Business Travel Tips

Launched in 2007, the paperless boarding pass is now available in 30 airports in the U.S.
The blog of the Transport Security Administration (TSA) published the updated list of the airports offering the service, with also the participating airlines.

- Airports:

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Newark International (EWR), Boston Logan International (BOS), Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS), San Antonio International (SAT), Cleveland Hopkins (CLE), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Indianapolis International (IND), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW), Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP), Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), Chicago O’Hare International (ORD), John Wayne, Orange County, CA (SNA), Los Angeles International (LAX), Las Vegas McCarran (LAS), Memphis (MEM), Atlanta Hartsfield International (ATL), Salt Lake City International (SLC), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG), San Francisco International (SFO), San Diego International (SAN), Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL), Tampa International (TPA), Portland International (PDX), Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), Charlotte Douglas International (CLT), New Orleans International (MSY), Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), Orlando International (MCO)

- Airlines:

Continental: IAH, DCA, EWR, BOS, AUS, SAT, CLE, LGA, LAS, SFO, ORD, LAX, SAN, FLL, TPA, PDX, PHX, CLT, MSY, RDU, MCO

Delta/Northwest: ATL, LAS, MEM, MSP, DET, SLC, CVG

Delta only: LGA

Northwest only: IND

Alaska: SEAAmerican: ORD, SNA, LAX

- How paperless boarding pass works
Any cell phone or PDA that can receive and open attachments can be used. A 2-D bar code is sent to your cell phone/PDA, you open the attachment, scan it, and presto, you’re on the way through the checkpoint and to your gate. (source: TSA)

The number of U.S. airports offering seasonal flu shots is expected to increase during the 2009 flu season.

Several airport clinics began offering seasonal flu shots to the public back around Labor Day, even though the official flu season doesn’t usually begin until October.

For now, it’s the seasonal flu vaccine being offered, however when the H1N1 flu vaccine will become available, it’s possible that some state health departments will decide to make the vaccine available through airport clinics.

Here is the list of U.S. airports — complete of clicnic location, cost of vaccine and schedule — offering seasonal flu shots.

You can save up to 25 percent at Starwood hotels in Asia Pacific and Australia. Plus, breakfast will be included.

In order to take advantage of the Starwood’s promotion you have to book a hotel room 30, 21, 14 or seven days ahead of your arrival date.
Stays must be booked and completed by October 31.

Find out details of this sale at starwoodsmartsavers.com.

British Airways has launched a fare sale on flights to Europe from select U.S. cities.

An example of the BA discount fares to Europe: New York to Madrid start from as low as $190 each-way, not including taxes and fees.

To take advantage of the promotion you have to book by Sept. 24.
Travel period: between Oct. 22 and March 28, 2010; black-out dates are Dec. 21, 22 and 23.

Below’s a sampling of discounted flights from U.S. to Europe British Airways is offering. Please note: fares are one-way, based on round-trip purchase, taxes and fees are not included.
Atlanta to Amsterdam from $278
Boston to Frankfurt from $242
Chicago to Rome from $215
New York to Madrid from $190
New York to Rome from $208
New York to Rome from $252
San Francisco to Paris from $304
Washington, D.C. to London from $218

British Airways is also offering packages (flight + 3-night hotel) starting at $575 per person (taxes and fees are not included).
You can find details of the BA’s fare sale here.

Continental Airlines is offering discounted flights to Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Tokyo from select U.S. cities.

Below a sampling of the Continental’s discounted flights to Asia. The fares listed are round-trip. Taxes and fees are not included.

New York/Newark, NJ (EWR – Liberty) Shanghai (PVG – Pu Dong): $678
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR – Liberty) Hong Kong (HKG): $686
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR – Liberty) Tokyo, Japan (NRT – Narita): $730
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR – Liberty) Beijing (PEK – Capital): $758
Boston, MA (BOS) Tokyo (NRT – Narita): $782
Houston, TX (IAH – Intercontinental) Tokyo (NRT – Narita): $798
Boston, MA (BOS) Hong Kong (HKG): $825
Houston, TX (IAH – Intercontinental) Hong Kong (HKG): $836
Boston, MA (BOS) Beijing (PEK – Capital): $905
Cleveland, OH (CLE) Shanghai (PVG – Pu Dong): $930
Houston, TX (IAH – Intercontinental) Shanghai (PVG – Pu Dong): $930

Find out details on the Continental’s discount airfares page.