The internet is fast becoming an essential tool for trip preparations – otherwise, you wouldn’t see anywhere near as much of William Shatner, whose main claim to showbiz fame is now more than 40 years old. Now that buying tickets and reserving hotel rooms is as easy as entering a credit card number and clicking a button, an overwhelming 93% of 18-24 year olds go online to plan their trips; however, internet usage drops as age increases. Online planning is also more popular among those living in large cities (83%) and among people with higher incomes (83% of those making over $75,000 a year).

With the rising popularity of the Web among younger generations comes the prevalence of the discount airlines, such as Jet Blue or Southwest. Fifty-one percent of 18-24 year olds prefer to use such a company instead of a full-service airline such as Delta or U.S. Air. Although older generations seem to have less faith in these cheaper options (perhaps warranted after the collapse of several companies, lately including Independence Air), the discounters are trustworthy enough for people with kids: 40% of adults with children under the age of 17 use them, as opposed to just 35% of those without. Maybe the kids need to be around to explain how to use the ticketing websites?

Thriftiness also carries through to other areas of life: 41% of consumers who shop at Wal-Mart weekly also use a discount airline. Surprisingly, however, income does not seem to have the expected effect on low-cost airline usage; it has 36% popularity among those who make over $75,000 a year, greater than any other income bracket except for those in households earning under $15,000, nearly half of whom said they favor discounters.

According to the poll, married people spend more on vacations than singles do, as 5% of married respondents typically spend over $5,000 during a holiday, while half that percentage of singles spend an equal sum. However, it is apparently cheapest to be young: 32% of 18-24 year olds spend less than $500 on their vacations – apparent proof that low standards pay off, and beer doesn’t really cost that much.

The survey shows that long, leisurely European-style vacations are still just a dream here in the New World. It also indicates that there’s a little something to the stereotypes about uptight East-coasters and laid back Westerners. Those in the eastern U.S. tend to take shorter vacations - 50% say their typical vacation is only four to seven days long, while 41% of Westerners. Furthermore, 11% of those from the West coast take holidays that last for more than two weeks, while only 8% of their cross-country counterparts manage to escape for that long.

Also deprived of extended vacation get-aways are adults with children under 17, as just 3% take two-week-long trips; and 18-29 year olds. But, as you might imagine, those two groups also long for more holiday time than most, with 63% and 66% respectively saying they would prefer longer breaks.

Even the thought of long vacations stressed out many East-coasters: when asked about their ideal vacation length, most (55%) desired a break between seven and 14 days long, while 39% wanted more than two weeks. Those from the West coast, however, preferred a lengthy escape, with a plurality of 48% supporting the idea of a 15-day or longer time-out. Part of this hesitation by others may be due to the fact that respondents from the East coast are much more likely to travel with their extended families; 25% said that they typically meet up with their relatives at a destination, as opposed to just 17% of Pacific-coasters.

The Zogby poll was conducted on February 22-24, 2006 and included 2,665 likely voters nationwide. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 1.9 percentage points.

What does your ideal vacation involve? Laying out on sun-splashed beaches? Leisurely grazing at romantic restaurants? Or maybe pooper-scooping behind the family canine? A new Zogby poll shows that 28% of American adults have envisioned the latter and taken their pets on vacation with them. 62%, however, prefer a more traditional experience and keep their furry friends at home.

The poll, conducted in February, shows that younger travelers especially tend to leave their pets behind when they go on holiday- 71% of 18-29 year olds say they have never traveled with their animals. (Perhaps having to take care of something would be a bummer at the club; and dogs probably hate techno music.) The older generations are more likely to be accompanied by a pet; 33% of those age 50 to 64 say they pack a pet for vacation.

Respondents from rural areas are more inseparable from their animals than those from large cities: 33% from the country have traveled with them, as opposed to just 24% of those from urban backgrounds.

One of the groups least likely to bring their faithful companions on holiday are singles, with only 18% of them having vacationed with their pets. Apparently single men haven’t yet figured out that walking around with a cute dog is a great way to pick up foreign women. Marrieds, however, are more aware: 30% of them have taken their animals along on their journeys. Of course, this may be why they are married, but that’s another survey.

Of those individuals who have traveled with their pets, 24% say they had an excellent experience, 46% rate it as good, 26% call it fair, and only 3% had a poor time. The group that rated their pet-accompanied vacations both the best and the worst were those over the age of 70, with 39% scoring it as excellent and 7% as poor.

Airlines and tours designed specifically for vacationers with pets are in general relatively unpopular – just 18% of respondents say they would be more likely to use pet-specific vacation companies. Those making less than $15,000 per year were the most likely to sign up for pet-oriented services – nearly one in three said they would take such vacations. Again, singles were the least likely to join such a program- 79% declared themselves less likely to vacation using a pet-oriented travel company.

The complications of dealing with an animal on the move is a big drawback: 59% of adults believe it should be easier than it now is for people to travel with their pets, but one in four like that it is inconvenient. Liberals are overwhelmingly in favor of pet-travel reform, with 78% in favor, while conservatives are almost evenly divided: 44% believe it should be made simpler, while 35% deem it easy enough as it is.

Hotels and motels were deemed bastions of pet-friendliness, with 43% of respondents vouching for their animal hospitality. And 65% said restaurants are the most unaccommodating vacation spot for pets. Hence the doggie bag, no doubt.

The Zogby poll was conducted on February 22-24, 2006 and included 2,665 likely voters nationwide. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 1.9 percentage points.