FrugalMonkey Discount Travel News

Category: Travel Deals

  • Where to Find Fall 09 Travel Deals

    Fall is the slowest time of year for travel and that means you can probably expect hotels, airlines, and cruise ship industry to shell out for some pretty good travel packages.


    Although airlines are expecting to cut back on flights this fall, it seems the season is priming itself to be another mecca of great travel deals.

    Here, we’ve listed as many great fall travel deals as we could find that are applicable to this week and run well into the fall and winter. Take a look:

    Hawaii – Ah yes, Hawaii. We’ve been blogging about trips to the Hawaiian Islands now for some time. Because of Hawaii’s beauty, weather, and proximity to the continental United States we can’t help but feel this is just one of the best vacation spots for anytime of the year. With roundtrip flights from the west coast available for as little as $300 on most major airlines, this is a slam-dunk for fall travel. Keep your eyes peeled for cheap hotel deals as well.

    Mexico Cruises – These deals just keep getting lower and lower. Right now, from Los Angeles you can book a cruise to Mexico for as little as $500 a person with Carnival Cruise lines for any 7-day cruises in their fall itinerary. Not too shabby. Or, book with Norwegian Cruise Lines and enjoy a 7-day Mexico Riviera Cruise for only $379 a person!

    Cruises – Speaking of cruises, right now there are some incredible deals when it comes to sailing the high seas. When booking a cruise look for discounts regarding airfares and cabin upgrades. Right now on Disney Cruise Lines, kids can sail for half off and some AAA customers receive as much as 80% off when sailing with Carnival. Look for price adjustments on cruises purchased months ago as well. Cruises are offering ship credit or refunds on amounts paid for cruises that have since lowered their prices to fill spots.

    Iceland – Ready for a trip you’ll never forget? With Iceland Air you can now book a $469 roundtrip ticket with two-nights stay in November. If you’ve ever wanted to visit this incredibly interesting country, now’s the time. Bundle up, it might be a tad chilly in November.

    Vegas – Time for a show and some slots! Book now and get extraordinary deals on trips to Vegas for fall. The Las Vegas Hotel can be booked on BudgetTravel.com for only $29 a night this fall.

    Australia – Trips to Australia are still very low and flights are down nearly 40% from last year’s prices. This means for around $1,300 you can book a roundtrip flight from the United States to Sydney, Australia. Visit Australia today. But bring your sunscreen; the weather is heating up for the Australian summer!

  • Hurricane Season Travel Discounts

    You’ve no doubt heard us chirping about the amazing travel deals you can nab to places like Maui, Hawaii and Mexico. Well, this week, if you really want to get a great deal, set your sights on the Gulf of Mexico where, because of Hurricane season, Florida hotels and Gulf resorts are lowering their prices as much as 50%. Although hurricane season can mean some nasty weather, there are also weeks of sunny and balmy days inbetween nasty storms. If you’re willing to risk it to travel to places like Florida’s Gulf Islands where FREE nights are being given away by choice hotels, then more power to you! Enjoy!


  • More Cheap Caribbean Flights

    There must be something in the air. Yesterday, we blogged about low airfares to Latin America, including some incredible deals from the US to Mexico for as low as $79 each way. Today, we’re hearing about Jet Blue’s latest and greatest travel deal: a Bikini Sale with flights as cheap as $29 each way into the Caribbean. Take the $29 flight from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas or the $99 flight it would cost you to fly to Bermuda from Boston and you’re on your way. Book between by today for flights ranging from Sept 8 – Nov 18 and your beach vacation just got that much cheaper.

    This is a last minute travel deal for the archives!


  • Another Southwest Airlines Deal

    It a surprising yet, not so surprising turn of events, Southwest Airlines announces another one of its amazing flight deals. Purchase your tickets before September 3, 2009 and you will reap trip benefits as low as $59 for a one-way ticket. These prices are valid for only select flights, but we mention this great travel deal because it includes a number of great locations. Keep in mind all flights must be purchased before September 3, and apply for flights only from September 9 – January 7. Not too many restrictions with this deal!

    Some sample deals include flights from Baltimore to Boston for $59, and between Ontario and Las Vegas for the same low fare. One flight we though was particularly amazing was from New York to Denver for only $109 each way.

