New Routes Coming Soon To An Airport Near You

Overhead view of Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. This November both Virgin America and JetBlue will debut here within a 24-hour span.

Some people get all worked up over the new fall season of television shows premiering, certain individuals get excited about a new motion picture hitting the silver screen, while others might get overstimulated by the combination of baseball playoffs and the return of the NFL football. But yours truly could care less about all of those distractions. Why? Because the announcement of new airline routes tops them all. While my wife (and a few of you) may think I am a loon for caring so much about the debut of new itineraries at airports, I just can not help myself.

Living in such a busy area like New York, with major airports like JFK, Newark, and La Guardia, I guess you can say that I have pretty much every city in the world available at my fingertips. But what I look for is an airline adding service to my area. My reaction to the news of Southwest debuting at La Guardia a few months ago was easily comparable to a sports fanatic finding out that his beloved team just acquired the number one draft pick or received a great new pitcher as a result of a multi-team trade. Yeah pretty pathetic, but I admit to being a 100% “Grade A” travel nerd.

But that doesn’t make me a bad person does it? Well I do get some rather odd looks from the wife when all I can talk about over dinner is how JetBlue is now jetting to the Caribbean and Virgin America is possibly thinking of flying in and out of Chicago soon. In any event, here are some new airline routes debuting within the next few months. Enjoy.

JetBlue:

• Barbados (BGI) and New York (JFK) starts October 1, 2009
• Saint Lucia (UVF) and New York (JFK) starts October 26, 2009
• Kingston, Jamaica (KIN) and New York (JFK) starts October 30, 2009
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and San Francisco (SFO) starts November 17, 2009

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Virgin America:

• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and San Francisco (SFO) starts November 18, 2009
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Los Angeles (LAX) starts November 18, 2009

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Southwest Airlines:

• Milwaukee (MKE) and Tampa Bay (TPA) starts November 1, 2009
• Milwaukee (MKE) and Phoenix (PHX) starts November 1, 2009
• Milwaukee (MKE) and Orlando (MCO) starts November 1, 2009
• Milwaukee (MKE) and Kansas City (KCI) starts November 1, 2009
• Milwaukee (MKE) and Baltimore (BWI) starts November 1, 2009
• Denver (DEN) and Reno/Lake Tahoe (RNO) starts January 10, 2010
• Denver (DEN) and Spokane (GEG) starts January 10, 2010
• Denver (DEN) and Boston (BOS) starts January 10, 2010

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United Airlines:

• San Francisco (SFO) and Kansas City (KCI) starts October 25, 2009
• Chicago (ORD) and Duluth (DLH) starts December 17, 2009
• Chicago (ORD) and Asheville (AVL) starts December 17, 2009
• Denver (DEN) and Midland/Odessa (MAF) starts December 17, 2009
• Denver (DEN) and Louisville (SDF) starts December 17, 2009

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American Airlines:

• Miami (MIA) and Charleston (CHS) starts November 19, 2009
• Miami (MIA) and Knoxville (TYS) starts November 19, 2009
• Miami (MIA) and Treasure Cay, Bahamas (TCB) starts November 19, 2009
• Miami (MIA) and Governors Harbour, Bahamas (GHB) starts November 19, 2009
• Miami (MIA) and Eleuthers, Bahamas (ELH) starts November 19, 2009
• Los Angeles (LAX) and Santa Fe (SAF) starts November 19, 2009

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Continental Airlines:

• Houston (IAH) and Edmonton, AB Canada (YEG) starts November 1, 2009
• Houston (IAH) and Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) starts November 1, 2009
• Houston (IAH) and Washington DC (IAD) starts November 1, 2009
• Cleveland (CLE) and Washington DC (IAD) starts November 1, 2009
• Honolulu (HNL) and Guam (GUM) to Nadi, Fiji (NAN) starts November 1, 2009

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Delta Airlines:

• Memphis (MEM) and West Palm Beach (PBI) starts December 17, 2009
• Philadelphia (PHL) and Paris, France (CDG) starts October 5, 2009
• Atlanta (ATL) and Brasilia (BSB) starts December 17, 2009
• Atlanta (ATL) and Fortaleza (FOR) starts December 21, 2009
• New York (JFK) and Kingston, Jamaica (KIN) starts December 12, 2009
• New York (JFK) and Freeport, Bahamas (FPO) starts December 18, 2009
• New York (JFK) and Puerto Plata, DR (POP) starts December 19, 2009
• Detroit (DTW) and Punta Cana, DR (PUJ) starts November 21, 2009
• Minneapolis (MSP) and Punta Cana, DR (PUJ) starts December 19, 2009
• Cincinnati (CVG) and Punta Canada, DR (PUJ) starts December 19, 2009

