Expedited Passports

If you’ve been waiting for the Mediterranean to become more affordable, why not get a fast passport and get cheap tickets with Alitalia’s latest sale? SmarterTravel reports that the Italian airline is offering great prices on flights from the US to Mediterranean countries including Italy, Greece, Spain and Turkey.

Flights from Barcelona to Miami are available for as little as $661 per person, round trip. Flights from New York To Rome start at $804, and flights from Boston to Florence are $860. For $920 you can fly from Chicago to Venice, and for $941 you can fly from Los Angeles to Madrid. Flights from Chicago to Thessalonike, Greece are $1,207. However, given the situation in Greece right now, flying may be more expensive than to other destinations but room rates are likely cheaper. Meanwhile, $1,260 will get you to and from Istanbul.

The cool thing about these prices is that they are all-inclusive, including fees and taxes, so what you see is pretty much what you’ll get.

The sale is good for travel in September and October, which is fine if you have a passport. If you don’t have one already, though, you’ll need to apply for fast passport processing. Normal passport processing takes at least 6 weeks, and I don’t recommend that you cut it that close. For fast passport processing, you can request expedited service, which will cut processing time down to approximately 3 weeks.

For even faster service, you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office if you are traveling in 2 weeks or less. However, a much more convenient option, especially if you don’t have a passport office nearby, is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. An expediting company will personally deliver your application to the Department of State. Processing times depend on the level of service you select, and they can be as low as 24 hours.

Need a fast passport? Apply with us today!

Have you always fantasized about visiting a tropical Caribbean beach but never thought you’d be able to afford it? What if your plane tickets were only $2?

At first glance, joining Spirit Airlines’ fare club seems like it just might be the ticket to bring your dream vacation within reach. Membership costs $39.95 per year, but it allows you to access sales that aren’t available to non-members. For example, right now club members can fly from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Bahamas for just $2 round trip, and from Fort Lauderdale to Cancun for $18 round-trip (plus the usual fees and taxes, of course).

Spirit has a members-only sale once every 6 weeks, and as long as you move quickly, you can snag those cheap fares on all the tickets you purchase.

But is it worth it? SmarterTravel.com took a look at the program last year after it was announced and concluded

If you frequently fly between the cities Spirit serves (a heavy emphasis on Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America), membership is worth the cost. If, for example, you can snag a $2 fare, even with the membership cost and taxes and fees, you’ll still be getting a bargain compared to other airlines’ prices. But, you must keep in mind that availability is often very limited. You’ll find that fares are only offered on about a dozen select dates, and even then, you must rush to book early or risk the best deals selling out.

Some deals are also last-minute. For example, many of the cheap flights in the sale I linked to above depart in August, and it’s now late July. So, if you’re thinking of using the Fare Club to try to snag cheap flights to Spirit’s international destinations, you may find yourself needing an expedited passport.

Generally speaking, it takes about 6 weeks to get your passport application processed if you order regular service. If you use the Department of State’s expedited passport service, it could still take up to 3 weeks or longer. A private passport expediting company costs a little more but provides you with much faster service, often providing expedited passport service in as little as 24 hours without requiring you to take additional time off work to visit a passport office.

Apply for your expedited passport today!

It’s already May, and that means it’s time to start shopping around for summer travel deals. Here’s how to end up with an incredible, affordable summer vacation in 3 easy steps:

Step 1- Apply for your US passport renewal

Some of the best travel deals this summer will take you out of the country. Since you now need your passport even for most trips to our neighbors in Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean, it makes sense to go ahead and apply for your passport renewal now.

Step 2- Friend/Follow your favorite airlines and hotels

One great way to get the inside scoop on travel deals is to connect with your favorite airlines or hotels on Twitter and/or Facebook. For example, CBS’ “The Early Show” reported that the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort is offering discounts of up to 40% off to travelers who “like” the resort’s Facebook page.

Likewise, many airlines announce specials on Twitter. For example, JetBlue airlines uses the @JetBlueCheeps account to broadcast discounted fares to its followers.

Step 3- Monitor sites for deals

Many discount travel sites will send you updates by email to show you what their latest deals are. For example, Orbitz has a service called “Deal Detector” that lets you name your desired price for a specific itinerary. If the price for the trip drops down below a certain point, Orbitz will notify you by email.

Other travel websites will send you email newsletters with hand-picked travel bargains. If you don’t want these clogging your inbox, consider changing your email settings to have them routed to a special “travel” folder, which you can then review at your leisure.

While it makes sense to book ahead most of the time, last-minute deals do also come up. That’s why it’s so important to have a valid passport. US passport renewal can take 6 weeks if you apply with regular processing, and 3 weeks even if you apply for the government’s expedited processing.

