Who's Busy on Turkey Day?

Orbitz Reveals the Busiest Airports for Thanksgiving

Reports are showing that despite the down economy travelers are still flying. Orbitz released the Insider Index of the busiest airports for Thanksgiving. They also released information on time-saving tips for those of us navigating our way through a bustling airport during the holiday season.

The Insider Index reviewed the top 50 U.S. airports based on flight bookings, identifying which will be the most and least busy the week of Thanksgiving.

Chicago O'Hare International takes the honor of the busiest airport this Thanksgiving. Rounding out the top three are Los Angeles and Denver international airports. New York-area airports occupy three of the 10 spots on the list, which makes the Big Apple a hot spot for Thanksgiving travelers.

1 Chicago, IL - Chicago O'Hare International

2 Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles International

3 Denver, CO - Denver International

4 San Francisco, CA - San Francisco International

5 Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Hartsfield International

6 Boston, MA - Boston Logan International

7 New York, NY - New York LaGuardia

8 New York, NY - New York John F. Kennedy International

9 Newark, NJ - Newark Liberty International

10 Seattle, WA - Seattle Tacoma International

In reviewing what was the busiest airport during the Thanksgiving holiday, Orbitz also reveals the least busy airports. Orbitz reports that these airports may see a lift in traffic but overall will be easier for travelers to make their way through the airport.

1 San Jose, CA - San Jose International

2 Nashville, TN - Nashville International

3 Richmond, VA - Richmond International

4 Sacramento, CA - Sacramento International

5 Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville International

6 West Palm Beach, FL - Palm Beach International

7 Hartford, CT - Bradley International

8 Orange County, CA - John Wayne International

9 Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International

10 Fort Myers, FL - Southwest Florida Regional

Orbitz Insider's Top Five Tips to Save You Time at the Airport this Holiday

Choose Alternate airports: If you haven't booked your Thanksgiving travel -- or if your're looking ahead to Christmas or New Year's -- consider using alternative smaller airports.

Flexibility is key: If your travel plans are flexible, investigate flying on days that Orbitz predicts will be less busy during the Thanksgiving period. The best bet would be to depart on Nov. 23, 2009 and return on Nov. 30, 2009

Online check-in is your friend: Where possible take advantage of online check-in and print boarding passes before arriving at the airport.

Know your flight status: Always check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport.

Security smarts: Keep anything you need to show airport security such as ID, boarding passes, liquids in a zip-top bag, or medication, in a separate compartment of your carry-on bag.

Travel Assistance offered to Delta Customers -- Because of Hurrican Ida

Delta Offers Travel Assistance to Customers

Affected by Hurricane Ida

For those who are traveling Delta Airlines and their flight plans may have or will be affected by Hurricane Ida, may have a one-time change to their travel schedule without fee if tickets are changed by November 11, 2009. (See following areas of destination below)

-- Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

-- Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.

-- Mobile, Ala.

-- Panama City, Fla.

-- Pensacola, Fla.

-- Tallahassee, Fla.

Delta will be thinning flight schedules to and from affected airports in hopes that delays are minimized during the storm. However, customers may wish to consider postponing to rerouting their trip without penalty to avoid possible inconvenience.

As stated above, travel for changed itineraries must begin by November 11th and changes to origin and destination may result in a fare increase. Customers whose flights are cancelled may request refunds. For complete details go to: www.delta.com and www.nwa.com

Bette Midler -- The Showgirl Must Go On Comes to an End

Final Performance of The Showgirl Must Go On

Scheduled for January 31, 2010

If you have not had a chance to see Bette Midler Live in Las Vegas at The Colosseum at Ceasars, you better hurry, as this showgirl will do her last performance, January 31, 2010.

"What a fabulous two years this has been, and I thank AEG and Ceasars Palace for the best partnership a showgirl could imagine. Who knows? These legs have had such a great run in the desert --- it may be time to haul them to places with more humidity and fewer slot machines. But first I need to finish recording my album of the sexiest new love songs that only a showgirl could sing," stated Midler.

The showgirl Must Go On will perform November 7-15 and December 30 - January 31, 2010. The show is dark Monday, Thursday and occasional Fridays. Tickets for these final performances are on-sale now at Ticketmaster.com, keyword "Bette Midler", by calling 1-877-7BETTEM (723-8836), or in person at The Colosseum at Ceasars Palace Box Office, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Dashing through the Snow -- On a Jet Airplane

TripAdvisor Travelers Dashing to the Airports for

Holiday Flights in 2009

TripAdvisor has announced the results of its holiday air travel survey of more than 1,300 U.S. respondents. They found that of the 35 percent that are planning to travel for Thanksgiving this year, 37 percent are planning to fly to their destinations. This is nearly equal to the 38 percent one year ago. For the month of December, 40 percent of respondents are planning to travel with 57 percent planning to fly. That is up compared to the 52 percent last year.

It appears that those who booked early were able to take advantage of some great deals this year. Eighty-one percent of those traveling for Turkey Day have already booked their flights, with 55 percent saying that they were able to get a good price by booking early. It appears that most who are willing to fly are flying only if they found a great deal.

For the Christmas Holidays, 57 percent of travelers surveyed are planning to fly and 47 percent of them said they have yet to book their flights. For travelers not currently planning to fly, 39 percent said they would consider flying if they found a great price.

Due to the changes with baggage fees, 33 percent of travelers planning to fly during the holidays this year are planning to take only carry-on bags, 55 percent are planning to check one bag and only 12 percent plan to check two bags. This is quite different as in the past, 12 percent said they just took carry-ons, 61 percent checked one bag, and 26 percent checked two bags.

When surveyors were asked if the economy was affecting their holiday flight plans, 67 percent said not at all, 33 percent said they are factoring it in, 19 percent are planning to drive, and 14 percent are flying on off-peak days. Eleven percent of travelers also said they're planning to fly on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year's Day to get a cheaper flight.

"Over the past few weeks we've had millions of travelers shopping for their holiday flights on TripAdvisor," said Bryan Saltzburg, general manager of new initiatives at TripAdvisor. "This survey shows that travelers are still flying for the holidays despite the shaky economy and that many are finding great deals. We also found that travelers are adjusting their behavior as airlines implement new fees, including those for checking first and second bags."

Top 10 Destinations Shopped on TripAdvisor Flights in October for November and December Travel Dates

1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
5. Atlanta, Georgia
6. New York, New York
7. Miami, Florida
8. San Francisco, California
9. Phoenix, Arizonia

10.Honolulu, Hawaii