Thinking about traveling? Some folks live for the weekends, while others avoid instant gratification and make long-range plans for excursions months or years in advance.
If you’re looking at vacation plans for next spring or summer, there are a number of options to consider now that will ensure your next vacation comes off without a hitch, and might save you money as well. Here’s what travel experts say will help make your next getaway successful.
Bard Goodwin, a travel agent with Wehrli Travel in Naperville, says that vacation packages usually offer the best prices and reduce the amount of hassle.
“Apple Vacations and Funjet Vacations are the two groups most agencies use when clients are looking for package deals,” Goodwin said. “Booklets with packages are published twice a year at least six months before trips are scheduled. Many packages offer deals for families with kids 12 and under, who often pay only their airfare and stay at hotels free.”
When traveling, timing is everything, and Goodwin says most of the better package deals for this Christmas are already gone, with folks looking ahead to spring.
“Most of the people hoping to go somewhere this Christmas began booking the end of June and early July this past summer,” she said. “Airlines post their flight schedules up to 11 months in advance, so people can get an idea when to make their plans.”
Package deals can save you money since prices for flights, hotels, transfers, and taxes are all determined for you ahead of time. Goodwin says visitors traveling on their own to the Caribbean, for example, will be taxed an additional rate of 10 to 15 percent, while packages already include all taxes and fees.
Service and traveling experience, she says, are the best reasons to use a travel agent.
“Most people that work in agencies have traveled extensively and can tell you which place to stay or destination is a better location,” Goodwin said. “We charge the airlines or hotels a fee for booking clients, so our service to customers is free.”
Susan Contos, an agent with Sunset Travel in Chicago, says another reason for going the package route is that flights offered are usually non-stop and discounts are often available for those booking packages earlier.
“Agencies tend to find airlines that will take you where you’re going without any stops, which isn’t always possible when you book flights on your own,” Contos said.
Contos said discounts on cruise packages usually save consumers 20 to 25 percent and that the market for them is growing.
“Cruises are one of your best values since everything, including meals, are part of the package,” she said. “We’re seeing more growth in this market as there seems to be an increase in the number of ships available.”
Jennie Cox, a travel agent at Destinations Unlimited American Express in Elk Grove, agrees that “20 to 30 percent discounts are available on packages booked in advance” but adds that consumers should be aware of some drawbacks. “One of the problems with a package versus doing something separate is that you have no control over your flight, unless you want to pay a penalty,” Cox said. “With a cruise package, it’s up to a cruise line when you have to fly. If you want a specific time, you’ll have to pay an air deviation fee.”
Another problem with package deals booked well in advance is the issue of cancellations. Contos said travelers booking trips early are encouraged to buy travel insurance.
“Every tour company sells its own insurance which normally runs about $49 per person and covers everything from reimbursement for canceling a trip to medical needs while you’re gone,” she said. “You can also buy from companies that only sell trip insurance whose rates are a percentage of the trip.”
One option, Contos noted, is Travel Guard. Check their Web site at www.noelgroup.com, where you’ll find a listing for “Travel Guard International.” or call at 877-216-4885. Cox advises travelers be aware of what any insurance covers and does not, and to consider buying only enough insurance “to cover out-of-pocket expenses for booking deposits, rather than insuring for the cost of the whole trip.”
Some folks like to put a trip together piecemeal, and more than ever turn to the Internet to make their own arrangements. When it comes to airfare, Contos admits savvy travelers can save hundreds of dollars on their own.
“I had a customer a little while back who wanted to go to Denver. The best deal we had in our system, which tracks all the available flights, was $420,” she said. “It turns out the airline’s Web site had a special that was only posted there and nowhere else for $226. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re making your own arrangements.”
To save money, agents say that flexibility on departure and arrival times and traveling at off-peak times can yield the greatest savings. Cox said it’s still possible to predict when fares will drop for European travel, though such predictions are nearly impossible with domestic trips.
“There used to be a six-week-on, six-week-off cycle when those of us in the travel business could predict when costs would go up or down, but competition today has made that nearly impossible,” Cox said. “Flights to Europe during November through late March are usually the best. Domestically, you can figure that midwinter flights to Florida are going to be gobbled up and expensive, but just when you say that along comes a special deal nobody anticipated.”
Contos says those traveling to Europe between November and April 1 often save 50 percent of the cost of their trip, compared to other months of the year.
Experts offered this checklist of reminders for those with travel plans:
– Cashing in your frequent-flier miles might be harder than you think, Goodwin says, since only a few seats per flight are reserved for that purpose and frequent fliers can find themselves at the bottom of the priority list. Plan to book early to avoid missing a seat.
– Package deals provide all the arrangements for you, but place a bigger, front-end load on your wallet. For the budget conscious, putting together your own itinerary helps spread vacation costs out.
“You’ll have to prepay, as far as your flight goes, but hotels usually require a minimal deposit or a credit card to hold your reservation,” Cox said. “You can pay for your accommodations after the trip is over.”
– If you’re a senior citizen, make sure to tell your ticket or travel agent. “Most seniors are entitled to at least a 10 percent discount, and many agents are uncomfortable asking about age,” Cox said.
– As prices for airline tickets continue to yo-yo, remember that it never hurts to check airlines’ Web sites or with their ticket agents, even after you’ve booked your flight. Cox says you can be rebooked at the lower fare if it’s offered.
– Web sites tell you everything these days, but for a list of travel tips culled from everyday folks who sent them in, check out Tips 4 Trips at www.tips4trips.com.
