MDTrip Report: Colorado Springs, CO

Broadmoor Resort

Looking for an interesting summer vacation destination?  We encourage you to visit Colorado Springs, Colorado.  There are several attractions for all ages located in Colorado Springs, not to mention the breathtaking scenery around every turn. 

If you’re looking for a place to stay in the area, you cannot go wrong staying at The Broadmoor Resort.  The Broadmoor has three 18-hole golf courses with some of the most impressive views of the Rockie Mountains.  Along with the golf courses, there are several other activities for families such as horseback riding, swimming, paddle boats and much more.  After a long day of golf and hiking, The Broadmoor also has a spa to help you relax.

We also encourage you to visit the Garden of the Gods Park, which is a National Natural Landmark.  Here you can take a guided tour, hike or bike ride through some of the best views of Pikes Peak and tall sandstone rock formations.  A tour will teach you about the cultural history and geology of the Colorado Springs area. 

Garden of the Gods

 After viewing Pikes Peak from the Garden of Gods Park, take a short trip over to get an up close view of the peak 14,115 feet above sea level.  In order to reach the summit you can hike, drive or even catch a ride on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.  If you are an adventurous person consider riding a bike 20 miles down the Pikes Peak Highway with the Challenge Unlimited Tour. 

Need even more of an adrenaline rush?  Located a quick hour away from Colorado Springs is the Echo Canyon River Expeditions where there are several different white water rafting options.  They have choices from a family rafting trip to the high adventurous class V rapids trip. 

Olympic Training Center

So you need a break from all of the high adventure?  Take a tour of the United States Air Force Academy with several aircraft exhibits.  Next on the tour list is the U.S. Olympic Training Center where athletes train for the Olympic Games.  A third great attraction to visit is the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum located downtown, with several exhibits to learn about the local history. 

There is much more than that to see and do in Colorado Springs so feel free to ask us.  You can also find more info by visiting www.visitcos.com/.        

Wanna visit Colorado Springs?  You can reach this lovely city with one connection from MDT.  Frontier Airlines has recently announced nonstop flights between Denver and Colorado Springs - so by booking your flight from MDT to DEN, you can then connect to Colorado Springs on the same airline! 

Gobble up Thanksgiving Travel tips!

Thanksgiving travel is upon us! 

For those of you traveling to visit family for the holidays between now and the end year, we have a few helpful travel tips to fly your way!

The key for a successful and less stressful trip is to be prepared. By following these simple suggestions, traveling to/from Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), or any airport for that matter, will a bit easier and more convenient:

1) Be an informed packer!  Know the security rules before you pack. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a 3-1-1 campaign to educate travelers on the carry-on baggage restrictions. For specific details, visit www.tsa.dhs.gov before you pack your bags.

2) Keep flight info handy! Call your airline’s toll-free flight tracking phone number or visit their website to set up email/text alerts for updates on your flight before coming to the airport. Flight status information is also available on your airline’s website.

3) Arrive early! Arrive at a MDT parking lot about 90-minutes before your scheduled departure.

4) Know where to park! Follow the signs and park in the Long Term/Economy lot. Shuttle buses run (24 hours a day) every 8-10 minutes from the numbered shelters in the lot and brings you curbside at the terminal building.

5) Picking up a guest? When picking up a passenger arriving at MDT, please use our free cell phone lot until your passenger arrives. Federal security mandates prohibit parking along the terminal curbside. Only the active loading and unloading of a vehicle is permitted in front of the terminal building.

6) Don't wrap your gifts just yet! Regarding the holiday gifts and food you want to travel with: gifts packed in your carry-on and checked luggage should be unwrapped. Don't pack snow globes in your carry-on luggage, please put them in your checked luggage. Please be sure to review the TSA's policies for how to travel with holiday foods.

Finally, we ask that you bring patience and a smile! Generally the weather looks good nationwide for the upcoming holiday travel week, however delays can happen at any time. The airlines want to get you to your destination safely and on time, while the TSA has a responsibility to make sure that everyone getting on an aircraft is doing so without any prohibited items.

What do you still have questions about that we've not covered? 

Guest Blog: Oh Right ... a Vacation

Today we'd like to introduce the next guest blog in our new mini series: Remembering 2010 Travels. Our third guest blogger is Robert Mark, a man who wears many hats, edits the award-winning industry blog Jetwhine.com. A commercial pilot, he's also the CEO of CommAvia, an aviation marketing communications company based in Evanston, IL.

