Fast Five Travel Tips: Black Friday Strategies

Are you getting twitchy thinking of the deals on the horizon? Will you shop in the malls, or buy on-line? And while you are planning your holiday purchases, you may wish to take a moment and consider your upcoming travel needs as well.

In the past, there have been deals on select flights or select hotels, rather than blanket discounts. You can expect deals to be available this weekend, as well as additional deals on "cyber monday."

Here are my tips to maximize your success buying travel and getting that deal this weekend.

1. Identify your needs. Make a list of the hotels and destinations you need to go to in the next 6 months. (Think hockey/volleyball/school/family obligations.)

2. Wish List. Make a list of your possible travel dates for "wish list" travel.  As in, if there was a remarkable deal to Arizona, WHEN would it be possible for you to go? If those dates and deals line up, you might just hit the jackpot.

3. Get in the loop! If you're not a member/social media follower of the hotels/airlines/travel companies you wish to buy from, add them now. Sign up for their e-mails, follow them on Twitter. You want to be among the first to know of the deals.

4. Grab your money. Will you be using a credit card? Pay Pal? Know your limits which card(s) offer additional benefits for travel purchases. (For example, travel insurance included, rental car benefits, etc.)

5. Know the norm. (Know the current and average prices of what you're after) Scout the websites and travel blogs now. Know the current prices so you are not fooled by misleading advertising or big bold statements. Just because it "looks" like a big deal, doesn't mean it is.

Lastly, when the deal comes, be prepared to act. Just like the shopper grabbing that last coveted Christmas toy from the shelf, someone can just as easily grab the last seat on a flight or hotel room that you were hoping for.

Companies that typically offer deals (or have in the past) on Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

www.allegiantair.com
www.expedia.ca
www.expedia.com
www.travelocity.ca
www.fairmont.com
www.marriott.com
www.hyatt.com
www.starwoodhotels.com

Brandon is included in Air Miles sale

The weekly Air Miles discounts are up. Brandon is included in the 40% off for Onyx collectors. This is great news if your plans include these US destinations in the next 8 weeks. 

Weekly flight discounts

If you need to get some more Air Miles, visit www.airmilesshops.ca right now for some big time earning bonuses.

Fast Five: Free or nearly free activities

It doesn't have to cost a fortune to be exactly what you need. I often get the most out of FREE or nearly free activities on vacation.

1. Hammock time.

2. Time at the hotel pool or a stroll along the beach.

3. Hiking or even city walking tours. (Don't forget your camera!)

4. City or hotel sponsored activities. The City might be hosting music in the park or a family fun fest just check local event listings. (Google before you go!)  Hotels and especially resorts are constantly offering activities to "add value" to your vacation. Hula lessons at 2PM? Guided yoga at 8AM? Kids club crafts at 4PM? Free movies by the pool?  Yes please!

5. Shopping shuttle? Sounds good! Hop aboard and take the free ride to the outlet malls.

Travel tips to get some REST!

My vacation checklist always includes REST.  Literally, but also as an acronym.

Recharge: Have a nap. Get some fresh air. Locate the nearest hammock! Relax. You deserve a break.

Explore: Time to put on those walking shoes and see the sights.

Savour: Eat local food. Try the house specialty. Ask the locals for recommendations and try something new.

Treat: Splurge on a better brand of wine. Have dessert or treat yourself to a cognac. Get the suite instead of just a room. Indulge just a little. Whatever it is that makes you feel special and the vacation affordably more memorable.

Fast Five Travel Tips: Travel More!

I think we can all agree, vacation feels good. And, in my opinion, the more vacations the better. For me, a vacation does not have to be a 5 star resort on the beach, it can be a weekend in the city, three days in the desert, two nights on a friends' couch in Calgary or even a night in a hotel in your own city. The thing that makes it a holiday from life, is the absence of dishes, chores, and the burdens of your own work routine.

So here they are, my tips for getting more of that vacation feeling in your life.

1. Don't wait for an occasion.  It doesn't have to be your anniversary to have a couples' getaway.

2. Don't wait for the whole gang to get their act together. You'd love to have a girls' getaway but two of your friends have a hard time committing or finding the money. Don't stress or start resenting them. If the timing isn't right for them, that's OKAY. Don't let it spoil your fun. Plan and go!

3. Let the budget pick the destination.  Rather than feeling blue that you don't have $5000 for your dream vacation, rejoice in the fact you have $800 and see where that will take you.  ($800 will take a couple to Vegas on Allegiant Air and still leave you with a little money for dinner and fun.) Actually, I could think of a dozen trips for $800 and I often list the bargains here on this site.

4. Use your points. You hear me say it all the time.... collect points. Something. Anything! Use Avion, Aeroplan, Air Miles, etc to subsidize your travel.

