On Course: Trend spotting

Cut off via air As airlines retract services to save money, some airports are losing all scheduled airline flights. OAG Analysis Services recently released a list of such airports. Of the 30 in the United States, some serve relatively large cities, including Youngstown, Ohio; Bridgeport, Conn., and three state capitals: Salem, Ore.; Santa Fe, N.M., and Trenton, N.J. No Minnesota airports are affected.

KERRI WESTENBERG

Airline fees at a glance

It feels as though airlines are adding extra fees every week. Now Smarter Travel, Airfare Watchdog and Seat Guru have compiled an indispensable resource on one page: the Ultimate Guide to Airline Fees. The chart organizes 15 categories of fees across 16 popular airlines. Find out what in-flight food will cost you (up to $10 on Delta) or whether you'll be charged extra for booking your flight on the phone or in person ($30 on American, Northwest and United). Go to www.smartertravel.com and scroll down to the "Ultimate Guide to Airline Fees" section.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Fun with travel

Trivia and travel buffs will find "Travia: The Ultimate Book of Travel Trivia" (Intrepid Traveler, $15.95) hard to put down. Author Nadine Godwin divides the book into a dozen thematic chapters, including air travel, train travel and hotels. Consider just a few examples: At 1,723 square miles, the largest island in the United States is Long Island; the longest street in the world is Yonge Street, which begins in Toronto and ends 1,178 miles later in the town of Rainy River on the Canadian-American border; in 1961, the now defunct TWA became the first airline in the world to show movies on jets. Every page is full of fascinating historical, cultural and social tidbits.

The road to Vancouver So long, Beijing; hello, Vancouver. The ticket request phase to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver began Friday, according to CoSport, the only company sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee to sell tickets to Americans. During the first phase, which continues through Nov. 7, prospective ticket buyers may submit online requests for events. There are, however, no guarantees. Between mid-November and mid-December, tickets will be allocated, and ticket hopefuls will be notified by e-mail. The cost for marquee events? Based on current exchange rates, you can expect to pay $174 to $1,049 for the Opening Ceremonies and anywhere from $93 to $140 to witness the finals of men's or women's downhill skiing. Hockey tickets will range from $47 during preliminary rounds to $727 for the gold medal game. And tickets for the finals in men's and women's figure skating will range from $140 to $422. For info on the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, scheduled for Feb. 12-28: www.vancouver2010.com. For ticket information: www.cosport.com.

ON DISPLAY: CHICAGO

Elmo lights up the sky Big Bird, Elmo and Elmo's friend Hu Hu Zhu are ready to launch into outer space with a show at Chicago's Adler Planetarium that opens Friday. In "One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure," the three Muppets take viewers on an imaginary trip to the sun, moon and stars. The show, created in partnership with the Adler, the Sesame Workshop and the Beijing Planetarium, hopes to give youngsters an age-appropriate introduction to astronomy. Tickets for the show, including general admission and one viewing of the show, are $19 for adults, $15 for children and $17 for seniors. Chicago residents pay slightly less. The Adler is at 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago (1-312-922-7827; www.adlerplanetarium.org).

KERRI WESTENBERG

Skating Rockefeller The ice rink at Rockefeller Center -- a New York City tradition that got its start on Christmas Day in 1936 -- opens for the season Monday. Among the programs planned for the season is "Breakfast With Santa," which includes skating and breakfast with the big guy, and "Skate-a-Date," dinner for two at Rock Center Cafe and skating on the rink (www.therink atrockcenter.com).