Another JetBlue One-Day Mega Sale!

One of my more popular posts of all time centered around a JetBlue one-day flash sale back in August.  The deals were truly incredible, and it looks like they are back at it once again.

JetBlue is holding another sale through most of its cities through MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (September 19).  Though folks residing in the New York and Boston area will probably get the most value out of this, there are still great deals to be had.  I noticed a Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco round trip for only $238!  Wow!

One Day Only!

You can click on this link to see the deals between all city pairs.  Fine print details of the promotion are below, but again, you have until midnight tonight to book, so get moving!

• Book by September 19, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. ET

• Fares not available on Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline.

• Travel October 10-December 12, 2012.  Blackout dates are November 16-26, 2012.

Until tomorrow, everyone!

-Charm City Traveler

Interesting Travel Articles For The Day

Here are some more great travel articles to start your day along with your morning cup of coffee.

The first article discusses American Airlines and their new technology integration.  With newly granted FAA approval, the hope is for pilots to replace their thick flight manuals with brand-new iPads.  Though pilots were first granted approval to use iPads in the cockpit in 2011, this news tidbit shows that American is serious about rolling them out for both pilots and flight attendants alike by the end of 2013.  The hope is to reduce paper (and believe me, pilot's logs and manuals have plenty to spare) and provide pilots/passengers with the most updated weather and airport information.   

Breathtaking View in St. Lucia

The second article, from U.S. News Travel, is a great slide show peeking at the ten best hotel rooms with spectacular views from around the world.  The article does a great job of mixing in hotels from each continent (save Antarctica and South America).  I also enjoy the fact that the vast majority of the hotels don't belong to any loyalty program.  That makes the list seem a bit more unattainable.  Trust me, I would love to redeem points and stay at the Shangri-La Paris, but the fact that I can't makes the property that much more desirable.  Does that even make sense?  I suppose the old adage of you want what you can't have applies here.

The Next Web: American Pilots Get Full FAA Approval for iPads in Cockpits

U.S. News Travel: Hotel Rooms With The Best Views

Photo courtesy of Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

Just thought I would throw a few travel morsels your way to get the day started.  Happy reading, everyone!  Until tomorrow!

-Charm City Traveler

Reader Mailbag-Is the AA Card Right For Me?

It's time for another reader mailbag.  I have truly appreciated all of your emails and questions, so please keep them coming!

Reader Karen writes,

"I live in Dallas, so American Airlines is the airline I use most frequently.  I've been considering taking the plunge and getting an American Airlines Visa or Mastercard from Citibank, but am hesitant on getting another credit card, especially one with a $95 annual fee after the first year.  Does this card make sense for me?"

Karen asks a very good question.  With the host of benefits that travel credit cards are offering lately, it oftentimes makes sense to sign up for the credit card on your preferred airline.

Lots of Benefits With the Citi AA Visa

Although she didn't specify, it sounds like Karen flys American Airlines a fair amount, but not enough to enjoy elite status.  If that's the case, then she should absolutely apply for the card.  The AA Visa offered by Citi really takes the sting out of not having elite status with American.  The card has benefits such as a free checked bag for up to four travelers on the same reservation, priority boarding (to avoid wrestling for overhead space), and double miles on all American flights purchased with the card.  Those three benefits alone are probably worth the $95 annual fee after the first year, especially if Karen is a regular on American.  If she is still worried about the fee after the first year, she can reevaluate her travel after the year expires and cancel the card without penalty..

For a limited time, the card also comes with a 40,000 mile sign-up bonus.  That's more than enough miles for a domestic roundtrip or even a more interesting  off-peak saver award.  Glancing at American's award chart, those miles would be more than enough for an "off-peak" coach award to Central or South America.  Wow!  All for a simple credit card application.

Get to Argentina By Signing Up For A Single Credit Card!

The fact that Karen resides in Dallas makes the decision an almost no brainer.  She is probably very limited in her flight choices due to American focusing on Dallasas a hub.  By grabbing the Citi AA Visa or Mastercard, she will be closer to an award ticket AND have her flight experiences be much more tolerable.  Sounds like a winning proposition to me.

Questions?  Comments?  Remember to keep those emails coming, guys.  You could be featured in a future Reader Mailbag post!

Until tomorrow, everyone!

