possible, especially during the cold months when fares are cheaper. But there is another reason fares are so expensive that you may not know about. Setting of air routes to Europe is still sort of a cartel. There are contracts between European governments and airlines to limit the number of carriers and, therefore, the amount of competition. But that is about to change. Soon, our airlines will be able to fly anywhere they want to and European airlines will be able to do the same. The biggest news is that – for the first time ever – discount airlines will be able to fly to Europe. So, over the next few years, airfares to Europe will become much more affordable. Also, according to Dallas Morning News, SouthWest Airlines is installing a new computer system that will allow SouthWest to sell international travel. Ryan Air, a European Airline, is another carrier that will make a huge difference on fares once it starts traveling to the States. Clark thinks it’ll be 2009 before we see this change, but it’s on its way.

Did you know that from mid-December through the first week in January, you will get the best hotel deals of the year? Aside from resort locations, hotels are empty because there are no conferences or business gatherings during that time. So, rates are ultra low. So, if there was ever a time to learn how to use Priceline and Hotwire, it’s now! Clark has several rules of the road with these sites. First of all, stick to a 4-star hotel and never pay more than half of the lowest priced room. For example, Clark is going skiing over the holidays and the cheapest room he could find in Salt Lake City was $159. So, he’s been bidding for days and hasn’t gone beyond $79. He tries to see what other people are bidding by going to biddingfortravel.com, which gives you information about the rates people are getting. The second best site is betterbidding.com. Next, he goes to hotwire.com, which gives exact prices on hotels. Everything you book on Hotwire is non-refundable, but it’s so easy. Hotwire had a four-star hotel listed for $59. So he knew prices had gone down. So he bid $55 on Priceline and got it! Yes, it’s work. It’s a lot of work. But it’s worth it if you want to save. People doubt that Clark really gets these deals and they ask him about it all the time. Believe us - they are the real deal!

The travel industry has had us right where they’ve wanted us for awhile now, with prices at the highest level they’ve been in years. Airlines have just continued to increase prices and people have paid them. But that is about to change. People have reached the end of their rope, and airlines are cutting prices. We’re in the slow travel time of the year to boot, so there will be even more opportunities to save this fall. Hotels are also getting cheaper. Clark has found numerous deals online already, not to mention all the new hotels being built around the country. Airlines and hotels will be going in on deals together, trying to win over customers without other companies catching on. The most popular is Southwest’s program called “Ding.” So check it out.

Remember the airline Independence Air? The company was offering fares that were particularly cheap. When the company went out of business, air fares went way up. That accounts for part of the big fare increase from last year. Secondly, the nation’s full fare airlines have been moving routes from domestic to international flights. So, the number of seats in the air has shrunk. That’s why there is a 10 percent increase on domestic fares. At the same time, Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran are all adding a lot of 737s. There are so many new airplanes and routes coming that prices will go down a bit. The domestic costs have been huge, but that could change soon. In the meantime, there are great deals to the Caribbean and Asia.

Do you remember when it cost money to use your cell phone to call out of town? It’s been a while, but it happened. Today, the dilemma is calling overseas on cell phones or using a cell phone in a foreign country. It is possible, though, with what’s called a “World Phone.” The calls can end up being $6 a minute, not to mention the charge just to make or receive a call. There are ways around this, though, including acquiring a foreign number. And what if you’re traveling from country to country? You have to get a chip for each country. But there is a new service out there called “Range Roamer,” which allows people to use one number in multiple countries. Calling back to the States is about 69 cents a minute. That’s not as good as getting a chip for each country. But it’s much easier. It costs $49 to get set up and you get a batch of minutes with that. So, it’s worth a try.

The hotel business is in a much better position than the airline business these days. In the past few years, the airlines have generated losses exceeding all the money ever made in the industry. On the other hand, hotels collectively made a profit of $23 billion. The average room rate went over $90 for the first year in 2005, and this year it could go over $100. One reason is that hotels haven’t been adding rooms, yet demand for those rooms has gone up. That allows hotels to charge more. In addition, hotels are being upgraded and rooms are being redone. It’s another reason they can charge more. But it’s still possible to get a deal. Clark is a big fan of using specific Web sites to save money on hotels. First of all, biddingfortravel.com is a free guide to using Priceline and Hotwire. Hotwire is much easier to use than Priceline, but Clark has had good experiences on both. Now, it’s important to note that Hotwire inflates its hotel ratings by about one star, while Priceline boosts them about half a star. Clark uses Priceline to book about three-fourths of the hotels he stays in. He likes to stick with three stars as a rule because you never know what you’re going to get below that. He used it this summer to bid on a hotel in Manchester, England and he got it for about 45 pounds. That’s great! The downside is that the bookings are non-refundable, so once you book it you own it. But it’s still possible to get great hotel prices these days. A few others to try, according to Consumer Reports, are betterbidding.com and tripadvisor.com.

