Southwest Airlines on Monday raised fares by $4 to $10 round trip, depending on mileage, in what it says is an effort to offset rising fuel costs.

The move follows an airfare hike by JetBlue Airways on Thursday of $10 round trip on most domestic flights. Virgin America over the weekend increased fares by $2 for short one-way flights and $5 for long one-way flights.

Typically, when airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue increase fares, the major legacy carriers follow. Delta Air Lines, US Airways, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines matched within hours. United Airlines did as well, according to Rick Seaney, chief executive officer of FareCompare.com, which closely monitors fare increases.

Air New Zealand today concluded a rather unique and fun promotional event where passengers had the opportunity to win prizes by participating in a “30,000-foot in-flight putting challenge.”

During the past five days, passengers on select Auckland to Queenstown flights were invited to putt for prizes in celebration of the airline’s partnership with the inaugural New Zealand PGA Pro-Am Championship golf tournament scheduled to take place March 29 to April 1, 2012.

The grand prize winner will receive a VIP trip for two to watch the final day of the pro-am championship, including flights, hotel accommodation and a brand new set of custom-fitted Callaway RAZR clubs.

All airline seats are not created equal and selecting the right seat in advance can mean the difference between a pleasant and spacious flight to one you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. This series will highlight the best — and worst — seats flying today’s crowded skies.

United Airlines

flies more Boeing 757-200 aircraft than any other type and their domestic 757-200 is a workhorse in popular business travel markets. For the configuration appearing below, I highly recommend the seats highlighted in green, advise caution about those in yellow and outright discourage you from getting stuck in the red zone.

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"Mad Men" fans, it's time for a cocktail.

The return of the AMC show March 25 after a hiatus of a year and a half is cause for celebration, and there's no better place to raise your glass than in Manhattan at one of Don Draper's favorite haunts.

While many of the places name-dropped in "Mad Men" no longer exist — Lutece, the Stork Club, Toots Shor's — there are plenty that do, among them P.J. Clarke's, the Roosevelt Hotel and Sardi's. Some Manhattan bars, clubs and hotels are even offering travel packages, drinks or viewing parties to mark the show's return.

The advent of lie-flat seating in business class is probably the top airline development of recent years, but another trend is quickly rising in popularity — premium economy.

Many international carriers now offer a dedicated cabin more luxurious than economy and at a price significantly more affordable than business class. It's a great option to consider when traveling overseas, as the relative comfort the cabins provide can mean the difference between arriving jetlagged and sour to passing through immigration and customs refreshed and ready to start your day.

Each airline offering a premium economy cabin provides similar amenities, including:

• A dedicated check-in line and priority boarding.
• Free checked baggage allowances.
• Larger, more comfortable seats with enhanced legroom and adjustable headrests.
• An amenity kit with earplugs, toothbrush, toothpaste, socks and an eye mask.
• Complimentary newspapers and bar service.
• Enhanced meal choices often served on fine china.
• On-demand personal video entertainment featuring television programming, movies, games, audio books and music.
• Power outlets for laptops and mobile devices.

Airports may not be your idea of a place you'd prefer to spend time, but delays and cancellations can cause extended wait. Fortunately, if you're stuck at Chicago's O'Hare International airport, the country's second busiest, you can at least take advantage of restaurants, exhibits, and other features where you can while away time.

Besides the Chicago Department of Aviation’s website listing of food and beverage outlets in each terminal, also consider downloading one of the many great mobile apps available that provide detailed airport information. My favorite is GateGuru as it provides not only lists of food, shopping and services found in each terminal with customer reviews, but also provides security wait time information, updated throughout the day.

Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are interconnected, so if you’ve passed through security and have a lot of time to kill, you can easily get from one end of the airport to the other. Terminal 5, the international terminal, can be accessed by using the Airport Transit System (ATS), a free, 24-hour rail system linking all three domestic terminals with the international terminal, and continuing to long-term parking and the Metra & PACE stations.

Here are some of the top locations based on user reviews in each terminal.