free travel

Travel contests: you can’t win if you don’t play

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where should we go

It would be great to have the money and the time and the energy to go everywhere, but few of us have that option.

So we plan and we dream…and we enter travel contests.  Here are a few fresh ones to try:

JetBlue Airways’ “TrueBlue Birthday Sweepstakes” marks the first anniversary of the airline’s revamped frequent flier program.

The Grand Prize is one million TrueBlue points. Second Prize: a four-night package for four at a resort in Barbados. Third Prize: a two-night getaway package for two at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. Other prizes include: a five-night stay at any Waldorf Astoria Hotel worldwide, $250 Hertz gift certificates and $100 FTD gift certificates.

Enter JetBlue’ contest here.

Every Thursday through December 2, American Express is giving away a 3-night stay at a Sheraton hotel as part of the American Express and Starwood’s “Thank Goodness It’s Thursday (TGIT)” Facebook Giveaway. The value of the prize increases each week, so by the end of the promotion the prize will be a 3-night stay at a Sheraton Category 6 hotel.

Enter the contest here.

Pan Pacific Hotels in the Seattle, Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. are also having a Dream Getaways contest on Facebook. To enter, you’ll need to write a note about how you’d spend a weekend at one of the hotels.

Three winners will win a trip to Seattle, Vancouver or Whistler (1 prize for each destination), 2 nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast, complimentary parking and an in-city activity.

You can enter this contest three times (once for each hotel on via) via email at getawayscontest@panpacific.com or on Facebook: Vancouver,

Whistler or  Seattle . Deadline: November 30, 2010. Winners announced December 3, 2010.

And on its Facebook page Cathay Pacific is asking travelers to come up with an Asian-inspired dessert for the airline’s international flights.  The prize: a pair of business class tickets to Hong Kong.

Enter the Art of the Dessert contest here.

Good luck! And if you win, don’t forget to bring StuckatTheAirport.com a souvenir.

Tidbits for travelers: Free Wi-Fi in Nashville; haiku contest on EL AL

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Free Wi-Fi coming to Nashville International Airport (BNA). Sort of.

Free Wi-FI

Sometime before the end of the year, Nashville International Airport (BNA) will install two of what will eventually be 14 complimentary charging stations.

The airport will also begin offering travelers free wireless internet access in the food courts, the meeter/greeter waiting areas and in some restaurants.

But only the first twenty minutes will be free.

Airport spokesperson Emily Richard says 20 minutes is based on “expert assessment of actual usage reports.” Meaning, I suppose, that most people log on, send a few emails and are on their way. For everyone else: “The pay model remains,” says Richard, for those needing more time or “requiring the security features of a virtual private network.”

But here’s an interesting twist: according to a memo sent out by the airport, members of BNA’s Frequent Parker Program and valet parking customers will get 15 minutes of free Wi-Fi to use access anywhere in the terminal.

Not sure if that’s instead of the complimentary 20 minutes or in addition to it, but it’s all a step in the right direction.

Want to go to Israel?

Their joke contest is over. Now EL AL is running a haiku contest on Facebook. The most creative haiku will get a pair of free roundtrip tickets to Israel.  The deadline is October 22nd.

Here’s where to find more information on EL AL’s Haiku Contest.

Good luck!

Poetic travel: win a pair of JetBlue travel passes from Boston Logan

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Admit it: you thought about getting one of JetBlue’s All You Can Jet travel passes and taking the month of September off to just zip around the country.

I did.

But while we were daydreaming the passes sold out.

Well, you’ve got another chance.

Boston Logan International Airport is having a twitter-based contest to give away a pair of All You can Jet 7 passes – the kind that let you travel any day of the week from September 7th through October 6, 2010.

If you want to enter you’ll have to act fast.

The contest kicked off Tuesday morning at 10 am east coast time and end at 9:59 a.m. on Friday morning.