Caribbean cruises are the weak spot in the industry right now, and it could mean great deals for you. Onboard fires, outbreaks of sickness and crimes onboard are part of the negative publicity that cruises have gotten. Some people will get scared off by this. But those who aren’t bothered by this will get a steal. Summertime is a more pricey time in the cruise industry. So, a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean in June, July and August will be $600 to $800. But as soon as Labor Day hits, you’ll find cruises in the $400 range. And many will give cabin upgrades and other spiffs. So why is September cheaper? First of all, there are hurricanes and that scares people. But more importantly, the kids are back in school. Alaska cruises, especially, will be hot, with prices in the $600 range. That is a great deal. Also consider a cruise between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are great deals around this time.

As we move into the summer travel season, you may be in for a shock when it comes to airfares. Specifically, we’re talking about junk fees. Often, the fare you see advertised is not anywhere near what you’ll pay for travel. That’s because of junk fees. So, what are junk fees? There are all of the government and airport fees added on to the price. For example, a fare to Edinburgh Scotland is listed at $599, which seems reasonable. Yet, by the time the real price is charged, it’s $837.20. So, what are you paying? Well, on domestic flights there are $3.30 “federal segment charges” for each leg of the flight, then there are “airport charges” for each take-off up to $18. On top of that there are “travel facilities taxes” for Hawaii and Alaska flights. If you go international, you pay a $14.50 international departure tax, a $14.50 international arrival tax and a $17 customs fee. Lastly, there are “fuel surcharges.” In Clark’s opinion, the fuel charge should be included in the price of the fare because it’s not truth in advertising. Airlines think they’ve done enough by saying, “junk fees not included.” But that is wrong. There are three domestic sites Clark recommends for bargain airfare. They are kayak.com, sidestep.com and travelzoo.com. For international travel, the best site is mobissimo.com. You also want to check the discounters directly. So how do you get the best seat on a plane without sitting in first class? Two sites help you by showing you each seat on the various planes. First is seatguru.com and lovemyseat.com.

When taking vacation, people don't want to pay exorbitant prices to fly short distances, yet they don't want to drive. So, how are people getting places these days? Clark tells you and gives you some resources.

Clark gives you the facts from the lastest airline satisfaction survey. The results may surprise you. Hear it now!. Don't foreget to disable your pop-up blocker first.

If you want to take a vacation, there is no better time. Because of the labor unrest and bankruptcy situations at Delta and Northwest, these companies are having trouble selling seats to business travelers. When an airline is having trouble business travelers do what’s called “booking away,” meaning they look for other airlines to fly even if it’s less convenient. As a result, those two airlines are discounting fares for vacation travelers. Of course, with these great deals, there is always the chance that the airline could go belly up and you’re stuck with a ticket. So, it’s important to know how to play the game. If you are a nervous traveler, don’t buy vacation travel on either of these two airlines. But if you roll with the punches, go for it. Just be sure to buy that ticket on a credit card. You are offered protection and can at least dispute the charge that way. And don’t buy tickets that coincide with a cruise you’ve booked or are planning to take. That’s just not smart. Also, if you’re at your destination and the airline shuts down, other airlines are required to carry you on a standby basis.

About year and a half ago, Clark talked about a discount cruise line that started up in Europe called EasyCruise. The company does Mediterranean cruises at about a fifth of what they would normally cost. And the company is now sailing in the Caribbean, with stops in spots like St. Lucia, Barbados and Martinique. The costs are per night/per cabin and some nights are as cheap as $12 a night. That’s for two people sharing a cabin! Most cruises cost at least $100 per person, per night. These are very basic ships with the noticeable orange everywhere. And food and drink are not included. But if you want to visit these destinations and stay for less, this is your ticket. You have a floating hotel room just offshore in areas where rooms normally cost outrageous amounts. You are at port for 21 hours and then you mosey on to the next spot. EasyCruise will be docked in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, in addition to its Mediterranean ports, according to recent news reports. There are also Easy flights, hotel rooms, Internet cafes and cell phone deals.

