The Best Time To Book Bargains-Go Back

Knowing where & when to go off-season can save you as much as 50%.

Looking for bargains on everything from airfares to car rentals to hotels? Think "off-season". How much will you save? Plenty. Early in 2002, the off-season--plus the downturn in travel--yielded these offers, all per person, double-occupancy:

A willingness to travel off-season can win you substantial savings on all aspects of travel. Here's what you can expect.

OFF-SEASON BENEFITS
Off-season is simply the time when most other tourists stay home--and when rates go down to lure business. Available discounts will vary by region and season.

Lower airfares. These reduced fares can be the main perk. Time your trip to catch airfare "sales" and you can almost always save 30 percent to 50 percent--sometimes as much as 65 percent to 70 percent. Savings depend on the region and the route.

Intercontinental. These routes, linking the U.S. with Europe, Asia, South America, and the South Pacific, have at least two seasonal price levels, usually called high and low, which are limited only to Economy Excursion fares. Some routes have only one seasonal fluctuation each year; others may have several. In addition, several U.S.-to-Europe and U.S.-to-South Pacific fares have an intermediate "shoulder" level. Shoulder fares usually cover a period of several weeks between in-season and off-season. In most instances, your round-trip fare is determined by the day you start your trip, although in a few cases the round-trip price varies by your return date as well.

Domestic. Fares within North America are generally not called seasonal, but they often vary through seasonal promotions. Airlines also adjust the number of seats assigned to various price categories to change their yield without changing the advertised fare levels. And some low fares can be blacked out during periods of highest demand. On some routes fares vary by week, day, or even hour.

Tactics. Most bargain airfares, available for a limited number of seats, are advertised for only a few weeks leading up to the earliest departure dates. Usually you must book by a certain date and travel by a certain date, typically within two months.

If you can, have a variety of travel dates. When first choices are not available, ask the ticketing agent to search the days just before or after your preferred dates. (Or check the airline's Web site for alternative dates.) You may also get a bargain by flying in the very early morning or late at night.

Rail deals. Amtrak, the private U.S. intercity rail-passenger system, uses multiple rates for each route in its system, and some vary seasonally. Via Rail, Canada's passenger rail system, also offers off-peak rates on many routes. Eurailpasses are not priced seasonally, but savings are always available for two to five people traveling together. (See Taking the train for rail information.)

Cheaper car rentals. In some countries, several of the major car-rental companies adjust rates seasonally. They also offer special U.S. promotions during slow seasons.

Hotel bargains. Seasonal price changes are common in the Caribbean, the main European beach destinations (French and Italian rivieras, Greek islands, Spanish coasts), Hong Kong (most big tourist hotels), the major South American vacation areas (Bariloche, Rio), the prime U.S. winter vacation areas (Arizona, Florida and adjacent states, and Hawaii), and in many U.S. summer-vacation areas (lakes, mountains, coasts). Low-season rates may be less than half the peak rates. But note that special local festivals or conventions push up rates.

Reduced resort rooms. Seasonal adjustments in resort-hotel rates vary greatly according to destination. Some have only one high and low season per year, whereas others have several. Most resort brochures list prices for the various rates. Generally, rates will be highest in warm-weather locales--such as Florida and the Caribbean--when travelers wishing to escape their own winter weather generate the heaviest demand.

More affordable city lodgings. Hotels in major cities don't peg their prices to the season, but some make seasonal adjustments by promoting special rates as part of airline packages. Tour operators offer reduced-rate promotions in major European cities during the colder winter months and during August, when locals leave for vacation and many businesses slow considerably.

You may be able to bargain with certain hotels during low-occupancy seasons. Make an offer; many times the hotel will accept it rather than see the room go empty. (See Getting the best hotel rates for more tips.)

SHOULDER SEASON
In many places, spring and fall shoulder seasons deliver the best mix of weather and prices, along with uncrowded attractions. Those time periods can be relatively short, such as in Quebec, or quite long, as in the Greek islands. Australia's winter (our summer) offers a long season of good value and mild weather.

