Last year, American Express expanded its Platinum card benefits to include a $200 travel credit, which passengers can use to cover everything from baggage check fees to lounge day passes on the airline of their choice. This benefit did not come without some sacrifice, however — AMEX announced that Continental lounge access would be discontinued after September 2011, presumably related to the airline’s merger with United, which does not offer lounge access to AMEX cardholders.

Beginning today, Platinum cardholders who pay the card’s annual fee of $450 (laughable, unless you happen to travel a ton) can now apply for complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which includes access to over 600 airport lounges, with the notable exception of Continental and United lounges (hence the “Select” branding). With the addition of Priority Pass membership, Platinum cardholders now have access to select KAL, Swiss, Air France, and Air Canada lounges, in addition to the US Airways, Delta, and American lounges that already welcome Platinum cardholders. AMEX also announced that Platinum cardholders would be exempt from standard 3% foreign transaction fees, and can also apply for entry into the US Customs and Boarder Protection Global Entry program, with AMEX picking up the $100 application fee. For frequent international travelers, these additional benefits almost make the card a bargain, especially with employers often picking up the $450 tab.

Tis the season of incredible airfares to Europe! I recently returned from a trip to Paris with 10 friends from New York City — we each paid $291 for our airfare, including taxes. Today’s deal to Berlin might have that beat, however, considering you have the option of traveling on an Air France A380. Flights start at $329 roundtrip (depending on dates), including taxes and fees. I decided to fly to Berlin this weekend, paying $381.73 to fly from New York’s JFK airport, with a connection in Paris (which ironically just earned a spot as #2 on my list of airports to avoid for connections in Europe). Low fares are still available for flights booked through April, so head to Air France’s website to book your trip!

I’m not one to spend much time watching amateur videos on YouTube, but I stopped working to watch this video of Space Shuttle Discovery’s final launch — shot from a passenger aircraft flying near Kennedy Space Center — over and over for about 30 minutes. Don’t send me any complaints when you end up doing the same! I’ll let the video speak for itself.

Via geek.com.

It’s not often that I completely disconnect from the wired world, regardless of where I’m traveling, but on my recent trip to Israel, it simply wasn’t logistically possible to post to my blog each day, as I’ve done on every other trip. It wasn’t a vacation, or a media trip — I participated in a program called Taglit-Birthright Israel, which offers a completely free trip to Israel for young adults (18-26) of Jewish descent. As I’ve just about reached the upper age limit, this was my last year of eligibility. Like many other participants, I’ve become secular enough that many of my friends and professional colleagues didn’t even know that I was Jewish, and one of Taglit’s objectives is to help young Jews reconnect with their heritage, and Israel.

I plan to use the next week or two to share some of Israel’s attractions, but please keep in mind that this blog’s roots are certainly not political — it’s really just about cool tech, incredible places, and good food. I’m going to do my best to avoid commenting on the political situation altogether, instead focusing on Israel as a tourist destination. Many other tourists I met weren’t Jewish, and my trip wasn’t religious or political in nature (like the four photos I chose to display here). So, if you care to discuss Israel’s politics, please send me an email, rather than posting a comment here. Because the trip’s objective was far detached from Middle East politics, and access to media was hard to come by, I wasn’t even able to closely follow the events in Egypt until I arrived in Europe, despite being so close to the border.

I hope you enjoy seeing Israel through my eyes — I had an incredible time, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that spending two weeks without Internet was incredibly difficult.

Yesterday I was in Paris, today I’m in Wyoming — and it’s incredible. Jackson Hole is a popular ski destination for West Coasters, but the powder-loving New Yorkers I know tend to head to Vail instead. The Jackson, WY airport (JAC) is quite possibly the tiniest airport I’ve flown into — there isn’t a single jet bridge — but the airport’s size is an excellent representation of the Jackson experience. Don’t get me wrong, tourists certainly outnumber locals in Jackson Hole, but the resort town has managed to attract tourists while maintaining a small town feel, without the overwhelming commercialism found at other North American ski resorts. There’s a Dairy Queen downtown — not a Cheesecake Factory, or Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville — along with a slew of local joints serving game meats, like buffalo and elk.

Initial impressions:

- It was 10 degrees when I landed, but felt like 40 — the dry air really makes a difference.
- The locals are incredibly nice — our taxi driver from the airport even pulled over several times to point out elk and a bald eagle.
- Tomorrow will be awesome — people coming off the mountain were incredibly enthusiastic about the ski conditions, and snow tonight means fresh powder in the morning.

Rather than fly back to JFK with most of the group on 2/2, a few friends and I decided to spend two extra days in Tel Aviv before continuing on to Rome, Florence and Venice. I’m flying back to New York from Paris on Thursday, 2/10, just in time to catch my Friday morning flight to Jackson Hole. This is the low season for real estate, so I can afford to stay away from NYC a little bit longer, and I’m certainly not one to pass up on an adventure. My hotel was just across the street from the U.S. Embassy in Rome (above), so I was able to see an American flag for the first time since leaving New York a little over two weeks ago. I love spending time on the road, but I’m ready for some serious R&R — at home. Just three nights to go!

Planning a trip to the thermosphere on Virgin Galactic? Me too! (Just as soon as Sir Richard offers a press trip.) If you’re ready to pony up the $200,000 airfare (that’s roundtrip, including taxes and a rocket fuel surcharge), then head on over to Kayak.com to book! Simply type “50m” and “90n” in the from and to fields, respectively, select departure and return on the same date, click “first” class (to the right of the number of travelers field), and hit the search button. Unfortunately, you can’t actually book your flight through Kayak — clicking “Select” on the flight details page simply redirects you to Virgin Galactic’s website.

