Travel Deals

[imec]

This is a pretty good free newsletter for Travel Deals. There are different editions for different countries:

Travelzoo Canada Weekly Top 20

Every week we search 1,000+ companies for their very best
sales and compile this Top 20(R) list.

Thank you for subscribing. Please forward this to a friend!

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TOP 20 DEALS * -- NOVEMBER 11, 2009
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$83 -- Vegas 4-Diamond Hotel incl. Credit; 3rd Night FREE
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-687783/
Source: MGM Grand Las Vegas

$49 & up -- Fare Sale to Canada, U.S. & Sun Destinations
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688310/
Source: Travel CUTS

$89 -- Vancouver Island Oceanfront Resort, 40% OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-686001/
Source: Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa

$596 & up -- Europe Fares Slashed through March
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688808/
Source: British Airways

$105 -- Downtown Toronto Hotel incl. Parking, 40% OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-685969/
Source: Metropolitan Hotel Toronto

$497 -- Bahamas 'Breezes' Getaway from Toronto
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688615/
Source: Expedia.ca

$20 -- Top-Reviewed New Musical Comedy, into December
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-687383/
Source: Mirvish Productions

$103 -- Upscale Orlando Resort thru February, 65% OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-687922/
Source: Buena Vista Palace

$615 -- Varadero January 'Champagne' Vacations
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688671/
Source: Sunwing

$115 -- Niagara Fallsview Suite Package, $200+ Value
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-685970/
Source: Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls

$226 -- Fly to Mexico, Roundtrip
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-689446/
Source: AeroMexico

$210 -- NYC 4-Star Boutique Hotel w/Upgrade & MetroCard
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688574/
Source: Royalton Hotel

$30.30 -- Toronto Raptors Tickets on Sale at 30% OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-679009/
Source: Toronto Raptors

$194 -- Award-Winning 5-Star Sydney Hotel (Reg. $369)
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-689426/
Source: The Observatory Hotel

$499 -- Mexico Weeklong Vacation, up to $350 OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-686835/
Source: TravelTST.ca

$161-$198 -- Last-Minute Caribbean Cruises from Miami
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688743/
Source: Travelocity.ca

$103 -- Luxurious California Hotel w/Valet Parking, $100 OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-689481/
Source: Fairmont Newport Beach

$597 -- Punta Cana All-Inclusive Vacations
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688818/
Source: searstravel.ca

$79 -- Atlanta Boutique Hotel w/Breakfast & Parking
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-687759/
Source: The Artmore Hotel

$2698 -- Egypt Guided Tour incl. Nile Cruise & Air, $630 OFF
ca.travelzoo.com/top20/16264620-688658/
Source: Sun-Ray Travel


************************************************************
DESTINATION: WHISTLER - Top Reasons to Go Now!
************************************************************

+ Top Ski Destination in Peak Winter Season
- Beyond the Slopes: 2010 Olympics, Bungee Jumps & Après-Ski

+ Flights from the West ... $138-$258

+ Discounted Lift Passes ... $69 & up

+ Snowmobile Tour w/Fondue Dinner ... $179

and more...

Visit www.travelzoo.ca/destinations/whistler

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FOR HUNDREDS MORE UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DEALS
visit www.travelzoo.ca
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Not a subscriber? Get your own Top 20 here:
ca.top20.travelzoo.com/Sign_up.aspx?source=_tz_email

[Deleted]

There are always magnificent travel deals available if you can drop everything and run for it. One of these days, I will be able to do that.

[imec]

Yes, though the reason I posted this is they are for the most part honest to goodness deals and not just last minute selloffs.

[lola]

I have my eye on that British Airlines sale, scouring my mind for justifications to use it. I've never used FF miles, but apparently BA also has some sort of deal going for that also. Upgrading is my dream; I look at magazine ads for fully reclining seats to Europe and covet.

[imec]

lola, save up those points - it's the only way to go!

[Deleted]

Just one more day for the British Airways sale.

I have to confess that although I love traveling in 1st or business class (particularly when I am not paying), I don't consider 3 to 12 hours on a plane to be of much importance to my trip.

[bixaorellana]

Here are some tips from today's NYTimes. I wish these "hot budget tips" articles wouldn't lead off with ideas on how to save on higher-end or luxury travel, as that frequently keeps me from reading further. This article does give some advice that might be useful after telling you how to save on your spa vacation.
travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09pracsave.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha210

[lola]

Thanks, bixa. There do seem to be some helpful tips there for us barebones types.

I had previously missed imec's taunting photos of themselves in reclinable luxury. That's the very thing that would be nice to have somewhere over Iceland or so. Not being in the line of business, or line of succession, that allows for first class travel, it would be a mistake to spoil oneself with a one shot deal.

[Don Cuevas]

When we were checking in at Newark Internationl for a flight back to Mexico City last June, we were offered First Class upgrades for a mere $79 USD extra pp. We snapped it up.

It was very pleasant although not at the same level of luxury that imec enjoyed.
I'd do it again, if the upgrade wasn't much more than we'd paid.

[bixaorellana]

This article has to be studied like a racing form in order to extract some money-saving wisdom from it, but it has some solid ideas. Sample:
Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com, studied three years worth of airline prices and concluded that 3 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday was the best time to buy. "That's when the maximum number of cheapest seats are in the marketplace," he said.
online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704062604576105953506930800.html

[Deleted]

3 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday was the best time to buy. "That's when the maximum number of cheapest seats are in the marketplace," he said.

