Thanksgiving travel, airport food, Megabus destinations: Coming & Going

Coming & Going

Traveling on Thanksgiving, eating at the airport, bus services expand

Thanksgiving travel trips

More than 42 million people will be traveling this Thanksgiving, an 11.4 percent increase from last year, AAA estimates. If you're one of them, and you're planning to fly home from the District, expect some changes at Ronald Reagan National and W ashington Dulles International airports - for better or for worse.

Let's start with the good news.

Searching for a parking space won't be as difficult at National. Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority a dded more than 1,400 parking spaces to the airport's parking garages, bringing the total number of spaces to almost almost 9,000.

Another addition to National: JetBlue Airways, which began service in Terminal A earlier this month. (Other gate changes: Northwest Airlines merged with Delta and moved from Terminal A to Delta's location in Terminal B. And Frontier and Air Canada both moved to Terminal A).

Dulles said goodbye to most of those rickety mobile lounge shuttles. In their place, the AeroTrain underground airport system began running in January, providing service between the Main Terminal and the A, B and C gates. (Sorry, Gate D passengers. You'll still have to put up with the shuttles.)

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Travel deals of the week

l Book a South Pacific cruise aboard the MS Paul Gauguin by Nov. 30 and receive shipboard credits of $250 or $500 per person. The $500 credit applies to the 14-night Marquesas, Tuamotus & Society Islands cruise, which travels round trip from Papeete, Tahiti. For the deal, depart Jan. 15 or April 16. Rates start at $5,797 per person double, plus $28 taxes. The $250 credit applies to all other departures of the 332-passenger ship from January through June, including the seven-night Tahiti & Society Islands cruise, with eight departures. Rate starts at $3,997 per person double, plus $14 taxes. The credits can be used for shore excursions, spa services, onboard shopping, etc. Info: 800-848-6172, www.pgcruises.com.

l Reserve a Nile River cruise and Cairo hotel package with Lindblad Expeditions by Dec. 15 and save $700 per person. The deal is valid on six December-through-March departures of the 10-day Exploring Egypt itinerary. Price for 2010 sailings starts at $4,000 per person double after discount; in 2011, price starts at $4,490. The trip includes two nights at the Four Seasons, private air transfers from Cairo to Abu Simbel and from Abu Simbel to Aswan, four nights aboard the Salacia, private air transfers from Luxor to Cairo, two nights at the Mena House Oberoi, 18 meals, daily escorted sightseeing and taxes. Info: 800-397-3348, www.expeditions.com.

AIR

l Cayman Airways will resume nonstop flights between Washington Dulles and Grand Cayman beginning Dec. 18. The seasonal service will run Wednesdays and Saturdays through April 30. Round-trip fare starts at $367, including taxes. A 14-day advance purchase is required; holiday blackout dates apply. For connecting flights, fare on other airlines starts at about $400. Info: 800-422-9626, www.caymanairways.com.

l Virgin America is offering discounted fares for flights through Feb. 15. Sale fare from Washington Dulles to S an Francisco or Los Angeles starts at $109 one way, plus $11 taxes, or $240 round trip. Other airlines are matching to L.A.; for San Francisco, fare starts at about $140 each way, including taxes. Cheapest fares apply to Tuesday and Wednesday travel, and holiday blackout dates apply. Seven-day advance purchase required. Book by Nov. 15 at www.virginamerica.com, or pay $15 more by calling 877-359-8474.

PACKAGE

l The ultra-luxe Turtle Island Resort in Fiji is offering a free night's stay, worth $2,499 per couple, and one free airfare from Los Angeles to Nadi, a value of about $1,000 (air taxes of about $360 are extra). Rates at the all-inclusive private island resort start at $2,499 per couple per night. Minimum seven-night stay required; holiday blackout dates apply. Deal applies to stays through 2011; book by March 31. The island, where the movie "Blue Lagoon" was filmed, accommodates 14 couples in private beachfront villas. The package includes meals, drinks, activities and taxes. Transport from Nadi, which costs $200 round trip per couple by boat or $999 via seaplane, is extra.

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