The battle for online hotel booking revenue continues to heat up with today’s launch of Room Key, a hotel search engine created by the joint venture of six leading hotel companies: Choice Hotels International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotel Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International and Wyndham Hotel Group. On the surface, there’s not much that differentiates this search... 

China Southern and other big Chinese carriers refuse to pay the EU's carbon emissions tax. The European Union’s plan to impose a carbon tax on flights in and out of the region has drawn criticism from around the world, but Chinese airlines have now become the first to flat-out refuse to pay the tax. Part of the European Union’s emission trading scheme (ETS), the tariff went into effect at... 

Where would you like to travel in 2012? For people in the travel industry, it’s often easier to come up with a list of where they wouldn’t like to travel. So many destinations, so little time. This time of year, travel lists abound, with each, naturally, subjective in its own way. Looking for top luxury spots? Budget destinations? Off-the-beaten-path spots? How about top ethical places in the developing... 

It should come as no surprise that Orbitz, Kayak and a few online travel websites complained this week that Google’s new Flight Search tool is taking traffic away from OTAs. Earlier this month, Google began placing its new search service above general results so that its own results appear above links to major OTAs. Searches also now generate an interactive chart with flight results between desired... 

Times Square in New York City will draw the most New Year's Eve revelers in the United States, says Priceline.com. When the ball drops this New Year’s Eve, Times Square won’t just be the place to which most television stations across the country are tuned. It will also be the hottest travel destination for the holiday weekend, according to data from Priceline.com. Times Square edged... 

It's not too late to score tickets for NCAA football's national championship game in New Orleans January 9. For sports fans, the holiday season offers a final few golden weeks of NCAA football, as college teams play in bowl games that determine the national champion and set the final standings for the season. If you’ve enjoyed the games from your couch in the past, it’s not too late to... 

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched TSA Cares yesterday, a toll-free hotline for passengers with disabilities and medical needs and their family members or traveling companions to call before they fly for information on what to expect at security checkpoints. Security lines at Denver International Airport The number is (855) 787-2227 and available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.... 

It seems intuitive that having airline pilots who aren’t fatigued would be optimal for both passengers and carrier owners—not to mention the men and women in the cockpits. But it wasn’t regulated until today, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a landmark ruling that addresses jetlag and requires pilots to fly shorter shifts and get longer rest periods. A February 2009 Colgan... 

Delta Air Lines’ new domestic hub out of LaGuardia Airport will bring major changes to travel options into and out of New York City and affect the competitive landscape for domestic carriers. Delta's LaGuardia expansion brings its number of total flights out of New York to more than 400. The airline is adding 100 flights to 29 new cities, bringing it to a total of 264 flights out of LaGuardia... 

From unseasonably warm weather to unreasonably expensive lift tickets, circumstances outside your control can quickly put a damper on a planned weekend of skiing. But now there’s an app that aims to help winter sports enthusiasts hunt down the best powder for the best price. The free iPhone and iPad application from Liftopia, an online marketplace for ski and snowboard trips, lets consumers search...