-Charm City Traveler

Restaurant Review-"Woodberry Kitchen"

My favorite restaurant in Baltimore is hands down Woodberry Kitchen.  The food is consistently fresh and delicious, and I really enjoy the atmosphere.  Though I've dined at Woodberry several times, their famous brunch had long eluded me.  Luckily, with a free afternoon, Ms. CCT and I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

Located in the renovated Clipper Mill complex, Woodberry has a very spacious room with loft-style seating at the top.  We have always been seated in the loft and specially requested it again this visit.  The second level offers unique people watching opportunities, and the tables near the railing offer quite a bit more elbow room than the downstairs dining room.

Great View From the Second Level

The brunch menu had quite a few good options, but we both quickly settled on our entrees and appetizers.  We had sampled the beignets at Spoons Cafe, our favorite breakfast spot in Federal Hill, so we were eager to try Woodberry's version.  These mini bites were exceptional and coated in large sugar granuals.  The accompanying fresh strawberry jam also made great dipping.

Beignets w/ Fresh Strawberry Jam

After dismantling the appetizer, we moved onto main courses.  Both of us agonized over what to choose, but in the end, my Southern roots took over.  I went with a basil mint coffee and a plate of their signature chicken and waffles.  Ms. CCT opted for the breakfast burger.

Basil Mint Coffee

Southern Chicken & Waffles

Gourmet Breakfast Burger

The basil mint iced coffee was delicious and consumed quickly.  I rarely drink the stuff, so this should prove how great a cup it was!  

My chicken was surprisingly not fried, and the skin texture was a bit odd for my tastes.  The dish was accompanied by a lot of fresh vegetables (leeks, carrots, corn) which made it much more conducive to a late lunch or dinner dish.  I enjoyed it, but this version of chicken and waffles is probably suited for another time of day.

Ms. CCT's breakfast burger was a bit unwieldy, but the fresh English muffin and ground beef were incredible.  In retrospect, I should have probably ordered it.

Though the coffee came right out, we waited....and waited...and waited for our entrees without notification from the staff.  When we pulled our waitress aside, she said that the dishes were "being plated as we speak."  After fifteen minutes or so, we grabbed her again, and she said they would be out promptly.  We still had to wait a few minutes before they were ultimately delivered to our table.

This is not the first customer service "hiccup" we have had at Woodberry Kitchen.  A while back for my birthday, we booked a 7:30 p.m. dinner reservation but were seated almost a half hour later.  The staff was very apologetic and even offered us complimentary flutes of champagne, a nice touch indeed.

Today, the staff was equally as accommodating and gave us two glasses of fresh orange juice along with mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert.  We even had a manager personally apologize to us at the table.  We weren't that bothered by the whole situation, just incredibly famished!  Luckily Woodberry knows how to put out these small little fires quickly and engender good feelings moving forward.

Fresh Orange Juice

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

After our meal, we decided to take a peek at the outdoor patio area.  The weather was perfect, so it was understandably crowded.  Next time we visit for brunch, we will most likely migrate from our preferred spot on the second floor to the outdoor garden.

Nice Outdoor Seating Area

Overall, Woodberry's consistency is what sets it apart from other spots in Baltimore.  They are constantly tweaking and tinkering with their menu, and the changes are always inventive and delicious.  When service issues arise, they are dealt with quite effectively.  There really isn't more you can ask for in a restaurant.  I hope to review the other two restaurants on my Top 3 list in the coming months, but hopefully this post gets your taste buds in high gear.

Until tomorrow, everyone!

-Charm City Traveler

Delta Removes Itself from Award Wallet, We Suffer

I just got done slamming Delta here and here for there customer-unfriendly policies.  I thought the coast was clear and I wouldn't have to write more about them for the foreseeable future.  Unfortunately, I just received the following email in my inbox:

Sigh...another day, another decision by Delta to drive their customers away.  Unfortunately, Delta has decided to remove all of its Skymiles accounts from Award Wallet, a truly awesome site that automatically tracks your frequent flyer accounts (as well as their expiration dates).  I wrote in this post that signing up for Award Wallet was one of the best ways for rookies to get into the travel and miles game.  Delta, though, has decided that Award Wallet is holding too much member information and is "invading" Delta's site.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this decision by Delta.  Even though Award Wallet tracks our frequent flyer balances daily, the ability to carefully monitor my accounts prevents the very fraud and potential for abuse that Delta claims Award Wallet perpetrates.

With this change, I am less likely to check my Skymiles balance and less likely to visit Delta's own site.  These are the unintended consequences of Delta's strong arm move!

The real losers, though, are people who manage multiple Skymiles accounts.  Families are now forced to check each individual account to make sure miles properly post rather than auto-updating using Award Wallet.

