Last week I decided to give Bing.com a try on an airline route I know pretty well: Florida. With relatives there I try to make it to the panhandle state at least once a year.

So last week I plugged in my destination, with less than satisfactory results: $250 roundtrip to Tampa - and that included a layover.

Bing’s advice: Wait.

Knowing that route myself, I agreed.

This week that patience paid off.

That’s because this week AirTran announced its fall and winter sale. (I saw fares there for as low as $69 each way to Boston.)

And as is usually the case, this feisty, low-fare, Atlanta-based airline manages to get the major airlines to pretty closely match its sale fares.

Example: My fare to Tampa via AirTran was down to $150, plus tax and fees. (Came to about $190).
I liked what I saw, but I also know I’m not much for layovers. (Who is?)

So I plugged the same route into Bing. With a quick click to nonstop flights, I found the same flight I’d seen the week before, to Tampa, down to $188 plus tax, for a total of $209.

Is saving more than two hours and having a direct flight worth $20?

I said yes. Tampa here I come.

Details of AirTran’s latest fare sale are here:
http://www.airtran.com/sale/

- - -

That’s not the only fare sale out there.

United Airlines continues with its last-minute air travel deals out of Minneapolis, with flights this weekend going as low as $112 to Chicago (roundtrip!), to Vail, Colo., for $196. (Not to mention the fare to Chicago next week: $88 round trip.)

Only hitch hiking could be cheaper.

The usual fine print applies. Find out all the details here:
http://travel.united.com/ube/efares/us/eFares.do

As I was getting set to write a blog about booking spring break trips now, I saw an e-mail from local airline expert Terry Trippler suggesting you book your holiday travel now. Let this blog act as a double warning. Actually, Trippler noted, it is a tad late to find the best fares for holiday travel,  but anyone planning to fly for the holidays should move now rather than wait for a better fare that won’t come. The same is true of spring break.  Recently, when I spoke with my travel agent at AAA Minneapolis about booking a spring break trip to Hawaii, she told me that seats were already tight. That’s for travel all the way at the end of March, but it is one of the busiest times, after Thanksgiving and the holidays. If you want to have your place in the sun, book now.

September 11 is the l Enkutatash, or Ethiopian New Year. The date traditionally marks both the end of the rainy season and the return of Queen of Sheba after a journey to Jerusalem. The holiday is celebrated with dancing and singing throughout the country’s villages. Â

Q: Do you have any suggestions for picking a travel volunteer program? Do you always pay your own way?

A: Yes, you always pay your own way when you take a volunteer vacation. But according to “Best Immersion Travel USA” author Sheryl Kayne, many of these trips are tax deductible. Kayne also says that you can keep your costs down by volunteering domestically.  “You can help people, communities, wildlife, the environment and our national treasures volunteering in the United States,” she said.  When evaluating a potential volunteer vacation opportunity, Kayne recommends speaking to at least two people who have already done the program for their candid opinions. Be sure to ask:

• Are there fees for the program and how are those monies used?

• How long has the organization been working in the area?

• Are there any special physical requirements to do the work?

• How many other people will be in the group?

• Are other people in the community involved so the work continues when the volunteers leave?

• What systems are in place in case of an emergency?

• What will my day be like?

• What is the balance of volunteer activities and free time?

• Will I be able to explore my surroundings and engage in other activities?

• Will I be able to meet, talk to, work with the people who know the

area best and form friendships with other participants

who share similar interests?

We love Southwest Airlines, but yesterday’s announcement that they are offering “Early Bird Check In” for “only” $10 each way has us scratching our heads.  What do you get for this privilege? Possibly nothing. Because Southwest doesn’t offer seat assignments, the time you are allowed to board the plane makes the difference between an aisle seat over the wing and a middle seat by the bathroom. But here’s what Southwest has to say about the new fee: “While EarlyBird Check-in doesn’t guarantee an A boarding position, it improves your seat selection options to help you get your favorite seat.” Southwest also is touting the ability to potentially snag space in the overhead bin. To which we say, “Wow!!! We get to pay for something that should just come with the price of a ticket.”  For an airline that has prided itself on not pandering to these kinds of gimmicks, this is disappointing.  Â

It may not be as well known as Munich’s Oktoberfest, but Belgium’s Beer Weekend is gaining attention as a top-notch showcase of the country’s extensive brewski offerings. Held in Brussels’ Grand-Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the festival includes a solemn consecration of the beer as well as processions, blind tastings and the expected forays into the pride-free zone. The action starts this Friday.Â