Clicking on Some Useful Newsletters

To some information-bloated travelers, e-mailed newsletters are little more than spam: self-promotional, advertising-laced pitches that clutter electronic in-boxes without providing any real value.

But “opt-in” travel newsletters (those that users sign up for rather than receive unsolicited) can offer free, timely tips and advice and fulfill their mission to spark plans for future getaways.

A sampling:

Smarter Living (https://www.smarterliving.com): Most Web-wise travelers know they can sign up with individual airlines for weekly e-mails of last-minute, Internet-only air fare specials. Smarter Living’s weekly, Internet-only air fare newsletter goes a step further by consolidating 20 major airlines’ Web deals. The e-mailed missives are available for more than 40 departure cities in the U.S. and Canada. Other Smarter Living newsletters are targeted to seniors, students and frequent fliers, while the weekly “Deal Alert!” covers general travel bargains.

Dennis Deacon’s Travel Link Express (https://members.aol.com/trvlevery): This travel version of Yahoo!’s popular “Picks of the Week,” compiled by a computer-training coordinator in his spare time, is a monthly e-zine linking travelers to 10 Web sites covering accommodations, destinations and special interests. Deacon’s reviews are brief and often superficial, but his no-nonsense newsletter and a voluminous, soon- to-be-updated travel directory remain useful resources.

Johnny Jet (https://www.johnnyjet.com): John (Johnny Jet) DiScala, a Los Angeles-based college admissions officer who flies nearly 150,000 miles a year, gives road warriors a cleanly designed travel portal to an eclectic variety of travel resources. His weekly newsletter incorporates links to a recommended Web site and live cam, plus recent travel stories from a variety of publications.

Lonely Planet’s Comet (https://www.lonelyplanet.com): Designed for budget-minded travelers who “like their travel news downloaded, not loaded down,” this engaging monthly newsletter offers guidebook updates, destination news and plugs for new Lonely Planet products. One of Comet’s best features is traveler involvement, including excerpts from the Web site’s popular bulletin board, the Thorn Tree. Invited to a party in Spain? “Always arrive one hour later than requested, or you’ll catch your hosts in the shower,” one reader recently advised.

Cruise Mates (https://www.cruisemates.com): This consumer-friendly site, run by former America Online cruise expert Anne Campbell, features ship reviews, advice for first-time cruisers and a lively readers’ forum. The site’s weekly newsletter dispenses cruise tips and summaries of industry news and trends. Last month, for example, readers were alerted to a Caribbean fare war that’s resulting in unusually early (and steep) discounts for fall cruises.

America Online’s Independent Traveler (keyword: traveler): Notable for its well-frequented message boards, AOL’s Independent Traveler also does a good job of supplying timely information and bargains to independent vacationers. The site’s weekly newsletter offers bargains and links to features on subjects such as the potential impact of higher gas prices on summer travel, the pros and cons of using alternate airports and advice on surviving a red-eye flight.

Electronic Explorer appears the second Sunday of every month. Laura Bly welcomes comments and questions; her e-mail address is LSBly@aol.com.