5. Travel solo. Or if going alone scares you, declare your interest in travelling and let your friends, co-workers and family members know you are up for travel with them should a business trip or other opportunity come up. You will be surprised how many invitations come your way when your social circle knows you are interested in travelling and can pay your own way or share expenses.

Big Air Miles flight deals now into 2015!

This IS indeed something to get excited about! As of November 3rd, Air Miles opened up their booking deals from now thru to February 11th 2015.  It seems to me, by the fine print, that it would INCLUDE holiday flights, should any actually remain. (This is a long shot, BUT if you are an ONYX collector, they do promise more available flights to you, so you might get something.)

40% off flights to Los Angeles and Phoenix. So this should bring them down to about 2200 Air Miles for the Onyx collector. 30% off for Gold level collectors.  There's a Jets' game in Los Angeles on January 10th. You might score a bargain flight there if you act quickly.

Domestically, many destinations are included in the sale from Winnipeg. This includes Calgary, Edmonton, Abbotsford, Thunder Bay and Yellowknife. There is only one sale destination from Brandon and it's Fort McMurray.  With 20-30% off, you should be able to pick up a flight for around 1200 Air Miles, plus the $100 or so in taxes. That's awesome!

The fine print suggests you have until November 23rd to book flights at these discounts. That means if you don't have quite enough Air Miles, you could dash to Safeway tomorrow (20x points day) and grab a bunch just by buying your regular groceries. The points will (hopefully) be added to your account in time to use them for this promotion.

Otherwise, you may wish to pick up a few points by doing your Christmas shopping on-line at airmilesshops.ca  I have always found those points to be added quickly. AND, if you needed more incentive, they have a scratch and win contest you can enter daily at the airmilesshops.ca home page.

Ok. Got it? I'm all typed out for the day. You're welcome!

Magical Christmas Trip Idea

Did you love the movie Elf? Me too! Is it your favourite Christmas movie?  Wouldn't it be cool to have a New York Christmas? Now, I know it's not Jamaica, but it's also NOT Winnipeg!

You could wander around in the glow of Times Square. You could also check out Rockefeller Plaza, 5th Avenue and even the Plaza Hotel! The Plaza Hotel was prominently featured in the Christmas Classic 'Home Alone' which starred child actor, Macaulay Culkin.

Wouldn't it be magical to skip around the Big Apple checking out the movie sites from Elf?

New York might be more affordable than you think! Westjet has great rates and many dates from $379 (return flight, taxes in, hotel EXTRA) If you are lucky enough to fly out of Ottawa, some return flights are as low as $234. 

If you actually want to do it this Christmas you can go on December 22nd and stay for 4 nights, at the cost of $1000. There are a million hotel choices and combinations, but for this search, I used a Westjet flight from YWG and a Times Square hotel search of 4 stars or better.  Price per person, based on 2 adults.

If you want to take the kids (2) and stay at The Plaza (A Fairmont Hotel) you should budget about $1000 per night. Sadly, you're too late for this year. It's all booked up for Christmas. 'sigh'

But if you have your heart set on it, you can have a great time at a 4 star Sheraton for about $4200 for 4 nights, for a family of 4, in the heart of all the action, Times Square.  If you're lucky enough to fly from Toronto, or Ottawa, your total New York Christmas vacation budget can drop to about $2600. 

It's just another idea for you to think about. So many possibilities!

$920 for a cup of coffee?

Kona coffee is only grown in one place. Kona, Hawaii.  If you'd like to take a quick trip and see what all the chatter is about, you can hop on a Westjet plane from YWG (Winnipeg) and be sipping a Kona coffee, in Kona the next morning. All for just $920 per person, taxes and hotel included.

This is an excellent opportunity to indulge your sweetheart or your best coffee buddy. Why not surprise them with a mug, and a little note about this trip you booked?




So, let's get to the deal, shall we?  Westjet Vacations, from Winnipeg to Kona, great flight times. The dates are December 2nd to 10th. You'll stay at the Royal Kona Hotel. Fabulous ocean location and 5 star reviews on Trip advisor.

If you'd rather stay at the Sheraton, you'll pay a resort fee once there, but you'll also stay in a familiar chain with exceptional ocean views and service. The sheraton will cost you just about $100 more.  But still....$1000 to Hawaii? Amazing!  And while $1000 to Honolulu is becoming more common, $1000 to Kona is almost unheard of.

If you'd like to read up on Kona coffee and what makes it so special, you can check out the National Coffee retailers' association page. They'll give you more info to whet your appetite.

If you need to learn a little more about Hawaii and the individual islands before you book, do check out www.gohawaii.com

If you'd rather bring this little gift out at Christmas time, you'll need about $3300 per person, and the Royal Kona Hotel is already booked solid. You'll have to stay at the Hilton.