About year and a half ago, Clark talked about a discount cruise line that started up in Europe called EasyCruise. The company does Mediterranean cruises at about a fifth of what they would normally cost. And the company is now sailing in the Caribbean, with stops in spots like St. Lucia, Barbados and Martinique. The costs are per night/per cabin and some nights are as cheap as $12 a night. That’s for two people sharing a cabin! Most cruises cost at least $100 per person, per night. These are very basic ships with the noticeable orange everywhere. And food and drink are not included. But if you want to visit these destinations and stay for less, this is your ticket. You have a floating hotel room just offshore in areas where rooms normally cost outrageous amounts. You are at port for 21 hours and then you mosey on to the next spot. EasyCruise will be docked in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, in addition to its Mediterranean ports, according to recent news reports. There are also Easy flights, hotel rooms, Internet cafes and cell phone deals.

Technology has dropped so much in cost that hotels now have the ability to customize your room to your liking. Computers in hotels know what temperature you like the room to be, what music you prefer and whether you like the curtains to be opened or closed. The Mandarin Hotel, for example, has database information about all of its guests, according to the New York Times. It’s going to make for another amenities war in hotels. First it was bedding, which was started by Westin and its “Heavenly Bed.” Marriott is also promoting its great new beds. So, hotels are sticking with the theme that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. But not all trips are the same, especially when you compare business trips versus romantic getaways. That could hamper the success of these programs, but we’ll let you know.

Are you planning to go visit family members for the holidays? If so, you’ve probably seen that ticket prices have increased quite a bit for the holidays this year. Most sources say prices are up between 25 and 30 percent compared to the rest of the year. Christmas and New Year’s are both on Sundays this year, so prices are extra pricey. When those holidays fall on a Tuesday through Friday, airfare is much more affordable. Fares to Florida are going to be extra high and hard to get, despite the fact that many airlines in Florida are now discounters. So, is it hopeless? No! You can still find deals, especially if you can be flexible on your travel days. As for Thanksgiving, flying on either Thanksgiving Day, or the Friday or Saturday after is the way to go. If you’re not planning to be with family this year, the holidays are a great time to visit convention cities and business centers. San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Washington D.C. and Atlanta are all great deals the week between Christmas and New Year’s. No matter where you go or what you do, remember that baggage rules have changed. Airlines now weigh everything because they make a ton of money on overweight baggage. So, weigh your luggage beforehand and make sure it’s within the airline’s guidelines.

One of Clark’s all-time favorite airlines is going away. Song, a discount subsidiary of Delta, will only be in the air for another couple months. The airline had a great hip factor with its colorful planes, televisions in seatbacks and comfortable seating. Clark enjoyed each of his trips on the airline. But Song was a distraction for Delta, which is now in bankruptcy. At the same time, discounters are adding planes left and right and are growing exponentially. Discount airlines now sell 30 percent of all airline seats sold out there. They’re headed to “owning” the entire business.

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In other airline news, the trend of electronic tickets and online check-in is exploding. Continental Airlines reports that 85 percent of its passengers now check in online. The idea of e-tickets was started by Morris Air, which originated in Salt Lake City, and was bought by Southwest Airlines. The man who started the company also started JetBlue. It’s saving the companies ton of money and passengers a ton of time. Also, remember to be careful how much baggage you bring on during the holidays. You may want to mail gifts via FedEx ground or UPS and insure them. It will save you a lot of time and money in fees if you bring too many bags.

The airline industry has been severely destabilized in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The run-up in the cost of jet fuel and the availability of that fuel are just two of the concerns. Plus, the flights that aren’t able to make it to Louisiana or Mississippi are causing even more confusion. As a result, the cost of jet fuel is starting to create a list of winners and losers in the industry. According to the Wall Street Journal, the airlines getting stronger in since the crisis include Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran. Southwest is definitely the strongest of all of them. Airlines in the yellow are Continental, Alaska Airlines and American. The future is uncertain with them. Those that get the red light are Northwest and Delta. Northwest is in the middle of a strike but has continued to operate. In Delta’s case, nothing good can come of this tragedy. The unfortunate fact is that Delta faces a tough time because of the level of debt and the age of the aircrafts. Changes in the bankruptcy law that go into effect in mid-October could also influence things for the company. We’ll keep you posted don what happens with this.

