2023 Convention Travel

Ride Share and Room Share link

If you are interested in sharing a room or a ride to the Convention, please fill in your contact information at the above google doc. You can then communicate with the individuals on the sheet to arrange any sharing.

Airfare Discounts

Discount Fairs with Delta Airlines

Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for Society of Wood Science and Technology – Meeting Code NY23X

FOR TRAVEL WITHIN THE U.S. 48 STATES, ALASKA, HAWAII, AND CANADA:
Discount levels for Delta Meeting Network percentage off published fares as referenced below. These discounts are valid on Delta and applicable DL* codeshare flights. (Please note: group blocks are not permitted on DL* codeshare flights.)

DELTA BOOKING CLASS PERCENTAGE OFF
J / C / D / I / Y 10%
B / M / H / Q / K / L 5%
U / T / V / X 2%

Fare Details
Discounts applicable to U.S./Canada originating Delta Meeting Network passengers.
Agreement not valid with other discounts, certificates, coupons, or promotional offers. Not all fares are eligible for use with this Agreement. Fare rules will determine eligibility.
Zone Fares are applicable for travel from U.S./CA only to worldwide destinations. Please use Agreement Meeting Code to price the itinerary or call the DMN Desk at 1-800-328-2216 for pricing assistance. Please reference your GDS for Zone Fare Terms and Conditions
Fares are valid via DL, DL Connection and DL applicable codeshare flights. Administrative fees for published fares and zones fares are subject to change.

Please click here to book your flights.

You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (CT) and refer to Meeting Event Code NY23X
*Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation
800 number.

Discount fares with United Airlines

Z Code: ZMMC

1) Eligible flights:
When passengers fly to the Event Location utilizing the Z Code referenced above, this Agreement provides the discounts described below on United flights & other approved airlines. United flights are flights operated by United or operated by other airlines and branded United Express. Flights via the Atlantic: Marketed and/or operated by Air Canada (“AC”), Austrian Airlines (“OS”), Tyrolean Airways (“VO”), Brussels Airlines N.C. (“SN”), Lufthansa German Airlines (“LH”), Eurowings Discover (“4Y”), Swiss International Air Lines LTD (“LX”). Additional carriers for travel within Europe, Middle East, Africa and India may be permitted between select cities. Check the rule conditions in your GDS system for these additional airline partners. Flights via the Pacific: United operated and marketed flights and United codeshare flights operated by All Nippon Airways (“NH”) and Air New Zealand (“NZ”). Japan point of origin flights are excluded. Canada Point of Sale: United operated and marketed flights and United codeshare flights operated by AC, OS, SN, LH, LX, NH and NZ. Flights marketed by AC are excluded. united.com bookings: United operated and marketed flights and United codeshare flights operated by AC, OS, SN, LH, LX, NH and NZ.

Airports and Airlines:

Asheville Airport Information

The Asheville Regional Airport (www.flyavl.com) offers flights to and from major airports such as Atlanta, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Greenville, Newark, and LaGuardia.

Served by Allegiant, American, Delta, and United, Asheville Regional Airport is an easy and welcoming gateway to and from Western North Carolina.

Airport Info

Arrival Instructions:

Amenities and Features at the Asheville Airport

Free Wi-Fi
Recharge stations
Pet relief areas
Courtesy phones
Vending machines
Water bottle filling stations
Gift shop, post-security
Guest Services | Welcome Center, Baggage Claim
Grand Piano, pre-security
ATM, pre-security
Cash-to-card kiosk, pre-security
Postal box, pre-security
Art Gallery, pre-security
Full service restaurant + bar, post-security
Auntie Anne’s® + Cinnabon®, post-security
Mamava lactation pod, post-security
Family Restroom, post-security

Our Guest Services + Welcome Center is located in Baggage Claim at Asheville Airport, hours vary. The friendly, knowledgeable staff at the Center will be happy to help you with:

Ground transportation arrangements
Directions
Area maps + brochures
Flight information
Luggage cart rental
Paging
Postage + shipping
Copying + faxing + scanning

Let us assist you
Phone: 828-209-3660
E-mail: gs@flyavl.com

Rental Car

Rental Car Locations are located in the Asheville airport terminal, including: Avis, Budget, Hertz, Enterprise and National/Alamo.

