China - Airfare, Hotel, Tours $899

ChinaSpree.com has long been offering trips to China at amazing prices!  Their winter specials are of the lowest that I have ever seen.  This year, the price for their package of Airfare, Hotel, and Tours is still at $899.  That price is good even if it were just for the flight, adding hotel & tours makes it amazing value!  Check them out!

http://www.chinaspree.com/escorted-china-tours/china-express-beijing-free-style-travel-tour-2013/china-tour-departures.aspx

Air + Hotel + Tour to China for $799 - AMAZING DEAL

One trip that I've been wanting to jump on for quite a while has been one of the tours offered by China Spree.  There are a lot of companies offering very low priced tours to the People's Republic, which is possible because the currency exchange has allowed this to be possible.  Here are two tours to consider, both of which include flight, hotel, and tours.

Timeless Beijing (from $799)
http://www.chinaspree.com/escorted-china-tours/china-express-beijing-free-style-travel-tour-2012/china-tour-information.aspx

A Tale of China's Two Great Cities (from $899)

http://www.chinaspree.com/escorted-china-tours/a-tale-of-china-two-greatest-cities-tour-2012/china-tour-information.aspx

In case you haven't noticed, these are excellent prices!  Try pricing a flight ALONE to China and you'll see that it usually costs more than this tour itself (which is flight inclusive).  The company offers many other tours, but these are by far the cheapest.  Keep in mind that you do need a visa to travel to China, so factor that cost into it.  China Spree can help you with obtaining the entry visa.

-Jason of TWiBT

Budget Travel Magazine - $3 Year - Up to 3 Years

Budget Travel magazine is one of my favorite travel magazines.  I've had a subscription for them for quite a few years now.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Be sure to check out the "Real Deals" section of the magazine every month for some Real Deals!"][/caption]

Here's how to get the magazine for $3 per year (for up to 3 years), which normally costs about $12 per year.  There's actually two different ways to do this, so if you find that one of these methods no longer works, try the other one.

Method #1

 

Go to http://www.discountmags.com/product/8647/budget-travel

 

Order the magazine normally, but apply the coupon code 5645 on the checkout page.

Update:  Scratch that, Method #1 expired last night.  Go for Method 2, still $3 per year

Method #2

Go to http://www.tanga.com/products/budget-travel-magazine-subscription--40

Order the magazine normally, but apply the coupon code BUDGET on the checkout page.

 

That's all there is to it!  I just signed up for 3 more years.  It'll also make a great gift idea too.

Groupon Getaways - Do we need another deals site?

 TWiBT Reviews Groupon Getaways
Groupon + Expedia = Groupon Getaways

Groupon, a daily deals site which posts offers for anything from massages to restaurants, is teaming up the travel booking giant Expedia to provide the masses with heavily discounted travel deals.  Deals are posted usually every Tuesday and are offered for about a week before they run out.  While a discount travel deal site of this sort is hardly an original idea, competitors (aka clones) like TripAlertz, Trippo, LivingSocial, JetSetter, Overstock Vacations, Vacationist, Voyage Privé, Yuupon, and SniqueAway hardly see the level of traffic that Groupon does.

It is still way too early to tell if Groupon Getaways will stand apart or blend in with similar sites.  I’m not blown away by many of the deals on their site, but let us see how good a value these really are.

For example, one recent offer was for an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic.  The offer read:
“For $268, you get a four-night stay for two, plus all-inclusive food and drinks, valid November–December 23, 2011, not including November 24–27, 2011.”

Hotel Pictures & Review at http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147290-d150887-Reviews-BlueBay_Villas_Doradas-Puerto_Plata_Dominican_Republic.html

$268 ÷ 4 night = $67/night

$67 per night is a pretty sweet deal for this type of hotel, especially when your food is included.  A quick search on the hotel’s website show that rooms start at $98 per night.

Groupon Getaways is a good option for those who are already fans of Groupon, but I feel it does little to bring in new customers.  There are countless other daily deal sites geared towards travel, what makes this site stand apart?  The deals are decent, but nothing amazing.  The % discounted shown is usually inaccurate, as shown in our research.  Personally, my biggest complaint is that Groupon Getaways brings nothing new to the already overly crowded market of Groupon-clone sites.  Ironic.

