If you’re thinking about buying a ticket on Northwest Airlines between now and Oct. 13, you can save $50 by paying with a PayPal account instead of a credit card through this PayPal Northwest Airlines Promo. After the purchase, PayPal will credit your account with $50.

In general, I prefer to use credit cards to pay for airline tickets because they allow me to earn miles, but it’s easy to designate a credit card as the preferred payment method on PayPal - and doing that for the ticket purchase means you can get the benefit of the promo without having to forfeit the miles.

With 1 million miles on Continental Airlines, you could travel around the world, enjoy first class upgrades whenever you fly or gift everyone in your family with a fabulous trip abroad (and probably still have enough to do it again next year).

Concierge.com is going to make one lucky traveler a mile millionaire this fall just for giving great travel suggestions and advice to other travelers via the site’s new Member Posts + Reviews section, which can be found under every destination featured on the site.

Over the next eight weeks, weekly winners will receive prizes like a Westin Heavenly Bed or a $500 gift certificate to Vivre. After the contest ends on Nov. 23, a panel of judges will evaluate all the tips and choose a winner based on writing clarity, creativity and the usefulness of the tip itself. The winner will walk (fly might be the better verb choice here) away with the miles and some other great prizes.

To submit your tips, visit Concierge.com Travel Tips Contest.

As security measures increase and lines at airports grow and grow, travelers are finding themselves spending more time on the ground at the airport then actually in the air.  We have put together a list of airports that help travelers pass the time.

Baltimore/Washington International – In the observation gallery, children can climb on a pretend plane and even listen in on live radio feeds to the control tower.  A radar board is also displayed so families can watch aircraft as they arrive/depart the airport.

Boston’s Logan International – Before sitting on a long plane ride and paying $5 for a bag of peanuts, you may want to treat yourself to a fresh lobster at Anthony’s Pier 4 Lobsters.  Any airport that serves lobster should definitely be on this top 5!

Chicago O’hare International – This airport has an amazing exhibit organized by the Chicago Children’s Museum.  Kids can enjoy a long slide exiting a two story control tower, push all the buttons in a simulated cockpit, and load a cargo hold with fake luggage.

San Francisco International –  Spend some time in the 11,500 square foot aviation museum to view aviation artifacts, pictures, and more.  Also on display, are huge fish aquariums that can teach kids about the ecosystems of the Amazon River and coral reefs.

Las Vegas’ McCarran International – For those addicted to gambling, or hoping to leave Vegas with more money than they arrived with, play numerous slot machines while waiting for departures.   If lucky, maybe we can win enough money to pay for our vacation.

Hmm. Methinks me smells a trend afoot. On the heels of last week’s news that American Airlines plans to add dedicated security lanes for first and business class travelers and those with elite status in its loyalty program comes similar news from Southwest.

The Southwest Fly By Program will roll out over the course of the fall and allow Business Select and Rapid Rewards A-List Customers (i.e. those who fly 16 roundtrip flights or more per year) access to priority security lanes at airports around the country. At the moment, the following airports have been tapped to offer the new lanes, and Southwest says more will follow:

- Baltimore/Washington International

- Dallas Love Field

- Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

- Orange County/John Wayne Airport

- Denver International

- San Francisco International

- Los Angeles International

I’m a fan of offering travelers perks of convenience like this - yes, only a small number of passengers will qualify for the privilege, but with free in-flight amenities dwindling or non-existent, anything to make a trip easier and faster is a welcome substitution.

Picture it. You, a pod of dolphins, maybe a shark or two, chillin’ in the Arabian sea on the world’s largest manmade island that also happens to be shaped like a palm tree? What’s not to like? Fly to Dubai on Emirates this fall, and you’ll be able to overnight at the recently-opened Atlantis, The Palm Resort for free when you book a first or business class ticket through the Emirates Discover Atlantis, The Palm promo. Fly first, and you’ll receive two free nights at the long-awaited 1,500-room resort, while business class passengers will be entitled to one night free.

