Travel Deal of the Day (January 27, 2010)

The four-star Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City is offering rooms starting at $79/night (Sunday - Thursday) via a new travelzoo.com promotion. Rates are valid for select nights through March 2010. Rooms must be booked by February 3, 2010. For more information, go to the Borgata Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 26, 2010)

For the next few weeks, you will hear constant reports regarding the beauty of Miami. I agree - Miami is a beautiful town. And, Miami can be an affordable town to visit, if you wait until after the Super Bowl hype has disappeared.

The Deal:
You can find great deals for the months after the Super Bowl at deluxe to luxury level hotels in Miami.

How:
(1) The Four Seasons Miami is running rates as low as $139/night for American Bar Association members - see this link;

(2) The Mandarin Oriental Miami (via LuxuryLink) is running a third night free special with rates (after incorporating the discount) as low as $199/night - see this link; and

(3) Biddingfortravel.com (which reports winning Priceline bids) is reporting winning bids for rooms at the Eden Rock and other 3.5 and 4 star hotels for under $100/night - see this link.

The Inside Scoop:
The bottom line is that even though we are entering the prime season for travel to Miami, you can save money on your trip.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 25, 2010)

Want to receive 100 Continental One Pass miles for free?

The Deal:
Continental Airlines is offering 100 Continental OnePass miles for free just for registering for a promotion on Continental.com at the below link. The miles are awarded for learning about a Continental Airlines cruise product. (Mutliple web sources are reporting this deal, such as this site.)

How:
Go to the Continental OnePass Mileage Bonus.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 21, 2010)

AirfareWatchdog.com, a website providing information regarding airfare deals, has a great list of promotions for foreign based air carrers. Various airlines offer coupons and other promotions for subscribers to e-mail newsletters - here is a convenient list of the promotions and the sign-up information. Go to the Airfare Watchdog Foregin Airline Promotion List for more information.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 20, 2010)

Hyatt is offering a "Three for Free" package providing a free night (length of stay requirement varies based on hotel), a room upgrade and breakfast for two. Rates vary by hotel, and rates are valid for stays until April 30, 2010. For full restrictions or to book, go to the Hyatt Three For Free Package.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 19, 2010)

Groupon is offering a great deal to Washington, DC area residents - $20 plus gratuity for a trip from Washington, DC to Washington Reagan National Airport by sedan. This deal must be booked January 19, 2010. Additional restrictions apply - to find out more, go to the Groupon Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 15, 2010)

Because of the tragic events occurring in Haiti, numerous organizations are providing incentives to encourage individuals to donate to relief efforts. Here are just a few of the travel-related incentives to encourage donations to the Haitian people in the aftermath of the earthquake:

(1) American Airlines will provide 250 miles for a minimum $50 donation to the American Red Cross or 500 miles for a $100+ donation. See this link for details;

(2) Continental Airlines will allow you to donate miles to the American Red Cross and Americares. See this link for details;

(3) United Airlines will match up to $50,000 in donations by United customers, and United customers can also donate miles as part of the Charity Miles program. See this link for details.

This is a list of just some of the programs of travel providers - there are many more out there. Please note, as with any listing, additional restrictions/rules may apply to the items listed here.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 13, 2010)

With news of recent baggage fee increases, it is becoming more important than ever to investigate the total trip price before purchasing your airline ticket to be able to compare your travel options. Certain airlines, such as Southwest, charge no baggage fees. Multiple factors influence baggages fees, including:

(1) route (some carriers charge no fees for a limited amount of baggage when flying international routes), (2) number of bags (generally, the second bag is more expensive than the first), (3) size of the bags (oversized bags are generally more expensive), (4) airline (different airlines charge different fees) and various other factors.

In many cases, elite level frequent flyers are exempt from these fees. This exemption often applies within airline alliances (so if you are elite on one airline, another airline partner may exempt you from the baggage fees). Also, some airlines offer single-trip and/or annual packages that allow you to pay a single fee and obtain multiple services such as expedited check-in, no baggage fees, better seat assignments, etc.

The bottom line is you must investigate the total cost to you before booking your trip so that the inexpensive trip you had planned does not turn out to be a disaster financially and that you can accurately compare your travel options.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 12, 2010)

Now is a great time to live in Denver. United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are offering free ticket deals if you are a Colorado resident. The terms and restrictions vary for each of the deals, but the gist is that if you a fly a qualifying roundtrip flight, you can receive a free ticket (subject to certain restrictions). The United deal actually allows you to qualify for up to a free international ticket. Here are the links to these deals (available to residents of Colorado):

(1) United Free Ticket Deal
(2) Southwest Free Ticket Deal

Travel Deal of the Day (January 11, 2010)

Mandalay Bay is offering a third night free promotion with rates starting at $85/night ($56.66 including the free night if staying three nights). Rates are valid from January 19, 2010 until April 5, 2010. Other restrictions apply. For more information or to book, go to the Mandalay Bay Free Night Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 7, 2010)

Hertz is offering a free weekend day on rentals of economy through premium vehicles at participating locations through March 31, 2010. A minimum three day weekend rental is required, and additional restrictions apply. For more information or to book, go to the Hertz Weekend Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 6, 2010)

Airtran has a sale for Winter/Spring travel with fares starting at $39/way. Tickets must be purchased by January 14, 2010 for travel until March 2010 or May 2010 (depending on the route). 10 day advance purchase is required, and blackout dates and other restrictions apply. For more information or to book, go to the Airtran sale or use an aggregator booking engine such as Kayak.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 5, 2010)

Disney often offers discounts to Florida residents, but Disney is now offering a particularly good discount for entrance to Disney World which should obtain some publicity. Florida residents are eligible to receive a four-day pass (maximum of one park per day) to Disney World parks for $99 plus tax. The pass can be used for any four days until May 25, 2010 (certain blackout dates apply). For more information, go to the Disney Florida Resident Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (January 4, 2010)

JetBlue has a new sale with fares starting at $39/way. Fares must be booked by January 13, 2010. Travel dates vary by specific route, and blackouts and other restrictions apply. For full terms/conditions or to book, go to the jetBlue Sale.