Deal Alert: YBR to Kona, Hawaii. $751

Heck of a deal!!! I cross referenced Trip Advisor and Expedia for reviews and prices. Reviews are very good. Expedia's price (same dates, same flights) are about $5000 per couple.  So if this is a Westjet typo, or a purposeful super-deal, I'd book now before it disappears.

Dates are available for Spring Break. Cost is about $2300 per couple.

Lots of dates available. Other Hawaiian islands are available, at about $600 more per couple.

Screenshots and prices as of 11:30pm January 5th.

Last year's coffee run was $920

Last year I wrote about a Westjet sale to Kona Hawaii. It was, in my opinion, a heck of a deal.

Since I'm not travelling right now, and more than a little bored, I thought I would look and see what that same trip would cost today.

That same trip, December 2nd to 9th, would cost $1020 per person, or about $100 more. That's not bad. I feel it is a reasonable measure of the current cost of a vacation.... about 10% more than last year.  Most of that rise in cost can be attributed to the change in value of the Canadian dollar (as compared to the USA dollar.

If you are just looking for a flight, there are numerous return flights, to each of the 3 most popular islands, for about $560. This is true for both Westjet and Air Canada, from Winnipeg. Depends on dates, of course. But I could find you 25 examples, of $600 of less right now.

This one to Maui is just $527 taxes included!

Just look at these beautiful flight times!!

$3244 for a family trip to Hawaii

There are a few pretty sweet deals to Hawaii on right now.

First off there's a basic 15% off flights anytime this winter (blackout dates apply) with either Westjet or Air Canada. That takes your airfare down to about $500 per person, if you pick the right dates.

Secondly, Westjet is offering packages on sale right now which includes week in a beachside condo.  For 2 adults, the cost is $2030, air, tax and accommodations from Winnipeg. OR, with 2 minor children I see it priced at $3244 for the same date package. That's a mere $811 per person, for a week in a condo in Maui. SWEEEEEEET deal!

Lastly, with this package deal in mind, I looked up what you could get for $1220 per person, which I would still consider a very good price for a package to Maui. Look what I found! The Waldorf Astoria in the highly coveted Wailea area for under $5K. This would be AMAZING!!! You'd be in the playground of the rich and famous, on a modest budget.  

The only thing to keep in mind would be that in a condo, you would prepare your own meals and could realistically do so for a family at a cost of $500CDN total for a week. Whereas, staying at a hotel/resort and buying meals would be far more expensive. 

Prices are in Canadian funds and can be found at Westjet Vacations or through your favourite travel agent. Prices subject to change. 

Maui $483.

I'm just going to tell you that this is the kind of thing that causes the bags under my eyes.

It's 3AM as I write this, and for the past 5 consecutive days, I've worked open to close at the restaurant. I'm tired. And yet, I pick up the scent of a travel deal, and I turn into a tireless bloodhood. I won't stop until I find the big deal.

I won't give you the play-by-play on how I found this, except to say that I shouldn't check my e-mail when I'm in bed. You see, Westjet sent an email with an offer of 20% of econo flights, or 25% off plus.

Ho hum. I didn't think too much of it. I looked around at a couple destinations, and it seemed the prices were inflated so as to accommodate the discount. But, since I was awake, I poked around a little further.

Seems Delta has a nice sale on to Hawaii. (From Winnipeg.) $566 return and taxes in, that's a excellent price any time of the year. (I searched and dates are available through February, but not at Christmas break of course.)

So that's when my 'bloodhound sense' kicks into a higher gear. Hey, I wonder if Westjet has matched those prices yet.... 

I looked, and yes they have. Nice. Westjet has $566 too. Now I wonder if that discount code works on top of this price match deal....

This is the point I get out of bed and head to an actual keyboard. (tap, tap, tap on the keyboard) Yes, indeed, the promo code works! And voila $483, round trip, taxes included to Maui.  $600 to Aruba is pretty sweet too.  Now accommodations are extra in both these situations, but that's not hard to solve.

Victory! I found the prize. $483 to Hawaii is a GREAT DEAL!  Now I can go to sleep.

But first, take my promo code. I won't use it. (Just incase Westjet didn't send you a code this time.)

Promo Code: REW07   Coupon Code: F8Y7IGP  (Yes, you need both) 

They key to getting the best price is do a couple flight searches and find your best price combination, THEN go back and do the search WITH the codes.  If you use the codes right off the top, it will NOT show you the various dates and potential savings of date selection.

Goodnight!  :)

Say Aloha this Summer

Hawaii is blessed with nearly perfect weather year round. And lucky for us, there is year round air service to the islands.

The beauty of going to Hawaii, or any other tropical destination, in the summer is that you will pay about 40% less than in the winter and you will have smaller crowds to contend with.

I personally have travelled to the Bahamas, and the Turks 'n Caicos in July and definitely recommend it. It's been my way of guaranteeing good weather on my hard earned days off. I am frightened by the prospect of having cold, mosquito infested camping trips on my only week of holidays.

