The FCC has previously expressed desire to offer a better in-flight Internet experience by freeing up wireless spectrum for telecommunications companies to use. But that process has stalled due to various regulatory processes. Meanwhile, AT&T's planned network will use the same 4G wireless technology and spectrum that it uses for everyday smartphone communications.

Current in-flight broadband services, such as Gogo Inflight Internet, use slower 3G speeds and are inconsistent at best for anything more than basic email. To make matters worse, Gogo has also become increasingly expensive in recent years. Shares of Gogo plummeted 19% after the announcement. AT&T's stated goal is to improve the speed issue. The price problem is still a mystery, however, as. AT&T has not yet announced any airline partners or pricing plans. Once completed, AT&T says the network will be available only within the continental United States.

Here's what the different programs offer:

• Travel internationally and move quickly through CBP: Global Entry 
• Travel between the U.S. and Canada: NEXUS 
• Travel into the U.S. from Mexico via land: SENTRI 
• Import commercial shipments between the U.S./Mexico or U.S./Canada quickly (Free and Secure Trade for Commercial Vehicles)  FAST 
• Applications and Management of your Trusted Traveler Program Membership(s): GOES 

Click here for full details of each program  

Beginning April 10, 2014, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will no longer provide visas on arrival (at airports) to foreign travelers. All foreigners must obtain their Turkish visas from Turkish missions abroad or from the e-visa application system, depending on eligibility. If you are traveling for tourism or commerce for up to 90 days within a 180 day period, you can apply for a visa online at Turkish E-Visa  

Plush bedding, fancy lobbies, and extras like pools and gyms are all great, but it turns out that the number one thing travelers care about when staying in a hotel is free breakfast. Hotels.com surveyed thousands of travelers, and found that the most important hotel amenity travelers want is complimentary breakfast. A hotel restaurant was ranked as the second-most important amenity, showing that there is a growing emphasis on hotel dining. Wi-Fi, which has been the most sought-after hotel amenity for the past two years, is now #3. But staying connected in room is very important to travelers: free Wi-Fi ranked as the #1 in-room amenity. Here's the full list of the 10 most important hotel property amenities:

1. Complimentary Breakfast
2. Restaurant
3. Internet / Free Wi-Fi
4. Parking
5. 24 hours Front Desk Service
6. Smoke Free Hotel
7. Swimming Pool
8. Bar
9. Air Conditioning
10. Coffee/Tea in Lobby

• Bring your own water bottle to refill
• Reuse hotel towels
• Turn off the lights and A/C or heat when leaving your room
• Take public transportation at your destination
• Book hotel close to meetings - walk vs. drive
• Pack lightly
• Recycling Hotel Amenities: Note hotels that take part in recycling programs

A new study from Cornell University Center for Hospitality Research findings has documented an unexpected benefit when hotels earn a certification for environmental sustainability: they tend to run more efficiently. In the study, Cornell's researchers tested the operating efficiency of U.S. hotels using financial performance data from PKF Hospitality. Hotels that had earned the "Eco-Leaf" designation from Travelocity.com were more efficient in several areas of resource use than hotels that did not have eco-certification. "As we all know, the hotel industry has been hoping to see improved sales or market position from environmental sustainability, but maybe we have all been looking in the wrong place for the benefits from eco-certification," said one of the researchers. "The intriguing thing here is that this study shows a benefit from sustainability initiatives that have been hidden in plain sight. The fact that eco-certified hotels are more efficient is even more interesting because many hotel operators were worried that sustainability would be more expensive, not less."

...And have higher guest satisfaction

Hotels that have earned the ISO 14001 certification had higher guest satisfaction scores than those with no such certification, according to a study published by the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research. The study, which surveyed guests at 6,850 hotels in Spain, found that 4-star hotels particularly benefited from higher guest satisfaction scores when they held the ISO environmental management certification

Ziplining with SeaDream Cruises

• Africa: Discover the unique species of Madagascar
  or the breathtaking Victoria Falls
• Cruise the Arctic
• Experience the Galápagos islands
• Trek through the peaks of western Mongolia
• Cruise the Amazon and see its incredible and diverse habitat