The current strike at Northwest Airlines is a great example of the changes happening in the airline industry. The airline has done something unprecedented by breaking up the union responsible for the mechanics and cleaning of the planes. Anytime one of these unions has gone on strike the airline has shut down. But Northwest wasn’t having it. The company kept flying even though it spent about $20 million to break the strike. It’s the clearest sign yet that the American people control what happens in the airlines. Consumers have taken a stand about how much they want to pay and airlines are finally listening. The downside is that workers are negatively affected. Employees either take a massive pay cut or they lose their jobs. But the airline has reduced its prices in order to stay in business, and it’s worked. The consumer is winning out. The FAA is monitoring how planes are being maintained, which is good from a safety feature. But when no one expected Northwest to fly through the strike, it did. It means eventually there will be no distinction between “full-fare” airlines and “discount” airlines. Ultimately, all airlines will have to reduce their prices or go belly up.

Two music chains – FYE and Coconuts – have come up with a very effective advertising technique. These two music stores use Bluetooth technology to send people messages on their Bluetooth phones as they walk into the store. You may see special deals or hot items in the store because you allow the companies to send you these messages. You have to agree to accept the messages first. So, you’re not just going to get spammed all of a sudden. Sending private messages to people is also the idea behind DING, an airline technology currently being used by Southwest. DING lets customers know when an airline sale pops up. It even sends those people customized airfares based on the typical prices they pay and their travel patterns. In other words, airlines are able to offer one-person sales instead of sales for everyone. It’s all done through data mining and it’s going to get bigger. Northwest is also experimenting with a system that sends people special, private deals. We’ll keep you posted.

A lot of people have been asking Clark about airline stocks lately, especially the stocks of companies that are in jeopardy of going bankrupt. For stockholders, the picture is pretty grim. If a company files for bankruptcy, the stockholders get nothing. That’s what you need to remember. Employees also are in for a tough time if an airline files for bankruptcy. They could end up making a lot less money because the bankruptcy proceedings eat into a company’s profits. For customers, a bankruptcy doesn’t mean anything negative, and could, in fact, mean something good. The deals could be tremendous. Just remember not to buy tickets with a debit card, or fake Visa or Mastercard, as Clark likes to call them. If a company goes under, you have no chargeback rights to get your money back.

Clark has talked to Caroline several times about her thwarted vacation to Playa Del Carmen near Cancun. She had booked a vacation package with Aeromexico Vacations several months ago. But since the hurricanes have hit the area, the resort where she was going to stay was destroyed. Well, Aeromexico Vacation reps first told Caroline she was out of luck and had to take the trip even though she had no place to stay. Well, Clark thought that was unacceptable and heartless. But after he talked about it on the air, Aeromexico Vacations has recanted and is going to allow Caroline to take her trip later on or get a full refund. In fact, the airline has established a new policy for anyone affected by an emergency that causes a hotel to close. Basically, anyone affected can book a subsequent vacation through Dec. 15 or they can receive a full refund for the cost of the trip. It’s a more generous offer than Clark could have hoped for and he wants to praise Aeromexico for going out on a limb for its customers. He hopes other companies take a page from their book by treating customers with respect and courtesy.

Transportation has changed so much since Clark was a kid, and the industry will continue to morph as his kids turn into adults. Clark remembers when it was a privilege to fly on an airplane, and prices were outrageous. The next era of air transportation is going to be personal aircrafts for entrepreneurs and other people. NASA has put a lot of money into changing how air travel works, according to the New York Times. Private contractors are competing for grants, for example, to provide technology for private planes and to make air traffic control much safer. At the same time, we’re seeing lower cost air service. One service is called SATS Air, which is basically an air taxi with a parachute. If an engine goes out on the plane, it won’t crash because the parachute helps the plane land safely. It costs $350 a flight hour and you can take three people with you. So, it’s not too pricey, and it’s spur-of-the-moment travel. The Eclipse is another personal aircraft that is actually a jet. It costs just over $1 million, which many of us laugh at. But it’s becoming more and more realistic for some people. Mark your calendar today and see what happens five years from now.

