Alaska Airlines and Starbucks Team Up for Free Tickets, Free Coffee

Alaska Airlines is now serving Starbucks coffee on all its flights beginning this month. To launch this joint venture, you can have free coffee at select west coast stores during one afternoon hour on Tuesdays in February. During that hour, you can text Alaska to win free round-trip tickets; they will be giving away five pairs of tickets during each hour. Hours and locations (Seattle, Feb. 7; Portland, Feb. 14; San Diego, Feb. 21 and; San Jose, Feb. 28), will be released on Alaska's Facebook and Twitter pages at 8am PST.

New Airline Regulations Take Effect

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has imposed new regulations on the airline industry that went into effect on January 24 or January 26, 2012.

What do you need to know?

• When you search for airfare now, you will see the total price (including all mandatory taxes and fees) upfront
• The airline must reveal before you purchase what it will cost you to check or carry on bags. 
• You can cancel a ticket within 24 hours of purchase as long as it is booked at least 7 days before the date of departure.  

The DOT wasn't the instigator of these great ideas; the good airlines introduced these things and federal regulators decided to impose them on the whole industry.

No Frills Airline

A Carol Burnett classic. Please note a lot of changes have happened in forty years but some things really haven't.

Free Entrance to National Parks

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the U.S. National Park Service is not charging admission January 14-16, 2012. So head to your closest national park or do a last minute splurge and go where you've never been before. Hawaii has national parks too!

For more info, go here.

Best Car Rental Service: Book Once, Get the Best Deal with AutoSlash

I just discovered Autoslash.com. I tried it a couple of weeks ago, booking a car rental for an upcoming trip. Two days after booking the best deal I found there, I received an email that Autoslash had found a better rate with the same company and had canceled and rebooked my car at the better rate. No work for me, just $34 savings.

Merry Christmas from the TSA in LAX

They look like TSA agents; but who knew they could sing!

Best Travel Toys

I just discovered YoYo.com. I ordered my kids' Christmas presents Sunday and they arrived today. And shipping was free. (1-2 day shipping free on orders over $49.)

Check out YoYo's Top Travel Toys for Kids

My favorites:
Melissa & Doug License Plate Game ($15.99)
Crocodile Creek 100-piece Travel Pouch Puzzle (World Map or Dinosaurs) $4.99
Slinky ($4.99)
PBS Kids Take Along Puzzle ($19.99)
Tangle Relax Therapy 4.99

Use Code YOYOBIGKID2 by December 15 to get 20% off your first order. And you can get the shipping free on top of it if your order is $49 or more.