STM Portal Info Center
Within your STM portal, you will find a tab titled "Info Center". By clicking on this tab, you will have access to a plethora of information to benefit your travel program. You will find Booking Guides, Info on Managing Your Team Travel, User Guides for Deem and Concur and so much more. These hubs are updated frequently. Check it out today.
STM Extended Weekday Hours
Starting May 31st, Our Sports Agents will be available to help you Monday - Friday 7 AM CST – 7 PM CST.
We will have an agent available on call after these hours to help support any *emergency changes to team travel due to flight interruptions or other emergent needs.
* Please note the Team Travel Emergency Dispatch service should be used for emergency changes or needs when teams are on the road on Saturday or Sunday.
Southwest’s new fare type is here. What to know about ‘Wanna Get Away Plus’
At Southwest Airlines, passengers can now get away with a few extra perks.
The carrier announced a new fare class on March 24, dubbed “Wanna Get Away Plus,” offering a fourth option in its fare system just above the discounted — and relatively restrictive — “Wanna Get Away” fare.
The new fare — now on sale — introduces three benefits above Wanna Get Away, which is essentially Southwest’s version of basic economy.
While tickets still won’t be fully refundable — you’ll have to buy Anytime or Business Select for that — tickets can be canceled in exchange for a flight credit, just like with Wanna Get Away. Unlike those base-level fares, though, the credit can be transferred to someone else. That means that if one person has an unused flight credit, they can use that to book a ticket for a spouse, child, or anyone else with a Rapid Rewards account. That’s a big plus for personal and leisure travelers. The flight credit remains valid for 12 months from the date of booking...learn more
CDC Updates US Travel Guidance with New Recommendations
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its coronavirus testing recommendations for Americans looking to travel domestically.
According to CNN.com, the CDC announced domestic travelers should “consider getting tested as close to the time of departure as possible,” regardless of vaccination status. The government agency said the testing should occur no more than three days before the trip...learn more
U.S. Pilot Staffing Situation Is Complex and Will Take Years to Sort Out
Much ink has been spilled about the pilot situation in the U.S., with many regional airlines saying they face a shortage, larger carriers saying they are experiencing elevated attrition, and the biggest airlines reporting training backlogs. All of this adds up to dropped destinations, fewer flights than planned, and disrupted travel plans as airlines reactively prune schedules.
“Pilots were stuck in the school house,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in April after the airline suffered a wave of staffing-related cancellations earlier that month. “So we’re de-risking the operation a little bit to give our pilots schoolhouse just a little bit of breathing room as we train them.”..read more
TSA is expanding use of screeners to help at busy airports
The chief of the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday that his agency has quadrupled the number of employees who could bolster screening operations at airports that become too crowded this summer.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske said nearly 1,000 employees have volunteered to be sent to other airports if needed.
It’s part of the agency’s plan for handling what is projected to be a frenetic vacation-travel season.
“We expect this to be a busy summer, and we are as ready as we possibly can be,” Pekoske said at a news conference near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. “We’re likely going to exceed in some airports by good measure the 2019 numbers.”..read more
COVID-19 No Longer the Biggest Concern for Many Travelers
The latest installment of Longwoods International’s ongoing American Travel Sentiment Study indicates that record-high gas prices and soaring airfare costs have overtaken pandemic-related concerns for consumers as the summer travel season approaches.
According to the study, one-third of travelers said that gas prices will greatly affect their travel plans over the next six months, while one-quarter reported that the soaring price of plane tickets will impact them in a similar way...read more
Airport parking crisis? How to save money while securing a space
As travel bounces back to pre-pandemic levels, we’ve already seen expensive flights, scarce rental cars and limited hotel rooms affect those looking to get away.
Now, due to an increase in the number of those flying, combined with more of those travelers driving themselves to the airport than before, parking is the latest part of the travel infrastructure to feel the strain.
Sold-out airport lots and price increases have been reported across the country, with dire warnings about limited availability ahead for the busy Memorial Day weekend and the summer travel season. Here’s what you’re likely to find when you pull into the airport this summer — and how to ensure your car has a place to park...learn more