The expression “you get what you pay for” is not always true. J.D. Power & Associates, which researches car quality and other industries, has released a survey about the nation’s airlines. J.D. Power rated airlines on things such as check-in, reservations, in-flight treatment and how well the plane performed and looked. There was one airline that came out way above the rest - JetBlue. No other airline was anywhere near JetBlue in customer service. The company is also adding aircraft faster than any other airline in the country. Typically, when a company grows, the less concerned with customers it gets. But that is not happening with JetBlue. In fact, the company has added more legroom in the back of the plane, giving passengers an incentive to sit there. In addition, each seatback comes equipped with satellite TV and the prices on this discount airline are great. SouthWest took 2nd place, and No. 3 was Delta, the only full-fare airline in the top five. Alaska Airlines was No. 4 and AirTran was No. 5. The bottom of the barrel was Northwest at #11. Northwest got the worst scores in all categories, and the company is evidently none too pleased. But apparently the less you pay, the better the service - sometimes.

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Hotels seem to be going through all kinds of renovations these days. Both hotel revenues and occupancies have been increasing rapidly. A recent USAToday.com article reported that the average hotel rate is $116, which Clark thinks is extremely high. Across the nation, hotel rates are up 13 percent in New York, 10 percent in Tampa, 10 percent in West Palm Beach, 7 percent in Washington, and 5 percent across the rest of the country. A Wall Street Journal article reported that hotels are basically trying to compete with homes. Some hotel rooms have flat screen televisions, fancy showers, and fancy bedding. If you are trying to save money on hotel rooms, check out roomsaver.com where you can research hotels all across the country. The site only finds hotels that are two and three stars. If you are looking for a four or five star hotel, you should look at priceline.com and hotwire.com. The only problem with these websites is they are blind-bids, meaning you don’t find out where you are staying until after you pay.

Clark watched with great fascination when the A380 airplane took it’s inaugural flight today. The double decker plane can seat 850 in the bargain class section alone and is the first of its kind. Clark thinks its going to be a huge hit. Of course, many people will be concerned about terrorism because plane holds many more people than a typical airplane. But it’s also a great progression in making air travel more comfortable and affordable. The planes will have gyms, full sleeper cabins and lounges in which people can walk around. We don’t know if the product will enter into commercial service next year as planned. But we’ll keep you posted. Also launching in the next year will be ultra low-cost jets such as the “Atom” and the “Eclipse.” They seat five or six people and most likely will be used as “air taxi” services for people in a hurry. A ticket on one of these air taxis will be about the cost of a coach ticket, but it will get people where they want to go much faster and without having to go to a commercial airport. We’ll see if there is a market for these, as well.

Do you remember the airline People Express? Back in 1981, the airline was the first of its kind to charge for coffee, snacks and even to check bags. At the time, it was a shock to people. But the airline was really a pioneer. European Airlines have not served complimentary items for several years. Food, drinks and anything extra costs money. Now, it’s happening to our American airlines. Northwest has stopped serving complimentary food on all domestic flights, including flights to Hawaii. It’s part of a trend in the travel business whereby companies are cutting back on free services. Clark is in complete agreement with this. He’d rather have a cheap flight and bring his own food. Besides, you’re never sure what you’re eating on these flights as it is.

Parking garage owners are getting much smarter about how to make money. At the Jacksonville Airport parking garage, for example, signs let incoming drivers know how many spots are available and direct them to the nearest spot. What happens when you lose your parking ticket? In most airport parking lots, a digital picture is taken of each license plate in the lot. Originally, that was done because people were entering cheap parking lots and illegally moving over to the expensive lots while paying the cheap fee. That technology makes it possible to now pay a fair price if you lose your ticket. Boston-Logan Airport has taken this a step further. You can now pay for your parking inside the airport simply by giving your license tag. There is also the Web site, longtermparking.com. You can print out the coupons and save money on parking when you go to the airport. Also, make sure that you call ahead of time to ensure there is a parking spot for you.