In the Caribbean, for example, the winter months--when it's frigid in the U.S.--are always the busiest. Then demand lessens, and prices begin to drop--but the weather continues to be balmy and pleasant. Travelers looking for an early spring getaway, say, between early March and mid-April, when temperatures in northern cities can still be quite chilly, can snag some good deals.

Tour-operator ads in your Sunday newspaper travel section will give you an idea of some shoulder-season values. And travel agents can usually quote current promotions offered by tour operators and individual hotels.

Before you book, however, check out your destination with a guidebook and/or travel agent. You'll want to know just what the weather might have in store. Also ask about the availability of key attractions and tourist services. When fewer visitors are expected, attractions you hoped to visit may be closed or operating on reduced hours.

WEATHERING THE SEASON
Know what weather you'll face when booking either a peak-season excursion or an off-season bargain--it can make the difference between a satisfying trip and a washout.

Rainy season. When traveling to specific tropical or subtropical regions--Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Africa, and India, in particular--pay careful attention to guidebook and travel-agent guidelines on "wet" and "dry" seasons. Although temperatures typically don't vary by all that much, "wet" season is definitely more humid than "dry" and characterized by heavy rains that can last several days. Monsoons are also a hazard. Translation: Your dream vacation could be ruined--or at the very least, soggy. If you want a bargain, consider visiting very early or very late in the dry season.

Hurricane season. Technically, hurricane season in the Caribbean, Florida, and along the East Coast begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. But the greatest concentration of devastating storms occurs from August through October. Resorts and cruise lines will typically offer discounts during these months to lure bargain hunters.

Beware: Being caught in a major storm can be a frightening and potentially deadly experience. Should you decide to risk it, choose a date at either extreme--either July or November. Tropical storms also strike in the Pacific and Indian oceans, where they're known as typhoons and cyclones, respectively. Consult guidebooks for travel timetables to all tropical destinations.

Heat. Peak travel periods for many tourist destinations are the summer months. Unfortunately, summer brings very high temperatures (90° and above) in, for instance, Spain, Greece, Morocco, Egypt, India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Southern China, and parts of the Caribbean. In the U.S., the Southwest (particularly Arizona and Nevada) and the Southeast (Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana) can also have sweltering weather in July and August, as can Texas and Oklahoma. When you link heat with large crowds, the results can be extremely uncomfortable conditions--even dangerous for travelers with medical conditions.

Cold. Freezing temperatures can be equally distressing, especially if you're unprepared. And certain regions are inaccessible during many of the coldest months, including Alaska, parts of Scandinavia and Russia, the Himalayas, and northern China and Japan. In the Southern Hemisphere, southern Chile and Argentina experience their freeze during July and August--their winter. Again, consult guidebooks to avoid the ultracold months of your destination.

Essential Basics For Travelers-Go Back

A roundup of facts and tips you need to know before you travel.

YOUR PRE-TRIP CHECKLIST
Travel is exciting, alluring--and dependent on a multitude of details. Overlooking even one component can mean mixed-up plans, delays at customs or at an airport security checkpoint, or a scramble to find new accommodations--not exactly the stuff of dream vacations. Get organized now to head off problems later.

Make a list. If you're traveling abroad, get started at least two months in advance. List everything you must have before you leave--passport, an additional photo ID for security checkpoint requirements, visas, reservations, immunizations--then post the list where you can cross off each item after you've dealt with it.

Check tickets and reservations. Always examine everything when it arrives, either from your agent or the travel supplier.

Restricted items. You may need a permit or a license (or not be allowed) to bring in the following: Absinthe and liquors made with Artemisia absinthium; copies of copyrighted items, such as books and videotapes; cultural artifacts and cultural property; drugs and drug paraphernalia; food products, fruits, vegetables, meat, and poultry; game and hunting trophies; medications; merchandise from embargoed countries; and plants. Also restricted are pets; fish, wildlife, and any products made from them; certain gold coins, metals, and bullion; firearms and ammunition; and hazardous materials.

Currency. You may take out or bring in as much money as you like. For $10,000 or more, you'll have to file a permit with U.S. Customs.

Gifts. You may send gifts worth up to $100 to friends and relatives in the U.S., duty-free. Mark the wrapper "Unsolicited gift" and list the total value of the package. You can't send a "gift" to yourself. And traveling companions may not send gifts to each other.