TWiBT Frequent Flyer Mile Opportunity Alert
If you register your credit card and American Airlines AAdvantage account with the AAdvantage eShopping Mall and use that site as a portal to Groupon, you will earn 8 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent.  That’d be 2144 AAdvantage miles for booking this $268 Groupon.  Never spend a penny unless you are earning mileage for it!

Thanks for reading!
-Jason of TWiBT

FAA Shutdown = Get Airfare Tax Free

As of 12 O'Clock EST, the FAA has shutdown.  Congress could not figure out how to fund the FAA, leaving a few thousand people out of work temporarily.  Maybe they can get a job at the US Mint, dusting off the $1 coins.

What does this mean?
Cheaper Airfares!  If you are planning to go anywhere anytime soon, you might want to start looking for flights.  Right now.  I have no idea how long this will last for, my guess is not long at all.  Airfare taxes eat up a huge portion of your budget.  Because the FAA is shut down, they cannot collect some of the various taxes on your ticket.

Aren't taxes just a small amount?
On a pack of gum yeah, but on airfare no!  On your average flight within the USA, expect to pay about 15%  in taxes.  Now might be time to consider that trip to Hawaii or Alaska.  Book now, ask questions later.  People reporting success with Delta and United airlines, so give them a shot.  Virgin, Frontier, and Alaska are also having reported success.

As a side note, you can transfer AMEX points to some frequent flyer accounts tax free!  Act quick!

Deals come in all shapes and sizes for TWiBT readers!  This is one of those deals!  Hurry up, book some flights!

Remember TWiBT reader, book your flights with a mileage earning credit card.  Also, make sure you are earning miles on the flight itself!

-Jason of TWiBT

TWiBT Airfare Alert - Fly to Turkey for $274

TWiBT CHEAP AIRFARE ALERT!!!

Destination:  Turkey

Although smuggling drugs is never advisable, Turkey has come a long way from the days of Midnight Express.  As exotic as it may sound to some, rest assured countless Americans and European tourists flock to Turkey every year to see their breathtaking architecture, try a Turkish bath, or gobble up some Turkish food such as Balik Elmek (fish sandwich), Döner (meat), or Dondurma (ice cream).  The capital city, Istanbul is a unique cultural hub of the world.  It is also the perfect place to either spend your entire trip in or to branch out from and explore other parts of the country.

What to do in Istanbul?
Due to its geographical position, Turkey has an interesting mix of European and Central Asian culture.  In Istanbul, the must-see site is the Hagia Sofia.  This former Church, turned Mosque, turned museum dates back to Constantinople and has architecture unlike any other in the world.  When in Istanbul, if you feel the need to shop, be sure to check out the Grand Bazaar.  This massive market is completely covered to escape the sun.  It is an interesting historical site, as it opened in 1461.  Be warned though, merchants are known to be extremely pushy.  The simple “I’m just looking” that works in American stores, may not work to well in the Grand Bazaar.  Haggling is key in this region of the world, aim to get the item for 50-60% of listed price.  Like most European cities you’ll find a variety of nightlife in Istanbul, with something to suit everyone’s taste.  Consider a short evening cruise on the Bosphorus River, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

Is Turkey expensive?
Turkey does not use the Euro, they use the Turkish Lira.  You will find that food is cheaper when decent meals can usually always be had for under $10.  For the backpacker, Turkey has many cheap hostels with dorms starting as low as $6.  Decent 3-4 star hotels are in the $30-$60 range.  Luxury travelers can get the most value here as 5 star hotels start as low as $85.  While there is a large disparity in the levels of luxury offered by many of the hotels rated 5 stars on Kayak.com, you can rest assured that you will be very comfortable in all of them.  No matter what your budget is, visiting Turkey does not really need to be an expensive endeavor.

Watch this short video for a taste of Turkey!


Airfare Example * from New York:
$274 NYC-Istanbul
Travel September-December
Fare Located HERE

Be sure to book your flight with a mileage earning credit card, also make sure you are earning miles for the actual flight, even if it is on an airline you don't think you'll ever fly again!  Remember, airline alliances.

Happy Budget Travels!

-Jason of TWiBT

*Example was found July 21st, 2011 at 11:23pm EST.