The expression “you get what you pay for” is not always true. J.D. Power & Associates, which researches car quality and other industries, has released a survey about the nation’s airlines. J.D. Power rated airlines on things such as check-in, reservations, in-flight treatment and how well the plane performed and looked. There was one airline that came out way above the rest - JetBlue. No other airline was anywhere near JetBlue in customer service. The company is also adding aircraft faster than any other airline in the country. Typically, when a company grows, the less concerned with customers it gets. But that is not happening with JetBlue. In fact, the company has added more legroom in the back of the plane, giving passengers an incentive to sit there. In addition, each seatback comes equipped with satellite TV and the prices on this discount airline are great. SouthWest took 2nd place, and No. 3 was Delta, the only full-fare airline in the top five. Alaska Airlines was No. 4 and AirTran was No. 5. The bottom of the barrel was Northwest at #11. Northwest got the worst scores in all categories, and the company is evidently none too pleased. But apparently the less you pay, the better the service - sometimes.

Clark was just in L.A. for an annual radio conference, which moves to a different area of the country each year. The hotel he stayed in was quite fancy, and it cost $28 a day to valet park there. That was too much for Clark, but apparently many people don’t care. We want much more elaborate hotel rooms and decorations, according to recent reports. To that end, Marriott is meeting this week to discuss how to improve its décor and give its hotels more pizzazz. Apparently, people have become a bit spoiled in this area. Let’s hope people remember what’s really important in life. Maybe it’s time to change our perspective.

Do you remember the airline, “People Express?” Back in 1981, the airline was the first of its kind to charge for coffee, snacks and even baggage check. The airline was really a pioneer, although at the time no one knew it. The European Airlines have been charging people for extras for a while. Food, drink and anything extra costs money on European airlines. Now, it’s happening in America. Northwest has stopped serving complimentary food on all domestic flights, including flights to Hawaii. It’s part of a trend in the travel business whereby companies are cutting back on free services. Clark is in complete agreement with this. He’d rather have a cheap flight and bring his own food. Besides, you’re never sure what you’re eating on these flights as it is.

Some interesting news has come out of the airline industry recently. You may have heard that Aloha Airlines filed for bankruptcy this week. USAir’s survival is also under question after thousands of passengers were stranded over the holidays due to a computer glitch. Also, the “Gang of Six” full fare airlines has dwindle to five now that Delta has decided to become a discount airline. The company has eliminated its full fare air schedule and has eliminated the Saturday-night stay requirement. As the third largest airline in the country, the development will shake the foundation of the industry. And, American, United, Northwest, Continental and USAir will have to adjust to this huge change. If you only travel for fun, it won’t really matter to you. The changes affect last minute business travelers more than anyone with fares lowered to no more than $499 one way in coach and $599 in business class. If you travel only for pleasure or vacation, you probably never pay that much. But business travelers sometimes pay as much as $2,500 round trip because they have to fly on the spur of the moment. Delta has also reduced the change fee on a ticket from $100 from $50. So, changes are coming in this industry and consumers will benefit big!

Consumers are the true winners in today’s travel industry. On the other hand, if you’re a stockholder or employee, you are not a happy camper. And that is not going to end anytime soon. Industries in America go through these kinds of restructurings all the time, and it’s always out of the public eye. But the travel industry’s restructuring will probably take at least three years and it’s not going to be pretty. It’s likely to change how you buy tickets, what they will cost and what nuisance rules with which you have to deal. One airline, ATA, has filed for bankruptcy and is hoping to sell a lot of its assets to AirTran. AirTran plans to large part of its operation from Atlanta to Chicago, where ATA is based, in order to become more of a national carrier. So, the first national operation from a discounter (other than Southwest) will emerge if the bankruptcy court agrees to this. Independence Air is also on the financial ropes, and it may file bankruptcy soon. So, both full fare airlines and discounters are having trouble. The good news for consumers is that all of the stupid rules and regulations will disappear and there won’t be such a distinction between the discounters and the full fare airlines. Many will adopt the business model of Southwest, which does not charge more than $200 for any ticket, does not require a Saturday night stay and does not require a change fee. We’ll listen to this segment again in 2007 and see if Clark was right.

