This short video below explains how to get free upgrades and perks on your next vacation.

The world has become a scary place, with incidents of violence occurring both at home and abroad. But some of us still want to travel. I've always believed that travel helps me understand the world around me and become a better citizen and I have no plans to stop so long as I can travel safely.

How do you stay safe when traveling to a foreign country? In spite of the big headlines, the risks of being injured or killed in a terrorist attack are small, but it makes sense to be careful in this new era of travel alerts and warnings. Smart travelers can minimize their risks in several key ways:

Our latest destination guide focuses on Europe and is full of ideas that will help you explore Europe like a local.  You can download a copy of the guide by clicking here.

Before I was in the travel business, I used to plan all of my own travel. I read guidebooks, did tons of research, and booked things based on the advice of sources such as Lonely Planet, Rick Steves, and Trip Advisor. I would spend hours on the research and try to get the best deal. And our vacations were pretty awesome! We hiked the Inka Trail in Peru, attended Oktoberfest in Munich, and enjoyed a whirlwind tour of Italy. It honestly never occurred to me to contact a travel advisor for those trips, mainly because I was afraid of what it would cost and figured I could do as good a job myself.

There have been a number of articles on the web lately about how residents of Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New York will be required to use passports to travel domestically next year due to the REAL ID Act. As a professional travel agent, I am trained to monitor situations that may impact your travel plans and to recommend steps they can take make sure things go smoothly.