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AirTran Airways:

• Atlanta (ATL) and Aruba (AUA) starts December 19, 2009
• Orlando (MCO) and Aruba (AUA) starts February 13, 2010
• Orlando (MCO) and Key West (EYW) starts December 17, 2009
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Harrisburg (MDT) starts November 5, 2009
• Milwaukee (MKE) and Pittsburgh (PIT) starts October 6, 2009
• Milwaukee (MKE) and Indianapolis (IND) starts October 6, 2009
• Baltimore (BWI) and Indianapolis (IND) starts October 6, 2009
• Baltimore (BWI) and New Orleans (MSY) starts October 6, 2009
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Flint (FNT) starts November 4, 2009

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US Airways:

• Phoenix (PHX) and Montego Bay (MBJ) December 17, 2009
• Philadelphia (PHL) and Barbados (BGI) starts October 1, 2009
• Charlotte (CLT) and Honolulu (HNL) starts December 17, 2009
• Charlotte (CLT) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG) starts December 15, 2009

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Alaska Airlines:

• Atlanta (ATL) and Seattle (SEA) starts October 23, 2009
• Oakland (OAK) and Kahului (OGG) starts November 9, 2009
• Oakland (OAK) and Kona (KOA) starts November 10, 2009
• Portland (PDX) and Chicago (ORD) starts November 16, 2009

Tags: airtran airways, american airlines, aruba, atlanta, baltimore, brazil, california, colorado, continental airlines, delta, Denver, detroit, dominican republic, florida, fort lauderdale, georgia, indianapolis, jamaica, jetblue, jfk airport, key west, kingston, los angeles, maryland, memphis, michigan, milwaukee, minneapolis, minnesota, new york, orlando, san francisco, southwest airlines, spokane, tennessee, united airlines, virgin america, washington, west palm beach, wisconsin

Sunday Travel Shot: Detroit, Michigan

The 81-year old Fox Theatre, located in Detroit's Theatre District, is a stunningly beautiful movie palace and performing arts center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The Fox seats a little over 5,100 and is the second largest theater in the country after NYC's Radio City Music Hall. The Fox was fully restored in 1988. Truly worth checking out when you visit the Motor City.

Tags: detroit, fox theatre, michigan

America’s Best & Worst Airports For 2009

Travel + Leisure Magazine just released it’s list of the United State’s “Best & Worst Airports” for 2009.  They compiled information on flights that departed more than 15 minutes late from the country’s airports between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009 courtesy of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

There are some notable highlights from this year’s list of aviation hub angels and offenders. We have a new number one “worst” in ‘09, Seattle (SEA) dropped off the top 10 “best” list, Chicago (MDW) fell from the “worst” list, and it should come as no surprise that all of the New York area airports made an appearance (…and not a good one). Here are this year’s winners and losers:

Worst Airports:

#1 – Newark (EWR)

#2 – Chicago (ORD)

#3 – Miami (MIA)

#4 (tied) – Dallas (DFW)

#4 (tied) – New York (LGA)

#4 (tied) – New York (JFK)

#7 – San Francisco (SFO)

#8 (tied) – Washington DC (IAD)

#8 (tied) – Atlanta (ATL)

#8 (tied) – Philadelphia (PHL)

Best Airports:

#1 – Salt Lake City (SLC)

#2 – Portland (PDX)

#3 (tied) – Washington DC (DCA)

#3 (tied) – Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)

#5 (tied) – Los Angeles (LAX)

#5 (tied) – San Diego (SAN)

#5 (tied) – Tampa (TPA)

#5 (tied) – Detroit (DTW)

#9 (tied) – Phoenix (PHX)

#9 (tied) – Orlando (MCO)

So what is your favorite and least favorite airport? If you want to vent and share some airport horror stories, feel free to comment below.

For more information on this list, check out TravelandLeisure.com.

Tags: arizona, atlanta, california, Dallas, detroit, florida, georgia, jfk airport, los angeles, miami, michigan, minneapolis, minneapolish-st paul, minnesota, new jersey, new york, newark, oregon, orlando, pennsylvania, philadelphia, phoenix, portland, salt lake city, San Diego, san francisco, tampa, texas, utah, washington d.c.

Holy Toledo! Jet America Promises $9 Fares

Want a cheap alternative to flying into and out of Chicago? Check out Lansing Airport, which is only 90 minutes away.

