Travel Deal of the Day (September 29, 2008)

As I have stated previously, the Leading Hotels of the World Promotion, which is offering four and five star hotels for only $19.28/night, is a great deal. The promotion applies for a select list of hotels, but rooms must be booked on October 1, 2008 at 8 AM Eastern Time. The rate is valid for a maximum of two nights (for stays from November 1, 2008 until December 15, 2008). If you are thinking about using this promotion, think right now about which hotel you want to book and what nights you intend on using the promotion. The hotel rooms will go very fast starting at 8 AM on Wednesday – you must be prepared to book immediately when the promotion starts to have a chance at obtaining a hotel room at the promotion price. To find out more about the promotion, the register (advance registration required) and book rooms during the promotion, go to the LHW Promotion.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 26, 2008)

Smithsonian is offering a great deal at museums around the US.

The Deal:
Smithsonian Magazine is offering free admission to various museums in the US either on Saturday, September 27, 2008 or Sunday, September 28, 2008. There is no catch – simply go to the promotion website, follow the instructions and enter the museums for free.

How:
Go to the Smithsonian Museum Day Promotion.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 24, 2008)

If you have American Airlines AAdvantage miles, consider using them for a trip before redemption rates for many AAdvantage awards increase on October 1, 2008.

The Deal:
American Airlines is raising the amount of miles required for many of its awards. For instance, the amount of miles required for a coach ticket from the US to Hawaii during peak time periods will go up from 35,000 miles roundtrip to 45,000 miles roundtrip. If you redeem miles by September 30, 2008, you can travel for up to a year from that date and still use the old, lower mileage requirements. My suggestion would be to think about whether you can use your miles in the next year, as you will obtain a better redemption value to many destinations by redeeming them over the next week.

How:
To view the old and new redemption rates, go to the AAdvantage Award Chart. To redeem miles, go to AA.com or call (800) 882-8880.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 22, 2008)

Priceline.com has added some complexity to their bidding process by adding another level of hotels – 3.5 star hotels. Previously, Priceline had only offered 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 star ratings (as well as resort and boutique level hotels). The effect of this new level is not yet clear. My prior posts have advised using bidding tools such as BetterBidding.com or BiddingForTravel.com to see lists of hotels that are available using Priceline. My tip for today is that you should be careful using those lists, at least for the time being, as those lists will now be (at least partially) inaccurate due to these new changes.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 18, 2008)

Most of the time when booking a Hyatt Hotel for myself or someone else, I look for the discounts posted on the Hyatt website (AAA, Promotional Discounts, Senior Rate/AARP). However, there is an additional discount that is not publicized on the Hyatt website for Costco members.

The Deal:
Costco members can receive 10% or more off of Hyatt hotels and resorts. Generally, this discount is similar to the discount for AAA membership, but rates and discounts can vary at each hotel.

How:
When booking by phone, ask for the Costco discount. When booking at the Hyatt website, enter “costco" in the “Special Offer Code” field.

The Inside Scoop:
I have generally found that if you are eligible for AAA or Senior rates, those discounts will be equivalent to or better than Costco discounts. But it is possible for AAA and the Senior Discount to be unavailable at the same time that the Costco discount is available. So, always check the Costco discount.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 17, 2008)

Four Points by Sheraton is offering a third night free promotion for stays through the end of 2008.

The Deal:
Four Points by Sheraton, a Starwood brand offering moderate-level (mid-price level) hotels in many major cities, is offering a third night free promotion when booking a hotel with an American Express Card. Rooms must be booked and stays must be completed by December 31, 2008.

How:
Go to the Four Points Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 16, 2008)

If you happen to be on the road and like fish or seafood, here is a slightly obscure deal that can save you money.

The Deal:
Save $20 off of your next meal at McCormick & Schmick’s. The great thing about this deal is that there is no minimum purchase, so you can use the $20 off coupon regardless of the amount of your total bill. The promotion expires September 30, 2008.

How:
Go to the McCormick & Schmick’s Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 10, 2008)

Hyatt is reoffering its very popular Faster Free Nights (FFN) promotion – allowing you to earn a free night after two eligible stays.

The Deal:
Earn a free night award after two eligible stays at a Hyatt hotel. To be eligible, you must be a member of Hyatt Gold Passport (free to join at this link) and you must purchase an eligible rate during two stays at Hyatt hotels from September 1, 2008 to December 30, 2008. Some additional rules apply – see the rules at this link.

How:
To found out more about the deal or to book travel, go to the FFN Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 9, 2008)

Another travel deal blog, Frugal Travel Guy, has listed a great deal:

The Deal:
20% off of Marriott hotels for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. You must book by September 22, 2008 for stays through December 21, 2008. I have looked at the hotel rates using this promotion, and this discount appears to be taking 20% off of the best rates at many Marriott hotels. Be sure to read the rate rules for any room you consider purchasing.

How:
Go to the Marriott 20% Off Fall Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 8, 2008)

The Leading Hotels of the World hotel chain is offering an incredible promotion that potentially could allow you to book five star hotels for $19.28/night.

The Deal:
The Leading Hotels of the World, which offers various four and five star hotels worldwide, is offering a great promotion. If you register for the current promotion, you are eligible to return to the website at 8AM EST on October 1, 2008 to book a room at a select group of very high-end hotels for only $19.28/night, far below the normal rates at the selected hotels.

How:
Go to the LHW Promotion to find the full details. This could be an incredible opportunity to obtain a room at an exceptional hotel for an exceptional price.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 5, 2008)

Just a quick post today about Thanksgiving travel. If you are planning on traveling for the Thanksgiving weekend, given the reduction in seats, I would book your ticket as soon as possible. Ticket prices will only be going up from here if you are going to travel November 25, 26, 29 or 30. Be sure to check all possible airports and use an aggregator website such as Kayak to find the best deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 4, 2008)

Fairmont is offering a sale for members of the Fairmont President’s Club.

The Deal:
Fairmont is offering a sale at various hotels worldwide for stays this fall. The sale is available to members of its frequent stay club, the President’s Club. Sale rates must be booked by September 10, 2008. Rates must be prepaid and are non-refundable.

How:
Go to the Fairmont Fall Sale. If you are not a member of the President’s Club, join for free via this link to participate in the sale.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 3, 2008)

If you are looking for a fall getaway, I would advocate watching the last minute sales – this fall has the potential to offer incredible deals.

The Deal:
Due to a sluggish economy and the fact that we are entering the off-peak time period for travel, you will likely find excellent fall deals. One way to save a lot of money is to watch the last minute deals that airline, hotel and car rental companies offer. Because many people are scaling back travel costs, the last minute deals this fall have the potential to be incredibly good. I would be on the lookout for excellent deals during the following time periods:

(1) Now until the end of September;
(2) All of October other than Columbus day weekend;
(3) The first two weeks of November; and
(4) The Monday after Thanksgiving until a few days before Christmas.

For a good tool to track last minute deals, use Smarter Travel. Also, sign up for the weekly last-minute deal emails from airline, car rental and hotel companies.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 2, 2008)

The four-star Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is offering a free night promotion for fall travel that can potentially bring a stay down to $80/night.

The Deal:
Mandalay Bay is offering a third night free for certain nights throughout the fall. The promotional rates (not including the free night) start at $120/night – so, if you choose nights offered at $120/night, the average cost of a three night stay (with a third night free) is $80. The promotion applies only to Sunday through Thursday evenings.

How:
Go to the Mandalay Bay Fall Deal.