Archive: Deals
What's the Deal? Look to Unfamiliar Airlines for Deals
Don't forget smaller foreign carriers when searching for deals to Europe. Not all offer service out of Washington, but even those that fly out of other hubs often offer codeshare agreements. And some sales are so good that it may be worth it to fly out of New York or...
By Carol Sottili | June 20, 2008; 06:44 AM ET | Comments (6)
What's the Deal?: Putting Spirit's $19 Fares to the Test
Spirit Airlines is an upstart discount carrier that often offers crazy fares. "Can you believe it?" says its current fare sale. "Spirit has (fares) from only $19 each way." So can we believe it? Is it possible to get a $19 fare? And where do these fares get you? From...
By Carol Sottili | May 9, 2008; 12:24 PM ET | Comments (11)
What's the Deal: The Luck of the Irish
Aren't we glad that Aer Lingus came back to town? The airline bailed out of BWI, ending its nonstop flights to Shannon, Ireland, several years ago, but then restarted nonstop service from Washington Dulles to Dublin last year. And now it's one of the few offering decent sale fares for...
By Carol Sottili | May 2, 2008; 09:45 AM ET | Email a Comment
Airfare Sale Within a Sale
Airtran's systemwide sale for travel through Nov. 12 is offering some decent fares. Good, right? But now the airline has announced a two-day Extra Savings sale that is far more restrictive, but offers incredibly cheap fares. The deal applies only to nonstop flights. From Washington Reagan, pre-tax fares are $49...
By Carol Sottili | April 25, 2008; 06:31 AM ET | Comments (1)
What's the Deal: Good News . . . and Bad
First the good news. Virgin America has launched a fare sale from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles or San Francisco. Fare on the nonstop flights is $119 each way: round-trip fare with taxes is about $273. While we've seen cheaper, the flights are nonstop, planes are new and each seat...
By Carol Sottili | April 22, 2008; 02:42 PM ET | Comments (5)
What's the Deal: Stretch Your Legs and Save $$$
Tired of sitting in the small seats? If you're willing to pay up to have a little room, but you're not willing to pay a fortune, take a look at Virgin Atlantic's sale on premium economy seats. I flew this class of service on Virgin several times last year, and...
By Carol Sottili | April 4, 2008; 09:18 AM ET | Comments (1)
What's the Deal: Will Open Skies Mean Lower Fares?
If you've been putting off buying that ticket for spring travel to London in the hopes there will be a sale, get out your credit card. It's time to buy. Virgin Atlantic, United, US Airways, British Airways and others are all offering fares of about $600 or less, including taxes,...
By Carol Sottili | March 28, 2008; 06:12 AM ET | Email a Comment
What's the Deal?: What You Need to Know About Summer Airfares
Farecast, a Web site that analyzes airfare trends and offers predictions and pricing, has issued its summer forecast, concluding (no surprise here) that summer fares to Europe are 10 percent higher this year. But the analysis also concludes that there are ways around paying sky-high fares, as long as you're...
By Carol Sottili | March 21, 2008; 10:32 AM ET | Comments (1)
Travel Tech: Airfare Searches for the Truly Frugal
If you're the type of traveler who needs to unturn every stone in search of the absolutely lowest airfare before you'll buy, take a look at Priceline's new product, called Inside Track. It's the latest player to offer sophisticated airfare analysis for consumers. Other sites, including Kayak, Farecast and FareCompare,...
By Carol Sottili | March 18, 2008; 07:47 AM ET | Email a Comment
What's the Deal? Special Edition
AirTran and Virgin America are offering quick sales that will end today. Here are the details: *Airtran is offering a systemwide sale. From BWI, fares range from $49 to $144 each way plus taxes. From Dulles, fares are $74-$144 each way plus taxes. And from DCA, $79 to $144 each...
By Carol Sottili | March 14, 2008; 07:03 AM ET | Email a Comment
What's the Deal: First Summer Airfare Sale to London
British Airways is the first carrier to break the ice on summer airfare sales across the pond. The sale fare is still not cheap -- $959 round trip (including taxes) to London Heathrow from Dulles or BWI -- but it's one of the first fares we've seen for under $1,000...
By Carol Sottili | March 11, 2008; 01:30 PM ET | Email a Comment
What's the Deal: Sales to Europe Are Popping Up
It's been slim pickings for sale fares to Europe. We told you about some business-class sales last week, but this week, we have even better news. Iberia has launched a sale from Washington Dulles to destinations across Europe. And United and Virgin Atlantic are offering sale fares to London. The...
