Choosy travelers choose Australia

If entire countries can be thought of as consumer brands, Australia is number one among frequent international travelers, followed by Italy and the United States, according to a new FutureBrand/Weber Shandwick survey of 1,500 globehoppers. The United States ranks as the best brand for shopping and doing business, New Zealand the best for natural beauty, Canada the best for safety, and Peru as the best "exotic country."

Carriers trim back in the right places

JetBlue Airways and United Airlines are getting healthy. United last week began offering a vegeterian, trans-fat-free Smartpack snack box for $5 on three-hour-plus US flights. And Immaculate Baking Co. Chocobilly's Chocolate Chunk cookies are joining JetBlue's 100 percent trans-fat-free roster of all-you-want free snacks on Dec. 15.

Go ahead, lock your luggage

Seven out of 10 US air travelers don't know you can lock checked baggage, as long as you buy the right lock, according to a new Harris Interactive online survey commissioned by Travel Sentry. The Durham, N.H., company is one maker of locks OK'd by the TSA, which keeps the equivalent of a master key so authorized TSA screeners -- but not larcenous airport baggage handlers -- can open them.

PETER J. HOWE