When you've spent most of your life climbing into or out of airplanes like me – I've been a pilot all my life - the adventure of jumping on one from Chicago's O'Hare for fun can get kinda lost sometimes. This year though, when my wife signed up for an August conference in San Diego, I decided it was time to throw caution to the wind, no more Mr. Boring. After the conference, we were taking THE family vacation.

All kidding aside, the idea really evolved when my wife Nancy and I realized our 16-year old daughter soon not want to travel anywhere with us. My wife is always up for a trip and this time, my daughter – a budding actress – bought the idea right away when I mentioned the first few nights would be in LA. After Los Angeles we'd head east toward the desert and the Grand Canyon then south to Sedona – where we spent our honeymoon - and finally on to Phoenix for the plane ride back home.

The trip to San Diego was easy on the airlines with plenty of options from Chicago, even though we used mileage points on American for everything. Out of Harrisburg it's US Airways through Philadelphia (PHL) or on Delta through Atlanta (ATL). We rented an SUV for the week or so we'd be gone and that truly was one of the most expensive parts of the trip – about $750. But it did offer us plenty of flexibility for sightseeing and dinners.

I've been to LA plenty of times, but never took a studio tour. We signed up for the visit to Paramount, home of Star Trek and Glee. The cost per ticket was about $40, but it was worth every penny. Tours were in groups of six maximum which offered plenty of time for wandering and asking questions. I had no idea, for instance, that this was the same place once run by Lucille Ball. Her presence – and her pictures - are everywhere on the lots. The place is also filled with memorabilia of the hundreds of stars we've come to love over the years. Much to the dismay of my daughter, the Glee studio was closed so they could await the arrival of Brittany Spears.

The trip to the desert was amazing as we sped east out of LA on I15 to connect up with I40 toward Mojave. Within an hour the mountains east of LA had become desert. Nothing prepared us though for the dust storm as we arrived in Needles on the California/Arizona state line. I thought it was a rain shower until it hit. Can't imagine how folks live there.

We made it to Williams AZ for the night where the hotel was, well, interesting to say the least. Suffice it to say that my choice of places to spend the night in Williams before making the trek to the Grand Canyon would be the railway hotel. The place is new, clean and inexpensive. Best of all, the train trip from Williams to the Canyon the next morning is an easy two-hour journey with entertainment enroute offered up by actors and musicians. Nothing quite prepared me for the grandeur of the Grand Canyon, a place I've flown over thousands of times but never actually visited up close. We had a fellow from China shoot our Christmas card photo with the canyon as a backdrop. The cafe on the east side of the canyon in the park near the railway station is awesome, although I'll be darned if I can remember the name of the place.

The next morning we headed east toward Flagstaff and then south along AZ 89 toward Sedona. Even in an SUV, the trip down the winding road from Flagstaff where the elevation is about 7,000 feet to Sedona's more comfortable 4,500 feet means an exciting trip around dozens of mountains on the way down. What's really spectacular is the road since it has no fencing along the way. Miss a turn and the trip would have ended rather abruptly. It was a toasty 90 or so in Sedona when we arrived. We headed right for the Pink Jeep Tour I remembered from 18 years earlier. Don't miss this ride out into the desert and up into the hills around Sedona. The scenery is nothing short of spectacular. I grabbed one of the Pink Jeep models to put on my desk back home. I like remembering trips when they're fun, even if I did drive most of the thousand miles we covered in our eight days together.

We all agreed this one was great as we left Sedona for Phoenix and the comfort of a real bed at the house of some friends before the airline trip back home. By next summer my daughter would be thinking about college and getting away from mom and dad. I think I already missed this vacation when I saw the Christmas cards go out a few months later. Now I can look over and smile at the Pink Jeep on my desk.

Have you spent any time vacationing on the West Coast, where would you recommend? Does Robert's post inspire you to head west?

Guest Blog: Flying With Kids

Late last week we asked a question on our fan page wall about flying with children and if parents enjoyed doing so. We received a quick positive response from fan Jessica J.W. Baker and she also had a plethora of helpful tips for making flying with your children enjoyable. We asked her to put all of those tips into a blog post, happy reading! And, thanks to Jessica for this insightful and practical information.

When Harrisburg International Airport (via Facebook) posed the question, “Do you fly with your children, and do you enjoy doing so?,” I immediately replied “Yes and yes.”