Duty-free. Travelers who buy items at duty-free shops may think they won't have to pay any fees on their purchases when clearing U.S. Customs upon return. But "duty-free" purchases are only duty-free in the country where you bought them. They're still subject to duty in the U.S. if your purchases exceed your exemption, and are subject to all of the previous restrictions.

Foreign-made personal items. If you travel with valuable foreign-made items--say, a camera, watch, or laptop--register them with the U.S. Customs Service before you leave.

Baggage searches. U.S. Customs has always been permitted to search baggage and to detain incoming passengers, if necessary. Now more than ever, you should be ready to exhibit the contents of your baggage, and cooperate by answering all questions.

Last Minute Getaways:How Much Can You Save?-Back

It's not too late to book that trip you've been putting off--even if you want to leave just a few days from now. Welcome to the golden era of last-minute travel. Thanks to the Internet, it's never been easier to pull together a quick vacation, and grab a pretty outstanding deal in the process.

Economic uncertainty and jitters over security have left many airplanes, hotels, and cruise ships with unsold inventory. Travel companies are marketing and making available 11th-hour deals as never before, with the web making it easy to find and book those offers right down to the wire. Waiting to make up your mind can pay off. Here are the insider strategies for finding the best deals.

SEEKING THEM OUT
With hotels, cruise ships, and packaged-tour operators under pressure to unload excess inventory, you can often find discounts ranging from 10 to 50%. Once you start ferreting out these final-hour deals, you'll find yourself awash in offers. How you go about finding them will vary based on what you're looking for (air, hotel, cruise, packaged tour), but some general strategies apply.

An important note: the definition of "last-minute" varies from traveler to traveler and from travel company to travel company. Most of our tips on finding airfare deals are for fares available within a few days. But many airlines also offer deals for flights departing in less than 21 days. Southwest, for example, provides e-mail updates for its Click 'n Save Weekly Specials. This list of deals recently included one-way fares of $30, available between dozens of U.S. cities, for those traveling 14 days later.

FINDING CHEAP FLIGHTS
It's not surprising that airlines, which have long relied on sophisticated computer reservation and "yield management" systems to fill their planes, have been the quickest to use the Internet to unload seats that are still empty on the eve of departure, and many have offered spur-of-the-moment "e-fares" for several years. Your best bet for attractive last-minute airfares is to visit their online sites or the larger airline-focused booking engines.

On the web sites of a number of major U.S. airline carriers, you will find that higher fares become bargain "e-fares" or "cyberfares" on flights in which airlines have trouble filling their seats. You can register online with American, Continental, Northwest, United, and US Airways to be e-mailed those e-fares each week. Such deals are also offered by several international carriers, including Lufthansa (visit www.lufthansa.com and click on "InfoFlyaway") and Icelandair (visit www.icelandair.com and click on "Lucky Fares" and "Hot Deals"). The drawback of these fares is that they may limit you to Friday or Saturday departures and Monday or Tuesday returns.

If you're flexible, however, you can save substantially on last-minute fares that are lower then most discounted leisure fares. A check of American's "NetSAAvers" on a Thursday yielded 28 U.S. e-fares for the coming weekend, including a Boston-Fort Lauderdale flight for $169, considerably less than the minimum $405 fare quoted for a flight departing Friday but allowing you to return the following week. There were also 48 U.S. and 35 international e-fares for the following weekend (such as New York-London for $299 and Dallas/Fort Worth-Costa Rica for $339); the international NetSAAvers required a seven-day advance purchase.

Keep in mind, however, that airlines in some cases have begun touting "last-minute" fare sales that are really early-booking deals, for travel as much as a month or more into the future. But if you wait, the airline could discount the fare even further (although there's no guarantee that it will, or that the fare will still be there). Don't fall for a marketing ploy by assuming a given e-fare is always the lowest available; it pays to shop around before committing. To avoid too many automatic e-mail updates or e-newsletters, sign up for just those that meet your travel interests.