    We do love the way Southwest flies.


  • Labor Day Car Rentals

    You may be flying  to visit relatives, or taking a flight for a nice long weekend of camping. Perhaps you live in a city and simply need to rent a car long enough to escape for Labor Day weekend. Regardless of why, rental car demand spikes during weekends that are popular for travel and that means price increases as well. To avoid high prices, get a jump-start on your travel plans and book your rental car ahead of time. Don’t forget that many travel sites and package deals also include car rental discounts. It’s a great way to take advantage of the recent slump in the travel industry and combine that with your travel needs!

    Be sure to check out FrugalMonkey’s page on car rentals to access great car rental links and to find out what your options are for renting a car during your vacation!


  • Guide to Fall Travel Deals

    Fall marks a decidedly different time for airlines and travelers. The summer deals for travelers tend to slow down and airlines are expected to cut back on available flights.

    With the travel industry in an economic slump however, there are sure to be some great places where travelers can snatch up available deals. Find out where the travel deals will continue and what you can do to find them! Hawaii The Hawaiian economy relies heavily on travel. It runs almost entirely off of the tourism provided by North Americans and as fall approaches, fewer travelers are expected to make travel plans. For those that might be considering a fall vacation however, this is incredible news. Hawaii is expected to be one of the few locations where flights, hotels, and other vacation packages will continue to be available for vacationers. This fall, booking a flight to Hawaii will still be affordable and is a great way to experience a vacation that will likely spike in expense in the upcoming years. If you're looking for a warm and temperate Thanksgiving vacation with the family, keep your eyes peeled on the travel deals coming out of Hawaii. We guarantee you'll see some good ones! Start making your travel plans now with our advice on things to do in Maui. Mexico Mexico, like Hawaii relies heavily on tourism from North America. It too sees a decrease in vacationers during the fall and because of the hit it has taken due to swine flu and the economic slump, travel deals will continue into this region are expected to continue well into the fall. The fall and winter are also considered off-season for Mexico travel, which means vacation deals will be even lower. We think that if you're looking for a good getaway before school starts or during the winter break, that Mexico will be a cheap and fun way to enjoy your vacation. Find out about places like Cancun, with FrugalMonkey's free online travel guide to Mexico.

  • A Preview of Fall Travel Deals

    This flight deal is so good you couldn’t even turn your television on last night and miss this incredible offer from Jet Blue Airlines. This fall, Jet Blue is offering travelers the opportunity to purchase a one month free-for-all travel pass for only $599. From September 8 to October 8, 2009, travelers who purchase the pass can fly to any of Jet Blues 59 city destinations at no additional cost. It’s like a bus pass for airlines! If you travel for business, want to see the country, or even have just a few destinations you’d like to visit, this travel pass might be right for you. But hurry, you have to purchase the pass before August 21, 2009 which lands you right at next Friday! We think this knocks the socks off of any of those online travel auction sites!

    Packages can be purchased online.


  • Hotels Take Over Travel Deals This Labor Day

    It’s all about hotel deals this Labor Day. Although travelers are snatching up some incredible flight prices and packages, the real deals are being found in lower than low hotel rates. Check out some of our favorite Labor Day hotel deals this year – it’s all about the big cities!

    Check out Los Angeles this Labor Day and enjoy over half off hotel deals at the Hotel Palomar. Prices start at $122 a night.

    Even better savings can be found over the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, where this labor day you will save nearly 60% off normal rates at Four Star Hotel Triton. Rates begin at $99 a night and if you access this hotel promotion, you score a free bottle of wine too!

    Lastly, enjoy a romantic weekend in New Orleans at the Five Star Windsor Court Hotel, with prices starting at only $200. That’s a steal!

    Keep checking back for more deals each and every week at FrugalMonkey!


  • End of Summer Vacations

    Not ready to say goodbye to summer? We aren’t either! This summer has been an amazing season for travel deals and we’re on the lookout for even more.


    We have set our sights on finding the perfect mix of Labor Day vacations and last minute summer excursions. Here is what we turned up!