In response, HIA asked if I had any tips to share with parents who might be traveling with children for the first time this holiday season, and my mind raced!

Our 5 year old daughter (who first flew when she was 10 months old) loves to fly as much as we do, so it’s never really been a challenge for us to hop on a plane. In fact, as she loves to observe and learn, my “teacher-brain” tends to kick in, and we use the trip as an excuse to explore something new.

So, here are a few ideas you may find helpful when preparing to travel with children.

1. Whenever possible, give the child a window seat!!!

2. Prepare a special bag of "dollar store-ish" finds (like bags of birthday party favors, a new paperback book to read together, etc.) that are to be opened on the plane, one-by-one, [periodically] throughout the flight(s).

3. For even more fun, wrap the surprises in coloring book pages (or online find print-outs), and make the first present the child opens be a pack of crayons or colored pencils.

4. Glow in the dark figures (we have a tendency to go with packs of glowing dinosaurs) are great. Turn on the overhead reading light, hold the animal up for a few seconds, then allow the child to curl up in the corner of the seat and "peek" at the toy in the dark. Then they turn into great toys to play with and read to, as well as provide the child someone else to “teach” about all of the cool things they are learning on their trip.

4a. Make sure you also pack a few extra Ziploc bags, in case the packaging is not reusable. Don’t want the little creatures falling all over the floor and all through your carry on when you disembark!

5. DEFINITELY take advantage of "early boarding" if available, and,

6. Once you get to your seat and stow all items, head to the bathroom of the plane and let the child check it out and use it. Then, if the child needs to go during the flight at some point, all aspects are familiar and he/she is already familiar with the feeling from being there while on the ground. It's such a different experience, too, that it's often like a mini-field trip during the middle of the flight - great when restlessness sets in.

7. Before takeoff, ask the flight crew if they have five or six extra, "prepackaged" hand wipes. Inevitably something will hit the floor or get shoved into some little crevice, and you'll want to give it a quick wipe-down before the child resumes playing with it. If you can't take your own due to lack of storage in your carry on, etc., the flight crew is usually willing to give you a few.

8. Instead of making the flight simply a "way to get somewhere better," make it sound like the biggest part of the adventure. Take a map of the area over which you will be flying and share what is under/near you as you travel. Explore the nooks and crannies of the plane, let the child make a list of questions to ask the flight crew (even if they want to write them a note and ask the steward to fill in the answers and give it back if he/she has time), and ENJOY IT TOGETHER!

9. Use the available in-flight magazines as a source of a game. Perhaps a "scavenger hunt" for select letters, words and/or pictures (dependent upon the age of the child), or - one of our favorites - "If You Had All The Money In The World, What Would You Buy For...?" Randomly name a friend or family member, and look through the magazines together, searching for something that you would buy for that person – really matching it to his/her personality and interests. If you're on a REALLY long flight, your surprise bag could include index cards and a glue stick, and the child could tear out each selected picture/item and make a card for each person, writing about why he/she chose that specific gift. Upon arrival, the child will have something to give to that special person…or even mail as a postcard! :)

10. Remember to plan and pack things for the trip home – before the trip even begins! Don’t depend upon having extra time to pull something together during your trip, and don’t depend upon exhaustion to bring sleep on the flight home. Flight delays do occur, and you will save A LOT of time and money by planning a few things (like those listed above) “just in case.” Also, catching a glimpse of a bag labeled “SURPRISES FOR THE FLIGHT HOME” gives the child something to look forward to throughout the trip, and you’re less likely to encounter your child’s “evil twin” as you pack up to get back on the plane.

Your trip’s itinerary should not start when the plane arrives at your destination and end when the plane takes off to head home. As soon as you leave your house, the adventure begins, and the more you make of it, the easier it will be…for everyone!
____________________________________
J.J.W. Baker
December 4, 2010

Have you used any of these tips that Jessica recommends, or something similar? What more can you add to her suggestions?

Air Travel with Tiny Tots

Recently one of our Twitter followers, @Tleaving, asked for insight on making traveling with an infant less stressful. While we cannot guarantee a hassle-free trip when traveling under any circumstances, not just when flying with a little one, we advocate educating yourself as much as possible prior to departure. Knowledge is power when traveling.

But, back to the subject at hand, flying with baby. How do you make it easier? With this question in mind we forraged through the interweb and found a whole host of tips, tricks and secrets that are intended to help you, the parents!