Third-party travel sites can be good sources for your last-minute searches. Visit Digital City/AOL's helpful Travel Guy (http://home.digitalcity.com/travelguy), which extensively tracks each day's best fares out of more than 50 U.S. airports. This site can help you find the low fares available on any given day. And the auction site Priceline (www.priceline.com) is worth checking out, since it reports markdowns approaching 60% off the lowest available retail fares. The site also features discounts on a wide selection of other travel products, from car rentals to hotel rooms.

We've found that major travel booking sites such as Bestfares.com, Cheaptickets.com, Expedia, Hotwire, Lowestfare.com, Orbitz, and Travelocity can do a decent job of finding attractive last-minute airfares (for example, Expedia and Orbitz feature weekend e-fare finders). But you must make sure that you comparison shop. When we checked prices for a next-day flight between Atlanta and Chicago on several of the major sites, the lowest price we found was $316 for round-trip airfare for Delta and AirTran. The booking engines we checked missed a $157 fare for the same route and time, available on AirTran's own site. That's why it's important to compare the search engines with the airline's own sites. You may also want to try the comparison sites www.sidestep.com and www.travelaxe.com.

Keep in mind that published airfares catering to business travelers, traditionally the highest airline fares, have dropped in recent months. Major U.S. airlines such as American and Northwest recently lowered them by 10 to 40%, especially on international flights. This is part of an effort to stanch the loss of road warriors to low-fare carriers such as Southwest, America West, and ATA (especially after Southwest slashed its own business fares by 25% in August).

FINDING CHEAP ROOMS
It's hardly surprising, given the empty rooms seen by many hotels across the country over the past year, that some national, regional, and local chains, including Radisson, Microtel, and Accor's Sofitel and Red Roof Inns, explicitly promote last-minute deals. Many chains advertise the specials, while others, such as Radisson, offer them only online. Look for catch phrases such as "getaways," "escapes," or "weekend specials." Discounts can range from minor to considerable; we found a deluxe double that normally costs $439 at the Sofitel New York available for $159 on Accor's web site for a next-day arrival.

There are a number of ways to uncover these rates. You'll want to visit the hotel's web sites, phone or visit the sites of tourist boards that represent the destination, or call the specific hotel (rather than a national toll-free number) and ask for any specials, upgrades, or better rates. During periods of low demand, vendors can be much more receptive to negotiation. Luxury upscale hotels that don't want to become discounters may be open to this more discreet approach. Individual properties within chains sometimes offer deals independently of the national programs, in response to specific conditions in that particular city.

Consumer Reports' advice: Always try to negotiate with someone at the individual hotel rather than with a reservations agent representing the entire chain. Although some hoteliers may not be able to lower rates beyond a certain level, that doesn't mean they can't throw in extras-such as breakfasts, dinners, free parking, or visits to the spa. Always ask.

Starwood's Sheraton and Westin brands, as well as Six Continents (the umbrella company of brands including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Inter-Continental) offer last-minute hotel deals in the form of air and hotel packages. Starwood's deals can be found on its own web site, but for Six Continents you need to visit www.lastminutegetaway.com. Check newspaper travel sections, hotel web sites, or travel agents, who receive updates on deals periodically from a number of hotels. Don't overlook hotel-room brokers, as they can be good sources of late discounts. Companies such as Hotels.com and Quikbook.com buy rooms in blocks, and may even have the only rooms left at a given hotel on a given date. Quikbook.com covers more than 1,200 hotels in more than 80 U.S. destinations, and recent same-day bargains in San Francisco, one of the priciest cities for hotel rooms in the country, included the upscale Hotel Clift for $195 (against a regular rate of $220), the Prescott for $139 instead of $209, and the Nikko for $99 rather than the usual $159.

FINDING CHEAP CRUISES
The high volume of deep, last-minute price cutting on the part of cruise lines is unprecedented, the result of a ship-building frenzy in the 1990s that resulted in more cabins than could easily be filled by passengers. One industry expert predicts the average last-minute rate for a seven-night cruise will hover around $400 through the holiday period this year. (Upper-end cruise lines Crystal, Silversea, and Seabourn all have resisted extreme discounting.) These last-minute deals will be most plentiful among the larger cruise lines, such as Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean, and will be more prevalent during peak times in locales where there's a glut of ships, such as the Caribbean in winter.

