United Airlines has added a wrinkle to the traditional bag fee. The carrier’s Premier Baggage fee gives you the chance to shell out $249/yr in order to check two bags for free every time you fly during the course of the year.

Now, this doesn’t seem like much of a deal for the ordinary traveler, but it could benefit business travelers (and large families), especially when you consider that the Premier Baggage plan covers up to 8 people traveling on the same confirmation number.

So, will United Ailrines’ move inspire other carriers to do the same? Can we expect a shift from the a la carte model to the long-term subscription model when it comes to airline fees? My guess is, we can expect more of both.

We’d love to hear from frequent flyers regarding United’s Premier Baggage Plan. Is this something that you’ll take advantage of? For more details (and some handy math calculations), check out Airline Fee: Pay United $249, Free Checked-Bags for a Year.

The idea behind the new Abercrombie & Kent website, it would seem is - give a little, get a lot.

This high-end tour organizer for the adventurous and well-heeled traveler is working with non-profits around the world, so generous travelers can donate to a variety of causes - and in some cases, see what the money’s gone for (and A & K says 100% of the money goes to the local charity).

As the New York Times reports, an “11-day conservation-themed trip to the Galapagos Islands scheduled for late Oct., for example, starts at $6,850, with a required additional donation of $1,000.”

Like to do something, but on a lesser scale? Find cheap tickets on FareCompare’s deal finder - for your home airport to anywhere in the world - and perhaps a charity dear to your own heart can share in the savings.

Singapore Airlines is offering a hotel special for it first class and business class passengers:

“When you book a First Class or Business Class ticket from the USA and Canada on Singapore Airlines (through) July 31, 2009 for travel May 19 through December 31, 2009 you can enjoy up to two nights free at a Five-Star hotel in Singapore…”

This special is good for travel all the way through December 31, 2009. Visit Singapore Airlines for more details and to take a look at their business and first class perks. Search FareCompare for first class flights to destinations all over the world.

Virgin America has announced that they’ll kick-off non-stop service between Boston and Los Angeles and Boston and San Francisco on February 12, 2009.

To ring in these new routes, Virgin America is offering deals in classes. A flight in first class starts at $999+ one-way, and airfare in Main Cabin select can be found for as low as $570+ each-way.

You can book your flight to Boston now, and you can learn more about main cabin deals on these new Virgin America routes on our Travel Deals blog.

Wherever you are, we wish you the very best!

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at FareCompare.com

I like to think of Memorial Day as a holiday that uniquely combines remembrance with family time.

No matter how you spend the day, we hope it’s a good one for you.

…from your friends at FareCompare.com