Here's a great bargain for a family of 4, with Westjet.  It's from Winnipeg to Kona, Hawaii for 7 nights.

If you're from Brandon, you can save a few more dollars and leave your car at home. The only difference is an overnight in Calgary on the way home. But, it should still net you savings over the gas and parking fees to drive to Winnipeg and fly from there. 

If you'd rather stay at the Sheraton Resort, it will just come in at about $300 more per family of 4. 

As always, I suggest reading up on Trip Advisor. Recent reviews are worth their weight in gold. They give you an accurate, real time description on what's going on NOW, and not 2 years ago and in December. 

Here's the Trip Advisor link to the island in general. See if it's the destination for you. 

If you're more interested in big city Hawaii, and lots of glamorous shopping, you would likely prefer Honolulu. If you're more relaxed and chill, you might prefer tacos on the beach in Maui.  Best head over to www.gohawaii.com to see what suits you best. 

The price is sure fabulous on this trip! Flights alone are often $800 per person. Imagine getting a whole week's hotel included for just $130 more, and in Canadian funds? BARGAIN!

Hawaii..... book today!

Air Canada has been engaged in a little seat sale price war with Westjet for the last 5 days or so. I have been watching and the prices have been at record lows. They have bounced around a little while the airlines posture for position in this market. Looks to me like Air Canada wants your business more!

If you are thinking about flying to Hawaii in the next couple months, your airfare could not be cheaper. But you need to find your dates and book ASAP. It won't be long before you see fares sitting back at the $750-$800 range round trip.

If you are thinking of renting a condo and staying a week or two, this might be the bargain you're waiting for.

Flight prices are in Canadian dollars, though you will have to hedge your bets on accommodation prices and the US dollar at the time you book.  But before you hitch the cart to the horse, take a look at these prices, and then take a look at your date book.

These screenshots are from today. If you want Maui with Air Canada, rather than HNL, it's only about $20 more.

Hawaiian holidays anyone? And yes, please, share with anyone you think could use a little Aloha in their life.

***** Update:

If you want to pair it up with a hotel, through Expedia, you would do very well to choose the Hilton Hawaiian Village, at a total flight and hotel cost $1300 (Canadian, taxes etc included. There are NO resort fees which makes this an even better deal when $30 per night is becoming the norm at most American resorts.)

This resort is an ideal location, right on the beach, and is where Elvis Presley filmed the movie Blue Hawaii. It is, indeed, a large resort, but there is so much to do for the whole family. Fish and turtle ponds, shopping and water sports will keep everyone busy and happy in Hawaii.

If you choose to capitalize on this seat sale (United Airlines are at similar prices and are an Air Canada codeshare partner) in April, you will pay about half the price of doing this trip in July, and a third of the price at Christmas.

If you want to go with more of a bargain, many of the Aqua hotels, near the beach are offered with the flight at about $1000. If you'd rather go fancy... you can included the Trump Hotel, a Westin, Hyatt Regency or the Sheraton Waikiki for just under $2000 per person.

Prices are subject to change, and WILL change constantly. That's why it's valuable to be in the loop and follow travel sites and blog.

Price is off Expedia, for two people, total. At the Hilton on Waikiki

$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.

A little more Hawaii. $809 for 5 nights.

Westjet still has Hawaii on sale, so don't think you missed the luau just yet.  Here, I offer you a selection of apples to apples screenshots from October 13th.  Basically, it costs you $809 for the flight and 5 nights accommodation. Each extra day, will add about $100. This is just one example of a hotel Westjet offers. There are numerous others. Park Shore, (bottom photo) is one the beach and quite highly rated at tripadvisor.ca.

It's not Christmas, but this trip sure would be a gift to yourself!

November: Hawaii under $1000

Aloha & Mahalo! Those two words will always bring a smile to your face once you've experienced Hawaii!

Whether you choose to fly Air Canada, or Westjet. And whether you choose Honolulu (HNL), Maui (OGG) or Lihue (LIH) islands you have plenty of bargains to choose from, if you act now. You'll sure see the difference between flight prices in November and those same flights at Christmas time!

The first place on your on-line research should be Go Hawaii! It's their official state tourism site and can lead you to your ideal vacation. This link will help you plan your first Hawaiian Vacation. 

Want to surf? See whales? Shop? November is a fabulous month to do all of these things, and at a bargain price. While the busy tourism season is just winding up, you can capitalize on a bargain vacation and enjoy the beaches without the big crowds. December is the beginning of the rainy season, so you just might have better weather if you do choose November.

First, let's take a look at flight examples, current as of September 30th, 8pm.  (Prices are subject to chance in the blink of an eye.)

Next, let's look at the package prices, from Air Canada and Westjet. These packages include flights, taxes and transfers.

