5 Easy Ways to Score Late-Summer Travel Deals
Photo by Lumina/Stocksy. Design by Erik Mace for Yahoo Travel
By George Hobica
Summer is nearing an end, but it’s not too late to save on a last-minute trip with these tips:
Use the right sites
When searching for flights, use flexible travel dates — and be open to changing your destination in order to save.
Most airlines (American/US Airways are the notable exceptions among domestic carriers) now offer easy-to-use fare calendars showing you the cheapest days to travel.
Delta, United, Southwest (search for the “Southwest Shortcut”), Frontier, Cathay Pacific, and JetBlue (look for the “JetBlue best fare finder”) all have excellent tools. Look for “my dates are flexible” options. If you log in with your email address and look for the “show flexible dates/flex month” option, Kayak will show you a month-long calendar of dates and fares.
Courtesy: Google Flights
Google lets you enter specific dates and returns with a list of cheap fares; google.com/flights/explore shows which dates are valid for cheap fares to places you specify (enter “Asia” or “Los Angeles,” for example).
And Southwest now has a handy fare map.
Related: The Best Apps for Finding a Cheap Flight
Avoid checked bag fees
Southwest is the only airline that allows you to check two bags for free, but if you’re flying on United or American, then consider getting their affiliated credit cards, fee-free for the first year.
Photo: Thinkstock
For example, United’s Explorer Card gives you and a companion a free checked bag ($50 value each way), plus 30,000 bonus miles if you spend $1,000 in the first three months. American has a similar offer, but you and up to four traveling companions get free checked bags.
Related: Attack of the Airline Baggage Fees: Can You Escape Paying Big Bucks to Check Bags?
Check the hotel rate after you book
Hotels often lower their prices after you reserve a room.
Sometimes the price drops are significant, but most people never bother to check. A friend booked a room for two nights in Los Angeles at the London West Hollywood hotel recently and checked the rate a day before arrival. Suddenly, a $400 room was $300, so he canceled and rebooked.
I’m going to Vegas in early September, staying at the Cosmopolitan; because I booked my prepaid room on Tingo.com, I’ve received $99 in refunds to my credit card so far. (The site credits your account automatically whenever the hotel lowers the rate).
Don’t rent a car
Courtesy: Uber
When you add hotel parking fees (often $40 per night) and gas to sky-high rental car rates, along with airport fees, taxes, insurance and a possible parking ticket or two, you may find that you’re better off not renting a car at all.
Turn to Uber. Especially if you’re willing to pool with another rider and you’re not traveling long distances, do the math and save. Uber’s not the only game in town, either; Lyft and other competitors offer the same deals.
If you must rent a car, don’t do it at the airport; rates in town are usually much cheaper.
Check if you need travel insurance
What’s the number one reason people make a claim against their travel insurance policies? Canceling due to injury or sickness — afflicting you, or someone close to you — before departure.
But guess what: the credit card you used to pay for your trip might already have you covered up to $10,000 in non-refundable travel expenses.
The Chase Sapphire card, as well as several of the American Airlines’ Citi MasterCards and Visas, have especially good coverage for cancellations and other incidents.
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