Added: 02/27/2006 |
Sometimes you just need a getaway right now - this is last minute getawaysSometimes you just need a getaway - right now, last minute... Point, click and go - on the cheap. That's the idea behind one of the most active areas of the Web travel industry: Last Minute Getaways. According to Travel Industry Association of America, 64% of leisure travelers plan 11th-hour escapes, and one in five uses the Web to book. Most do so purchasing cut-rate plane seats and hotel rooms that have been packaged together so that consumers can't see where the deepest discounts are being generated. Browse the many weekly cruise and package specials emblazoned on the travel site home pages or get tempting deals delivered to your inbox. Last minute travel, weekend getaways, romantic getaway packages, and discount vacation packages are waiting for you right now!
How Last Minute Getaways Work
Sold from 7 days to 3 hours before departure. It's possible to log on to Last Minute Getaways at lunchtime and be on your way to Miami, hotel, airfare and optional rental car included by 5pm!
Priced from $150 per person. Great deals can be yours at the last minute! The flexible packages include a wide range of options and prices. Flight & Hotel packages usually start at about $200 per person, while Flight Plus packages - including airfare and more (such as rental car, dinner or an activity) - and Hotel Plus packages - including hotel accommodations and more (such as rental car, dinner or an activity) - start at about $150.
Packages with choice. You choose your flights and hotel room from some of the travel industry's most trusted brands, including Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines, American Airlines, Bass Hotels, Starwood Hotels, Loews Hotels and Avis Rent-A-Car.
Available now. Dynamic, real-time technology constantly updates flight, hotel and other travel information, ensuring that if a package is listed in the Last Minute Deals section - it's definitely available right now. Availability is limited, though, and packages are removed from the site when they sell out, so when you see something you like, buy it! Last Minute Getaways cannot be reserved.
If grabbing a week or two away from job and family isn't possible, can you really throw together some last-minute plans, fly across a few time zones and get back home three days later without feeling as if you've confused running a marathon with taking a vacation?
Nowadays people are usually looking for the quick getaways and the really big experiences...
Online vacation packages - deals that bundle rooms and flights in one click of the mouse - are making this kind of budget jet-setting easier as airlines, hotels and cruise lines look for new ways to sell unsold seats and rooms at the last minute.
Can these deals save you money? Sometimes, but they're really more about convenience. Rarely will you find screaming bargains. And the tradeoffs (inconvenient flight times, non-refundable tickets, pay-in-advance rules, rooms in chain hotels) may not be worth it given what you could find on your own with a few phone calls or an Internet search.
It's likely that you may find the best deal on the airline's own Web site or through a discount travel agent. Airlines have done away with 14-day advance fares in many instances, and most post weekly cyber deals on their Web sites for travel within the next week or two.
When it comes to hotels, "blind" bookings made on some travel web sites can produce last-minute bargains. Remember, that having a hotel in a convenient location is essential for a short trip. These sites let you to choose the general location and type of hotel, but you won't find out the name until your offer is accepted and your credit card charged. If you're more comfortable picking your own hotel, don't jump at the offers on the travel booking sites without also checking the hotel's Web site and calling the hotel directly. Reserving directly has other advantages: You avoid the pay-in-advance, cancellation fees and restrictions that come with booking through a third-party site.
So, do your homework, shop around, but once you've booked, don't look back. Your work is done. Get some rest. Soon it will be time to play!
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