Roll the dice and take a red-eye

  Red-eye flights are my new favorite way to travel. They're usually cheaper (consider my recent round-trip from Seattle to Fort Myers, Florida via Detroit for $225), and if you an sleep on planes (I can), you gain an extra day to enjoy your destination instead of wasting it getting there. There are a few more advantages. Security lines are non-exisitent at 11 p.m. in most airports. There's a better chance at a first-class upgrade for members of airline elite programs since most people who can afford to actually buy a first-class tickets rarely choose to fly at night. And, you'll have the airport restaurants and bars mostly to yourself.

I started out my trip breezing through security in less than one minute at Seattle-Tacoma Airport the other night, then spent a relaxing hour and a half at the Vino Bello wine bar before boarding my plane for Detroit, and hearing the news that I'd been upgraded to first-class on the onward flight to Florida the next morning. Breakfast included. With so much to complain about these days re the airlines, it's nice to know there are times when flying can still be cheap, fun and hassle-free. Kind of like winning the lottery.