Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott is a journalist and consumer advocate.
His articles, columns and essays offer advice for people who want to become more informed travelers.
Elliott is National Geographic Traveler's ombudsman, a nationally syndicated columnist through Tribune Media Services, a columnist for MSNBC.com and a commentator and independent producer for public radio.
He's also the host of "What You Get For The Money: Vacations" on the Fine Living network.
Most of Elliott's career has been spent as an independent journalist. He's founded numerous Web sites dedicated to consumer advocacy, including _Tripso_, which he currently edits.
He's penned regular travel columns for ABCNews.com, CNN.com, Kiplinger.com, MarketWatch.com, MSN, The New York Times and USAToday.com. His essays have appeared on nearly every major U.S. newspaper's op-ed page.
Elliott is a contributing editor to SkiSnowboard America & Canada, the leading ski guide book in North America.
He has been featured as a travel expert on CBS, MSNBC, NPR, CNN, and Britain's ITN network. Other radio appearances include public radio's Marketplace and Sound Money, CNET Radio, and numerous ABC network affiliates. He's also been quoted as a travel expert in a variety of publications, from BusinessWeek to The Wall Street Journal.
Before he became an independent writer, Elliott worked for Dow Jones & Co., where he frequently wrote about the stock market and initial public offerings for The Wall Street Journal. He also served as a section editor for Travel Weekly, a travel trade publication. Elliott completed seven editorial internships, including stints at the Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News and Reuters.
Elliott is a 1990 graduate of the University of California at Irvine, where he majored in humanities. He completed his Master of Journalism degree in 1991 at the University of California at Berkeley and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1996.
Christopher Elliott Samples
Vacation rental phishing scams catch more travelers
Shauna Kattler thought she'd found the ideal rental home in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, for her Christmas vacation: a two-bedroom penthouse condominium with a hot tub and an impossibly perfect view of the Caribbean.
I paid for tickets on the wrong airline
Laurie Spear's travel agent tells her she's booked on American Airlines. Q: I planned an once-in-a-lifetime trip for my two children and me to South Africa a few months ago. My travel agent told me the flight was made with American Airlines.
Costa Concordia sinking leaves other cruise-ship passengers alarmed -- and out of luck
The tragic sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship last week is leaving a line of worried passengers in its wake. Westbrook believes that had she been aboard the cruise liner, she might have been a casualty.
Did I go all "Incredible Hulk" on my rental car?
There are dents on Mark Ferguson's rental SUV, and Enterprise wants him to pay for the repairs. Q: I recently rented an SUV from Enterprise in Tenafly, N.J. A manager and I walked around the car before I left the lot.
Navigating the bewildering new world of car rentals
Alix Davidson says she was "totally excited" when her car rental company recently offered her the keys to a Toyota Prius in Seattle. But her enthusiasm quickly turned to frustration when she couldn't figure out how to start the car.
Why can't I transit through London?
Mita Upadhyay has a "Catch-22" problem with a visa, but British Airways wants $500 to fix it. Q: I'm an Indian national residing in the United States.
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