The Program of the AHA’s 124th annual meeting (scheduled to be held January 7–10, 2010, in San Diego) will soon be on its way to members, who are urged to finalize their plans to attend and make the necessary arrangements soon. A few helpful reminders are provided below; readers requiring more details can consult the articles published in the September 2009 issue of Perspectives on History or visit the AHA’s annual meeting web pages.

Advance Meeting Registration

Prospective attendees can register online (the easiest and preferred method). Registration forms may also be mailed or faxed with the requisite payment, but to the address/fax number on the form and not to the AHA. Advance registration must be received by midnight of Friday, December 18, 2009. Preregistrants will receive an e-mail confirmation with a badge number (which will be needed for making hotel reservations). Badges will be distributed at the meeting.

Refund Policy: Advance registrants who are unable to attend the meeting may request a refund of their registration fee. A written request must be postmarked by December 18, 2009. All refunds are subject to a $20 processing fee. No refunds will be issued for requests postmarked after December 18, 2009.

Accommodations

Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego (headquarters), San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina (co-headquarters), Hilton San Diego Bayfront, and the Embassy Suites San Diego Bay–Downtown. AHA and affiliated society sessions are scheduled in the Hyatt and Marriott, with AHA registration, meal ticket cashiers, and Exhibit Hall at the Hyatt and the Job Center and messaging/internet center at the Marriott.

Reservations for Standard Rooms and Suites

For the 2010 Annual Meeting, the AHA will utilize a housing service, called San Diego…Accommodating YOU. Attendees can make hotel reservations with the service once registered for the meeting. Instructions will be included in each attendee’s registration confirmation. Individuals will be able to call the housing service directly to check availability and to make a reservation at any of the hotels. Attendees can also make reservations via a customized Web link.

Rates for standard rooms at the Hyatt and Marriott are $129 single and $169 double, with an additional person charge of $30. The starting rate for suites at the Hyatt is $350 and at the Marriott is $260. The rates at the Hilton are $125 single and $155 double, with starting suite rate at $275. The rates at the Embassy Suites are $159 single and double and $30 for each additional person. Rooms and suites are subject to city and state taxes, currently 12.5 percent plus $0.23 assessment per room, per night. Meeting rates are in effect three days before and after the January 7–10 meeting dates, and are for a limited number of rooms only at each property.

The cutoff date for the AHA’s official blocks at all hotels is December 7, 2009. After this date, remaining inventory in each hotel’s block will be released and rooms will be available at the AHA’s convention rates on a space-available basis at the time of reservation. Meeting attendees can continue to make and modify (depending on availability) or cancel reservations from September 15 through December 7. Between December 8 and 14, the housing service forwards lists of reservations to each hotel, and beginning December 15, attendees may call their selected hotel to make any changes to their reservations. If canceling a reservation, attendees must do so at least 72 hours prior to reserved arrival date or one night’s room and taxes will be charged. If a reservation is not cancelled and the individual is a “no show,” the hotels will charge one night’s room and taxes as a penalty.

Transportation

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) is the official travel agency for the annual meeting. As such, ATC has negotiated discounts with American Airlines (ID Number A6210AH), United Airlines (ID Number 510CK), Amtrak (Fare Code X92Y-967), and Hertz (ID number CV#031C0014) to bring attendees special air, rail, and car rental rates that are lower than those available to the public. Discounts apply for travel between January 4 and January 13, 2010, for service into San Diego International Airport (SAN). To take advantage of these rates and benefits, e-mail reservations@atcmeetings.com or call 800-458-9383. ATC is available for reservations from 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday. Attendees can also make reservations online by visiting www.atcmeetings.com/aha. Attendees may also call their own travel agency or the carriers directly and refer to the ID numbers noted above.

—Sharon K. Tune is convention director for the American Historical Association.