We started with the new website, ByeByeWithBaby.com. This robust site compiles a comprehensive listing of places where mothers can nurse, change diapers and other family friendly locations. They contacted all of the airports in the country, including HIA, and logged locations of nursing rooms, changing tables and play areas for children.

Before you arrive at any airport for a trip, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Transporation Security Administration's (TSA) policies for clearing the security checkpoint efficiently with your children and their carry-on belongings. A full run-down of what we're about to paraphrase is available online.

When packing a your children's carry-on please note that medications, formula, juice and breast milk are permitted in reasonable quantities and are not required to be in the zip lock baggy with your gels, aerosols and other liquids. The TSA recommends only carrying liquids and gels that are needed for you and your child's immediate comfort.

When queing at the security checkpoint begin by collapsing and folding up strollers and other child-related equipment as all kiddie items, including diaper bags, toys, blankets, strollers, car seats, backpacks, baby slings, etc must go through the x-ray machine; there no exeptions. If these items will not fit on the conveyor belt to go through the machine, please be prepared for a TSA employee to hand inspect that item.

You and your munchkin need to walk through the metal detector after all of your items are on the conveyor belt. You are permitted to carry your child through and will not be separated from your child at any point during this process. If you need an extra hand gathering your items from the x-ray machine once you've cleared security, feel free to ask a TSA employee for assistance.

Oh, and another quick security checkpoint tip, as this question is frequently asked, if your child is under 18 and flying with you, you do NOT need ID for them.

FlyingwithKids.com had much to say about what to do once you've arrived at the airport and after security, so we pulled out what we found to be the most helpful of their tips:

• When you've checked in for your flight, ask the attendant if the flight is full. If it's not an overly full flight some airlines will allow you to move your seat next to a vacant one which affords you more room for you and your child.
  
• Keep a small bag with a diaper, wipes, and rash cream readily available for those unexpected "uh ohs" that happen!


• If you have a larger, squirmier child that requires a diaper change once you're on the plane, as the flight crew if they have a space you can use to change the diaper, as the changing tables in some aircraft bathrooms are quite small.


• ALWAYS test the temperature of in-flight meals before sharing them with your children, often the foods are quite hot.


• Disposable bibs are a great must-have for in-flight meals.


• If you have formula that needs warmed, you are often able to ask the flight crew to warm it for you with enough notice.


• Most strollers do not fit in the overhead bins of smaller aircraft, research the bin restrictions of the aircraft you're flying on before you get there.


• An infant front-pack is often helpful for carrying your baby when you're also trying to haul luggage with you through a terminal.


• If you don't purchase a seat for your child (under the age of 2) you will be expected to hold the child during the flight.


• Print out a copy of the Federal Aviation Administration's Childproof your Flight brochure, you won't regret it!

One final tip that we'd recommend is bringing along items that you know are familiar and comforting to your children: a favorite, toy, blanket or book. And, if your child is of an age that you can explain to them a basic understanding of what it's like to fly on a plane, prepare them for what to expect.

There are many, many resources online for increasing the success of your air travel experience with your children. We recommend additionally perusing:

• 5Ts to Happy Travel with Tots


• Before You Travel by Air with Baby

Have we missed anything you think is pertinent to traveling with your children? What tips and tricks can you offer to parents of young children for air travel?

Lady Travel Talk: My Must-haves When Traveling Internationally

We are pleased to introduce our 8th guest blogger of the Lady Travel Talk, a mini-series tailor made for female travelers. This series covers a host of topics related to the travel experiences of each of the ladies contributing to the series.

Today's guest blogger Benet J. Wilson is a reporter for Aviation Week. She oversees the Aviation Week business aviation channel at aviationweek.com/biz. You can read more from Benet on her personal travel blog as well.

Today Benet describes what she's not willing to travel without when flying internationally.

Before I had my daughter four years ago, I was a regular world traveler. But after she was born, I cut back – drastically – because I hate being away from her for too long.

But it was back in the saddle for me recently when I was sent to Geneva, Switzerland, to cover the 2010 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, the industry show of record for this region of the world. I was going to be there for a week, and I was excited to be leaving the country again after more than two years from my last trip.