Is it a good idea to buy a ticket on an airline that might go bust just because the ticket is cheaper? Yes! Buy them up while you can. US Air will most likely shut down and its assets sold off, but you can still get great deals. Delta is also on a path toward bankruptcy. The company may settle with stockholders in order to continue operations, but it’s really up in the air. And United has been in bankruptcy for the last few years, unable to get out. So, what does this mean to you? Well, fall is usually a time for lots of promotions. But this year, you’ll get even more great deals because of the downward spiral of these three airlines. Just make sure to reserve on a credit card. If you have frequent flier miles on US Air, it goes without saying that you should use them soon. Try to use them with one of US Air’s partner airlines if you can’t use them US Air. The same goes with United and Delta. And if you have a card that earns frequent flier miles with one of these airlines, it’s time to get a new card. You can always get miles on different airlines through American Express. Clark can’t say which of these airlines will shut down or if any of them will, but you want to protect yourself. The employees of these airlines are the real sufferers here. It’s been especially tough for US Air employees, who have already been through layoffs, years of uncertainty and reorganizations. But it’s great news for consumers. The airline industry is going through severe restructuring, so it’s a game of wait-and-see. If you’ve bought a ticket on a airline for a future trip and that airline goes bust, you’ll get the money back but you probably won’t get a trip. If you don’t like the uncertainty of buying a ticket on one of these airlines, don’t buy from one of them. But if you are flexible, you’ll be fine.

The airline industry incurs much higher costs when a ticket is sold through a travel agent versus when it's sold online. It’s much like what happens in the investment industry. Making a trade with a real broker costs you more than making that trade online. It’s been a dilemma for the nation’s airlines because they want people to buy on the Internet. JetBlue even gives people cheaper fare if they book online. But Northwest is planning to give people a not-so-nice surprise with its latest idea. The airline is going to charge $5 extra for booking over the phone with a human and $10 extra for booking face-to-face with a human. It's the company's way of encouraging people to buy online, but it's just not smart, in Clark’s opinion. Why not offer people a discount for doing something you want them to do instead of punishing them for doing something you don’t want them to do. It’s just common sense.

Ten years ago, about 80 percent of people used a travel agent to make travel arrangements. The agents had a computer tied into the airlines and they shopped for a ticket for you. That started changing in 1999, when people began booking flights on their own. First airlines created their own Web sites. But these were pretty difficult to use, so people started the habit of using Travelocity, Expedia and other booking engines. Airlines then countered by making their sites easier to use. Today, it’s hard to say if any one site is the best because none of them will give you the best fare every time. Each one uses different architectures and shopping techniques. That’s why Clark likes Sidestep, an alternative to all of the “regulars” that searches deals alongside regular engines. In addition, more booking sites are coming on the market that are in “beta” stage but still work great. The first is Mobissimo. Clark has found it decent for domestic deals, although it takes a while to search. But it’s great at finding international travel deals. One launching next month is Kayak.com, and another good one is farechase.com.

Air travel has become a huge bargain lately. In part it’s because discount airlines now fly coast to coast, which is something only full fare airlines used to do. Full fare airlines have had to cut fares by 80 to 90 percent to compete with discounters. But it doesn’t always work to the discounter’s advantage. When JetBlue jumped into the Long Beach/Oakland to Atlanta route, Delta fought back by creating tons of flights and reducing its prices significantly. After a year and a half, JetBlue had to leave the market. The same thing is happening in Dallas, where AirTran is trying to capture some of the Dallas to LA route. As a result, American Airlines is cutting fares for business travelers by as much as 95 percent and is adding 39 flights a day on that route. Leisure fares are dropping by about 50 percent, as well. All across the country, the business model that full fare airlines have traditionally used is dying. The full fare airlines are going to have to change their business model if they want to survive. It’s likely that of the six full fare airlines, only three or four at most will make it. Many people will lose their jobs, which is sad. But it’s great for consumers. Also, if you have miles on one of the six full fare airlines, use them! The six are Delta, American, United, Continental, Northwest and US Air.