Unlike airfares and hotel rooms, however, getting a "last-minute" deal on a cruise requires a bit more planning. Don't wait until the week of sailing to book your cruise; the key to capturing cruise bargains is booking about a month in advance (from better-served departure ports such as Miami and Fort Lauderdale, you can probably play it a bit closer to the sailing date). Go to the cruise lines' web sites, where you may be able to sign up for e-mail alerts. For example, when we checked, Royal Caribbean's site was offering five-night Western Caribbean itineraries from $329; Norwegian had a seven-night cruise departing within a few weeks to the Eastern Caribbean for $329. The web sites of Carnival, Holland America, Princess, and Celebrity are also worth consulting.

In addition, the major cruise lines supply cabins to a pool of small to medium-size middlemen, called cruise consolidators or discounters, which occasionally offer rates even lower than those officially offered by the cruise lines themselves. They also make comparison shopping easier. For example, California-based Spur of the Moment Cruises sends out a "Cruise News" booklet twice a month. The company posts that same information on its web site under "Red Hot Specials." The company also sends out weekly e-mails itemizing late-breaking cruise deals. Consumer Reports found a seven-night Bermuda sailing for just $699 with Norwegian.

Another online consolidator is GalaxSea Cruises, which recently featured a Princess itinerary that was unavailable on the cruise line's web site: 24 days through the Hawaiian and Tahitian islands, departing within a month, for $1,499.

LAST-MINUTE PACKAGE DEALS
Companies selling tours and packages have to take more variables into account and contend with long-term contracts for flights, accommodations, and other facilities that lock their pricing in place for months in advance. While this can mean fewer price reductions at the 11th hour, you can still get some great last-minute package deals because the hotels, airlines, rental cars, and local attractions offer tour packagers discounts. These last-minute values might include free nights, food and beverage credits, or flat discounts on the entire package.

One of the best sources of last-minute package deals is travel agents, many of whom are kept abreast of these late-breaking offers by the tour packagers. A good agent or travel counselor should know which travel vendors are reputable, offer expert advice, and provide follow-up customer service.

But the downside is that many agents complain of being overwhelmed with the plethora of faxes and e-mails they receive. For instance, each Wednesday the West Coast vacation packager Suntrips faxes agents a handful of discounted Hawaii and Mexico air/hotel packages that depart within two to three weeks. With numerous other operators doing the same thing, agents have many specials to sort through, making it more difficult for them to keep up.

Be on the lookout for last-minute specials advertised by larger agency groups. For example, Liberty Travel, the 10-state chain of more than 200 travel agencies, advertises imminent vacation packages and cruises.

It's worth checking out tour operators' web sites as well as third-party sites. (See Last-minute specialists.) For example, the 25-year-old packager Moment's Notice offers many late-breaking deals: A recent seven-night/air-inclusive package out of several Northeast gateways to Cancun's all-inclusive Caribbean Village was $485. It also offers discounted cruises: seven nights on Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas out of New Orleans from $339, or a deeply discounted $199 for a week on NCL's Norway out of Miami.

Other tour operators that feature last-minute opportunities with some frequency are Adventure Center, Apple Vacations, Baja Motion Tours, GoGo Worldwide Vacations (through travel agents only), go-today.com, and New Frontiers. Visit their web sites, call, or ask your travel agent. You can explore other reliable tour operators via the company and destination search functions at the web site of the United States Tour Operators Association (www.ustoa.com).

SUMMING UP
It seems clear that emerging technologies and the travel industry's economic downturn have combined to provide an abundance of good quick deals, for those who have the flexibility. In fact, we may very well look back on these years as the halcyon era of booking inexpensive trips at the last minute. If you haven't taken advantage yet, now's a good time to consider it.

Airfare tips

Timing Your Travels-Go Back

Consider these key points when choosing the most favorable travel times and ensuring traveling harmony.

You already have a destination in mind--or maybe more than one. But you still have two more important decisions to make: when to go, and how to plan a trip that pleases everyone who's coming along.

GOOD TIMING
Planning when to take your trip can have a huge impact on everything from cost to weather to crowds. Investigate less-busy travel times, such as off-season or "shoulder" season, which can provide excellent savings. Also check out local conditions: Overcrowded events, inaccessible attractions, or intolerable weather are travel tribulations you can skip.

