From new non-stop service from Hartford to Pittsburgh to a different type of car rental service, from a discount getaway to the best time to buy your airline tickets, here’s a roundup of the latest travel news.
>>Business and leisure travelers looking to fly from Hartford to Pittsburgh have a new option. OneJet, (onejet.com), will offer Monday through Friday non-stop service between Bradley and Pittsburgh International Airport starting June 8. Flights can be booked now on Expedia.com and other travel sites. Information, onejet.com.
>>Buy your airline ticket on a weekend and you’re likely to get the lowest fare, according to the new study, “Preparing for Takeoff: Air travel outlook for 2016,” from Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation. The best weekday for airfare purchases is Tuesday. Book flights within the U.S. 57 days before you travel to get the best fare. If you’re traveling to the Caribbean, book 77 days in advance; for European travel, 176 days in advance.
>>There’s a new flight tracking app for iPhone users. “Planes Live” includes detailed reports on flights, departure and arrival schedules, airport time zones and weather forecasts, and also lets you track planes in real time. The Planes Live app can be downloaded for $2.99 on iTunes.
>>Car rental prices too high for your vacation budget? Check out Turo.com. The service — think Uber for car rentals — lets you rent cars from local car owners, and many are priced well below national car rental company charges.
>>If you’re looking for a bargain April getaway, you can book a night at Sunnyside House, (the bed-and-breakfast lodging at Interlaken Inn in Lakeville), for $125 plus tax. The special price, a 50 percent saving, is in honor of the facility’s 125th anniversary and includes deluxe overnight accommodations in a king room, breakfast in bed or in the Main Inn, and a complimentary appetizer in Morgan’s restaurant. Information: interlakeninn.com.
>>Start planning those daycations. The Connecticut Office of Tourism has released its new 2016 Official Spring/Summer Connecticut Visitors Guide, a great resource for planning vacations, getaways and outings in Connecticut. The new guide offers season-specific travel experiences, events, attractions and destinations. It’s organized by such features as “Six Summer Escapes,” “Lobster 24/7” and “If Walls Could Talk.” The guide is available for free at Welcome Centers throughout Connecticut; by calling 1-888-288-4748, or online at CTvisit.com where consumers can view the digital edition.
>>You don’t have to go to Washington, D.C., to see the cherry blossoms. New Haven’s historic Wooster Square holds a free Cherry Blossom Festival on April 24. More than 70 Japanese Yoshino cherry trees will be in full bloom and there will be live jazz, salsa and big band music, children’s activities, and a special New Haven Clock Company exhibit. Information: historicwoostersquare.org.
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of OneJet in the headline.
