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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!