Just after touching down at San Francisco International Airport last week, we noted how curiously smooth our travel was from one sometimes-hellish airport (LAX) to another. We're not sure if more travelers opted for the I-5 as predicted, but whatever the case, our trip in the opposite direction was just as uneventful.

This may have something to do with the fact that our flight home was on Monday evening, a full 24-hours after Thanksgiving weekend officially came to a close. The scene outside of SFO was quiet, and we caught a glimpse of some winter-themed projections on the main building. Those artificial snowflakes are the closest the City by the Bay will get to actual flurries this Christmas, unless aberrant weather conditions take over. ]]> Heidi Atwal 2009-12-01T15:15:08-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/29/234913/37

Are you reading this from your desk, or wherever you usually find yourself sipping coffee on a Monday morning? Welcome back! Glad to see that you survived the travel rush, the bingeing of Thanksgiving, and Black Friday. So how did the crazy long weekend go, in terms of travel numbers? It was busy of course, but "not landmark," according to the Chicago Tribune

Weather stayed in the good-to-fair range for most of the country, there were no big airline incidents or glitches, and the only people who clogged up airport security checkpoints were the eager cameramen of local TV news crews, searching for any angle that would make it appear like the airport was as crazy as everyone expected it to be. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-11-30T08:57:14-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/25/145328/59

We witnessed eerie calm at LAX yesterday, but will it stay that way?

This Thanksgiving, story after story about poor economic conditions and travelers' hermetically-sealed pocketbooks have flooded the newswires, and we're wondering if this miserly attitude is affecting your Thanksgiving air travel on the West Coast and beyond.

Quite honestly, we're not sure what to think given some conflicting reports. Outlets like Voice of America claim that Americans are being more fiscally conservative and opting for train and car travel, while The San Francisco Chronicle cites AAA as saying that, at least in California, travel will be up by eight percent from last year by car, train, and plane. ]]> Heidi Atwal 2009-11-25T15:20:24-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/25/14640/168

Over the rivers and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go! Well, wherever you're headed, if you're taking a bus or driving a car to join the 38 million or so others who hit the roads at this time of year, you should leave to us here at Jaunted to see you through the insane travel rush. For a little quick reading with a dash of priceless travel tips, check out these Top 5 Stories To Help You Survive Holiday Car and Bus Travel:

· Our 5 tips for surviving budget bus travel, from past personal experience

· Leave it to the Brits for a great outsider's look at American highways

· Las Vegas-bound? This one's for you

· What to expect from a new Greyhound bus

· Budget bus travel can be enjoyable and fun, we swear!

[Photo: homer4k]]]> JetSetCD 2009-11-25T14:17:31-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/25/115929/70

So maybe you shied away from buying airplane tickets this year or you've always ridden the rails over the holidays; either way leave it to us here at Jaunted to see you through today's insane travel rush. Millions of you will be out there on trains, probably Amtrak, and you'll be anxious to just get to your destination already. For a little quick reading with a dash of priceless travel tips, check out these Top 5 Stories To Help You Survive Holiday Train Travel:

· Explore the train; treat it like an adventure

· Be one with the train, and you may achieve nirvana

· The perfect accessory to long train trips: the 'Skwoosh'

· Bring wet naps and water, lest you end up like these Amtrak passengers

· Opting to upgrade to a room on the train could save your comfort during an 18-hour delay

Bonus story:
· If people do these gross things on flights, then it happens on trains too

[Photo: Jaunted] ]]> JetSetCD 2009-11-25T12:34:38-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/25/104538/70
Be thankful you aren't flying through this airport, even though it doesn't exist.

Whether you're leaving for the airport in a bit, just home from your flight already, or waiting at the gate now, leave it to us here at Jaunted to see you through today's insane travel rush. For a little quick reading with a dash of priceless travel tips, check out these Top 5 Stories To Help You Survive Holiday Air Travel:

· Five Ways To Speed Through Airport Security

· How to Protect Your Stuff at the Baggage Claim

· Five Good Bars at Five Popular Holiday Airports

· Watch Out for the Top 10 Gross Things People Do On Airplanes

· Our GIANT, interactive map of Airport WiFi availability

Bonus stories:
· Know what In-Flight Entertainment you have before boarding your plane
· How To Listen In On Air Traffic Control From Your iPhone ]]> JetSetCD 2009-11-25T11:14:42-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/25/8397/2610

There’s a lot of busy airports around the country today, but hopefully you’ve already made your way through the terminal and are reading this thanks to free in-flight WiFi. If that’s not the case, here’s a few places to relax within some of the nation’s busiest airports.

· LaGuardia Airport - New York City:
The airports in New York are always stressful; after all, they are full of New Yorkers trying to get out of town. If the weather or air traffic has you stuck for a few, take a moment to relax at the Fox Sports Bar and Restaurant in the Delta Terminal. It’s not going to make the list of airport bests, but there’s plenty of beer on tap and you’ll be able to watch football despite being miles away from your home. If anything can cure a Thanksgiving disaster it’s a few beers and some football.

More stress reducing establishments after the break ]]> kjb 2009-11-25T09:42:18-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/