To enter, you’ll need to come up with something catchy and creative. Here’s what the folks at Boston Logan are looking for:

“Simply send us a “tweet” at www.twitter.com/bostonlogan with a haiku, limerick, verse of your choice, or image(s) explaining why you would like to visit destinations served by JetBlue and include the contest hashtag #AYCJBOS. Creativity counts. Limit one (1) entry per unique Twitter handle.”

Sounds easy, right?

Here’s a link to the All You Can Jet Boston contest rules and some additional information.

Good luck! And please make those entries entertaining: I’m one of the judges for the All You Can Jet Boston contest and I’ll be looking through every entry on Friday afternoon.

Name that airport; win free travel

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Convention centers, sports fields, museum wings and all sorts of public spaces bear the name of rich people and/or companies. So in 2008, when Detroit Metropolitan Airport opened up the new North Terminal, selling naming rights for the shiny new structure seemed like a good – and lucrative – idea.

But, the economy being what it was – and is – there have been no takers. So according to this article in Crain’s Detroit Business, the airport authority has decided to nix the naming rights project for now.

Times are tough for everyone. But doesn’t mean you can’t travel. Win one of these travel contests and someone else will foot most or all of the bill.

Airplane wing - Courtesy Daniel Incandela

As I learned from a cross-Canada bike/train trip heading east-to- west a long time ago and a more recent plane/train trip in the other direction, there are plenty of unusual and incredibly lovely places to visit up north. Want to see for yourself? The Canadian Tourism Commission is sponsoring a Canada Now sweepstakes for US residents that has a prize a CN $5,000  travel voucher.  Deadline to enter: July 31,2010. So hurry!

Know any good jokes?

The national airline of Isreal, El Al Airlines, is jumping into the social media world with a two contests, one on Facebook, the other on Twitter. From now through August 13,2010, El Al Airlines is asking its Facebook Fans to post jokes on its wall. The person who posts the funniest, non-offensive joke will win two round trip tickets from Los Angeles or New York to Israel. Deadline: August 13, 2010. Winner announced on or around August 16, 2010.

The airline will also be giving away one round ticket to Israel from Los Angeles or New York to one Twitter follower. Follow and contact @ELALUSA for details. Deadline: August 4.

And Shell Vacations Hospitality is having a Share a Pic, Win a Trip contest. Top prize includes photo supplies and accessories and a 3-night stay at any of their resorts. Deadline: August 11, 2010.

Good luck! And if you win, no need take me with you. Just bring home a souvenir.

Tidbits for travelers: contests for free travel

Contests, Fun Stuff, Gambling, Souvenirs,

Trophies on display at horse show

The only thing I’ve ever won in a contest or a raffle is a bottle of not-very-tasty rhubarb wine.

But that doesn’t keep me from entering contests, especially if they involve free travel. Filling out the forms usually takes just a minute or so and, well, you just never know.

So here are some travel-related contests you might want to enter:

JetBlue is celebrating its 10th Anniversary by giving away 10 cruise vacations on Royal Caribbean International. The prize: an oceanview stateroom for two on a seven-night Caribbean cruise and roundtrip JetBlue flights. Enter JetBlue’s Perfect 10 sweepstakes before August 31, 2010.

Delta Sky Magazine is hosting a Fashion Week Sweepstakes. The prize: 2 round-trip tickets to New York City and three hotel night accommodations during Fall Fashion Week. Plus a $1,000 shopping spree at Macy’s Herald Square on September 10, 2010.

And the folks at On the Go Tours are accepting entries in its Get Rid of Me Contest through September 30, 2010.  You’ll need to make a video and campaign for votes (a common contest requirement these days) but the prize is hefty: a 6-month trip for two to China, Egypt, India, Morocco and several other exotic destinations, and a chunk of spending money.

Good luck. And don’t forget to bring us home some souvenirs.

AYP - Souvenir Shop - Frank Nowel 1909


(Photos courtesy The Commons, Flickr)