    First and foremost don’t forget our summer travel advice regarding last minute flight purchases. Some of the best vacation deals this summer have resulted from last minute vacation purchases. While in the past booking last minute flights would have cost you hundreds, now you can find some of the best deals of the summer through last minute flights. The current state of the travel industry means that airlines are bending over backwards to fill up flights and this translates into some seriously great summer deals. So don’t last minute travel! Even though it is counter intuitive, it could generate big savings.

    Expedia

    Expedia is having a Labor Day sale offering over 200 vacation deals and packages. Most of them are for domestic travel throughout the United States with amazing deals for a great summer getaway. For example, we found hotels as cheap as $24 a night! In fact, some of the best deals on the Expedia list are hotel discounts. Take the Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel where discounts rates start at $50 a night. That is down from previous hotel packages that could cost as much as $250 a night! Time to book, don’t you think? Lunch in Golden Gate Park does sound inviting…

    Other Labor Day Deals

    Another great place to find last minute, end of summer deals is through Travelzoo.com.


    For starters, right now you can book an incredible Mexico or Caribbean vacation for as little as $49 a person! Both the Sun Village Resort & Spa in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic as well as the Oasis Cancun in Cancun, Mexico have deals starting at $49 a person. That is an incredible price for three-star resorts. Also, check out Travelzoo.com for great cruises to Mexico at incredibly low prices. Hurry though – you must book before the end of the week, even though travel deals are good through December 18, 2009.

    Ever wanted to travel to Greece? Interested in vacationing in Athens, Mykonos, or Santorini? Well, with FrugalMonkey’s full travel profile on Greece in addition to the Travelzoo.com deal which offers airfare and 8 nights stay in Greece for only $1,399, you can’t go wrong! This great deal can be accessed directly from Travelzoo.com’s site and is valid through September 13, 2009. This means you can enjoy an almost-perfect, almost-labor day vacation that is the perfect end to your summer travels.

    Stay tuned for more great deals this week!

  • Travel Deal Tips

    USA Today just released its 7 tips for finding the best travel deals. You’ve probably read some of our tried and true reports on how to save money on travel, but we thought we’d pass along their money saving tips as well.


    You know, to sort of spread the wealth. Check out what USA Today says are 7 great ways to save on travel. We just so happen to agree that money saved on travel is excellent travel news!

    Stay In The Know

    It’s important to stay up on the market as travel companies release amazing deals that might last only a few days. This can be hard to do if you don’t have hours to spend trolling the Internet however, a few helpful tools can keep you in the know. Try singing up for Google Alerts or travel newsletters from some of the industry’s top companies and airlines. We recommend using TravelZoo – they do a great job spotting deals! By looking at specific places online you can find great deals that you would have otherwise missed.

    Be Flexible

    This is a tried and true way to save money while you’re traveling. If you can enter flight dates within a flexible range, you can sometimes save hundreds on just a single flight. When it comes to travel, being flexible is one of your greatest allies.

    Look to the High-End

    You probably won’t find 50% off hotel prices at Motel 6, but you can find some incredible discounts when it comes to high-end hotels, restaurants and even flight prices. By keeping your sights set on more expensive areas, you will find the greatest discounts. Keep in mind this doesn’t always translate into less money spent, but you might find an incredible deals at high-end resorts in Cancun along the way. Give it a shot. As it turns out, that’s where the deals are!

    Cash Works Too

    People are very eager to cash in on frequent flier miles on credit cards, but a lot of times there will be fussy restrictions. With so many good travel deals going on right now, some of the best deals will be found by simply paying for the discounted trip rather than trying to leverage it with miles. Remember that cash works too, when you’re booking travel plans.

    Compare

    You won’t save much if you don’t compare the prices listed on other travel websites.


    Take the amounts you see for deals and on airline websites and through travel deals and always compare them with a price listed on another location. You can find amazing prices this way and this will ensure, you’re getting the most bang for your buck!

    Bargain Your Way Down

    Sure, you probably won’t talk an airline into giving you a cheaper ticket, but for hotels in the throws of the economic slump this works wonders. Try talking your way into a bigger and better room and you might be surprised. This is a great way to generate some great perks!

    Wait For It

    Although waiting last minute might not work all the time, last minute flight deals are some of the best in the industry. If you find a great deal, we suggest you snatch it up, but there are some great discounts to be enjoyed by taking advantage of airlines who are making drastic attempts to fill up flights at the last minute.