If you need your passport renewal more quickly, there is hope-a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport can get your application processed in as little as 24 hours, without you having to spend a lot of time in a passport office.

Apply for your US passport renewal today!

If you’ve ever wanted to visit Paris, why not go this spring? Yes, the whole “Paris in the springtime” thing is a bit of a cliche, but it really is one of the nicest seasons to visit.  The weather is mild, not hot like it gets in the summer, and it’s also less crowded. Even better, you’re more likely to be able to find a good price on a hotel room if you go now than you would in the summer.

There are also lots of special events going on in Paris in the spring. For example, the Foire du Trône, which runs from late March to late April, is a fair packed with roller coasters, games and other fun activities for kids or the young at heart. Foire de Paris runs from late April to May and is a decidedly more grown-up affair, with opportunities for visitors to sample a variety of wines and regional delicacies.

If you are in Paris during the middle of May, you can visit many of the city’s famous museums at night for free when the city celebrates “Museum Night.”  And right now, Smarter Travel reports that Air France is having a sale, with flights from Houston  to Paris for $710 round trip and flights from New York to Nice (well worth a visit in and of itself)  for $676.

Of course, you will need a passport to travel to France. If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to get an express passport. Even the government’s expedited service typically takes about 3 weeks, but with proof of travel you can can get an express passport much more quickly. The easiest way is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

We’ll provide you with detailed instructions that make filling out the application and gathering the necessary documents a breeze.  Then, we personally deliver your paperwork to the Department of State for super-fast processing, often in as little as 24 hours! And, there’s no need to make an appointment or take time off work to drive to  a passport agency office.

Ready to fly ? Apply for your express passport today!

For most people, there’s no place like home on Christmas. But what if you want to travel, to experience Christmas somewhere new and different?

London is an especially magical place to spend Christmas, and right now, Virgin Atlantic is having a sale on fares  to London.  You can get to London from New York City for just $512 round-trip, while $526 will get you there and back from Washington, DC.  On the West Coast, $642 will get you round-trip tickets from either San Francisco or LA. See more fares and additional details on Smarter Travel.

Once you’re there, you can enjoy traditional activities like ice skating and watching the English National Ballet’s traditional performance of The Nutcracker. Pantomimes are another popular English pastime during the holiday season-these are humorous theater performances where men often play female characters, and vice versa. There’s also the Great Christmas Pudding race, where contestants dress up and compete to see who can run around Covent Garden the fastest while carrying a large Christmas pudding.

It almost goes without saying that London is an excellent place to do some Christmas shopping. Plus, the atmosphere is almost guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.  An enormous Christmas tree lights up Trafalgar Square, and Christmas carols regale people passing by with traditional Christmas songs to raise money for charity. Plus, there are lights everywhere-see this post on Write On! for some excellent pictures!

Before you take off for London, you will have a final piece of Christmas shopping to take care of in the States-obtaining a passport.  If you don’t have one already, you may have trouble getting one before your plane leaves- Christmas is only 2 weeks away, and the US Department of State advises you t0 allow at least 3 weeks to receive your passport if you choose the government’s expedited processing option.

Your best option at this point for obtaining your passport in time is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. We make obtaining a passport easy by helping you complete the paperwork and gather the necessary documents, and then forwarding your application directly to the Department of State. This puts your application on top of the stack, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport today!

If you’ve ever wanted to celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas in Europe or experience springtime in Paris, now is a great time to book a flight.  Air France is running a special on flights across the pond from several different US cities, and prices start at $47o round-trip. For that price, you can catch a plane from New York City to Lisbon, Portugal. For $574, you can fly from Washington, DC to Geneva, Switzerland, and for $576 you can fly from New York to Nice, France. You can even fly all the way from Los Angeles to Paris and back again for just $758.

Smarter Travel has more details about the special and more sample fares. To get these prices, you have to book by December 3rd, but you can travel anytime through December 16th or from January 6th through March 28, 2010.Some blackout dates do apply, so make sure you read the offer information carefully.

Of course, if you want to travel to Europe soon, you will need to get a passport,  quick! Passport applications can take anywhere from 6 weeks for regular processing to 3 weeks for the government’s expedited processing.  If you need a passport quicker than that, the easiest thing to do is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. With an expediting company, you can get your passport quick, with processing times as fast as 24 hours. Plus, you don’t have to make an appointment or drive down to a regional passport agency office. All you have to do is send your documents to us using the shipping label and information we provide you, and we’ll hand-deliver them to the Department of State. Getting a passport in a hurry has never been easier!

Need to get a passport, quick? Apply with us today!

Looking for something exciting to do this October? AirFrance has some excellent deals on trips to Europe.

For example, you can go from Boston to Madrid, Spain for $506 roundtrip, and from Washington, DC to Paris, France for $596. Miami to Milan, Italy is $586.  You can find a complete list of fares here, on the Smarter Travel website.