Taxi or Shuttle

Taxi service from the Asheville airport is approximately $45 one way. Use the link to book a taxi ahead of time if desired. https://www.avltaxi.com/

Asheville Airport Shuttle

Train:

There is no train service to Asheville. The closest Amtrak train station to Asheville is Greenville, SC or Spartanburg, SC. Drive time from both stations is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Attire:

Business casual for meetings.

Business hours and local area:

Banks are usually open from 9:00 to 17:00 during the week. ATMs – You can withdraw cash 24 hours a day from most of the ATMs around Asheville (including at the Crowne Plaza) using the MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, Cirrus and Visa Electron Plus cards.

Museums are open from 9:00 or 10:00 and close at 17:00, but some are closed on certain days of the week. Always check the respective websites. National parks and monuments generally are generally open from 9:00 to 17:00. Check operating hours for each. National and State Parks nearby:

Pisgah National Forest
Blue Ridge Parkway
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Chimney Rock State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park

Shops are usually open from 9:00 to 10:00 until 19:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday; Saturday closing between 18:00 to 20:00; Sundays normally only large shopping centers will be open from 9:00 to 18:00. The opening hours of shops are not strictly defined.

Climate:

The average high-temperature, in June, in Asheville, is 81.3°F (27.4°C), while the average low-temperature is 58.6°F (14.8°C). In June, the average heat index (a.k.a. ‘real feel’, ‘apparent temperature’), which takes the relative humidity and factors it into the air temperature reading, is estimated at 86.2°F (30.1°C).

Currency:

Currency used in Asheville is US Dollar. To check the conversion rate for your currency to Dollar, go to https://www.xe.com/

Electricity:

For USA there are two associated plug types, types A and B. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and plug type B is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin. USA operates on a 120V supply voltage and 60Hz.

Health:

Asheville is listed in the top 5 of the healthiest and greenest cities in the United States. This beautiful mountain town is home to artists and professionals alike and is a mecca of both physical and spiritual health. Yoga studios, herb shops, vegan restaurants and health food stores are commonplace in Asheville. The air quality is superb, and the people who live in Asheville radiate a sort of stress-free attitude that is addictive. The sunny weather here will have you glowing with health and happiness. Tap water is drinkable in Asheville.

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to the United States. For information on US-based infectious disease outbreaks currently being reported by CDC, please see the CDC Current Outbreak List.

The closest hospital and emergency room is Mission Hospital, 509 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, Phone:(828) 213-1111

Closest medical clinic is the Appalachian Mountain Community Health Centers, 7 McDowell St Suite 200, Asheville, NC 28801, Phone:(828) 257-4745.

Insurance:

Society of Wood Science and Technology is not responsible for the insurance of participants against personal injuries, sickness and theft or property damage incurred during the convention period. Concerned participants should obtain insurance coverage.

Mobile phones:

United States’ country code is +1 and Asheville has area code 828. Local SIM cards can be used in most phones. Other phones must be set to roaming to work, but be wary of roaming charges. You can buy prepaid SIM cards if your phone accepts them. You can also rent/buy temporary cell phones. One example of cell phone rental/purchase: www.mobal.com

To call a landline within United States, include the 1 plus area code if the number you are calling is outside the area code.
To call abroad from United States, dial 011 followed by the country and area codes, and then the number.
To call United States from abroad, dial the international access code, 1 (the country code for United States), the area code and the number.

Passport & Visa:

A passport valid for 6 months, with at least 1 blank page, and issued within the last 10 years is required for all except US citizens. A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship. You can use the Visa wizard to determine if you need a visa and what type https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wizard.html

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) (see list of countries) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Travelers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel and meet all requirements explained below. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor (B) visa.

Time Zone:

Asheville is in Eastern Time zone (GMT-4)

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/@3192682

Tipping:

If in doubt, ask if gratuity is added in. The general rule in this part of the world is 15-20% for good service.

Useful Telephone Numbers:

All Emergency calls: 911

Police – Non emergency: 828-252-1110

Foreign Embassy Contact Addresses in North Carolina:

Currently, North Carolina has three Consulates and 26 Honorary Consulates.

https://charlottenc.gov/international-relations/intlgovtrelations/Pages/Protocol.aspx

Departure from Asheville:

TSA Operating Hours: Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint opens at 4:00 a.m., daily.

Ticket Counter Hours: Each airline holds different ticket counter hours. For more info, contact your airline. AIRLINES