What travel pros want from Santa

What travel proswant from Santa
"Dear Santa:
"I travel a lot. Please bring me a prepaid international phone card. Just ask your elves to make sure the card can be used in as many countries as possible and comes with dialing instructions for all nations."
This was the first item listed by 1,300 members of the Society of American Travel Writers when asked what they wanted for Christmas.
The journalists who have to travel for a living would also like a fistful of euros in various denominations.
They say that's better than getting cash or a check. And membership in an airline VIP Club for relaxing between delayed flights would sure be appreciated.
Speaking of relaxing, how about some first- or business-class upgrade coupons or some frequent-flyer miles you won't be using? Check the airline Web sites for details.
Subscriptions to travel magazines or guidebooks and AAA membership would also come in handy.
But if you're short this year, Santa, just write a promise to listen to our travel stories.
Pay a bit moreto book online
Expedia, the online travel agency, will charge a $5 booking fee for tickets purchased on its Web sites. It's not the first to seek a bit more profit from the low-margin airline-ticket business.
Orbitz tacked on a similar $5 booking fee last year, and Priceline was up to $5.95.
Where Expedia can claim a first among online agencies is with its air-ticket exchange. With Expedia's new Online Exchange Wizard, customers can research alternate flights, calculate the costs for the change and book new flights.
Passengers with booked itineraries can access the ticket exchange from Expedia.com's "My Trips" section, select the flights they want to alter, and view the new fare compared with the previous one, including the airline-imposed fees for the change.
Expedia will e-mail the new itinerary.
Lincoln memorializedwith his own library
Almost 140 years since he passed into history, our 16th president is finally getting his own library.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library opened last month in Springfield, Ill.
The Lincoln Museum across the street is slated to open in 2004. The library contains the 46,000-item Henry Horner Lincoln Collection, used by generations of writers and filmmakers involved in Lincoln productions.
Free SUV useis skier perk
There are all kinds of perks to lure skiers to various resorts this winter, but free use of an SUV may be the peak one.
Utah's Deer Valley Resort is inviting guests to test-drive Chevy trucks ranging from the full-size Suburban to midsize Trailblazer.
All are new four-wheel-drive 2003 models that seat six to eight people.
To qualify, guests age 21 and older must show up with a valid driver's license, stay a minimum of three to seven days and complete a vehicle evaluation form at the end of the vacation. The first 30 gallons of gas is free.
The offer expires when the resort closes April 7.
XDistributed by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service