Aim for spring or fall. Your reward will be a combination of moderate savings and generally favorable weather. For the most agreeable weather, choose dates straddling summer. May/June and September/October are generally excellent times to travel, weatherwise. There are a few exceptions: the Caribbean in August, September, and October, when it becomes "Hurricane Alley", and certain European winter resorts, which often close from mid-April to mid-May before reopening for the summer.

Discover "off-season". If a little rain won't ruin your parade, then check out the bargains of the off-season, when you can grab deals on airfare and lodging. For example, in 2002, Consumer Reports found a nine-day tour of Rome, Florence, and Venice, including airfare, for $1,199 to $2,099, through March 23, right before prices--and crowds--started going up.

Take advantage of "shoulder" season. The shoulder is a very brief period, typically two to four weeks, just before and after peak season. Shoulder rates are listed in brochures for resorts, cruises, or condo rentals--you get moderate savings with generally good weather conditions. But these rates often sell out quickly. (See The best time to book bargains for shoulder-season details.)

Swap hemispheres. Winter in the Southern Hemisphere creates different weather in different places. Temperatures in Tahiti are 67ºF to 84º, while Sydney, Australia, is a springlike 46º to 60º. Check with your travel agent or a guidebook; destinations closest to the equator will be hot, but you'll be able to ski during July and August in Chile and New Zealand.

Avoid summer crowds. Because summer is the time for family travel, popular destinations such as national parks (Yellowstone and Yosemite in particular), theme parks (Walt Disney World and Universal Studios), beach resorts (Cape Cod, the Outer Banks), and European capitals (London, Paris, and Rome) are almost always crowded. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that one-third of all vacations by American households occur in July, August, or early September. The result? Scarce, expensive accommodations; oversold planes, trains, and buses; and long lines.

Ask about August. If you do decide to travel in summer, avoid aggravation with a little research. For example, major European cities may offer limited services during August, when locals take their vacations; the cities may be less crowded, but restaurants, theaters, and small shops may be closed. And Europeans often jam resorts along the Mediterranean and Aegean as well as in mountain regions.

Don't expect a bargain during the holidays. Traveling during the Christmas or New Year's holidays can be fraught with frustration. Flights to places such as Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean are often sold out far in advance and can cost double what they do just a few weeks earlier or later. Hotel rooms will also command top dollar.

Still, there are bargains to be had. Some airlines and travel agents offer deals to Europe during the holidays; check ads and call travel agents for quotes. But remember, it can be wet and cold, and some cities, like London, are "closed" on Christmas. Also keep in mind that Easter is a major holiday in the Catholic countries of Europe, when roadways, trains, and resorts will be crowded with locals.

See about conventions. You'll want to avoid major conventions that monopolize cabs and dinner reservations. Ask your travel agent or the hotel reservation clerk whether these crowds will be in town when you are. If so, you may prefer another date--or destination.

Be aware of local events. New Orleans during Mardi Gras (mid-February) is a vastly different experience than New Orleans at any other time of year. Ditto for Pamplona, Spain, during the running of the bulls (early July); Siena, Italy, during the Palio (July and August); London during Wimbledon (late June); or Auckland, New Zealand, during the America's Cup (January). Some unsuspecting travelers who book accommodations months in advance arrive at what they expect to be an idyllic locale only to find it overrun.

Baggage Notes-Go Back

How to choose the right bags, pack sensibly for airport screening, and other baggage handling tips.

CHOOSING LUGGAGE
Today's new travel procedures--luggage searches, increased security screening, and resulting long lines and waits when boarding planes, trains, buses, and ships--mean more "baggage wrangling" for travelers than ever. You'll want luggage that's light yet sturdy, as well as easy to move and manage. Keep these tips in mind as you shop:

Durability. Nylon fabric held up best in our tests. Corner protectors add strength.

Stability. Wheeled carry-ons or garment bags may topple easily, especially with a briefcase or purse strapped on; large upright bags proved much more stable.

Handles and straps. The handle should lock in a closed position to avoid damage in transit. Some handles lock open at two lengths; which length is best for you depends on your height. Try before you buy if you can.