Best Western and MasterCard join forces to offer a free night stay to members of the hotel chain's Gold Crown Club International loyalty program.

Through July 15, 2004, Gold Crown Club members residing in Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean can earn one free night after two qualifying stays at any Best Western hotel in the world when they use MasterCard to pay for their stay.

The offer is for a Global Free Night Award, valued at 800 Gold Crown Club International points, and is limited to one per person. Qualified guests will receive a voucher by mail for their free night stay, which is valid for six months upon issue and redeemable at hundreds of Best Western hotels worldwide.

If you are not a Gold Crown Club International member, you can enroll when registering for the offer.

Register online here or call 800/237-8483 mention offer code MC2X.

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that airlines weigh their passengers - at least occasionally. During its investigation of the crash of US Airways Express Flight 5481 at Charlotte-Douglas Airport, it concluded that two factors led to the accident which killed 21 people on board the Beech 1900 operated by Air Midwest. First, the airline's guidelines for estimating passenger weight were inaccurate and second, mechanic error caused the elevator flap to have only half its normal mobility. During takeoff, the flap was not able to extend properly to compensate for the additional weight in its aft section. The plane angled up too steeply and then dropped from the sky.

Shortly afterwards, the FAA conducted surveys and concluded that the airlines needed to add up to 10 pounds per passenger and five pounds for checked baggage. The NTSB is recommending that airlines go further, weighing passengers for flights with 10 or more seats periodically to ensure accuracy.

Planning a summer vacation just got easier with Continental's new BusinessFirst fares to Europe and first class flights from its U.S. hubs to select U.S. destinations.

With a low fare guarantee from continental.com, the airline wants you to be sure you are getting the best price from their web site. If you find a fare for the same flight, itinerary and cabin that's more than $10 lower than the continental.com price, you will receive the price difference plus a $100 Electronic Travel Certificate.

The business fares to Europe are valid from many U.S. cities. From Newark International Airport, the sale fare is $708 each way. From Houston and Cleveland, the sale fare is $808 each way. Examples fares from other U.S. cities are $908 each way from Phoenix, Portland, Ore., San Diego or Tucson; $808 each way from Austin, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, San Antonio or Tulsa; and $708 each way from Rochester and Syracuse. Roundtrip purchase is required.

Continental's Europe destinations included in the sale are: Amsterdam, Birmingham, Brussels, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Oslo, Paris, Shannon, Rome and Zurich.

Europe travel is valid July 1 to Sep. 9 with departures from the U.S. any day but Saturday.

Domestic first class seats are on sale for $479 each way, based on a roundtrip purchase from New York, Houston and Cleveland hubs to many U.S. destinations. Domestic first class travel is valid through Aug. 29.

Continental Airlines.

US Airways introduces its simplified low fares called "GoFares.???

GoFares start from $29 each way, and last-minute fares from $49 each way. GoFares are never more than $499 each way, and there are no Saturday night stay or roundtrip purchase requirements.

With GoFares, you have advance seat assignments, pre-boarding for preferred dividend miles members, a first class cabin with the ability to upgrade from coach, in-flight caf?© on select flights and the ability to earn frequent flier miles.

Sample one-way GoFares and first-class fares from Philadelphia starting July 2004. Houston (G. Bush Intl.) $99 to $499 and $699; Los Angeles $89 to $499 and $699; Manchester, N. H. $29 to $239, and $299; New Orleans $96 to $479 and $679; Raleigh-Durham, N.C. $29 to $289, and $349; West Palm Beach, FL $79 to $379, and $499.

US Airways.

USA3000 Airlines, a low-fare, full-service airline, offers flights to Fort Myers from Cincinnati starting Dec. 19, 2004. Fares start from $59 one-way plus all applicable taxes.

USA3000 Airlines will start scheduled service to Bermuda from Newark Liberty International Airport on Sep. 3, 2004. Fares start from $79 one-way plus all applicable taxes.

