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The days of the all-inclusive airline ticket are gone. In fact, as any traveler knows, lately carriers have added extra fees to offset rising fuel costs, charging for everything from checking baggage and in-flight drinks and food ($7 for a sandwich on United!) to booking international frequent-flier award tickets (Delta recently added a $50 fee). And by the time you read this, the list has undoubtedly already gotten longer.

A recent report by the Business Travel Coalition, a Pennsylvania-based corporate advocacy group, warned that if oil prices continue to increase, almost all major airlines could default on debts by the end of this year or in early 2009. The International Air Transport Association estimates that rising fuel prices will cost the airline industry $176 billion this year alone. While I'm of the opinion that carriers should just raise fares instead of hiding behind that once-complimentary can of soda, I acknowledge that they're in a tough position. The problem: higher ticket prices may make travelers more reluctant to fly, or they may choose another carrier.

I still recall my road warrior days. It seemed like every other week, I was hopping on a plane for Orlando or Vancouver or Palm Springs or Washington or Chicago or Toronto.

It might not be Rome, Paris, and Monte Carlo, but Washington, Toronto and Orlando are pretty classy places. I went to crucial meetings. I was an important person. I was a frequent flyer.

However, after a while, all the towns begin to look the same. One airport hotel looks amazingly like another. Surely the taxi driver in Washington and the taxi in Orlando were twins separated at birth. I was yearning to just stay put. I had had enough of hotels and restaurants

Traveling sounds glamorous until you have to do it over and over and over. Especially when you have a family, you want to spend some time at home between the episodes of jet lag. Comfort becomes a much bigger deal, and you want every place to feel like home.

You just can't do that in a hotel. Not in a Marriott. Not in a Sheraton. Not in a Hilton.

I wish I knew then about two other options.

No trip to French-speaking Canada is complete without a visit to romantic Québec City. There's a definite European sensibility here and you'll feel farther from home then you are, walking down cobblestone streets and stopping in small shops selling everything from pastries and artisanal cheese to antiques and art. For 2008, the city has invited the world to help celebrate its 400th anniversary, and it's sure to be the biggest party north of Montréal.

In This Issue:

How to Avoid Airline Surcharges

Alternatives for Business Travelers

Featured Destination: Quebec

News from Our Office

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TIP: FLY ON A HOLIDAY

Just as the most expensive fares tend to be the days or weekends at either side of a holiday, some of the least expensive are on the holiday itself, especially Christmas and Thanksgiving.

TIP: Fill the rental a few miles from the airport

Gas stations nearest airports and car-rental agencies often charge the highest rates. You can save dollars on a full tank of gas by filling up well away from the airport. But make sure you're not so far away that you'll have less than a full tank of gas when you return your vehicle.