KC airport expects boost in holiday travel

Kansas City International Airport is preparing for an expected boost in holiday tourists.

The Kansas City Aviation Department says it is expecting more than 679,000 passengers during the holiday season, that's up five percent from 2009.

Nationally, the Air Transport Association, an airline industry trade organization, says it expects 43.6 million passengers to travel on U.S. carriers over the holidays, up about 3 percent from previous year.

Holiday travel in Texas expected to increase, AAA Texas predicts Read more: Holiday travel in Texas expected to increase, AAA Texas predicts

More Texans are expected to hit the road to visit relatives and friends this holiday season.

AAA Texas projects that 7.5 million people a 3.3 percent raise over 2009 will travel 50 miles or more from home between Thursday, Dec. 23 and Sunday, Jan. 2.

About 7 million of the 7.5 million Texans will reach their destinations by driving. The rest will travel by air, bus, rail or ship.

Holiday Travel: Government Says Babies Should Be Buckled Up on Airplanes

With the holiday travel period quickly approaching, the federal government, flight attendants and airlines are urging parents to buckle up their babies on airplanes instead of holding them in their laps, even if it means shelling out money for an extra ticket.

A special forum on child safety in Washington today brought together representatives from the NTSB, the FAA and the Association of Flight Attendants. Each one agrees that a young child is safer when buckled into a safety restraint on an airplane, but after decades of debate, tickets still will not be required for children under age two. The FAA has concluded in the past that such a requirement would discourage air travel and put more cars on the road, where the likelihood of harm is statistically far greater.

Airline industry group sees holiday travel up

The business group for the nation's airlines said Wednesday that it expects 43.6 million people to travel by air over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

That's about 3 percent more than previous year. ATA says the busiest days will be Dec. 21-23, Dec. 26-30 and Jan. 2-3, based on 2009 patterns. The airlines have added surcharges of $10-$30 on most of those days, anticipating heavier bookings.

ATA says the government will probably open up airspace generally reserved for military aircraft, on an as-needed basis, to ease the air traffic crunch. Fewer flights and the possibility of weather delays are likely to add to congestion at airports and in the air.

Last Minute Travel Deals to South Padre Island

So you're thinking about going to South Padre Island for some summer enjoyment, but you made the decision at the last minute? Families, college students, and adventure seekers all may get sucked into the fun that is South Padre Island with little advance notice. AOL Travel knows this and is here to help you find last minute travel deals to South Padre Island.

First, know that there aren't any flights straight to South Padre Island. This confuses many people who try plan last minute flights to South Padre Island. The closest airport is Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport at 20 miles away. (Car, taxi, or hotel shuttle will get you the rest of the way.) If you're having problems finding flights through here, you may have to consider alternate airports.

That said, head to Priceline.com's particular page for last minute deals. They typically contain a combination of airfare and hotel room from providers looking to fill their airplanes and hotels at the last minute. Simply choose your destination of South Padre Island, where you're leaving from, and your travel dates. Priceline scours the Internet for the South Padre Island travel deals that best meet your criteria.

Spirit Airlines computer crash causes holiday travel snarl

Spirit Airlines is working with the company that oversees its computer systems to fix problems with their reservations scheme, Misty Pinson, Director of Corporate Communications for Spirit Airlines told CNN.

“All flights are operating and we have not had any cancellations. We are very proud of our workers for stepping up and ensuring that our customers are checked in without an automated system.”

Scott Wintner, a spokesperson for the Detroit Metro Airport told CNN, Spirit Airlines have been going back to older pencil and paper system - checking people in manually. Instead of checking people in on a first come, first serve basis, agents have been taking people into groups and checking them in based on their departing times. That has led to agents being unable to provide passengers approximate wait times.

And if you're flying Spirit you probably won't be able to get any help online either. As of the time of this posting it appears the computer crash has also led to the website being down.

Vegas Ranks No. 4 On Yahoo Holiday Travel List

Las Vegas looks poised to cash in this holiday period with travelers looking toward Sin City as one of their top destinations for the final weeks of 2010.

