PreCheck allows qualified passengers to apply online for expedited airport security service. Eligible travelers include U.S. citizens flying on participating airlines, members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs and those serving in the military.

After the TSA confirms through pre-screening that one is eligible for the program, their status is embedded in the barcode of the passenger’s boarding pass. Once they have checked-in at the airport, PreCheck passengers are sent to a special security lane where they are allowed to keep their shoes, belts and outerwear on, their laptops in their bags and their liquids and gels in their carry on bags.

“By enabling us to focus resources on passengers we know less about, TSA PreCheck, allows us to provide a better travel experience for those low-risk passengers we know the most about,” said TSA Federal Security Director Hung Nguyen.

The program is available in 40 U.S. airports, and expanded to include passengers flying internationally on eligible airlines this past May.

The program may also be set to undergo a massive expansion. Currently the background checks that determine eligibility in pre-screening are conducted by the TSA itself, though the agency is considering farming that effort out to third party contractors. This would increase the number of screening checks that could be done greatly.

Business travelers with more time on their hands should consider picking up an international calling card so they can use all that extra time to touch base with the home office.

Luckily, anyone can avoid travel scams by being smart, cautious and thorough.

Unbelievable deals should not be trusted
The old adage, “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is”, holds particularly true when one is planning a trip.

Oregon’s Jesse Shriber thought he had found the travel deal of a lifetime when he saw a round-trip airfare and a two-night hotel stay for two people in either Las Vegas or Florida for only $99, reports KGW.

“But then, I emailed them for the itinerary and at that point is when I received an email back that said it would cost me an additional $948 or whatever. I was like, ‘no thank you’ and I contacted the Attorney General’s Office, said Shriber”.

The Oregon AG was eventually able to get Shriber his money back, but it took two months.

Mail scams
There are a few varieties of scam wherein consumers receive a letter in the mail claiming they have won free tickets that can be redeemed by calling a phone number. The most current incarnation of this fraud starts with a letter from a fictional company called US Airlines, though previous versions have involved travel website like Travelocity, according to Daily Markets.

Once the call is made, potential victims are prompted to reveal personal information which is then sold to marketing groups or identity thieves

“Even if the consumer does call and follow the necessary steps to redeem the offer, it’s very unlikely that they will receive any airline tickets or vacation prizes,” said Kase Chong”, Scambook’s Director of Marketing, as reported by the news source.

On a related note, Chong also recommends immediately dismissing and reporting any deal which requires that funds be transferred by wire, as this is a sure sign of a scam.

Cautious vacationers should always remember to carry an international calling card. This makes it easy to get in contact with friends and family back home if something unexpected happens during a trip.

“Travel plays an important role in business growth in a down economy, by helping businesses connect with their customers,” said U.S. Travel’s Dr. Suzanne Cook. “It’s also clear from our survey results that the old maxim remains true; if you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will.”

The survey also found that 82 percent of executives believe business travel is important to achieving their corporate goals, and 81 percent think that reaching out to clients directly is particularly important crucial in a down economic market.

A separate study by IHS Global Insight further demonstrated that sharps cuts to business travel that become common when the economy is slow may actually be costing business a sizable sum of money. The study estimates that American companies may have lost out on almost $200 million dollars in profit during 2012 because they did not adequately budget business travel. Christopher Pike of IHS Global Insight notes that while an economic downtown provides reasons to trim travel budgets, reducing the funding for trips by 30 percent when sales revenues are only down 5 percent may constitute an over-reaction.

Spending on business travel in the U.S. hit bottom in 2009, and has been recovering slowly since then. Airlines suffer the most from the drop-off in professional travelers, according to ABC News the International Air Transport Association predicted airlines worldwide would lose $11 billion this year, about $2 billion more than previously expected.

Business travelers are always well served to carry an international calling card to stay connected to the home office while on the road.

Refill prepaid cell phones minutes for less! Get discounts and save money – no taxes, fees or hidden charges!

Instantly recharge wireless prepaid phone minutes:
* AT&T GoPhone – refill your prepaid airtime minutes
* T-Mobile – recharge your Pay As You Go minutes
* Verizon – refill your Verizon Wireless airtime minutes
* Boost Mobile – Re-boost and top up your phone

Download for iPhone & Android

Comfi, Inc. is an authorized reseller for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Boost Mobile airtime minutes.

Vacationing is also getting easier as traveler restrictions and screenings in airports around the globe are relaxing, notes the news source.

“Gone is the 30-minute wait in security lines and accompanying hand-wringing about whether you’re going to miss your flight,” Peter Meyers, vice president of Euro Cheapo.com, told  Travel and Leisure. “Add to that a slightly ridiculous but undeniable sense of travel superiority – and you have yourself a winner.”

Near or far, travelers in 2013 have more options for digitally enhancing their experience on the road, with gadgets that both help the administration and enjoyment of summer trips. For those trying to say high tech on the road and those just trying to be practical, carrying a few extra compact items in a carry-on bag can save both money and frustration later.

While most vacationers would not forget to pack their smartphone or tablet, many do not think to also purchase a portable charger that works on a variety of objects. There are many small and low cost options that can help consumers both charge electronics and extend their battery life while on the road.