Since your flight into space departs and returns on the same day, spend the night at the Stratosphere (in Vegas) — click the strategically placed “Stratosphere Discounts” link just above the Galactic flight results, bringing your total package price to $200,150. Or, you can add dinner and a show in Vegas for just $50 more (per person), for a grand total of $400,250, assuming you’re planning to bring a friend on your flight 50 miles above the earth’s surface.

The fine print: As you can see from the aircraft description, you’ll be flying on a “Regional Jet,” so board early to avoid gate checking your luggage. Also, you may not have enough time to use the restroom during your 6-minute layover at 50M (see flight details), so take advantage of the facilities at Spaceport America (90N) before boarding.

(Via Jetset Farryn and Mashable.com)

Last year, my business and personal air travel brought me to 25 airports in 11 countries on 3 continents, flying a total of 99,003 miles between January 1 and December 9, 2010 — a mere 997 miles (or one JFK to MCO fight) shy of 100,000 miles.

I flew the greatest number of miles on JetBlue — 33,219 — with most accumulated during September’s All You Can Jet promotion, when I flew a total of 22 JetBlue segments for about $1,000 (including the $699 base price, plus taxes and fees for international flights). I flew 29,357 miles on American Airlines, on just 6 segments — thanks to roundtrip flights to Tokyo and Beijing. I flew 11 segments on Continental and United, totaling 26,083 miles, including a flight to Hong Kong and a return flight from Beijing. I also flew 5,013 miles on Delta (return flight from Athens); 2,311 miles on Asiana (Bangkok to Seoul); 1,071 miles on Royal Jordanian (Hong Kong to Bangkok); 677 miles each on China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines (roundtrip between Beijing and Shanghai); and 595 miles on Korean Air (Seoul to Beijing).

99,003 is the number to beat in 2011. With trips to Honolulu (where I’m currently on an actual vacation), Tel Aviv, Jackson Hole, and Paris planned before the end of February, I’ll have flown about 35,000 miles with 10 months to spare!

In line with the airline’s new “You Above All” campaign — they really seem to love the aviation puns — JetBlue has issued 10,000 TrueBlue Points to customers affected by flights cancelled during the December blizzard. It’s very unusual for an airline to compensate customers after delays or cancellations caused by weather, but JetBlue’s gesture — while unnecessary, as most other carriers would argue — reinforces the low-cost airline’s commitment to customer service, which, when other carriers offer flights at comparable prices on the same routes, is often the only thing that sets an airline apart, for business and casual travelers alike. And, unlike some other airlines, which were uncommunicative during the blizzard, JetBlue increased staff at its call centers and had representatives monitor Twitter 24/7, making every effort to get stranded passengers home, as several friends experienced.

Unlike most other frequent flier programs, which offer domestic reward tickets starting at 25,000 miles, 10,000 TrueBlue Points will cover a roundtrip flight to many East Coast destinations, or a one-way ticket to the West Coast. Points must be claimed (added to your account) by March 1st, so if you’re lucky enough to have scored, follow the instructions in the email to add the Points to your account. According to a JetBlue spokesman, “Customers that were impacted by cancellations between December 26 and December 31, 2010, and booked travel prior to December 25, 2010, were eligible for compensation.” So, if that’s you, “Happy Jetting!”

Chances are, you’re familiar with the ubiquitous American Express Platinum card. That’s right, the $450 charge card (read: balance must be paid off in full each month) that’s difficult to qualify for and, well, carries a $450 annual fee. For the vast majority of us, getting a Platinum card makes absolutely no sense, but I know plenty of frequent travelers (myself included) that absolutely swear by it.

Here’s the deal: for $450 per year, you get a card (think of it as more of a membership card than a charge card — I rarely use mine for purchases) that gets you into multiple airline lounges, including American Airlines Admirals Club, Delta Sky Club, and — even when you’re flying another airline — US Airways Club. Once inside, you’ll have access to all the amenities that paying customers do, including free drinks and snacks, showers, Wi-Fi, priority rebooking, and comfortable seating. You also get SPG Gold status at Starwood Hotels (Westin, Sheraton, W, St. Regis, etc.), and access to the Platinum Concierge — a powerful network of representatives who can help you score a table at a “fully booked” restaurant, plan trip itineraries, and even help find short-term apartment rentals overseas (I’ve used this service to find awesome apartments in Hong Kong and Paris). They’ll also help you charter a jet, if that’s your thing.

This year, AMEX launched an additional service as well, in response to the Continental/United merger (which resulted in Continental’s Presidents Club revoking access privileges to Platinum cardholders). Cardholders now get a $200 airline credit each year, which covers everything from checked baggage fees to in-flight drinks. There is a catch, however — the credit only applies to charges on a participating airline that you must select online before you fly. I chose Continental/United (which already counts as one airline, as far as AMEX is concerned). Astute cardholders also had access to the $200 credit for the month of December (see screenshot from my account above), and as the credit resets each year on January 1st, there was a limited window of time to use the credit before it expired. Luckily, I had several December flights booked on Continental and United, and purchased a United Red Carpet Club day pass ($50), and a lot of in-flight snacks and drinks to share with new friends on my flights.