The Best Flights Around

Tired of the hassle looking for an airline flight? Never know which travel site might provide the best data & even better deals? Irritated with all the windows that pop-up leading you through a maze of websites? Here's a two great resources we love!

Hipmunk
This newer site is quick, easy, & a fast favorite. It displays the flight information in a different format than other flight aggregating sites altogether & we're certainly not complaining! Simply enter where you're planning to take off from, arrive at, and when you want to leave and this handy website will show you all your options in an easy to read layout. Plus, click on a flight for detailed information or you can choose to sort the flight info by agony, price, stops, departure time, arrival time, & duration. Bonus! One of my favorite sites just posted an article on Hipmunk-- check it out!

Skyscanner
Similar (but no cigar!) to other flight search engines, this website is an alternative to Hipmunk. While it tends to display flight information similarly to the rest, it is quick, easy, and much less of a hassle. It also provides links to related information such as airlines that fly to a particular destination & airport locations.

Here's another great site-- the FAA Flight Delay Map. This map allows you to see where in the USA (or by region or airport) if there are delays or cancellations. The page is refreshed often & also provides the ability to check in with your airline to see if you're flight is affected or to check out the wait times at security checkpoints.

Great tips-- Helpful Phrases to Try at the Airport When Your Flight Has Been Canceled from Real Simple

To And From The Airport- Information on how to get there, estimated travel time, public transportation, private transfers, etc

Luggage Limits- With over 100 airlines, you're sure to find all the flight specific luggage information you'll ever need

Why Buy Travel Insurance?!

You've likely heard plenty about travel insurance before and you may or may not have opted to purchase it. If you have, you know and appreciate the benefits and security it provides for your vacation. If you haven't, why not? One great example of travel plans gone wrong are when travelers were interrupted by the volcanic eruption in Iceland, resulting in cancelled flights among other issues. Compiled by AMA Waterways, here's a few examples of common issues travelers often face that travel insurance would take care of.

1. It's 10p.m. and you and your immediate family arrive at the airport for a connecting flight, only to find that your flight has been cancelled. Who can assist you with finding new flights to catch you up with your cruise?
2. Your bag was lost with your insulin inside. You need help to locate your bag as soon as possible and have your emergency prescription filled. Who do you call?
3. Your first river cruise in Russia, your passport and wallet are stolen. Where do you turn for emergency cash, and how will you get your passport replaced?
4. Your sister-in-law becomes seriously ill and you must cancel your cruise, what happens to your non-refundable deposits or pre-payments?
5. You arrive in Prague for your Danube cruise and your luggage doesn't. If it's lost, who will help you find it? If it's delayed, who will pay for your necessities? If it's stolen, who will pay to replace it?
6. You're walking down a street in Amsterdam and twist your ankle. Who can help you find an English-speaking physician?

Here's another great source of information-- on The Today Show Matt Lauer and Peter Greenburg did a piece on travel insurance explaining why one would purchase insurance and the different types available.

9 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance

1. Your flight has been cancelled
2. Your bags are lost and your medication is in it. You need to have an emergency prescription filled.
3. Your passport and wallet are stolen, and you need emergency cash and a replacement passport.
4. You need to cancel your trip due to illness.
5. Your cruise line, airline, or tour operator goes bankrupt. You need your non-refundable expenses covered and to get to your destination.
6. You have a medical emergency in a foreign country.
7. A terrorist incident occurs in the city where you're planning to visit and you want to cancel your trip.
8. A hurricane forces you to evacuate your resort, hotel, or cruise.

Basic Types of Insurance

• Flight Insurance
• Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
• Health Care Insurance
• Baggage Insurance
  

Read the full article & listen to the video clip here: 9 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance

Here at Sand & C Travel, we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your vacation because you never know what could happen- between natural disasters and operator issues- it's better to be safe than sorry!