A waterproof table case for an iPad is also a recommended tool for vacation travelers this summer, to help make pool side tablet use a less nerve wracking experience, according to the Today Show. Water-proof speakers can also make time by the pool more fun for everyone.

Also, always useful is an international calling card to keep vacationers connected to their friends and families while on the road.

Global SIM $10 credit included

Benefits

Pay regular prices for Calls and Data while traveling abroad. No high roaming charges anymore.

• Low rates for Calls – incoming and outgoing
• Low rates for Data and SMS
• This SIM is permanent. Keep using it when traveling
• Provides your own Global numbers
  • International
  • US (it is your alternative phone in US)
• Forward all incoming calls from your regular number to your Global number
• Voicemail
• Works in more than 200 countries
• No contracts or hidden charges
• Works with most GSM unlocked phones

For additional information as well as detailed rates, click here.

The summer of 2013 is shaping up to be a good year to get away from it all, as a variety of popular destinations are posting some of the lowest airfare rates in recent years thanks to a drop in fuel costs.

Best values in U.S. travel
A survey of domestic prices by online ticket seller Orbitz has found that after years of increases, prices are are on the decline going into summer travel season.

“A lot of big destinations are seeing double-digit price drops,” said Orbitz travel analyst Jeanenne Tornatore.

Tickets to New York, Tampa, Denver and Washington, D.C. are on the decline after a long stretch of sharp increases. Travel costs to Chicago are down 18 percent year-to-year, while tickets to Honolulu have dropped 10 percent in price since 2012.

Intrepid travelers who take advantage of reduced prices to hub destinations like D.C. can use their savings to expand the range of their vacation. Apart from offering and educational historical city, Washington D.C. is also less than two hours from Virginia’s horse and vineyard country. Travelers looking for a diversity of experience can divide their leisure travel time in the area between urban enjoyments and pastoral relaxation.

International travel on the rise
Part of the explanation for the decreased prices for in-country travel is the drop in bookings evident in early 2013. Interestingly, while the number of tickets sold so far for summer is down for domestic trips, those sales seem to have migrated over to bookings for international vacations to Europe, Central America and the Caribbean.

While prices have been on the rise to some European destinations, notably Paris, other Old World cities are still boasting reasonable rates. Flights into Dublin have  remained at lower costs. Dublin is also the destination for many money-saving travel packages like a recent listing that offered round-trip airfare from New York to the Irish capital city, a 6 day stay in the luxury Four Seasons Hotel and multiple sets of theater tickets.

Wherever you decide to travel, you should keep a few things in mind. First of all, it is important to plan ahead to get the best possible deals. Also, make sure pack light and don’t forget calling cards, which make it possible to call home no matter which part of the world you are in.

Keep track of expenses
From lodging, to food, to travel and beyond, there are many ways to spend money on the road and it’s important to keep track of all those expenditures for later reports and tax filings. The sooner expense reports are filed the better, as holding on to receipts is just asking to misplace them before their information can be recorded. For purchases made on credit cards the information can easily be constructed, however, many work-travel related expenses like cab-fare tend to be cash based. Keeping those costs logged and organized can save an extended effort trying to later recreate the information.

On a similar theme, those who were called away on a work trip should make sure they properly deduct their expenses when it comes time to file annual taxes. Though the IRS announced that it has capped the amount of travel expenses that can be deducted at 2012 levels - $160 to $243 per day for travel and just $52 to $65 for food – some of those costs can instead be deducted as general business expenses, according to Business Insider.

Communicate with banks and creditors before departing
Concerned about fraud, many debit and credit card issuers will deactivate a card that is swiped far from its billing address on the assumption that it has been stolen. There are few experiences worse than having a card declined while with business associates. This embarrassing situation can be avoided by simply calling your bank or credit card issuer and informing them of travel plans before departing.

Those who are traveling abroad for business are also advised to stay away from currency exchange counters and use regular ATMs instead, as the exchange will be much better. Even more useful for international business travelers are credit cards which offer the best exchange rates if the issuer does not charge a transaction fee for purchases made in a foreign country. Business travelers are encouraged to keep at least one such card in their wallet for foreign travel.

Keeping an international calling card in your wallet is also advised as it will allow access to telephones in a vast swath of international telecom jurisdictions.

Call friends and loved ones abroad at cheap international calling rates.

* TRY IT NOW AND GET $1 FREE – UP TO 45 MINUTES OF TALK TIME!
* Save up to 98% on your international phone calls
* Call local phone numbers that connect you directly to your international contacts
* Enter your phone number and start calling abroad instantly
* Great call quality and excellent customer service
* Get $10 in call time for every person you refer
* See our calling rates

Download for iPhone & Android

According to The Huffington Post, one of the best ways to save a few dollars is to take advantage of sites that will refund you money when the hotel or airfare goes down. Sites such as Orbitz or Tingo can do this for you. Tingo constantly monitors hotel rates in selected cities to make sure that they do not drop and Orbitz will refund money if one of their customers gets the same deal for a lower price. Also, investing in a frequent flyer credit card can benefit travelers.

Another way to save money is to bring along international calling cards. This way, you will not have to worry about massive phone bills in your hotel or while you are on the road. It makes it easy to call home and check up on the office or call your friend who is taking care of your pet.