By Carol Sottili | March 7, 2008; 07:10 AM ET | Comments (9)
What's the Deal: DC to NYC . . . for a Buck?
DC to New York for $1? Believe it. Well, sort of. BoltBus, the newest player in the DC-to-NY cheapo bus biz, debuts March 27 with one-way fares starting at $1 (plus a 50-cent booking fee). The Greyhound spinoff promises free WiFi and power outlets, plus leather seats on "select" coaches....
By K.C. Summers | March 6, 2008; 11:54 AM ET | Comments (3)
What's the Deal: Europe This Summer? It Can Be Done
If you've spent the past months scouring Web sites in an attempt to find an airfare of under $1,000 round trip to Europe this summer, you most likely haven't booked yet. There have been a couple of short-lived sales, but none that have had broad appeal. Blame jet fuel, Europeans...
By Carol Sottili | February 29, 2008; 07:19 AM ET | Comments (2)
What's the Deal: Get Away From the Ice!
If you've put off planning that spring vacation, here are a couple of deals that could give you ideas. * Virgin America is offering a "Why Leap When You Can Fly" sale. Price is $238 round trip plus about $21 taxes for nonstop flights from Washington Dulles to either Los...
By Carol Sottili | February 22, 2008; 07:24 AM ET | Comments (1)
What's the Deal?: New Air Service, New Bargains
We don't know how long these fares will last, but AirTran has announced new nonstop service from BWI to Los Angeles, Seattle and Dallas beginning May 6, and, as of last night, was offering cheap introductory fares. To Los Angeles, fare started at $219 round trip, including taxes (United, the...
By Carol Sottili | February 15, 2008; 06:45 AM ET | Comments (3)
What's the Deal: An Airfare Crystal Ball?
Farecast has been on the leading edge of geeky, yet incredibly useful, analysis of airfares for a few years. But up until yesterday morning, the site's claim to fame -- predicting whether a specific airfare would go up, down or stay the same -- was restricted to certain domestic cities...
By Carol Sottili | February 8, 2008; 07:52 AM ET | Comments (3)
What's the Deal?: Bargains to Grab Now
It's February. Time to plan your garden and your vacations. You're on your own finding seed catalogues, but I can help with some travel deals. Here are a couple that are worth a look: Cathay Pacific is again selling its All Asia Pass for travel in 2008, which can save...
By Carol Sottili | January 31, 2008; 09:56 AM ET | Comments (1)
Valentine's Splurge
Hotels all over the country have been pitching special deals for Valentine's Day. But really, how far are you going to go for a Hallmark holiday? Still, given these gloomy winter days, your romantic impulse might need a jolt. Here's some ideas not far from home: * If you have...
By Cindy Loose | January 16, 2008; 07:58 AM ET | Comments (3)
Travel Deals Requiring Fast Action
Several airlines are offering short-lived sales to Europe. Here are your choices: * United and Lufthansa (codeshare partners) have a sale to cities throughout Europe; last day to buy is tomorrow (Thursday, Sept. 20). Fares are not dirt cheap from Washington (for example, it'll cost about $709 round trip to...
By Carol Sottili | September 19, 2007; 04:01 PM ET | Comments (2)
Short-Lived Airline Deals
Airlines are more often than not offering sales with very short shelf lives. It's not uncommon for a sale to last for only a couple of days. Here are a few that will expire before the Travel section goes to press on Sunday. *Aer Lingus has a September sale on...
By Carol Sottili | July 10, 2007; 03:54 PM ET | Comments (2)
Next Stop: Fargo?
In case you missed it, AAA announced earlier this week where you should go for vacation this summer if you want to save some money. But first, here's where you shouldn't go. According to an Associated Press story, "a family of two adults and two children could expect to pay...
By John Deiner | June 1, 2007; 10:05 AM ET | Comments (7)
Summer Sale: Fly to London
A rare summer sale to London has been announced, but act fast: Tickets must be purchased by midnight EDT on Thursday. British Airways is offering round-trip fares of $780, including taxes, from Washington Dulles or BWI to London Heathrow (fares on other airlines have decreased since the BA sale was...
By Carol Sottili | April 24, 2007; 12:43 PM ET | Email a Comment
How Cheap Can Flying Get?
It's often occurred to me that it's cheaper to fly now than it was 30 years ago. I remember paying $99 each way on People Express to fly from LA to NY in the late 1970s, about the same price you'll get with a good sale today. My mother swears...