So it was time to take out the suitcase and start packing. I have the I Heart Travel-Packing app on my iPod Touch, because my memory isn’t what it used to be, so I need all the help I can get. Believe me, it is NOT fun to realize you've reached your destination and forgotten to pack underwear. This app has sample lists for men and women; it also allows you to create your own list and create a master catalog where you can drag items for new lists. Plus if the worst happens – lost luggage – you have a list of what you packed.

I usually choose a neutral color theme – blue, black or taupe/beige – and pack accordingly. It’s amazing how an outfit can look different with a different jacket, sweater, scarf or accessories, and I chose black for this trip. I also take an extra pair of shoes.

There are also things I refuse to leave home without. One is a roll of toilet paper. Yes. TP. No offense, but European toilet paper is pretty harsh, and after a day I am not happy. I bring my own wash cloths. Again, European hotels don’t tend to have them in restrooms, and I like having my own. I also bring a vial of Dr. Brommer’s liquid Peppermint soap for its myriad uses – body wash, clothing wash and soothing foot wash after a long day of hoofing it at shows.

In my purse, I keep the following: hand sanitizer, Ibuprofen, Claratin allergy medicine, Tylenol PM, Neosporin, Cortisone, Band-Aids, hand lotion and cough drops. I also keep baby wipes from when my daughter was younger. They serve myriad purposes, including hand cleaner, facial refresher and seatback tray table and lav cleaner.

I have a back pack that holds all my work equipment (laptop computer, iPod, digital camera, video camera, chargers, notebooks, pens, etc.). I love the Bijoux Terner $10 dollar stores at airports across the U.S., and I love their pashima scarves. They can serve as a pillow, a blanket and a stylish wrap year round. I also keep portable snacks and a small emergency kit with vitals in case my luggage gets lost (and it has happened several times).

I hope my tips have helped. I’d love to know: what items are must-take for you on trips? What do you keep in your carry-on bag? What are some of your packing tips?

Travel Tips, Revisited

For those of you traveling to visit family between now and the end year, we have a few more helpful travel tips to fly your way!

Regarding holiday gifts and food:

• Gifts packed in your carry-on and checked luggage should be unwrapped.
• Don't pack snow globes in your carry on luggage, please pack them in your checked luggage.
• Please be sure to review how to travel with holiday foods.

For a full run down on HIA's holiday travel tips visit our web site.

What do you still have questions about that we've not covered? We hope our tips contribute to making your trip to Tulsa to visit Aunt Bea and her world famous fruit cake as stress-free as possible! Although, we you'll have to buy your own roll of Tums to help digest that fruit cake!

Making Holiday Travel Bearable

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money. -Susan Heller

Travel tips to help you breath a bit easier during your holiday travel experience.

The key for a successful and less stressful trip is to be prepared. By following these five simple suggestions, traveling into or out of HIA, or any airport for that matter, will be easy and convenient:

1) Know the security rules before you pack. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a 3-1-1 campaign to educate travelers on the carry-on baggage restrictions. For specific details, visit www.tsa.dhs.gov before you pack your bags.

2) Call your airline’s toll-free flight tracking phone number for an update on your flight before coming to the airport. Flight status information is also available on each airline’s website.

3) Arrive at an HIA parking lot about 90-minutes before your schedule departure.

4) Follow the signs and park in the Long Term/Economy lot ($7.00 per day). Shuttle uses run every 8-10 minutes from the numbered shelters in the lot and bring you directly to the terminal building.

5) When picking up or dropping off a passenger, park on the second or third floor of the garage. The garage rate is just $1.10 for the first hour (additional rate information). Federal security mandates prohibit parking along the terminal curbside. Only the active loading and unloading of a vehicle is permitted in front of the terminal building.

Finally, we ask that you remember to bring a smile and be patient. Generally the weather looks good nationwide for the upcoming holiday travel week, however delays can happen at any time. The airlines want to get you to your destination safely and on time, while the TSA has a responsibility to make sure that everyone getting on an aircraft is doing so without any prohibited items.

Have we missed any tips that you think would be helpful to other travelers? We'll include your feedback and suggestions on our travel tips section of our web site as well.

Traveling with Junior

For today's blogging purposes, this is Junior.

"In America, there are two classes of travel:
First class, and with children." -Robert Benchley

Okay, parents, let's face it, traveling with your children is at times an exercise in humility. You have high hopes and expectations for how your trip will go, but Junior has other ideas. Whether he's in diapers relying on your for every need or moodily listening to his iPod barely acknowledging your existence; kids alter the way you travel.

