With holiday season now in full operation, you may decide to take your pet along to join in on Christmas celebrations far from home. If you do it on SW, it will cost an extra $75 each way. Consider it a bargain, because as of January 2014, the same pet travel service will be $95.

The requirements are that the pet has certified vaccination proof, and rides in a carrier that fits under your airline seat. Additionally, because of the busy December travel season, reservations must be made early. On SW, only six pet carriers are allowed on each flight.

Actually, even the higher SW charge will be cheaper than you’ll pay on some other airlines. They require as much as $125, which could make a pet-toting human passenger on a $99 special ticket feel a bit unsettled.

For more information, go to www.sw.com

The major airport car rental services, Enterprise Holdings, which include National, Enterprise and Alamo services, are judged the best in the industry. This is the result of a recent  J.D. Power survey concerning car rental experiences by airport customers.

In rank order this year, are National in first place, Enterprise second and Alamo next in line. More than 12,000 drivers who rent cars at North American airports were involved in the vote.

The picturesque Tianmen Shan (Heaven's Gate Mountain) is a huge rocky gap carved by eons of weather and seasons. It measures 180 feet wide and 430 feet high, and is five miles south of  Zhangjiajie in northern Hunan Province, and 800 miles west of the port city of Shanghai .

Before the experience of tramping up the enormous stairway, visitors can board a five-mile aerial tram after their scenic bus ride from the city. For more information, go to english.zhangjiajie.gov.cn

Along with other computer-generated advances in travel, it was just a matter of time before this innovative app broke upon the scene. During this holiday season and into the new year, savvy senior and business travelers not tied down to specific schedules should look into it. The service finds choice hotel rooms at heavily reduced prices for same-night occupancy when business is slow.

So far, the growing list of hotels includes 150 destinations in 12 countries in the Americas and Europe. New-listing deals may appear on the app as early as 9 a.m. every day. When planning quick travels, check out hoteltonight.com frequently before being required to pay full rate.