You just have to BE there when they happen!
With my reduced summertime travel schedule I have been simply watching the travel industry from the sidelines. The "flashdeals" come and go everywhere, especially in Las Vegas. Some hotels in Reno, NV, namely the Grand Sierra (which used to be the Reno Hilton) have some outstanding deals... really hard to believe. I am most familiar with the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino; that's where many of us stay during the Reno Championship Air Races in September.
It's the "Getting There" part which is usually what hurts. Most of the major airlines have had "flashdeals" of their own, beginning with one airline and spreading to most major lines within less that a day. There was a spectacular deal the week of July 6th which lasted just THREE DAYS for travel through most of the autumn months. Fares most people could afford out of pocket... that cheap.
The airlines have their own bills to pay. LARGE bills for fuel, maintenance, all those people, loans for the airplanes, rent for airport facilities, taxes, etc. Revenue, money coming in, is really really important.
The WALL STREET JOURNAL always has an interesting spin on travel. Earlier this week, there was a piece about the U.S. airlines flying into a credit squeeze. They all need cash. (duh.) the WSJ simplifies it this way:
- The country is in a terrible economic slowdown.
- Businesses are cutting back trips and the number of people taking trips.
- Airlines count on business travelers for the big bucks, like, buy a ticket this morning to travel this afternoon.
- Business travelers just aren't there.
- When this happens, the airlines try to attract vacation travelers.
- If people are not making money, they certainly don't have a load of jack to spend on airline tickets to fly the family to Six Flags.
- Therefore, marketing departments will try lowering fares on select routes. If other airlines follow and lower fares on other routes, pretty soon you have a "flashsale", and you HAVE to be right there when one starts.
If you were going to have to go to a meeting in Las Vegas in December, and you have known about it since last January, doubtless you kept an eye on airfares and hotel rates and jumped on the best you could find, probably last March. But now, you just want to get out of town. ell, your good pals, the airlines, want to help. Be watching the websites of your favorite two or three carriers, and when it seems that something up, and suddenly there are some great fares, do NOT sit around thinking about it.
Think "Money I don't have to spend." That will get you motivated.
And the OFFERS just KEEP ON COMIN'
I am a regular on US Airways, an irregular on Southwest. Both have "frequent flier" programs.
Airlines carry frequent flier mileage on their books as a debt that has to be paid. Since free seats seem to dry up pretty quickly, the lines need some way to move the miles. The more unused miles out there, the softer their balance sheets look. So that's why we all get magazine offers, hotel offers, vacation trip offers, etc. from various lines, hoping we will burn those miles off their pages.
"If you can't raise the bridge, lower the river." US Airways (my "hometown airline") is attacking the debt problem from the other end. Today they are very nearly begging me to join their VIP club, so I can have some place quiet to go after the screeners pat me down. Anything to bring a buck in the door. So, watch for more "flash deals" from the airlines.
We are trying to keep up with the "special offers". Sometimes we luck out and find a SUPER special offer, which we pass along as quickly as we can. However, there are some specials you can track for yourself. One is TripRes.com, a site with outstanding hotel deals and more. The link should take you right to Las Vegas hotels, but you can also look for cars, restaurants and more in MANY cities.
And HERE is what I mentioned yesterday, Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor. If there is a deal to be had in Las Vegas, this guy knows what and where it is. One of the prominent posts on his home page is The LVA Top 10 values. You can join his membership club if you want to, but it is not necessary for most lookups. This is well worth your bookmarking and referring to frequently if you are planning a trip.
More when I can.... Frank
