Do it yourself: Improve your spring break travels

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Before you get on that jet plane or hit the open road, here are some travel tips to save time, money and hassle.

On the road

Photo by Katherine Mulder

Hit the road: Smart and inexpensive travel is the way to go if you are road trippin’ or flying this spring break. AAA has plenty of tips to save some dough for your week-long vacay.

Betty Oliva, AAA club spokeswoman, offers these tips for a road trip:

1. To get an estimate of how much money you will spend on gas, Oliva says, go to www.fuelcostcalculator.com. It calculates fuel cost based on your type of vehicle.

2. Speeding has a price—literally. Each 5 mph driven over 60 mph is like paying an additional 24 cents per mile for gas, according to www.fueleconomy.gov. Oliva says to get more miles per gallon, maintain a steady speed by using cruise control and avoiding rapid stops or acceleration.

3. To keep lodging costs down, look for hotels with special offers and amenities, Oliva says. Many hotels offer amenities such as complimentary breakfasts and discounts, such as for AAA members.

4. Plan for an emergency by keeping all cell phones charged and know how to reach roadside help, Oliva says. Keep important numbers handy.

Leaving on a jet place

Joe McBride, spokesman for the Kansas City International Airport, offers these tips for students flying out of Kansas City International Airport:

1. Sign up to receive text messages that alert you immediately when there are any changes involving your flight, such as delays. Go to www.flykci.com and follow the links to “flight insight” information.

2. Save money parking at the airport. Economy parking is $5.50 a day. McBride says to print out a coupon for a free parking day at www.flykci.com.

3. Don’t think you can arrive at the airport last minute, even if you are a frequent flyer. McBride says spring break means more leisure travelers will be at the airport. Leisure travelers do not fly as often, which means they will be slower going through security and have more questions checking in. Expect to wait.

4. McBride also offers special advice for those traveling to Mexico: Educate yourself on where you are going, pay attention to all alerts, follow all safety advice, and always be aware of your surroundings.

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