Conde Nast Traveler Magazine

Nearly half the flights in the United States are now on regional airlines. In Condé Nast Traveler's December issue Barbara S. Peterson investigates these new airlines. Here are some of her tips for the new rules of air travel.

1. Bring food
Regional flights can be as long as four hours and food isn't sold on most of them.

2. Leave nothing to chance
To avoid surprises, always find out what type of plane you'll be flying before you buy your ticket. An airline reservations agent or travel agent can tell you what aircraft you'll be on, but it's not always easily apparent when booking on the Web. Most online travel sites list the aircraft type after you've selected a flight but before you've entered your payment information. If you can't find the type of plane or aren't familiar with the model, call the airline directly.

3. Don't assume that you can bring aboard a carry-on
A wheelie that would fit easily into the overhead bin on a major airline probably won't get past the gate agent at a regional carrier whose bins are too small for anything other than a glorified purse. You'll have to check it at the gate (but won't be charged).

4. Consult seatguru.com before selecting your seat
The standard seating rules don't apply on regional jets. For instance don't assume that a C or D seat is on the aisle. Choice spots on an Embraer 145 are the A seats—single seats on the left side. Some of the smallest planes don't even have exist rows—the escape route is through the front door.

5. You can normally avoid flying a regional, but it might not be easy
On many routes airlines offer a mix of code-share regional services as well as flights on their own full-size jets. If there's no way to avoid regional service, try to book the largest aircraft. It's trite but true; The bigger planes do provide smoother rides.

No the matter the season or your taste there's a Switzerland for you. Plan a technologically savvy vacation in Switzerland's digital city of Zurich, enjoy a summer full of outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and white-water rafting, spend the weekend exploring the area around Lake Geneva, plan a railroad adventure through the Swiss Alps, or a an eco-friendly ski vacation in Zermatt. Our November issue's Switzerland guide truly has something for everyone to create a magical Alpine escape.

Following the right Twitterers can help you snag amazing travel deals. One evening last summer, 450 people snagged round-trip airline tickets to Europe for a mere $250, including taxes. Other lucky travelers nabbed $9 JetBlue tickets from JFK to Nantucket and $444 round–trips on United from the West Coast to Australia. All of these deals were snagged using Twitter. In our October issue Wendy Perrin shared her Twitter secrets in "How to Tweet Your Way to Amazing Travel Deals," and " 21 Twitterers to Follow."