New Springfield to Las Vegas Air Service

As announced in today's State Journal Register....click on the above link to read the story....even better read the comments concerning the flight times and time changes for a few yuks...Allegiant Air announced new non stop air service from Springfield to Las Vegas. Las Vegas is our client's favorite destination. Each year we send hundreds of clients to Las Vegas. Springfield's lack of decent air service to Las Vegas has always been somewhat of a problem. If you really wanted to save money, you really had to drive to St. Louis or perhaps Peoria to meet your goal. If you wanted to fly to Las Vegas from Springfield, be prepared for a long flight...sometimes as long as nine hours because of the connection....and paying $200.00 more than the going rate in St Louis.

No longer is this a problem.

Based on clients' initial reaction, the just announced flights will really be a winner.

Kudos to the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport folks.

What to do?

Back safe and sound from Italy, our WUIS group arrived Wednesday evening in Springfield exhausted and safe. And not without some concern that Tuesday's one day labor strike by Alitalia airlines flight attendants might spill over to the next day when our flight was scheduled to depart. Our concerns were without merit, although every seat in our airplane was filled. We visited with some of the flight attendants and they told us about their concern for their own jobs since the economic future of the airline is not very good.


We have posted more pictures from our trip on our flickr site.

Here is a link to our flickr site.


Italy is intensive living and Rome maximizes it. We managed to pack in as much as we could in our three day stay in Rome. Our group members scattered throughout the city exploring the sites. Some even managed to attend an opera concert the night before we left.

As the group members departed for home from the WUIS studios Wednesday evening, I watched them exchanged hugs and telephone numbers. A very good sign. As an exhausted as she was, I had one group member ask me for she left for home, "Where are we going to next?"

Welcome from Italy

After an incredibly exhausting two days, our WUIS group has settled in to our new temporary home Florence. We traveled from Springfield to Chicago's O'hare , first flying to Milan and then to Rome. From Rome we traveled on another bus to Florence. Very much a long day and members were tired, taking advantage of the bus trip to catch a nap.

Last night we walked to our restaurant justs blocks from the Uffizi . For dinner we shared family style antipasto, several kinds of pasta to sample, steak and italian sausage and a lemon torte for desert.

Our guide led us through the various museums and a walk through Florence.

Tonight, after a surprise cocktail party hosted by the Planet Travel folks, we are off to the May Music Festival concert.

Best Time to Buy Cheap Airfare & Airline Tickets

When is the Best Time to Buy Cheap Airfares?



This article from the web site farecompare.com sheds some light on the murky world of airline fares.

And more importantly they share 7 "cheap airfares and airline ticket insider tips."

WUIS Group Set To Depart May 16, 2007

Bags are getting packed right now, as our group of 32 WUIS listeners are preparing for a trip to Florence and Rome, Italy May 16-23, 2007. You will be able to view photos at the Planet Travel flickr site and read posts from the travelers at our travel insider blog during the trip.

Here is a link to our flickr site


More to follow.

Flying in and out of the USA? You now need a passport.

Americans flying to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean are now subject to a new rule going into effect Tuesday, January 23, 2007 requiring them to show a passport to get back into the country.

Click above for the link to the Department of State outlining the new requirements.

Here is the link to the Passport Services Office with information on how to obtain, replace or change a passport.

Seven Amazing Travel Secrets

Donna Rosato from CNN Money and Money magazine claims;

"When I travel, I almost always get an aisle seat in the front of the plane. I never have a problem upgrading to a nicer room at hotels. And I often drive away from the rental-car lot in something a lot snazzier than the tiny hatchback I paid for online.

How do I do it? It's not what you think.

Yes, I've covered the travel industry for more than a decade, and I've interviewed hundreds of road warriors (and, years ago, was one myself), but I'm not a big frequent flier, and I don't ask my contacts in the travel world for favors. It's just that I've learned how to game the system. "

Read more as she shares some of her secrets.