Sherman's Travel

In the harried chaos of airports, a frequent-flier lounge is a veritable oasis. Several airlines offer passengers quiet corners to unwind before takeoff, where they can enjoy drinks, WiFi, and a bit of peace. A drawback is many lounges, though secluded, don’t offer much in the way of views. If you’re lucky enough to find a spot with a window, the most you can hope to see is a small patch of the runway or an abandoned luggage cart. Plus, as much as you’d love to crack open that window a smidge, you still won’t get a whiff of fresh air until touchdown. Delta Air Lines will change that with plans to construct lounges that offer all their standard luxuries, and more. Read more

Aeromexico is giving us another reason to get sunburned this summer, with its launch of daily direct flights from JFK airport in New York to Cancún, Mexico from starting July 1.

Timed so you can hit the beaches the same day you land, Aeromexico’s flights depart JFK’s terminal 1 at 7:10am daily, and arrive at Cancún International Airport before lunchtime. Return flights take off daily at 5:25pm from Cancún, and land at JFK by midnight.

While summer in the Caribbean means hurricanes combined with high temperatures and soaring humidity, this usually results in off season advantages, like cheap hotel rooms and shorter queues. In addition, Cancún hosts a wealth of warm weather attractions. Visitors can swim with the whale sharks at Isla Holbox, explore the Tulum Mayan ruins in Quintana Roo, go cave diving in the submerged cenote caverns, or just relax at one of Cancún’s many beach resorts.

Other new Aeromexico flights include non-stop flights from Washington D.C. to Mexico City from $529, and a daily service from Atlanta to Mexico’s capital from $449 starting July 1. For nonstop flights to Cancún, both Priceline and Expedia currently list flights starting from $759 on American Airlines.

See our Cancún destination guide for general trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on flights, hotels, vacation packages, and more.

JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines have announced a partnership that’s primed to make travel to the Aloha State easier than ever before, particularly for East Coast travelers. The newly inked arrangement will allow for seamless daily connections between flights out of New York City (via JetBlue’s JFK hub) and into Honolulu (on Hawaiian Airlines), allowing customers to book single tickets that combine travel on the two carriers.

The new partnership will be featured on Hawaiian Airlines’ soon-to-launch flights (on June 5, precisely) between New York City and Honolulu (where continuing connections are additionally available to Kauai, Maui, or Hawaii Island), on what will be the only nonstop offering on that particular itinerary (advertised rates start at $431 each way). Or, customers can book travel immediately via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where JetBlue operates, and Hawaiian Airlines currently offers multiple daily departures to Hawaii (rates start at $339 each way). Plus, the airlines have agreed to allow for reciprocal frequent flyer benefits between the two carriers. Read more

Traveling to the Aloha State from the East Coast is set to get a lot easier next year with the launch of non-stop flights from New York’s JFK to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines. Though the new route won’t debut until June 4, 2012, the announcement has already got us thinking about palm trees and golden-sand beaches. Maybe that’s because Hawaiian has put the new flights on sale – but only through November 20. Book now for travel from June 4 to June 30 and one-way fares are just $212 in economy or $808 in first class. (See what they did there? 212 is NYC’s main area code, and 808 is the area code for Hawaii.) Travel on Hawaiian is a bit more civilized than some other airlines, with hot meal service on all flights to the islands and a range of seatback entertainment options. Visit HawaiianAirlines.com for details and booking.

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

This is some serious turtle power: A posse of diamondback terrapins marching across a JFK runway this morning delayed some JetBlue flights, according to the airline’s Twitter feed, and this isn’t the first time the slow-moving critters have interrupted New York City air traffic.

The reptilian culprits, which hail from nearby Jamaica Bay, also caused a ruckus at JFK in July 2009, when 78 of them sauntered across a runway in search of mating spots, according to the New York Times.

The invasion shut down one runway for about 30 minutes that morning and contributed to flight delays as long as an hour and a half. Eventually, Port Authority collected the half-shells and drove them back to Jamaica Bay, where they had more space to hatch the next generation of intrepid turtles.

Read more

Delta Airlines is partnering with OTG Management to revolutionize traveler experience at the gate. You know the drill du jour: You’re waiting for your flight, tired and hungry, with no desire to sprint to the other end of the terminal just for the opportunity to balance a cold sandwich on your knees. Well starting November 19, if you are lucky enough to be flying Delta out of New York’s JFK, you can expect to be in for an entirely different experience.

OTG Management, a food services company known for its creative and inviting airport dining experiences, will be bringing the restaurant right to flyers’ gate-front seats in their latest endeavor. At select Delta gates, passengers will discover a fresh new look and innovative seating arrangements for singles, doubles, and multiple parties (most with power outlets for convenient electronics charging). Apple iPads fixed at each table allows patrons to order food from theirs seats, and an OTG server delivers orders right to them. Passengers can also enjoy use of the iPads for games, to read articles, or to check flight information.
Read more