According to Yahoo! Travel, Las Vegas ranked No. 4 on its list of the most popular cities for holiday travel.

Austin, Texas, Orlando, Fla., and Chicago took the top three spots, respectively.

Las Vegas’ ranking is likely a testament to the drawing power of its annual New Year’s Eve celebration.

This year, fireworks will launch from the rooftops of seven Las Vegas Strip hotels, including the MGM Grand, Aria, Planet Hollywood and Caesars Palace.

The city’s newest resort, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, is also opening in December and has announced a New Year’s Eve concert featuring Jay-Z and Coldplay that will be shown live on its marquee.

Last year’s festivities drew 315,000 visitors, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Air travel to increase for Thanksgiving holiday

Air travel for the Thanksgiving holiday is expected to raise slightly over last year in response to a stronger economy, an airline trade group predicted.

The Air Transport Assn. of America, the industry trade group for the nation's largest airlines, predicted that the number of air travelers would raise by 3.5% over last year, to 24 million people, from Nov. 19 to Nov. 30.

"It is reassuring to see travel levels rebounding, with the stronger economy," said association president James C. May. "While modest, the recovery is mainly encouraging given the deep hole that this industry was in a year ago."

The forecast for holiday travel continues the trend of increasing demand and higher fares for the airline industry, which reported newly that August marked the eighth straight month of revenue growth over the same period in 2009.

The Automobile Club of Southern California won't release its holiday travel forecast until next week but a spokeswoman said the report is also expected to predict an increase in travel among Southern Californians for the holiday period.

Start Buying Holiday Tickets, Right Now

Where does the time go? We’re barely into Autumn and the smart money is already telling us to buy our Christmas and Thanksgiving travel tickets RIGHT NOW?

It makes sense. Prices are going up, as they usually do. The crush of holiday travelers and returning college students will peak in a way as to swamp those of us who delay getting arrangements done.

More, SmarterTraveler.com has some good tips:

* Begin benchmarking fares as early as possible so you’ll know a good price when you see it. If you haven’t already started, don’t delay.
* Steer clear of peak travel days such as the day before Thanksgiving and the last day of the holiday’s weekend.
* Be in the know when sales come out: The sale match generally gets lit by one of the low-cost carriers on Tuesday, and by the following morning, competitors have jumped into the fray and created what we call a full-out fare war.
* Be flexible and check fares from nearby airports as well.
* Check out our previous installment on holiday airfare searches

Weather.Com (which offers a lot more than the weather) has its own list of tips, headed by:

* It is easier to get travel and accommodation reservations if you book early. With some airlines and hotels, early booking may even qualify you for a discount.
* Plan to arrive at the airport or station at least two hours early. The holiday season means everyone is traveling, which means traffic jams and long lines; giving yourself this margin will pay off in reduced stress, and may mean the difference between a missed flight and one caught in plenty of time.
* Travel light. Taking public transportation or trying to hail a cab is very difficult at the best of times when lugging around heavy suitcases; holiday crowds increase the difficulty.Go to the link for more.

Most of these ideas are simply common sense — in uncommonly short supply when the press of the holiday madness lands on us like a meteor. Get ready now, is the key thing.

Despite Earl, heavy travel expected in North Carolina over holiday weekend

While Hurricane Earl is expected to impact Labor Day travel along the nation’s eastern seaboard, more North Carolina residents are expected to hit the roadways this holiday weekend as compared to last year during the same period.

“Travel by Carolinians has been increasing all year and this holds true for the last vacation of summer,” David Parsons, AAA Carolinas CEO and president, said.

AAA Carolinas officials said Wednesday the state will see an 8.1-percent increase in Labor Day travel this year, as compared to last year. There will also be a 9.9-percent increase nationwide in travel during the holiday weekend, according to AAA.

National Weather Service forecasters expect Earl to pass about 100 miles off the state’s coastline late Thursday before moving north toward the Mid-Atlantic then move on a track towards Nova Scotia, Canada. AAA Carolinas cautioned travelers heading to the coast this weekend to pay close attention to forecasts, warnings and evacuations prior to hitting the road.