Of course, one can always try for five-star treatment for less than four figures: Travelers' Tales rolls out its version of the spend-less-get-more dream in April with the third edition of The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel: The Art of Cultivating Preferred Customer Status. As editor-at-large Sean O'Reilly puts it, “The basic issue really is that even in a down economy, people look for good deals—whether it's in luxury travel or otherwise.”

Publisher Weekly
January 28, 2008

I was going through my Google reader this morning and came across an article on Forbes.com entitled "The Sky Isn't Falling." A great title always ropes me in, and it turns out it was a column by travel consultant Joel Widzer actually defending the airlines.
Widzer, who has racked up more than 3 million frequent flyer miles, says that the airlines have been given a bad rap by bloggers he calls "laptop-toting experts, many of whom openly despise all things airlines." Instead, he points out how airlines are major drivers of economic development. It's a good read. Enjoy!

Things with Wings
The Commercial Aviation Blog Feb-2008

If you’re looking to save travel bucks without sacrificing style, this title by Travelers’ Tales Guides will give you major can-do strategies. Joel Widzer covers techniques, programs and strategies for receiving high end luxury treatment with hotels, airlines and rental car companies.

He also addresses such topics as where to invest your tip monies, traveling against the grain for cost savings and developing program loyalties to get the most for luxury upgrades across the board. If you have champagne travel taste on a Motel Six budget, this book might
be just what you’re looking for.

Wanderlust Feb 2008