A start-up airline, which is being run by the former founder of the defunct airline Skybus, will be making travel very affordable…if you are willing to fly into lesser known airports and cities. Toledo, Ohio based Jet America is advertising $9 non-stop, one-way tickets between six U.S. cities, starting July 13. Those six cities include:

• Lansing, Michigan via Lansing Airport (60 minutes from Grand Rapids; 90 minutes from Detroit).
• Melbourne, Florida via Melbourne International Airport (Under 90 minutes from Orlando).
• South Bend, Indiana via South Bend Regional Airport (90 minutes from Chicago).
• Newark, N.J. via Liberty International Airport (Under 30 minutes from New York City).
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota via Minneapolis International Airport.
• Toledo, Ohio via Toledo Express Airport (60 minutes from Detroit).

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Rumored cities to be joining the Jet America itinerary include Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem; Charleston, West Virginia; Chicago/Rockford, Illinois; Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida.

For more information, and to book one of their cheap tickets, head on over to Jet America.

By the way, enter for a chance to win any Lonely Planet guidebook of your choice by simply leaving a comment. Also vote for the Top 10 Best Town Squares. You have until Saturday and I will be posting the results all next week.

Tags: air, airfare, charleston, chicago, cincinatti, cleveland, columbus, dayton, detroit, fares, florida, illinois, indiana, jet america, jfk, lansing, melbourne, michigan, minneapolis, minnesota, new jersey, new york city, newark, OHIO, orlando, pittsburgh, rockford, south bend, st. paul, st. petersburg, toledo, Travel, winston-salem

LA & Pittsburgh Top List Of Most Polluted Cities In US

California...cough, cough...dreaming. Los Angeles on another smoggy afternoon.

Now while not my usual “travel news” story, I felt compelled to write about the American Lung Association’s results from a two year project on air pollution in the United States. Because as travelers, you and I will eventually wind up in some of  these places, some might have already been. After reading the results many more might want to pack their bags and move or visit virtually by checking out the city via Google street view.

Roughly 60% of Americans are breathing in such unhealthy air that it can make them sick. Researchers from the American Lung Association tested the air quality on three levels – long-term particle pollution, short-term particle pollution and ozone concentration. All three of these in excess amounts have been proven to result in negative health effects. So where are the dirtiest and cleanest places in the United States? Here are some results:

• When it comes to the amount of ozone in the air, Los Angeles tops the list with the smoggiest and unhealthiest air in the country. The amount of ozone in the air can effect one’s breathing and lead to such complications as asthma. If you already have asthma, then chances are you will be prone to above average asthma attacks if you live in an area with such high ozone layers.
• The top 10 list of ozone offenders sure does make California look bad. The Golden State clocked in with six cities, among the 10, that were considered hardest to breathe in America. They include the aforementioned Los Angeles, as well as  Bakersfield, Visalia-Porterville, Fresno-Madera, Sacramento, and El Centro. The other four that made the list include Phoenix, Arizona, Charlotte, North Carolina, and both Houston and Dallas, Texas.
• As for the cities with the dirtiest air?  Well that dubious distinction was tied for first, with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Bakersfield, California named the dueling cities of dirt. Each city throughout the United States was measured for the amount of particle pollutants floating in the air, such as specks of soot, dust, ash, and aerosols. California again hogs the list with a total of five cities, which include the already mentioned Bakersfield, as well as Los Angeles, Visalia, Hanford, and Fresno. Birmingham, Alabama, Detroit, Michigan, and both Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio round out the top 10.
• So where are the cleanest places to live or visit in the States? Well the squeaky clean city of Billings, Montana tops the list with nearly non-existent, ozone levels. Other locales include Carson City, Nevada and Fargo, North Dakota. The healthiest cities on the list were places like Cheyenne, Wyoming, Honolulu, and Great Falls, Montana.

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To check out the comprehensive air study, and to see how good (or bad) your city did, check out the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2009. By the way if you were wondering how my city of Brooklyn scored. Kings County received a “D” in the Particle Pollution area. No results were released in regards to the ozone layers.

Tags: alabama, arizona, bakersfield, billings, birmingham, carson city, charlotte, cheyenne, cincinnati, cleveland, Dallas, detroit, el centro, fargo, fresno, great falls, honolulu, houston, los angeles, madera, michigan, montana, nevada, north carolina, north dakota, OHIO, phoenix, pittsburgh, porterville, sacramento, texas, visalia, wyoming