Delta’s delicious weekend getaways

Here’s a great way to rack up SkyMiles frequent flyer points and save a bundle in the process. Delta Air Lines is selling weekend getaways, discount airfares on a slew of popular routes. These Web rates start at $69 one-way.

To land one of these deals purchase by June 2. Travel outbound Saturday June 2, and return Monday June 4 or Tuesday June 5. No Sunday return. Not at these rates. Sunday is considered a peak travel day, and airlines are reluctant to discount seats on the seventh day of the week.

All the discount airfares we’re about to quote are one-way, and they’re predicated on a roundtrip purchase. Neither taxes nor fees are included. They’re extra.

Eagle headed to Gulf Coast – Fort Walton flights

Once-upon-a-time northerners paid scant attention to the Florida Panhandle. When they packed up and headed to Florida, it was for the southern tip of the state, Orlando perhaps - or Tampa. The Florida Panhandle was for locals, Alabamians, maybe folks from Georgia. No longer. The Panhandle is on the radar screen now – and Fort Walton Beach (VPS) is a prime destination.

To that end, American Eagle is launching nonstop regional jet service from its Chicago O’Hare hub to Fort Walton Beach come September 5. This will be a once-daily deal, and a 50-passenger ERJ-145 regional jet is the conveyance.

Virgin’s great rates to London

Summertime sales to London are always welcomed, and Virgin Atlantic Airways is running one at the moment. One-way discount airfares across The Pond begin at $379 – exclusive of taxes and fees. You’ll have to do a roundtrip buy to qualify for these discount airfares.

Travel through September 5, throughout the heart of the in-demand summer season. Stay over at least one Saturday night, and buy the ticket seven days in advance of departure. Those are the prime fine print elements.

Hotels soar, airlines tumble in satisfaction study

Here’s the good news: hotel guests seem more satisfied than any time in the past three years. The bad (and not terribly surprising) news: airline passenger satisfaction is the lowest it’s been in almost half-a-decade.

That’s the conclusion of the latest Market Metrix Hospitality Index ™. The MMHI says hoteliers’ investment in staffing, services and amenities made for some very satisfied guests in the first quarter of 2007. Taking the edge off the gains, however, were results from the Luxury segment, where, "satisfaction slumped to its lowest level in years" according to Dr. Jonathan Barsky, who directs Market Metrix’s research.

It was hard to find a bright spot among airlines. Even perennial customer service stalwarts such as Midwest Airlines and discount airline JetBlue suffered, recording the largest declines in customer esteem according to the MMHI. The first quarter of 2007 saw airline industry scores as a whole plummet. Scores for what Market Metrix calls "Loyalty Emotions™" reached near-record lows. Loyalty Emotions rate, "critical elements of a passenger’s emotional experience and are fundamental components of customer satisfaction and loyalty."

Carbon offsetting from Continental

Continental Airlines has announced that it will offer a carbon offsetting program, through a partnership with Sustainable Travel International.

Though the program will be voluntary, it will allow Continental passengers to purchase carbon offset options from Sustainable Travel International, so as to redress the impact of their carbon footprint.

The announcement marks a significant step towards encouraging carbon offsetting programs, as it is the first time Sustainable Travel International has worked in tandem with an airline.

New Springfield-Vegas service for Allegiant

Continuing a recent flurry of new routes, Allegiant Air has announced a new nonstop flight from Springfield, Illinois, to Las Vegas.

With prices starting at a low $79 one-way, the twice-weekly flights begin on August 17 and present Central Illinois residents with the chance to jet off to the bright lights of the Vegas strip.

Maurice J Gallagher, Allegiant Air President and Chief Executive, was thrilled with the new route: "We are extremely pleased to expand the Allegiant brand of low-fare, nonstop jet service within the Central Illinois community.

Skybus lines up three new low-cost links

New low-cost carrier Skybus Airlines has announced flights to three new destinations yesterday, hours after inaugurating a link between Columbus, Ohio and Bellingham, Washington.

The start-up airline will loft flights to San Diego, California; Jacksonville, Florida; and Hartford, Connecticut. For Jacksonville, the no-frills operator will use St Augustine Airport in St Johns County, and passengers for Hartford will touch down in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

Service from the carrier's Port Columbus International hub to both San Diego and Hartford will launch on July 16, followed by the new Jacksonville link on August 1. At least ten tickets on each flight will cost from $10.

Price war in Hawaii

Three major inter-island airlines sparked a price war this week, as passengers scrambled for new $9 one-way fares.

Both Hawaiian and Aloha airlines matched the superbly low price initially offered by go!, and the majority of the fares sold out as early as Tuesday.

Jonathan Ornstein, Chairman and Chief Executive of Mesa Air Group, the parent company of go!, said that adding a competitive edge to the marketplace was great for customers and allowed more people to experience the beauty of the islands.

Northwest sheds Chapter 11- leaner airline

Thursday morning, Northwest Airlines was poised to become the second major United States airline to emerge from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy this spring. The carrier follows relatively close on the heels of Delta Air Lines, which shed the shackles a few weeks back.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul-based airline, with a route network stretching from the Far East to Europe, managed to lop $2.4-billion in annual costs. Much of those savings came from a workforce whose morale had been badly battered.

Wine and Dine in San Francisco

“You can’t have a bad meal in this town,” opines celeb chef Emeril Lagasse and hordes of locals and visitors would agree. In a city that has more restaurants per capita than any other US city, the trick is narrowing down your dining options to fit your schedule and budget. Here’s some inspiration for your next visit.

You're in wine country so there are dozens of wine-centric tastings, dinners and other events worth your time and taste buds all through the year. Check the calendar on LocalWineEvents.com's San Francisco listings page for current and future events .

June 5: Meet some of the city's Hot Young Sommeliers at the INFORUM-sponsored event. In addition to tastings, the wine gurus promise to share some of their secrets and review the newest trends, food pairings and the do's and don'ts of wine ordering.