Business Travel Management

CNNMoney reports that after a sharp drop last year, more Americans are expected to travel for the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday, although travel by air will decline 6.7%, according to a forecast from motorist group AAA issued Wednesday.

AAA said that 38.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the Thanksgiving weekend, an increase of 1.4% from last year, when 37.8 million traveled.

Driving will account for most of the travel increase, with 33.2 million Americans expected to travel by car, up 2.1% from the 2008 season, according to AAA. 

Glen MacDonell, director of travel services for AAA, said in a press release that the projected increase is "another hopeful sign that economic conditions are stabilizing and improving in some areas."

SeatGuru®, on online resource for airline information, has released its pick of the top five domestic airports to be stuck at, should travelers experience flight delays in their upcoming holiday travel season. The top five airports are San Francisco, Salt Lake City International, Portland (Oregon) International, McCarran International in Las Vegas, and Miami. Portland (PDX) was named Nation's Best Airport by Conde Nast Traveler three years in a row. PDX is eco-friendly (new solar panels produce electricity and the Best of Nike store is powered by 75% solar energy), has free Wi-Fi, no sales tax and local restaurants have a strong presence with eateries such as Pizza Schmizza, Rose City Cafe and Laurelwood Brewing Company calling it home.

SeatGuru founder Matt Daimler says, "We've picked these airports because of their amenities and attractions designed to help travelers relax and be entertained and pampered during any unfortunate, extended layovers."

The $10 and $20 surcharges that air travelers are paying this Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's are generating so much extra money that three airlines are extending them – and increasing them up to $50 – all the way to Memorial Day, according to USA TODAY.

A fourth airline, US Airways, is imposing a different new surcharge equal to 5% of the fare price on all domestic flights starting May 8.

United began the new round of surcharges, and so far only Delta and its subsidiary, Northwest, have matched them, leaving open the possibility for consumers that the surcharges could be rescinded if other airlines don't rush in, too.

Airline passengers are already accustomed to paying for a variety of onboard offerings, including food, drinks, headsets and pillows. Now, American Airlines is taking the retail concept one step further by selling Heathrow Express train tickets on flights to London, according to The New York Times. The carrier is also offering inflight Wi-Fi access, where passengers can shop the SkyMall site. "We wouldn't invest if we didn't feel comfortable it would provide a fair rate of return," said John Tiliacos, American Airlines' managing director of onboard products. "Given where we find ourselves as an industry, financially it behooves us to identify every source of revenue we can identify." Other airlines declined to talk on the record about their plans, but nearly all the major carriers acknowledged that they were working on expanding retail offerings, however, whether air travelers open up their wallets once the aircraft pushes back from the gate remains to be seen.