This week, Southwest Airlines announced that they will be partnering in a service agreement with Mexican carrier Volaris. The goal of this partnership is to provide “more low fares and a better customer experience across the U.S./Mexican border,” according to a Southwest press release. The airlines stated that they planned to announce codeshare flight schedules and other features about the partnership by early 2010; however, there are still certain details of the codeshare and partnership that need to be approved by both U.S. and Mexican governments. As early as spring 2009, customers will be able to purchase travel on Volaris from southwest.com.

Volaris was founded in 2006 and services 23 destinations throughout Mexico. Although the airline is the country’s youngest, it already has a great reputation as Mexico’s most modern and most punctual carrier. The average age of the carrier’s 19-airplane fleet is less than 3 years old, meaning that a Volaris traveler is nearly guaranteed a nice, new plane. The airlines both hope that this partnership will allow both airlines to get passengers and their luggage to a variety of over the border destinations.

Both airlines hope that “the codeshare will allow business, leisure and visiting friends and family traffic to increase on both sides of the border,” according to Volaris chief executive officer Enrique Beltranena. Other ways that Volaris and Southwest plan to partner include frequent flier options, cargo and ground handling.

Recently, Southwest announced plans to do a codeshare with Canadian domestic carrier WestJet. Although details of that partnership are still in the works, Southwest Airlines executive vice president of strategy and planning, Bob Jordan, says that the airline will continue to “work diligently in order to expand our international codeshare even further.”

With plans like these in the works, count on increased efficiency and options when traveling both north and south of the border. Looks like Southwest’s new slogan should read, “You are now free to move about the continent.”

There are budget hotels—and then, there are hay hotels, the newest sleeping sensation sweeping across Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein. Yes, you sleep on hay. As in, from a barn. In fact, the hay-filled lodgings are converted outbuildings and barns located on family farms.

The idea has been a hit with ecotourists, budget-conscious travelers and outdoorsy families on cycling or hiking tours. Hay hotels (or Heuhotels as they’re known in Europe) are inexpensive—as little as €8 (about $12) per night—and the second-harvest hay that’s used is softer to sleep on than the coarse stuff you may have encountered in hay rides. Plus, your hosts serve up a hearty breakfast, fresh from the farm. A few rules: BYOSB (bring your own sleeping bag) and absolutely no smoking.

Check out www.heuherbergen.de, which has an English Web page and lists hay hotels in the Schleswig Holstein, the northernmost state in Germany (and the region with the most hay hotels). Here are a couple of other Heuhotel Web sites in German … but grab someone who can translate for you: www.heuhotel.de and www.heuhotelferien.de.