Winter Getaways

This morning, I went on ABC News Now to share some of this winter's best deals and destinations. How does Jamaica, Las Vegas, Colorado, India, or Tahiti sound to you? Each deal can be found at BudgetTravel.com, where you can also find the exclusive promo code for booking.

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Photo: abcnews.go.com/abcnewsnow/

What Not to Pack for the Holidays

The votes are in. Carry-on bags are still the way to go.

To get the most out of your carry-on, here are some basic reminders:

1. Don’t wrap Christmas presents. TSA officers reserve the right to snoop, even if it means tearing open your exquisitely wrapped gift. Besides, the wrapping paper and fancy bows will just get crushed while in transit. Sometimes I’ll pack gift bags and tissue paper in case the present needs to be ready when I land.

2. Skip the gourmet gift basket. The increasingly ridiculous list of prohibited items includes jams, jellies, maple syrup, salsa, sauces, oils and vinegars, etc... TSA advises that you check those items in your bag, ship them ahead, or just leave them at home. Poor Harry and David.

Even though I try to stay on top of the latest TSA rules, a checkpoint officer once stopped me, screened my bag again, and then searched it. Turns out a candle in my bag looked like a jar of jam. Happy Holidays indeed.

3. Oh, and just to round out the list of banned stuff, no snowglobes. If you're trying to avoid checking a bag, looks like you'll have to find another cheesy souvenir.

Holiday Travel: Navigating Airport Security

Getting through security is stressful. When it comes down to it, though, going through security is actually pretty simple -- so why does it always seem so chaotic?

I've developed a relatively straightforward routine that works, oh, about 90 percent of the time. I chalk the 10 percent failure rate up to overzealous TSA agents who are just doing their jobs.

1. Tuck your hat, gloves, and scarf into your carry-on bag.

2. Remove your heavy coat (no use struggling with it when it's your turn and there are dozens of people behind you who are just waiting for a reason to go ballistic).

3. Prep your shoes for quick removal: I prefer to unzip my boots ahead of time or at least loosen the laces.

4. Get out your ID and boarding pass. After the ID check, I immediately slide it into the back pocket of my jeans. (I've seen too many people leave their ID in a tray on the conveyor belt). When going through the metal detector, you have to show the boarding pass again so make sure you hang on to it -- don't leave the pass in the bin with the rest of your stuff. Admit it, you groan whenever someone forgets and has to backtrack.

5. Take out your Ziploc bag with toiletries (always 3 ounces or less, please!)

Whenever possible, seek out the black-diamond lane for expert travelers.

Once you're through security, put your driver's license back in your wallet. You won't need it again unless you order a rum and coke on the plane and get carded.

Holiday Travel: Should you check your bags?

CNN reports that this holiday season, air travelers may clog the overhead bins with more carry-on bags. If you've been on a plane recently, you already know that claiming the storage space above your seat is like something out of the Amazing Race.

It does seem that airports are now trying to enforce the airline limitations of one carry-on and one personal item. When I flew to San Francisco two weeks ago, I was stopped even before I could show my I.D. at the security checkpoint line. "Will that bag fit in the overhead bin?" an airport worker asked, suspiciously eyeing my bulging Eagle Creek backpack. Even after explaining that the outer removable pack was stuffed with magazines that I'd read and discard before boarding, I actually had to place my backpack into the luggage sizer to prove that it would in fact fit in the overhead bin (just like it has ever since I bought it a few years ago).

Unfortunately, the woman behind me wasn't so lucky -- she had a rolling suitcase, a purse, and a tote. "But they let me through at SFO," she wailed. The JFK airport worker stood firm and made the woman go back and check the extra bag (for a fee, of course).

So what should you do with your luggage when traveling during the holidays? Cast your vote here.

Photo: Eagle Creek via Buy.com

Indestructible Gear?

With all the travel gear out there, how can you believe the outrageous claims of durability? For the September 2009 issue, Budget Travel staffers took supposedly invincible gear (a drop-proof laptop bag, windproof umbrella, waterproof-pocket shorts, spill-proof mug) and pushed them to the max.

The Challenge: Can this Senz windproof umbrella ($50) live up to its name? The umbrella's sleek design promises to withstand winds of up to 40 mph.

The Test: I unfurled the umbrella on the Staten Island Ferry, at Top of the Rock, and in a moving Mini Cooper convertible. See the results here. Keep in mind that if you ever find yourself battling 40 mph gales, you should probably ditch the umbrella and go inside—a tropical storm has a minimum wind speed of 39 mph.

The World's Best New Affordable Hotels

Armed with a team of freelance writers, I scoured the globe for the best hotels that were a) less than two years old and b) had a sense of intimacy or personality. From San Francisco to South Africa, we whittled the list down to 31 properties, plus four hotel chains with style (no corporate clones here). Check out the winners at Best New Boutique Hotels under $150.
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