Traveling with your mini me doesn't have to be burdensome, in fact, it can be quite fun, if you're in the know! You need to know what to do when different situations present themselves. For starters, how about making reservations for your child(ren) to fly? If your tot is under the age of two, you don't need a seat for him, you can hold your infant/toddler while you fly. However, once he reaches the age of two, Junior will need his own seat reservation. And, your young'n needs to be in a booster seat just as he would when in your personal vehicle.

Okay, so you've reserved your seats on the plane for you and Junior. Now what? Well, how about packing for baby? What you take along for your and your little one will be scanned at the security checkpoint if you're carrying on an appropriately sized bag or two, and all other luggage you take will be scanned once checked with your airline. The Transportation Security Administration has a great section on their web site to help make your packing and subsequent checkpoint experiences as hassle-free as possible. A few key points about taking your kiddos through the security checkpoint:

• The TSA employees are not here to harass your kids, they have every intent on working with you as much as possible to keep Junior happy while going through the checkpoint process.

• If you don't suspect your stroller, diaper bag, etc will fit through the bag scanner, you need to let a TSA employee know in advance. Hand scanning is available for over sized items.
  

• Your child needs snacks and drinks while on the plane? You may take breast milk, juice, or formula in your carry-on in reasonable amounts greater than the mandated 3 ounces.
  
  
• It is your responsibility to review what you can and cannot take on the plane for Junior. Please don't get upset with the checkpoint personnel if they tell you cannot take prohibited items on the plane.
  

Okay, so you've made it through the checkpoint successfully and you're now waiting in the gate area for your flight to arrive. Junior is happily camped out in his stroller while you're between reading the paper and attending to him. Before you know it, the airline gate agent announces via the intercom that XYZ airline is to begin boarding for your flight from HIA to your vacation destination. Let's run through the easy way to get on the plane with a little one. Make sure all of his items are packed away, that his stroller, if you're traveling with it, is collapsed for easy transport and stowing on the plane, and that you got him with you. If Junior is over two, and mobile [requiring his own seat on the plane], we'd recommend that mom or dad hold onto his boarding pass at all times during travel. This lessens the likelihood that it gets lost and enables all of you to get through your travels more quickly. So the gate agent's called for your seat assignments to board, and you make your way to on to the plane.

You make your way onto the aircraft and find your seats. Let's assume for our blogging purposes that Junior is a lap-sitter, and you're sharing a seat. You have his drinks, snacks and entertainment stowed at your feet under the seat in front of you for ease of access. As your row mates are filing onto the plane, you discover the fine seat occupant to your left has an apparent disdain for your infant. What do you do? How do you handle a fellow traveler who seems, for whatever reason as your flying, annoyed with your child?

The plane's been boarded, door closed, and the aircraft is being pushed back from the gate. You begin taxiing and your flight is taking it's spot in line for take-off. In an ideal situation you discover that Junior has fallen asleep, or is happily busying himself with one of his toys. However, you discover that your little one is not real happy with the prospect of being confined to your lap, or worse yet, has taken ill with what seems to be motion sickness. What do you do when your young, primarily non-verbal child(ren) are ill or unhappy while in-flight?

Let's assume that today's flight is headed for a warm-weather vacation in Orlando. Your flight is about to land at Orlando International Airport (MCO) and AirTran Airways has been your airline today. You've had a safe, uneventful, and successful flight. You land, deplane and enter the terminal in search of your Mickey Mouse car service. With Junior, the rest of the family, and all of your gear in tow, you head out to the curb, find your awaiting Magic Kingdom chauffeur and are well on your way to your family vacation!

What have you found to be successful tips for making family vacations successful? Where are some of your favorite family-friendly destinations to visit?

Summer Traveling!

We're in the midst of the busy travel season, the time right before Labor Day unofficially closes out summer and the kids head back to school.

Looking for some last minute ideas on where to travel to? The 6 airlines serving HIA have daily nonstops to: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago - O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington - Dulles. Not seeing the ideal vacation destination in that list, why not connect? There are 100s of connections available over any of those 13 cities on the airlines serving HIA.

Everyone knows that HIA is convenient. But thanks to offerings like AirTran Airways’ daily low fares and nonstop flights to Orlando and Atlanta, fares to most destinations are as affordable as ever. In fact, the average airfare across most destinations from MDT in 2009 is down by nearly 15%!