Sherman's Travel

Timing, as they say, is everything. It’s true of romance, successfully poaching eggs and, of course, booking travel. That’s why it’s important to know that it’s currently shoulder season in the Caribbean. The interim period between peak winter and low summer travel months, shoulder season is the perfect time to visit the region without counting dollars or dodging crowds.

Better still, a number of major carriers are celebrating new routes to hot Caribbean locales with killer fares. From unstoppable rates to Colombia’s sexy seaside city, to the first-ever direct flights to Martinique, here are the season’s best new ways to save. Read more

Nobody likes being told they’re a little on the large side. Especially when they’re surrounded by a plane full of passengers. This less-than-ideal scenario could, as of March 2012, become reality for some portly customers flying AirTran. The airline is introducing a new policy requiring any overweight passenger to purchase an extra seat if they can’t sit in one with the armrest lowered, the Huffington Post reports.

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It’s deals season in the Caribbean, and with good reason: Hurricanes and tropical storms swirl through the region this time of year, squashing many bargain-hunting beach-goers’ plans. This week, Hurricane Irene is causing trouble in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and seems to have her sights set on southern Florida. To compensate, some airlines are issuing ticket-change waivers for those areas on select travel dates; here’s what you need to know:

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It’s not too late to plan a summer vacation, nor is it too early to book a fall getaway. But you will need to act quickly if you want to take advantage of AirTran’s 72-hour sale, which features one-way flights to top destinations in the U.S., Mexico, and Caribbean from just $54! Whether you’re looking to relax on the beaches of San Diego or San Juan, Puerto Rico; explore the diverse neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. and San Francisco; or enjoy the outdoors in Denver and Seattle, AirTran can get you there. Book by June 9 for travel through November 15, 2011.

Sample One-Way Fares:
•    Baltimore-Boston: $54
•    Tampa-San Juan, Puerto Rico: $84
•    New York-Orlando: $89
•    Atlanta-Bermuda: $99
•    And more!

THE VALUE: These fares can save you up $100 each way!

THE CATCH: Blackout dates apply and travel windows are smaller for select destinations.

THE DETAILS: To book your flight, visit www.AirTran.com.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find great rates on hotels in your destination city!

Not sure where to go? Look to our Travel Guides for some inspiration.

Don’t bore your Mom this year with another Mother’s Day gift of bath products or an appliance, surprise her with a getaway to her favorite city with this Mother’s Day Flight sale from AirTran airways! Book by May 10 and travel now through November 16 to cities nationwide like Las Vegas, New York City and West Palm Beach; or to more exotic destinations including Bermuda, Aruba and Cancun. Show your Mom she’s taught you how to be frugal, by saving over $50 each way on peak summer travel!

Sample Fares (O/W):

• Memphis – Atlanta: $59
• Boston – Baltimore: $43
• Baltimore – Bermuda: $79
• New York – West Palm Beach: $94
• Chicago – Cancun: $119
• Atlanta – Aruba: $124
• Orlando – Las Vegas: $154
• And more!

THE VALUE: Depending on which route you choose, this sale saves you over $100 on peak summer ticket prices.

THE CATCH: Blackout dates apply, and taxes and fees are not included. Tell Mom to pack light – checking just one bag will cost $20 each way.

THE DETAILS: Click here to book your flight online with AirTran.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the best hotel deals in town. Can’t decide which city to fly to? Check out our Travel Guides for inspiration.

AirTran stockholders gave the carrier’s merger with Southwest the official stamp of approval today, voting 98.6 percent in favor of the $1.4 billion dollar cash-and-stock deal that the two budget carriers announced in September.

For now, don’t expect any major changes. The two carriers will keep operating individually until the Department of Justice clears the deal, which is expected by June. Then, Southwest will fully swallow AirTran, opening up the chance for its first international routes (to Mexico and the Caribbean), expanded service at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and a larger presence in New York City and Boston.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, packages, and more travel deals.

Before prices rise for spring and summer travel, take advantage of this off-peak sale on nationwide one-way flights starting from just $53 on AirTran Airways. This sale offers flights to destinations across the country as well as the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Mexico. Travel to most locations is available through June 22. Travel to and from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle is available through May 18. Book your flight now, this sale ends March 24!