If first and business class fares are out of your range (which wouldn’t be all that surprising considering that our nation’s financial systems are, afterall, in the middle of a meltdown of epic proportions), you can still visit the resort’s Aquaventure water park, 700-meter beach, tidal river, dolphin- and shark-filled lagoons (don’t worry, they keep ‘em separate) and spa as a daytime guest. Tickets are about $50 for children and $60 for adults.

Along with unfussy Filipinos and particular Thais, a recent study of travelers’ preferences has found that, in the air at least, Egyptians most value being served, British travelers get more frustrated sitting next to children than other nationalities, Americans just want to get to their destinations as quickly and easily as possible and close to half of all women respondents prefer to sit next to other women when flying, compared with only 24 percent of men who’d prefer to sit next to other men.

The Synovate study of 10,000 travelers in 13 countries, released today, also found that 63 percent of travelers prefer the window seat, and a full 44 percent of travelers said the wrong seat can ruin their flying experience.

But despite the rising cost of travel, vanishing in-flight services and general hassles of flying, the majority of travelers said that they’ll be looking for flight deals and using low-cost carriers, but not necessarily choosing other modes of transportation in lieu of air travel.

What do you think? I am aisle person myself…

The best airports, hotels and airlines for business travelers are the subject of Conde Nast Traveler’s Business Travel Awards, out in the October issue of the magazine. Among the highly-ranked picks for business travelers are:

Top-ranked hotel chain: Peninsula Hotels

Top U.S. domestic airlines, in descending order: Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, Continental

Top U.S. airport: Portland International (PDX)

Top international airport: Changi Airport, Singapore

There’s a nice little debate going on about the rankings at the Wall Street Journal’s The Middle Seat Terminal blog. What do you think?

Taxis are, like, so over. That’s what you’ll be smugly thinking during the eight-minute, $45 flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Manhattan via the US Helicopter Service now being offered to economy class travelers through Continental Airlines. It’s a complimentary service for first class passengers and those paying full fare for economy class tickets, but through Oct. 31, 2008, the airline is offering the quickie connector flight to its economy class travelers of all stripes for $45, which is less than I recall paying for a cab ride into the city the last time I took one from Newark to Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Regular fares start at $159 each way.

Along with a choice of Midtown or Wall Street drop-off locations, the best part of the weekday shuttle service has to be that passengers heading to the airport undergo security screening before boarding the helicopter - so once you get to the airport, it’s a straight to the gate experience.

The leaves haven’t even started turning, and we’ve already got snow flurries clouding up our travel vision this week, thanks to this week’s Top Snowboarding Destinations post. Continuing on that theme, here are some notable deals good for travel to Colorado this winter:

- American Airlines Kids Fly Free promo. Book a trip directly into Vail/Eagle Valley Regional Airport before Feb. 13, 2009 on AA, and you’ll get a free kid’s ticket for each adult fare paid. For more information, call 800-404-3535.

- Steamboat is offering travelers $25 American Express gift cards to offset the cost of checked bags when they book vacation packages through the resort by Nov. 17th.

- Crested Butte is offering one free airline ticket for every two tickets purchased through its Friends and Family Fly Free deal, good for stays of five or more nights through Dec. 31, 2008.

- While many resorts are offering fourth or fifth nights for free, it’s especially cool to find a third night free deal (it’s much easier for most of us to swing a three-day getaway). Those heading to Winter Park will find just such a deal through Vacations Inc. The 3rd Night Free promo is good for accommodations in condos or townhouses - but it expires Sept. 30, so you’ll have hustle to take advantage of it.

There are also plenty of “book early” deals on Colorado ski resort lodging floating around on Discover Colorado. Another place to start your hunt for downhill season discounts is Colorado.com.

Alitalia’s uncertain future has led many to revisit the question: What’s a passenger to do with a ticket for travel on a bankrupt airline? And how can travelers get their money back?

The Boston Globe’s Tips for Alitalia Customers offers some solid advice focused on the Italian carrier’s current situation, but regardless of whether or not you have plans to travel with Alitalia, the tips are applicable for dealing with pretty much any bankrupt airline you’ll encounter.

If you’re looking for a brief takeaway lesson, it’s this: always pay with a credit card and be prepared to dispute the charges for tickets when an airline ceases operations.