The airline will also start service from Baltimore Washington International Airport to Fort Myers. Service on Oct. 2, 2004. No price has been set to date.

Cats and dogs are welcome aboard in pet carriers for a nominal fee. Reservations must be made.

USA3000 offers low fares with simple fare rules: No roundtrip ticket purchase or Saturday stay, one-year same-price extensions in the event you cannot make the trip as originally purchased, and name changes are also possible.

Passengers receive the following amenities: first-run movies or a video short selection onboard all flights, a choice of nine music channels, two audio channels, free meals, reservations in Spanish or English, online booking for the lowest fares and inflight magazines.

USA3000 Airlines or 877/USA 3000.

The "Summer of Family Adventures" program, at 19 Hyatt Resort locations, offer free nights and activity discounts. Through Aug. 31, 2004, you can stay from two nights at select resorts and receive a free third night. Families can also purchase a second room at 50 percent off the summer sale rate and receive a free night with this room as well. Rates start from $165 per room, per night.

Along with the free night, select Hyatt Resorts offer discounts on Adventure Hyatt activities ranging from kayaking and jeep four-wheeling to hot air ballooning and crab-catching. To receive the activity discount, you must book adventures through www.AdventureHyatt.com or the resort's Adventure Hyatt Concierge Desk.

Here??™s a sample of Summer of Family Adventure rates in the U.S. and Caribbean. 3rd night free at: Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Indian Wells, CA $165; Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas $209; Hyatt Regency Scottsdale $195.

4th night free: Hyatt Regency Tamaya Santa Fe $250; Hyatt Dorado Beach Puerto Rico $185; Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach $360; Hyatt Regency Waikiki $265; Park Hyatt Beaver Creek $169; Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay $285; Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Orlando $239; Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa $310; Hyatt Regency Key West $255; Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Bonita Springs, Fl. $169; Hyatt Regency Suites Palm Springs $145; Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Ft. Lauderdale $179.

5th night free: Hyatt Regency Aruba $240; Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman $220.

6th night free: Hyatt Regency Kauai $425.

7th night free: Hyatt Regency Maui $385.

Hyatt Resorts.

As the 2004 summer vacation season approaches, U.S. motorists are reeling from record-high gasoline prices. To ease pain, the Alliance to Save Energy offers consumers tips for cutting gas costs:

• Keep tires properly inflated. Properly inflated tires are safer, last longer, and can improve gas mileage by more than three percent.
• Use the recommended grade of motor oil. It can improve gas mileage by one to two percent. Select motor oil with "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol. It contains friction-reducing additives.
• Keep your engine properly tuned. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve gas mileage by about four percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. DOE adds that replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve gas mileage up to 40 percent!
• Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing a clogged or dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, according to DOE, and keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine.
• Plan ahead for the shortest, most gas-saving itinerary. You not only save fuel, but wear and tear on your car. Avoid retracing your route to reduce the distance you travel.
• If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets better gas mileage.
• Don't speed! Gas mileage declines rapidly above 60 mph. Each five mph increase above 60 is like paying an additional 10 cents a gallon for gasoline.
• Road rage costs. Aggressive driving wastes gas and can lower gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and five percent in town. Nix jack-rabbit starts in favor of slow acceleration from a dead stop.
• Avoid excessive idling, which gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines usually waste more gas while idling than those with smaller engines.
• Take advantage of cruise control. Cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, save gas.
• Use overdrive gears to lower engine speed, save gas, and reduce engine wear.
• Avoid carrying items on your vehicle's roof. A loaded roof rack or carrier increases aerodynamic drag, which can cut mileage by five percent. Place items inside the trunk whenever possible.
• Travel light. Don??™t carry unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk cuts a typical car's fuel economy one to two percent.
• When renting a car, ask for a model that gets better fuel economy. Also, fill up the tank before returning the car to the rental company, which charges much higher gas prices -- and perhaps an extra gas surcharge.