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Travel Tips that save you cash!These vacation travel tips will work year round, although the most benefit from them will come in the off season from January through March when the tips should provide the most reasonable vacation package rates. Travel Tip 1 – Pick your hotel or resort first then worry about the flight. The reason is that you have more leverage and options with the hotel or resort then with the airline that gets you there. Planning will decide if you have a vacation package or a travel package. A true vacation package will be one you enjoy, not a cheap package vacation you settle for just to take advantage of an inexpensive plane ticket to your destination. Do not misunderstand us, We are by no means against a cheap flight. That said, it is still always better to put a plan together that first maximizes your enjoyment and activities. That way, when you discuss all your options with the hotel or resort, most of the time you can work your discount travel package in your favor. Do not be afraid to play one resort against another for the best deal. Travel Tip 2- Airline options are a little harder because where you go will always be limited by the number of major carriers and peak travel is normally Thursday night thru Sunday afternoon. The best all around strategy is to play on both industries weaknesses; empty airline seats + empty hotel rooms = double savings for you. If you schedule your vacation to start on a Monday and end on a Thursday you have both industries right were you want them. Off-peak is when both industries are operating at 50% capacity or less and both are more willing to cut you a travel deal. Travel Tip 3- Here is how to take full advantage of the off-peak slump! It may take a few phone calls, contact the hotels or resorts you are interested in directly then ask the front desk what their rack rate or daily rate is. (That is the price you would pay if you walked in from the street and asked for a room). All hotels call each other locally and ask the same question. Night auditors normally fill out a sheet for the manager first thing in the morning before check out begins. That rate changes daily and will be higher during peak travel.By knowing the rack rate you have the upper hand as it helps you three ways: 1. You now know the average going rate for all the hotels in the area you wish to visit.(for even more savings - hotels not on the beach or the main strip average about 10-20 dollars a night less) 2. If you book an extended stay on a Monday you should be able to lock in that same price for every day of your stay. You must tell them up front and get it noted on the bill, or they will forecast the Friday and Saturday increases into your bill. 3. It gives you that inside scoop allowing you to check offers including ours for the best advertised deals. Read what you sign when you check in, asking them to explain all charges before you sign; you want the lower fixed rate. Do not jump too soon. If the manager is smart he or she has a few unadvertised discounts they can offer which should be below the daily rate. It is each hotel's way of getting one up on each other to stop you from walking to the competition. Make them play that card; ask them for “any house specials” they may have before you agree and commit to a price. Travel Tip 4-Pay attention to which airline is doing more advertising; they are trying hard to fill empty seats(may be a opening for savings). The Break-even point for most aircraft is 60-65% capacity on the weekly average. To maintain above that the airlines continually adjust type /size of aircraft to each route. For example in Hawaii they add a stop to an Asia bound 747 or add a later flight with a smaller aircraft such as a red eye (late night) out of Los Angeles. Moving buildings is another story however! That’s why you have more advantage with hotel and resort rates. We're not playing Parker Brothers - Monopoly here. Travel Tip 5-Have your plans all laid out- then plug dates and times in (best to have at least one alternate set of dates). We asked and got an extra 10% off when we used an alternate date. You will get what you pay for in the airline industry. Cheap is either the red-eye or two or more connections that makes for a long day. Think about where you are going. What other route do you have then. Always book round trip in advance. A one way ticket is open season on you the passenger; they have you where they want you, having to pay through the nose to get back. Travel Tip 6-Hotel and resorts have one thing in common, the empty bed in one is just as empty in the other. Their weekly struggle to put "heads on pillows" is your chance to upgrade. That four star property that would not give you the time of day in July, is looking for your phone number in January. Check your junk mail after New Year's. A hotel three years ago still has your name on their mailing list. Getting into a four or five star resort just got a lot easier. It is your money. By planning ahead you can make your vacation package work for you. Their "take it or leave it" attitudes are gone in the off season. Our goal above was to provide some insider travel tip information suggestions on how you can upgrade your next trip by booking your resort first. In the off season you may even save enough to upgrade your flight and still stay on budget. Review the latest travel information below from these published experts on these popular travel categories. A few of of the publications cross topic lines, as you click threw a few pages they get more specific: Travel Safety Airline Travel Cruise Planning Family Travel Business Travel Road trips Romantic Getaways Camping Trips Hiking Adventures Motorcycle Trips Bicycle Trips Travel Planning Historic Travel Canada Travel Disney Jamaica Travel China Travel Costa Rica Travel Las Vegas Tips Here are more travel ideas to ponder: Special Interest Vacations Around the World select one then request their FREE Brochures! Here is another option, our friends at www.greatfamilyvacationtips.com can show you there tips for a family vacation: like planning, travel, all inclusive, and more. check out there Great Family Vacation Tips
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