Shopping for Perks Among the Big Airline Alliances

Certain Air France fliers can't earn Delta miles, though both are in the same alliance.

The Wall Street Journal
Thursday, July 8, 2010

Airlines pitch their global alliances as seamless networks, yet there are so many hitches that consumers may want to shop around.

Alliances have existed for more than a decade as airlines have sought to market themselves jointly. But the companies have found that splicing together computer systems and competitive instincts has been difficult and is still evolving. As a result, perks and policies vary among each of the three big alliances—Star, oneworld and SkyTeam.

"There are still really deep pockets of incompatibility. It's not always what it's cracked up to be," said Randy Petersen, publisher of frequent-flier magazines and founder of the website FlyerTalk.com.

Passport Fees Going Up Next Week

All of the increased security and the anti-fraud measures added to passports in recent years come at a cost, officials say.

By A. Pawlowski, CNN
July 7, 2010 10:15 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- Get ready to open your wallet a little wider to satisfy your travel bug: It is soon going to cost more to apply for a new U.S. passport or renew an old one -- a move criticized by the public and some lawmakers.

Starting next Tuesday, adults applying for their first passport book will have to pay $135 -- a 35 percent increase from the current $100 fee.

(The cost of the wallet-size passport card, which Americans can use on certain trips closer to home, is rising from $45 to $55 for first-time applicants.)

Want to add more visa pages to your passport book? It's free now, but you will have to shell out $82 under the new fee schedule.

The renewal fee for passport books will rise to $110 -- up from the current $75.