If you would rather buy your flight and hotel separately, you can find bargains through your favourite hotel sites and loyalty programs. Here's the Hotwire.com screenshot of a hotel bargain you could pair with your bargain flights. Remember to read the fine print and trip advisor reviews every time.  It's only a bargain if travellers, like yourself, enjoy the stay. 

Honolulu on sale this winter

Air Canada is offering 20% off flights from anywhere in Canada, to Honolulu. As is to be expected, Westjet has followed suit. This means  you could even fly from Brandon and take advantage of this offer.

The best prices, for return flights, seem to be about $725 with taxes etc included.
Hotels would be in addition to this price.

The best part about this price is there are TONS of dates available. I'd love to go this November, or early December. I just need a travel buddy.

Book before June 10th to take advantage of this offer.

Need a week in paradise?

Westjetvacations.com has two Hawaiian destinations on sale right now. Hawaii is on nearly everyone's travel bucket list, and with good reason. It's gorgeous! And it has a laid back feel that once you give yourself over to Hawaiian time, you truly feel like you've had a vacation from the typical north american hustle and bustle. It's an amazing feeling.  A vacation like no other. Paradise!

To start your Hawaiian getaway research, start here. www.gohawaii.com

These are great prices!

18 Again!

Westjet is celebrating 18 years of serving Canadian travellers with a sale of 18% off travel to sunny destinations. Travel is basically the month of May, includes destinations in the USA, Mexico and Caribbean. Promo codes are required and travel must be booked by the end of tomorrow, March 2nd.

Air Canada has matched the offer.

Most fares fall between $400 and $600 for these dates, return and taxes in. You will have to do a little digging and searching to find the best prices and flight combinations.

Here'a one example of a bargain. Winnipeg to Honolulu for $510, April 29th to May 7th.

While the airfare is similarly priced out of Brandon, there is at least 1 overnight stay in Calgary and/or Vancouver on the way home.

Hawaiian Holiday Heaven

7 days is never enough in paradise. Why not 17?  With these getaways you could certainly immerse yourself in the Hawaiian lifestyle, forget your winter blues and get truly recharged. That, I would say, sounds heavenly!

These packages which include more than 2 weeks at an amazing hotel, are a great value when you consider cost per night. Sure, the overall cost is about the same as your yearly house taxes, but heck, you work hard. You DESERVE Hawaiian happiness.

www.expedia.com  or see your favourite travel agent to book.

Brandon to Hawaii on Air Miles Sale!

Holy Hanna-Banana Brandon is included on an Air Miles flight sale and it is to HAWAII!!!!

If you are a gold collector you can fly now, until March 5th for about 4500 miles depending on duration and dates selected.  DREAM. COME. TRUE.

Of course, I won't be going because I cashed in all my miles to see Rod Stewart in Vegas this past November, but YOU can!

This sale is only on until Sunday January 5th. Air Miles discount flights change every Monday morning.  Yes, Hawaii applies to Winnipeg (YWG) departures as well.

You will pay the taxes, plus your hotel. Choose a condo and make some of your own meals and you will be enjoying a thrifty, dream trip to Hawaii before the snow melts in Manitoba.

This is "regular" Air Miles fare. Gold takes 30% off making it 4500.

Look, it says Brandon! Use airport code YBR when you search. 

2 Hours Too Late

You have probably already heard about the glitch in Delta Airlines' booking system that happened on the morning of Boxing Day. But if you haven't, it's worth the read. It's a travel junkie's dream come true. It's like winning the lotto.  (Search "Delta Glitch" and you will find lots to read.)

#Deltaglitch also became its own trending hashtag pretty quickly.

Some people booked first class tickets to Hawaii for $86 round trip, all fees included. Other domestic fares reported as low as $20.

It seems that for 2 hours prices on an incredible number of routes were accidentally reduced to mere pennies on the dollar. By the time I heard about it, there were only traces left, but no deals. You could search and find the deals (like through Expedia.com) but once you selected to purchase, the updated prices were revealed. Delta took the drastic step of taking their own website offline in order to fix the error.

Look at these screen shots form my Expedia search. It's enough to make you salivate, isn't it?

Such programming errors have happened before with other airlines. With precedent set, Delta really had no choice but to honour all the fares booked at these rock bottom prices.  In the days to come, some may argue that it was a brilliant and well timed (Boxing Day) marketing ploy, but I would argue that simply would be some clever after-thought marketing to cover up what was likely just a "little" human error.

Regardless, Delta just bought a whole bunch of publicity (with the error), and a whole bunch of good will (by honouring purchased fares).

I would also bet big money that Delta.com will see their web traffic counts skyrocket at bargain hunters troll the site into the foreseeable future looking for any deal that resemble the Great Delta Glitch of Christmas 2013.

See the price Delta was offering, as compared
to what you would consider a normal price.

Look at the bottom corner for the price change!
Ah, what could have been!!!

Expedia just taunting us with what could have been!