Bargain Airfares Still Out There

'Unintended Consequence' fee intended to chide transportation department

(NEWSER) - Spirit Airlines is angry over a new Department of Transportation rule—and it's making sure customers know it, by slapping a $2 "Department of Transportation Unintended Consequence Fee" on all tickets. The new rule, which went into effect last week, requires airlines to give customers a full refund, without additional fees, if the customer requests one within 24 hours of booking a flight, USA Today explains. More»

Oslo tops the list while crisis-proof Switzerland lands spots #2 and #3

(NEWSER) - If you happen to be flush with cash, then this list of the 15 most expensive places to visit on the globe should not limit your vacation plans. Otherwise, steer clear or prepare to splurge. The list, courtesy of US News' Travel site , is compiled from UBS' Prices and Earnings report . More»

... 6 weeks before you fly, study says

(NEWSER) - Flying anytime soon? With any luck your trip is a month and a half from now—because a new study says travelers can find the lowest airfares 6 weeks before flying, the Los Angeles Times reports. The price difference: 6% lower than average, according to a company that analyzed millions of transactions over 4 years. Prices spike about a week before the flight, the study says, and can be 40% higher than average on the day you fly. (See how to get the best airfare deals—by tweet and email .) More»

United is using smaller plane to fly trans-Atlantic ... and stiff winds spell trouble

(NEWSER) - Exactly the news frustrated travelers want to hear: In a bid to pinch pennies, many nonstop Continental flights from Europe to the East Coast are, you guessed it, stopping along the way. The latest airplane-related annoyance stems from United Continental Holding's decision to use smaller jets on several trans-Atlantic routes. The good news for United: Doing so lets United use planes that are cheaper to operate and staffed by fewer flight attendants. The bad news for you: If the planes run into strong headwinds, they burn more fuel, and need to stop and refuel, often in Canada. More»

Panama, Finland, and Myanmar top the list

(NEWSER) - If you like cool design, upscale safaris, or a forbidden communist island, the New York Times can recommend 45 locales to visit in 2012. Among them:

• Panama. See the world-famous canal before its expansion, then stay for Panama City's economic boom and Frank Gehry's first design in Latin America—a natural history museum called BioMuseo.