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Go get your travel discounts"TRAVEL DISCOUNTS" Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
5/30/1999 You need to be aggressive to get the best travel rates. Whether booking a flight, hotel room, or rental car, you'll be faced with dozens of rates that can vary by 100 percent or more, and it's only by asking enough of the right questions that you'll get maximum travel discounts. Much has been written about travel discounts being offered on line, but here are six money-saving tips that require nothing more than a telephone, a little time, and the willingness to speak up: · Look for weekend specials. Because so much of the travel industry is geared to business travelers, many hotels -- especially around big cities -- slash their rates on Friday and Saturday nights. Keep your eye out for travel discounts ads for the major hotel chains, because they contain some of the best deals. Two weeks ago, for example, I stayed at a fancy hotel just outside Boston for $89. That was less than half the hotel's standard $189 rate, $70 less than the promotional rate listed on the chain's own Web site, and about the same as a nearby budget motel. Even if you don't see an ad, ask the hotel about weekend specials. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
· Be flexible. If you want to go to a seaside resort over the Fourth of July weekend, the host city during Super Bowl week, or almost any attractive vacation spot this New Year's Eve, forget about travel discounts. But if you can be flexible in scheduling, you can get some great bargains. Consider the border seasons, especially September. Most resorts are still open, but prices have been slashed. That doesn't help if you have school-age children, or insist on the warmest days, but it is an ideal time for others. June is almost as good. Flexibility is key for cheap airfares on travel discounts. Demand is usually great as soon as special fares are advertised, so act quickly. If you're willing to fly on a Saturday, you have a better chance of getting the low airfares. Also, rival airlines often match a sale price, so check with them. In addition, even if it means a little longer car ride or higher tolls and parking fees, look into other airports in the region -- Kennedy instead of Newark, for example -- because rates often differ significantly. · Flash your card. Almost any membership card in your wallet could mean lower travel discounts. The best are probably from the American Automobile Association or the American Association of Retired Persons, whose members get travel discounts of 10 percent or more at a large number of hotels and car-rental agencies. But members of other auto and travel clubs, as well as airline frequent-flier programs, also get travel discounts at some hotels -- if you ask. Ask car rental companies about travel discounts for other affiliations, as well. Sometimes the best deal is through your employer, even if you're not traveling on company business. · Remember that no one is No. 1. When you rent a car, none of the majors is always the least expensive. Hertz, Avis, Budget, and National have quoted me the lowest rates at different locations, and the cars and services were comparable. It's worth the few extra minutes to get quotes from several chains. · Use coupons. If visiting any large city or popular vacation area for travel discounts, you'll find discount books at airports, hotels, and visitor centers filled with coupons that can mean significant savings for amusement parks, restaurants, and car rentals. My favorite was an upgrade from the regular to the reserve stock at a Napa Valley winery, but I have used coupons for 2-for-1 meals in Orlando, Fla., and free coffee cups in Hawaii as well. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
If you are an AAA member, check the guidebook as well for lists of member travel discounts, which usually are available without coupons. They're there, but only if you ask. · Try phone cards. Consider buying a prepaid phone card to avoid getting burned by often-exorbitant hotel and pay-phone rates, as well as the surcharges that some calling cards impose. Consider low-denomination cards ($5 or $10), unless you plan to use the cards regularly after the trip. Many cards have expiration dates, and you don't want to be stuck with unused time. Remember: There are lots of good deals out there, but you won't get the best price unless you speak up for your travel discounts..... Compare airline tickets for your travel discounts here /cheap airfares home |