That was probably true until it was written in an article.

[bixaorellana]

Interestingly, Aviasteca has had an official Tuesday "deal" day for ages. You check with the office to see what's on offer.

Oh yeah -- about day of week, time of day, etc. When I go to my travel agent, he makes a reservation for the best thing he can find at the moment. Then he emails me within 24 hours if he finds something better. Nice!

[mich64]

Today I missed on a return flight from Toronto to Paris for $680 (all taxes included). I logged out and called my husband for his credit card number/exp.date and when I logged back on it went up $125.00. I was not very happy with myself for logging off.

(We use my husbands card because his has the luggage insurance and other protection insurances included as mine is a low rate card)

I will continue my search, but I do agree, Tuesdays are the day here to buy, I have been tracking the prices daily.
Cheers,
Mich

[fumobici]

I booked a return flight from Seattle to Rome via Amsterdam on KLM a couple of weeks ago and found the best deal on a Tuesday. Scheduling your flights for Tuesdays is worth trying too if you have the freedom to. I found a ticket for under 750 USD- the cheapest I can recall ever finding for that run and I've done it for years- but the deal was only good if I traveled both ways on Tuesdays. Changing the travel dates to any other day of either the week of departure or return instantly pushed the price to over 1000 USD.

I'm going to book a couple nights stay in Perugia on the front end to make it work but it still saves me a pile even considering what I'm likely to spend on a room and food there. Luckily I love Perugia and decent cheap rooms are findable there, Zurich where I'll be staying later- not so much.

[mich64]

That is interesting to note, I will check some Tuesday dates.
Cheers,
Mich

[Deleted]

On the internet, Air France has a sale on domestic and European flights every Wednesday starting at midnight Tuesday (Paris time, obviously). They slash the prices on a selection of flights for the coming week, often as much as 75%.

[mich64]

Oh my goodness! Thanks Kerouac, I am getting off our board now and will check this. I hope I have not missed it!
Cheers!
Mich

[mich64]

Well, missed any deals on Air France from Canada, but found us tickets for $750 taxes included each for a direct flight from Toronto to Paris! Am so happy, will have my tickets tomorrow!
Cheers!
Mich ;D

[bixaorellana]

Wow -- great going, Mich! I hope you spend the savings in the most frivolous way possible in Paris!

[Jazz]

Fantastic deal Mich! The last two times I went, I was stuck with 1,200CDN return with stopovers in Montreal. This was ghastly coming home since we had to drag off the luggage, customs etc. in Montreal, then do it all over again in Toronto. Somehow, I missed your post about your trip. What time of year are your tickets for?

[mich64]

Well Bix and Jazz, I received some sad information, the agent missed booking my tickets before it was sold out!! So I am still looking for tickets. I will prevail!

Jazz we are heading to Paris in September for 10 days. A few days in Paris, then taking the TGV down to Annecy for 5 days to explore the Alps! We will then return to Paris for 3 days before heading home.

I am usually successful in obtaining direct flight tickets for about $750 so I will continue my search and hope to get some before any fuel surcharges begin to be added.
Cheers!
Mich

[bixaorellana]

That is so disappointing! Were you upset with the agent?

Have you all seen this article about "new" ways of searching airfares? Seems to me it's a version of the pre-internet old way of searching. I dislike most of the current search sites, as they all seem to require 99 hours of travel time to get from Chicago to Los Angeles, for instance. I use them to get an idea of price and routes, then go to a travel agent.

Note how vindictive Orbitz and Expedia have been about AA's move in the new direction!

www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/business/11air.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha25

[fumobici]

If you don't want to spend hours scouring the various sites for prices I recommend kayak.com which is a metasearch that hits many of the more popular booking sites in one go. In most cases it'll be tough to get a better price than can be found there.

[onlymark]

mich, is Air Transat no good? Sept 20th - Sept 30th, 832 CAD per person?

[Deleted]

People should say which route they are talking about when mentioning fares, no?

[onlymark]

If one reads the previous posts one could come to the conclusion that Toronto to Paris for ten days in September - may be a thought.
Especially when it is said - "we are heading to Paris in September for 10 days. A few days in Paris, then taking the TGV down to Annecy for 5 days to explore the Alps! We will then return to Paris for 3 days before heading home"

Is this what you mean?

[Deleted]

"Professional deformation" (as it is called) tells me that one should never ever mention a price without also mentioning simultaneously exactly what the price is for. Otherwise, people assume things, incorrectly almost all of the time. Different airports serving the same city have different taxes, so precision is of the essence.

[fumobici]

Price specification

Adult

Price 635.00

Booking fee -
US international transportation tax 32.60
Security charge 18.96
Airport Passenger Service Charge 17.28
Council city tax 7.34
International/domestic embarkation tax 7.02
US INS user fee 7.00
US customs user fee 5.50
Netherlands noise isolation charge 5.34
US APHIS fee 5.00
USA passenger facility charge 4.50
Security bag charge(EX) 2.74
USA passenger civil aviation security service fee 2.50
Security charge 2.42
Airport Passenger Service Charge (MJ) 0.99
Price (per passenger) 754.19

[onlymark]

And you're used to precision and accurate information with who you work for, are you K2?

[Deleted]

In the finance department, it is obligatory.