Need some suggestions for what to do while you are there? In addition to the normal tourist activities, check out these local, seasonal things to do:

Looking for some liquid refreshment? Check out Cava Week in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, Spain. The festival, which runs from September 22nd to October 13th, is a glorious celebration of the local sparkling wine, called cava.

The Alba White Truffle International Festival takes place in Alba, Italy from October 2 through November 7, and is a great place to sample local foods as well as the famed (and expensive!) white truffles.

If you’re traveling with children, check out the Kidexpo in Paris from October 15th-17th. It’s packed with games and activities for kids of all ages.

On October 30th, celebrate Halloween with the Witch Festival in Chalindrey, France. The Witch Festival celebrates the history behind the legends of witchcraft.

The Torino Film Festival runs from October 12th through October 20th in Torino, Italy. If you’re a fan of foreign films and independent cinema, it’s definitely worth a visit!

If you’re a chocoholic, you might also consider traveling to Perugia, Italy for the Eurochocolate Festival, October 15th through the 24th. The whole town will be swimming in rich chocolaty goodies!

Of course, if you want to travel to Europe this fall, you’ll need to expedite your passport if you don’t already have one. The easiest way to expedite your passport is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

With RushMyPassport.com, you can get your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours, without having to make an appointment or wait in line at a passport agency office.

Want to go to Europe this fall? Expedite your passport today!

In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was  common for wealthy young men to go on a “Grand Tour” of Europe,  visiting the major cities and seeing important historical sites and works of art.  In those days, the “Grand Tour” usually took months, if not years. However, if you act fast, Ryanair is giving you the opportunity to create your own, much faster version of this tradition, by selling a million plane tickets  from Great Britain to  different cities in Europe for only one euro.

What about getting there? Coincidentally, both American Airlines and United Airlines are having a sale on plane tickets to Europe, starting at $438 round trip.  So, you can get there and get around relatively cheaply.

However, if you want to take advantage of these specials, you’ll need to get a passport, quick. Ryanair’s deal ends tomorrow, on September 17th, and your travel dates have to be between October and December. Plus, the American Airlines deal is only valid if you travel before November 25, although United will give you until March of next year.

The best way to get a passport in time is to apply through a private passport expediting company. If you apply directly through the government, it will take about 6 weeks for your passport to come back. Even if you apply for the government’s expedited service, you can still expect to wait at least 3 weeks.

An expediting company will hand-deliver your passport application to the Department of State. This cuts processing times down to as little as 24 hours, so you’ll get your passport, quick!

Don’t miss out on these great airfare deals: get a passport, quick and start planning your trip today!

Are you looking for an excuse to get away? How does a free hotel room sound? Marriott has an awesome special running right now, where you can stay for three nights and get one night free. However, the offer is only good at Marriott hotels located outside of the US and Canada. So, to take advantage of it, you’ll need to have a passport.

You’ll also need to book your rooms (and flight)  by August  21st. Fortunately,  there are a  lot  of  last-minute international flight deals available right now, too. Compare prices on flights using one or more of the major travel search engines, and you’ll be amazed at what you can find! Of course, leaving at the last minute is only possible if you have a passport ready. Getting a passport can take 6 weeks or longer if you apply with normal processing. If you apply for an expedited passport directly through the government can take at least 3 weeks.

However, there is a faster way to apply for an expedited passport. By applying through a private passport expediting company, you can your expedited passport application processed in as little as 24 hours. Plus, you’ll get personal assistance with your passport application from a knowledge passport professional, to help you get your application processed quickly the first time.

So, go ahead, start planning that last-minute vacation-apply for your expedited passport today!

How would you like to travel to Europe this year?  One of the major expenses of a European vacation is the cost of a flight across the ocean. However, would-be globetrotters are in luck- the New York Times just reported on some amazing travel deals on European flights! And by amazing, I mean round trip flights as low as $208 (from Philadelphia to Madrid) to $392 (from New York t0 Paris).  Not long ago, these prices would have been considered “deals” if they were just one-way fares!

Yes, these low ticket prices are exciting…just don’t get so excited that you forget to turn in your passport application! Getting a passport takes some time. In fact, if you apply using the regular government processing service, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks, and possibly longer, for your passport application to be processed. If you apply using the government’s expedited service, you’ll wait at least three weeks.

However, there is an easy way to get your passport application processed quickly, so you can take advantage of these excellent travel deals. A private passport expediting company can hand-deliver your passport application and associated materials to the US Department of State. These services allow you to put your application at the top of the stack for faster processing. By using an expediting service, you can get your application processed in as little as 24 hours!

RushMyPassport.com has a range of expediting options to meet your needs and your budget. Save yourself time and stress: let us submit your passport application today!