Expedia.com Offers 10 Tips for Turbulence-Free Holiday Travel

Company Taps 10 Years of Experience to Advise Travelers on Navigating Crowded Skies, Highways and Hotels This Holiday Season

BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 16, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall

Crowded airplanes, congested freeways and lots of packed gifts in luggage can make the holiday season a stressful time to travel.

But it doesn't have to be the least wonderful time of year. Expedia.com (R), the world's leading online travel agency, offers advice for making holiday travel a more enjoyable and stress- free experience, with tips for finding the best deals, knowing the least crowded times to fly, getting a hotel room that fits any family on any budget and taking advantage of last-minute travel deals.

Top 10 Holiday Travel Tips

1. Book holiday travel as early as possible. Once the peak holiday travel season hits, it is unlikely fares on popular routes will see much discounting.

2. Moving your departure by one or two days can save you money. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are often less expensive days to fly. The days immediately before and after Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the busiest travel days of the year. Tools like the Expedia(R) Fare Compare Calendar display the least expensive days to fly to your destination.

3. Opt for an early-morning flight. This will help avoid airport crowds and these flights are statistically less likely to be delayed.

4. Book a nonstop flight. Fewer stops means less time spent navigating crowded airport terminals and waiting in line to board a plane. As a second choice, book a direct flight and route through hubs less likely to be affected by winter storms such as Charlotte, Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles or San Francisco.

5. Schedule extra time for checking luggage or bulky items, such as car seats and skis/snowboards. Ongoing changes and confusion about carry-on rules regarding liquids and gels mean airlines are struggling with more checked baggage during an already busy travel time.

6. Keep carry-on liquids and gels to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. The TSA currently mandates that each passenger is allowed to carry on liquids and gels in 3-ounce containers or smaller, which all must be stored in one quart-size plastic bag.

7. Ship gifts ahead of time. You'll save the hassle of carting burdensome luggage through the crowded airport. You can also consider purchasing gifts after arriving at your holiday destination.

8. Consider hotel properties outside of the urban center for extra perks and cost savings. Suburban hotel locations may be more likely to offer amenities like continental breakfast and wireless Internet access, less expensive parking and overall lower rates.

9. Take advantage of winter's travel "dead weeks" - the weeks immediately following Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, through mid-January. Cruise ships, hotels, airlines and even ski resorts are usually slow during this time, offering more discounts and last-minute travel deals. Trip information can be found at www.expedia.com/ski and www.expedia.com/beach.

10. Get a passport. Beginning Jan. 8, 2007, a passport will be required to re-enter the U.S. after travelling by air or sea from Mexico, the Caribbean or Canada.

Travelers can also earn rewards for purchases on Expedia.com through its recently announced partnership with the ThankYou Network free rewards program. The points are redeemable on www.thankyounetwork.com for merchandise available through the site or travel from Expedia.com.

Additionally, Expedia is offering travelers a coupon for $200 off travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, or Florida in 2007 with the purchase of travel booked and completed before Dec. 31, 2006. The coupon must be redeemed by March 31, 2007 for travel through June 30, 2007 (1).
Other features on Expedia.com that can help travelers save money and efficiently plan and book travel include Personal Trip Guide, RSS travel alerts and Fare Alert. With these elements and the industry-leading Expedia (R) Best Price Guarantee, travelers can be confident that they are receiving the best products for their needs at the best price.

About Expedia.com
Expedia.com(R) is the world's leading online travel provider, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com/ ) aims to provide personalized service, the latest technology and the widest selection of vacation packages, flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and in-destination activities, attractions, and services. With the Expedia(R) Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com promises to offer to its customers the best rates available online for all types of travel, making it the most comprehensive customer guarantee in online travel. Expedia.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) .

(1) Other restrictions apply. See site for full details.

NOTE: Expedia, Expedia.com, Enjoy Your Trip, and the Airplane logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

Source: Expedia, Inc.

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