By Carol Sottili | April 11, 2007; 10:50 AM ET | Comments (11)
Deals That Require Action
Short-lived deals are gaining popularity with airlines. Guess it's a good way to fill seats without commiting to long-term sale fares. They're often advertised only through the airline Web sites, or via e-mail to those who sign up for notifications. This week, discount airlines are pounding each other in the...
By Carol Sottili | March 22, 2007; 10:04 AM ET | Email a Comment
Discounted Hotels in the Sun
With snow blowin' around along the East Coast and temperatures in the subfreezing ranges, a getaway to somewhere warm is in order. Scouring the hotels in warm destinations, we have come across some good deals, including one place offering rooms at 50 percent off in Miami. * If you book...
By Gary Lee | March 8, 2007; 02:00 PM ET | Email a Comment
Private Tour Guides: Worth It?
Most times I like poking around cities on my own. But sometimes a great tour guide offers glimpes of a place that I would have a tough time discovering on my own. Not long ago, I found myself in need of a guide who could take visiting friends around Washington....
By Gary Lee | March 5, 2007; 03:51 PM ET | Comments (19)
Ooh La La
Air France is launching new daytime flights from JFK to Paris beginning May 1, and is offering a very good sale fare on those flights. The daily nonstop leaves New York at 7:50 a.m. (gets into Paris at 9 p.m.), so you'll either have to get up at 0-dark-30 to...
By Carol Sottili | March 1, 2007; 03:25 PM ET | Email a Comment
Wednesday Deals: Part II
Hot off the presses: British Airways just announced a three-day sale. Fly from Washington Dulles or Baltimore for $298 plus $158 taxes. That's a grand total of $456. You have to fly Feb. 28-March 25 on Monday-Wednesday to get the cheapest fares, and you have to stay over a Saturday...
By Carol Sottili | February 21, 2007; 03:33 PM ET | Email a Comment
Wednesday Deals!
We have a few quick deals this week. Airtran is offering a two-day sale that expires tomorrow. Fares start at $39 each way plus taxes from BWI to Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Dayton, Ohio; and Rochester, N.Y. Rules include 10-day advance purchase and travel by May 23 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or...
By Carol Sottili | February 21, 2007; 01:22 PM ET | Email a Comment
Two Short-Lived Airfare Deals
Here are two deals that expire before we can get them into the paper: * JetBlue has a coast-to-coast sale: $99 each way (about $219 round trip with taxes) from Washington Dulles to three cities in California: San Diego, Oakland and Long Beach. But you have to buy no later...
By Carol Sottili | February 7, 2007; 03:21 PM ET | Email a Comment
Deals to Go
Deals with short shelf lives include: * Cheapcaribbean.com has a deal on a five-night all-inclusive vacation to the Dominican Republic. Price starts at $577 per person double including airfare from Washington for travel April 10-Dec. 22. But you have to book it by Feb. 7. Deal includes travel insurance. Priced...
By Carol Sottili | February 1, 2007; 01:51 PM ET | Email a Comment
Spirit Air Strikes Again
Spirit Airlines announced its third new destination from Fort Lauderdale in the last week -- San Jose, Costa Rica (Haiti and St. Maarten earlier this week). It's offering 8-cent fares each way on certain dates, but they sell out within a few hours. Plus fares out are good April...
By Carol Sottili | January 24, 2007; 03:36 PM ET | Comments (7)
Now You See Them....
Two 48-hour airline sales to take a look at. Airtran's systemwide sale ended Jan. 18, but it's back for an encore. You have until midnight tomorrow to book the sale; fares start at $39 each way (plus taxes) from Baltimore to Boston or Rochester. You have to travel by March...
By Carol Sottili | January 24, 2007; 02:30 PM ET | Comments (7)
Haitian Vacation?
Spirit Air announced Thursday that it's going to start flying to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from Fort Lauderdale starting March 22. And to sweeten the pot, it's offering 5-cent fares. It's a bit of a tease, because only a few dates are available at those rates. And when you add the taxes,...
By Carol Sottili | January 19, 2007; 03:02 PM ET | Comments (3)
Get 'Em While They're Hot
Two airfare sales with short shelf lives: Airtran's systemwide sale ends tomorrow; it features $39 one-way fares to Boston and Rochester and $89 fares to Grand Bahama Island (taxes extra). Jetblue's fare sale ends Friday; I just got an email from someone over at Travelzoo.com (a good site to locate...
By Carol Sottili | January 17, 2007; 11:25 AM ET | Comments (8)
