Want a Cheaper Flight? Try This Trick

As I was scouring through the news this morning, I came across this article in the Wall Street Journal providing a wonderful little trick to cut down on the cost of airfare.

We all know how expensive flights to Europe or Asia or Australia can be (and let's face it, even flights to Hawaii and Alaska are pricey), but there are ways to reduce the cost by as much as 30%. Just buy two discounted tickets to create your own itinerary. Admittedly, it can be a bit of a hassle, and there are some drawbacks to the technique. Still, when you think about how much you could save, it might be worth considering.

Here's a quick summary of how it works. Carriers customarily have special deals in certain cities--either to promote a new route or to boost awareness of their airline--but usually their systems do not let them combine those cheap flights with connecting flights in one transaction. If you live in the city where the deal is being offered, you're in luck; but if not, you can still take advantage of those super low fares. For example, Turkish Airlines is trying to expand in the U.S., and is offering round-trip flights between Washington, D.C. and Istanbul for as little as $525 for early February. But if you want to fly direct from Chicago, it can cost up to $1,194 for a round trip flight for the same time period. Snagging a cheap internal flight from Chicago to D.C. and then booking the special, lower rate from there to Istanbul can save you a substantial amount of money. This probably isn't the best example, since Chicago is a major city, and has dozens of other flight options to Istanbul for much lower prices (United offers a one-stop round trip flight for about $538, which is obviously the best choice). But you get the idea.

It definitely is a neat trick for people who live in cities that do not have as many flight options or special rates from international airlines--or even domestic ones. Since I live in Chicago, I have a wide range of flights to choose from, and there are usually a lot of promotional fares. But for those with fewer resources, this could certainly work well. So next time you have a far-off destination in mind, but do not want to pay a hefty price for flights, consider this little trick!

Groupon Enters the Travel Market

Happy June, everyone! In celebration of the summer season and the (hopefully) warm months ahead, I have some exciting news for all you budget travelers out there. Groupon is launching a new travel deals site!

Now, I know that LivingSocial already features travel deals, and I have certainly looked into their offerings. But what could be better than another popular discount site providing us with even more sensational deals on hotels, airfare and car rentals? This just means more options for the consumers, and I can totally get behind that.

Groupon collaborated with Expedia on the website, so travelers will get access to more than 50,000 hotels--obviously not all at once, but hopefully through the course of the next few months or years. As far as I know, Groupon Getaways--that's what it's called--has not officially launched, but you can go online and sign up to receive the daily deals via email. I plan on signing up right now, so I can be first in line when a half-price weekend trip to Florida pops up or a five-night stay in Bermuda becomes available for 60% off.

Not only will this website provide significantly discounted trips, but it could help spark some inspiration in you travelers looking for something new and different. Or plant the desire to make a spontaneous, quick escape somewhere for a weekend. For those who read my blog regularly, you will recall my post about single travel...well this is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on a great deal and steal some alone time.

As much as this sounds like a sales pitch for Groupon--and trust me, I hate being a cheerleader for companies--anything that relates to travel--especially cheap travel--is reason enough to shake some pom poms. So go ahead and sign up for the website, and when it launches at the end of this month, be ready to scoop up some pretty sweet deals.

The Travel Snobs...They May be on to Something

As I came up to the Fullerton El stop, I grabbed a RedEye, as always. The cover story? "Five-Star Flying." Basically, there are travelers out there who actively avoid certain airlines due to lack of service or certain airports because of their bad on-time flight percentage. People will pay extra for a seating option that gurantees they won't be sitting in that middle seat or for flights with no layovers. Bottom line, depite the recession and airlines' offers for cheaper tickets, people are still picky about how they travel.

For the ones who can afford it, being choosey about travel can be an advantage. While some would say they are snobbish, others would claim they are geniuses. The article talks about veteran travelers who know what kind of planes are used at specific times for specific destinations, and therefore opt for the ones that use a larger plane. It mentions people who avoid certain discount airlines because their options are a la carte and they don't want to pay a fee for a coke. Some people will buy two seats on a cheap airline like JetBlue rather than a first class ticket on another because there is 3 more inches of leg room and a personal tv at every seat. What people will do for comfort.

Some travelers--and I personally think this is really smart--avoid connecting flights through cold cities during winter months so as to avoid any weather delays. While it may cost more, or force a longer flight, at least the person is on the way to their destination rather than sitting on the floor in a crowded airport munching on trail mix and getting bored with their trashy travel novel.

I honestly cannot afford to spend extra to avoid those small inconveniences. But as a student I have learned to deal with sitting in the middle seat, or having my stomach grumble for three hours because I didn't want to spend $3 for a bag of pretzels, or long layovers. But I can totally understand those people who prefer to travel with a little bit more comfort; feet propped, drink in hand, gold rolex indicating an on-time arrival, all from the comfort of their prearranged aisle seat.

Paper Heart in Paris

Last week, I had the privilege of viewing an early screening of the movie Paper Heart, starring Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, and Jake Johnson. Basically, it's a documentary style movie mixed with a fictional story, and it's all about love. Does it really exist? Will Charlyne ever find it? How do you know you've found it? What is it? Charlyne embarks on a trip around the United States asking people these kinds of questions, hoping that it will change her own perceptions of love. Near the end of the film, the crew heads to the "city of love," Paris, thinking it could be a strong ending to the documentary. But Paris is tainted by Charlyne's sadness over losing her boyfriend, Michael Cera, who she may or may not love.

As I watched the scenes filmed in Paris, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming desire to go back. I have visited Paris twice in my life: once when I was 6 or 7, so I don't really remember it that well; the second time was last summer when two of my friends and I backpacked around Europe. However, we only stayed for three days and our budget was limiting, so there was not a whole lot we could do. But now I'm thinking I need to go back again, stay for longer and allow myself a larger budget so I can fully enjoy all the city has to offer.

I was reading through the New York Times Travel section, and there was a question posed by a reader about cheap places to stay in Paris. I was intrigued, seeing as the city is so prominent in my mind today, so I clicked the headline and had myself a read. I loved some of the suggestions that offer quality lodging at a rate that won't empty the wallet. Matt Gross, the Frugal Traveler, gave some hotel names, and I happily looked into them.

• Hotel des Arts Bastille: located between Pere Lachaise Cemetery and Opera-Bastille, the hotel offers newly renovated rooms and an ideal location. It costs about $85 a night, which is certainly doable for a student like me. Let's face it, I don't need to stay in a 5-star resort...modest accomodations work for me.

• Les Chansonniers: This hotel sounded fun just beacuse it is themed after the great old French singers. Plus, it is only $65 a night, and is in a great location where there is a market twice a week and numerous restaurants, cafes, bars, and theatres.
  

• Hotel Langlois: This is a little pricier, but has a location closer to attractions like the Opera House. The hotel has a more historic feel than the others, giving visitors a better sense of the Old Paris. The price is about $163 a night, but for some travelers that is more than reasonable considering the look and feel of the hotel. Plus, it is Paris!

So while I will have to find a good time to travel to Paris, I know I have options for some more reasonably priced accomodations. Now, I just have to see who wants to come with me. Any takers?