Sample One-Way Fares:
•    Baltimore–Boston: $53
•    Atlanta–Charlotte: $64
•    Jacksonville–Atlanta: $74
•    San Juan–Tampa: $84
•    Kansas City–Orlando: $99
•    Chicago–Nassau: $109
•    Orlando–Aruba: $129
•    and more!

THE VALUE: This sale can save you more than 35% on flights to the Caribbean.

THE CATCH: Some blackout dates apply: April 21-25; May 1, 26-28, and 30.

THE DETAILS: Click here to book your flight today!

WE’VE GOT MORE: Visit our Hotel Deals pages to book a room at your destination.

Sign up to receive more editor-vetted deals with our Top 25 Newsletter.

During the month of February, seven airlines have partnered with Gogo Inflight Internet (with sponsorship by Ford) to offer complimentary access to the king of social networking websites and the most-trafficked website by Gogo users: Facebook. AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, US Airways, and Virgin America are each offering the promo on Wi-Fi-enabled domestic flights. (Note that Airtran, Delta, and Virgin America are the only of the bunch to currently offer full Wi-Fi capacity on all their domestic flights.) This month-long bargain allows flyers to maintain social communication with friends 10,000-plus feet below them using personal laptops or handheld Wi-Fi devices absolutely free, though for access to other websites besides Facebook, flyers must still pay a fee ranging from $4.95 to $12.95 (the price differential depends on flight time).

Savvy Flyers – what has your experience been like with in-flight Wi-Fi?

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on  flights.

AirTran has cut prices on more than 100 routes throughout the United States and the Caribbean to as little as $59 each-way! Take off to some of the United States’ most exciting cities, including Las Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York – just to name a few. Or, if the continual bombardment of snow storms has you dreaming of palm trees and turquoise waters, take a trip south to the warmth of the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, and more! Travel is valid through May 24, 2011 with the exception of Florida (valid through March 16, 2011).

Sample Fares Each-Way (Before Taxes):
•    Baltimore?Boston: $59
•    Milwaukee?New York: $79
•    Chicago?Orlando: $89
•    Saint Louis?Fort Lauderdale: $94
•    Pittsburgh?Nassau, Bahamas: $99
•    Atlanta?Aruba: $129
•    And more!

THE VALUE: Be flexible with your dates to find rates that are more than $100 less than similar routes on other carriers.

THE CATCH: The lowest sale fares were found for mid-week travel.

THE DETAILS: Book your flight by February 8, 2011 by visiting, www.airtan.com.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Complete your stay by finding a hotel using our Travel Search price comparison tool.

Not sure where to go? Take a look at our Travel Guide section and see what sparks your interest.

Start the new year off by planning your winter or spring getaway to warm weather destinations like Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Houston, or other southern locales, or take off on a much needed city break in the Northeast and Midwest. AirTran’s first sale of the year slashes rates on domestic flights to more than 50 popular cities starting from as little as $49 each way. Flights to Florida are valid through March 16, or all the way through May 25 on other U.S. routes. Book by January 13.

One-Way Sample Fares (Before Taxes) Include:
•    Milwaukee–Pittsburgh: $49
•    Boston–Baltimore: $49
•    Atlanta–Raleigh: $49
•    Indianapolis–Baltimore: $49
•    Memphis–Atlanta: $49
•    Charlotte–Baltimore: $54
•    Orlando–Atlanta: $69
•    Raleigh–Orlando: $79
•    Houston–Atlanta: $79
•    New Orleans–Fort Lauderdale: $84
•    Columbus–Tampa: $84
•    San Antonio–Jacksonville: $84
•    San Francisco–Milwaukee: $109
•    And more!

THE VALUE:  Be flexible with your dates and you can lock in rates that are around $30-$50 less than similar routes on other carriers. Lowest prices are available from Baltimore, Milwaukee, Atlanta, and other major hubs.

THE CATCH: The lowest fares are for midweek travel, and some blackout dates apply.

THE DETAILS: To learn more visit www.airtran.com.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights and more.

Check out our Top 10 Value Travel Destinations in 2011 from our relentlessly globe-trotting editors.