The hotel industry has remained profitable throughout the travel slump that started in 2000 and has continued until now. Hotels will make tens of billions in profits collectively this year. And now that there are more vacationers and more business travelers, hotel occupancies are going up. The average amount for a hotel room is $87 right now, and high-end chains are charging a fortune. So, are you getting your money’s worth? Well, Consumer Reports rated various hotel chains in a recent issue. Two chains tied for the best overall hotel - Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons. In the “upscale” category, Walt Disney Resorts and Embassy Suites Hotels got top marks. In the moderately priced category, Springhill Suites and Homewood Suites were the best. Sleep Inn was the top chain in the budget category. In fact, Sleep Inn did better than some of the moderately priced hotels. How about the other end? Ramada, Howard Johnson’s, Motel 6, Days Inn, Econo Lodge and Travel Lodge were the worst among budget hotels. With the upscale categories, the lowest score went to Radisson. Most hotels didn’t make either the good or bad list. Clark likes using blind bidding sites to book his hotels. He saves tons of money using them. You must be okay with not knowing where you’re staying until you pay for the room. But it generally works out. Check the site, biddingfortravel.com before you start bidding. Accoring to Consumer Reports, Expedia.com gives the best choices for the money.

The airlines are in a market share war that is almost unprecedented. And, if you live on the East coast or West coast, or part of the MidWest, you could be the direct beneficiary. The six full fare airlines traditionally have made money in two areas - coast-to-coast flights and flying to places where they don’t have to deal with discount airlines. Both were areas that discounters couldn’t touch. Then, Southwest Airlines came on the scene, and the full fares got scared. They decided they wanted to oust Southwest. So, they convinced Congress to reduce the 10 percent flight tax the airlines were paying to 7 percent, and to charge a “departure tax” for each flight instead. The rationale was that because Southwest flies a lot of little flights, people would stop flying them and they would go out of business. Well, it didn’t work. Southwest adapted by increasing the length of its flights. They now fly non-stop coast to coast, as do America West, Frontier and Air Tran. In response, the full fare airlines have added tons of new flights at extra low prices. So, this summer you will have an unprecedented buffet of bargains to choose from in the airline industry. There are now at least 200 flights from the east to the west coast, and the fares are getting cheaper. If you’ve thought to visit a place, now is your opportunity. The best way to find out great deals is to go to every airline Web site and sign up for their web sale fare e-mails.

The airline industry has had a tough time the last few years in terms of reputation. The industry is considered one of the worst in terms of customer service. And, once a year Clark talks about a study done at the University of Nebraska and Wichita State. The group crunches numbers about how often the airlines are on time, how bad they are at handling bags, and so on. Then, they issue a report card on each airline called the AQR Index. The results this year are shocking. First of all, the highest quality airline in the United States according to this survey is JetBlue. None of the categories look into the fare or cost of the ticket. Alaska Airlines is second. And Southwest is No. 3. Fourth place goes to America West, which used to get very low score. With all four, no Saturday night stay is required. So, they don’t have all of the silly rules that the big airlines have. So, how did they do? United Airlines ranked No. 9, while American was No. 11 and Delta came in 12th place. There were only 12 spots for the big airlines, so these are finishing at the bottom of the list. These airlines employ so many people in the country and have the most skilled pilots and enhanced technology. Yet, they still can’t deliver an acceptable service to the public. Looks like discount airlines are where it's at.

People are booking vacation travel this time of year and Clark would like to warn you about a potential problem before you book. It involves buying vacation packages from companies that subsequently go bust before you take your trip. There is no trip, no money and no one against whom you can file a claim. It happens all the time in the travel business, so what do you do to protect yourself? The first thing to do is to buy your trip on a credit card. If the tour operator goes bust, you will be reimbursed under almost all circumstances. Secondly, get trip insurance. If you fall ill or can’t go for some reason, you get your money back. You don’t buy trip insurance from the company hosting the package because you have no protection if they go bust. In another move to re-instill confidence, a small percentage of travel operators are now having your tour payments go to a bank and into an escrow account. That way, the money doesn’t go to the tour operator until after your have finished your account. It’s called TFPP – Travel Funds Protection Plan. The money goes into the National Bank of Michigan-Illinois, known as NCB, which deposits 100 percent of all payments into an escrow account. It’s a great idea and Clark hopes it works.

How do you feel about “no frills” airlines? European airlines are experimenting with all kinds of changes right now to keep tickets cheap for you. Ryan Air, for instance, is getting rid of reclining seats, pockets in the seat covers in front of you and there is no complimentary food or drink. Window shades are also huge expenses for airlines, so some airlines are doing away with those. EasyJet is getting rid of one of the bathrooms on the planes to fit another row of seats. These are things we think we’re supposed to have on planes. But if you eliminate them, the planes are much less expensive to build and maintain. Clark doesn’t have a problem with any of those changes except maybe the bathroom. What do you think?