NEW YORK — Hoping for some Cyber Monday deals in the travel world?
Hotels, tour companies, travel booking agencies and even destinations are promising bargains for Cyber Monday, “Travel Deal Tuesday” and other online shopping dates before and after Thanksgiving.
• TIMING AND RESTRICTIONS
Some deals are running only on Cyber Monday or on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which is sometimes called “Travel Deal Tuesday.” According to Hopper.com, “fare sale activity significantly spikes on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving,” with airlines offering discounts as a way to stimulate demand as bookings dip.
Other deals are being offered for the week leading up to Cyber Monday. And some sales are on from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday or Travel Deal Tuesday. But as you browse for bargains, beware of blackout dates and other restrictions. Sale prices often mean purchases are nonrefundable, and they’re often for last-minute travel, so make sure your schedule can accommodate the dates before you click. And beware of added fees.
Do your homework, too. If there’s a place you’d like to visit, get a sense beforehand of how much it ordinarily costs so you can decide whether that tempting deal you see on Cyber Monday is really worth it. Many Cyber Monday packages are for offseason stays or offer very limited dates. Airline deals may be a rock-bottom price but read the fine print: Are there add-on charges for everything from luggage to meals to picking your seat?
According to DealNews.com, you may find roundtrip domestic flights for $100 or less, roundtrip flights to Europe starting at $200 and roundtrip to Asia starting at $500, plus impressive discounts on four- and five-star hotels offered through the hotels’ websites.
• HOTELS, TOUR COMPANIES AND DESTINATIONS
From Gurney’s in Montauk, N.Y., to ski lodges in Colorado to the Half Moon in Jamaica and Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, many hotels and resorts are offering deals. In some cases, you’ll need a promo code.
To unlock the Half Moon’s 50 percent off room rates with a three-night minimum, the code is PROC17 (with the booking window for that particular deal beginning at midnight Sunday and running through 11:59 p.m. for stays between Jan. 3 and Dec. 20, 2018, and rates starting at $244).
Friendly Planet Travel, Contiki, Gate 1 Travel and Abercrombie & Kent are among a number of companies promising substantial discounts on guided tour packages.
Visit Orlando will offer an extra 10 percent off already discounted attraction tickets to customers who use the promo code GIFT on VisitOrlando.com purchases made through Tuesday.
• BOOKING SITES AND TRAVEL AGENCIES
American Express Travel held a 72-hour flash sale before Thanksgiving, with savings on hotels around the world.
Hotels.com is promising up to 50 percent in savings on bookings made through Wednesday, with other promotions like a “mystery coupon.” Liberty Travel is running a sale through Monday promising more than 500 deals with savings of up to 66 percent off on tours, cruises and various destinations, plus deals on packages and airfare credit for select destinations and resorts.