With Delta now joining American Airlines and Southwest in removing their data from Award Wallet, I become a less of a fan of Delta and less engaged in the Skymiles program.  Hopefully Award Wallet can find a workaround for this problem or the two companies can come to an agreement on member data.

For now though, Delta remains in the frequent flyer doghouse.

Until tomorrow, everyone!

-Charm City Traveler

Top 3 Restaurants in Baltimore

People love lists!  They are the foundation of American Democracy....or something like that.  As part of this blog is dedicated to food, I thought I would write my Top 3 Restaurants in Baltimore.  Keep in mind, there are some venues such as "Charleston" that I have yet to visit, but I feel pretty confident in my selections.  These are my go to spots when I have out of town guests or am celebrating a special occasion.

1. Woodberry Kitchen

Woodberry Kitchen tops the list because I've never had a bad menu item in all the times I've visited. They pride themselves on their consistent, farm fresh, and oftentimes inventive menu, and I can't say I've ever been disappointed.  The setting is rustic and unique, especially the row of seats on the second level overlooking the main dining room.  The food is just plain good.  I can't think of any better way to describe it.  Go to Woodberry with the expectation of trying a lot of things (they have a great appetizer/sampler menu), and come home full.  That's the way I like it.

Great Setting

Woodberry also rotates their menu based on the season.  We went during the winter when less popular vegetables like squash and zuchini were featured....and it was still great.  I can't wait to go back in the spring or summer time.  In fact, make sure to check out my upcoming brunch review of Woodberry debuting in the next week or two.

2. Petit Louis Bistro

As intimate an experience as it comes, Petit Louis delivers authentic French food in a cozy Roland Park setting.  When I say intimate experience, though, I mean it.  Our meal there had us mere inches away from the party next to us.  If you can get past the, ahem, close quarters, you will be knocked away by the selections.  Though I still haven't tried it, the Steak Frites is the signature dish of Petit Louis.  A close second is the delicious Croque-Monsieur.

3. The Black Olive

Baltimore prides itself on its fresh seafood, and I consider the Black Olive the flagbearer as the freshest fish in the Charm City.  The restaurant, located on a quiet cobblestoned street in Fells Point, is surprisingly spacious with multiple dining rooms.  The highlight of the meal is the "fish tour."  Your server will take you to an ice chest that features the freshest catches of the day.  They will explain the texture, flavor, oil content, and region of each fish.  Though not always in season, I've never had better Rockfish than at Black Olive.  It's a must try if you happen to see it during your personalized fish tour.

Freshest Seafood in Baltimore

What do you guys think?  Any disagreements or discrepancies?  Let me know.  Until tomorrow, everyone.  I'm starving!

-Charm City Traveler

Sneaky Delta Raises Award Pricing Without Notice

You really have to hand it to Delta Airlines.  A week after I wrote a post detailing my many frustrations with booking an award ticket with them, they decide to anger me even more.  

Without any notice or warning, Delta increased the pricing on several awards without any notice to the public.  Delta prices their awards in "low", "medium", and "high" pricing categories, with the "high" awards costing the most miles.  Luckily "low" award pricing is unaffected, but the decision to do this without notice is really rankling the frequent flyer community.

Changes Highlighted in Yellow

To summarize, round trip "Medium" and "High" coach awards are increasing by 5,000 Skymiles from the U.S. to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, and Europe.  That certainly isn't a lot, but it's the spirit of the (lack of) announcement that makes this change so poor.

Delta attempted to engender some goodwill by also secretly dropping the price of "High" level business class seats from the U.S. to Southeast Asia from 370,000 Skymiles to 350,000 Skymiles. Unfortunately, that's like offering a 2% discount on a Ferrari.  No one I know is crazy enough to cough up that many miles for an award ticket anyways.

UPDATE: I couldn't make this story up.  When queried about why the award chart changes were made without an announcement, a Delta spokesperson posted this response on Flyertalk, the frequent flyer community message board:

"It works like a pricing change, so legally, we're not allowed to notify folks in advance."

If that statement didn't make you roll your eyes, what's it going to take?  I can't think of another frequent flyer program that doesn't properly communicate changes, for better or worse, in advance to its members.  Even a week's heads up would be better than this!

Bottom line, the value of Delta Skymiles is devalued even more than it already was.  Awards are expensive, hard to come by, and the precedent of sudden award pricing increases makes them a dangerous currency to hoard.

Until tomorrow, everyone!

-Charm City Traveler