Miscellaneous
Searching for the BEST DEALS: (Copyright 1999 / 2000 / 2001/2002/2003 BONNIE BRAGA AND BESTDEAL.ORG)
Getting the best airfare involves PLANNING and making decisions. Air fares depend primarily on when you want to travel and where you want to go; length of time you wish to stay; how soon you can purchase your ticket, and if you want to be able to change your ticket without incurring an extra fee. After all these decisions, you still have to choose where to buy your airline ticket…
Plan and search in advance especially for the holidays and school vacations … the earlier you plan, the better your chance in finding the lowest fare. In general, the best fares have advance purchase requirements, 21 days, 14 days and 7 days. A difference of one day in departure or arrival dates can save you $$ …
Try different days and times and in more than one Internet system, after contacting your travel agent … Fares are generally lower on low-demand days and times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and on late evening flights. The highest-demand days are usually Fridays and Sundays. International flights are seasonal: low, shoulder and high.
Search nearby area airports… When lower fares are sold out at one airport, they may be available at another nearby airport...
Planning your itinerary and shopping for an airfare can be time consuming and confusing, but in the end it will be a saving device and avoid frustration. Your professional travel consultant will offer you first hand experience in accomplishing the BEST DEAL.
Consolidator Fares
Consolidator fares are tickets purchased by "wholesalers" and then resold to travel agencies at substantial discounts. These fares are a good deal for some travelers, most of the time, and certain flights also give mileage credit to your frequent flyer programs. However, airline fare wars and special promotions can be cheaper occasionally, so the best way to find out is to check the scheduled fares first in several systems and then find out if a consolidator fare is available.
Like regular fares, consolidator fares can sell out quickly and may not be available at all times.
Cancellation fees may be higher for consolidator tickets. In some cases, up to 50% of the fare price, so you should only purchase a consolidator fare if you are sure about your travel plans.
"In case of an airline emergency, who would you want to be contacted?"
Effective
FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS LINKS:
AIRLINE
Travel often? Have a favorite airline? Belong to a Frequent Flyer Program? Your access to some of the most popular programs:
Aer Lingus TAB – www.aerlingus.com
Aerolineas Aerolineas Plus - www.aerolineas.com.ar
Aeromexico Club Premier – www.aeromexico.com
Air Aeroplan – www.aircanada.ca
Air Companion – www.airchina.com.cn
Air
Air Frequence Plus – www.airfrance.com
Air Littoral Qualifyer – www.airlittoral.fr
Air New Zealand Air Points – www.airnewzealand.com
Air Tran A-Plus – www.airtran.com
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club - www.ana.co.jp
Alitalia Mille Miglia – www.alitalia.com
America West FlightFund - www.americawest.com
American Airlines AAdvantage - www.aa.com
Asiana Bonus Club - www.flyasiana.com
Austrian Airlines Lufthansa Miles & More – www.aua.com
Braathens BRA Card – www.braathens.no
British Airways Executive Club – www.british-airways.com
British
BWIA
Airlines Dynasty Flyer – www.china-airlines.com
Southern Sky
Continental OnePass - www.flycontinental.com
Crossair Qualifyer – www.crossair.com/de
CSA OK Plus – www.csa.cz
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles - www.delta.com
El Al Israel Airlines Frequent Traveler Matmid Club – www.elal.com
Emirates Skywards – www.emirates.com
Eva Air Evergreen Club – www.evaair.com
Finnair Finnair Plus – www.finnair.com
Gulf Air Falcon – www.gulfairco.com
Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Miles – www.hawaiianair.com
Plus - www.iberia.es
Icelandair Saga Bonus – www.icelandair.com
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank - www.jal.com
KLM Flying Dutchman – www.klm.com
Lan LanPass – www.lanchile.com
LatinPass - www.latinpass.com
Lauda Air – www.laudaair.com
LOT Polish Airlines Voyager – www.lot.com
Lufthansa Miles & More - www.lufthansa.com
Malaysian Airlines Enrich – www.malaysia-airlines.com
Mexicana Airlines Frecuenta - www.mexicana.com.mx
Northwest Airlines World Perks - www.nwa.com
Philippine Airlines PALSmiles – www.philippineair.com
Qantas Frequent Flyer - www.qantas.com.au
Sabena Qualiflyer - www.sabena.com
SAS Euro Bonus – www.scandinavian.net
Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan – www.saudiairlines.com
Airlines Krisflyer – www.singaporeair.com
South African Airways Voyager – www.saa.co.za
Southwest Rapid Rewards - www.iflysouthwest.com
Swissair International Airlines Swiss Travel Club - www.swiss.com
Thai Airways International Royal Orchid Plus – www.thaiairways.com
TAP Air Portugal Qualifyer – www.tap-airportugal.com
Turkish Airlines Qualifyer – www.turkishairlines.com
Tyrolean Airways – www.tyrolean.at
United Airlines Mileage Plus - www.ual.com
Airways Dividend Miles - www.usairways.com
VARIG Smiles (best mileage program in
Virgin Atlantic Freeway - www.virgin-atlantic.com
Virgin Blue – www.virginblue.com.au
VLM Airlines – www.vlm-airlines.com
HOTELS
Accor Asia Pacific Advantage Plus Card – www.accor.com
All Hotels on the Web - www.all-hotels.com - links to more than 30,000 individual
hotels, chains and travel sites.
American Hotel & Motel Association - www.ahma.com
Bed and Breakfast in London Homes – www.athomeinlondon.co.uk
Best Western Gold Crown Club International - www.bestwestern.com
Choice Hotels Guest Priviledge - www.choicehotels.com
Club Med - www.clubmed.com
Eurotels International - www.eurotels.com
Formule1 Loyalty Card – www.hotelformule1.com
Grand Mirage
Hilton HHonors Worldwide - www.hilton.com
Holiday Inn Priority Club - www.holiday-inn.com
The Hotel Guide - www.hotelguide.com - 60,000 + properties listing
Hotel Reservations Network - www.hoteldiscount.com - hotel booking service
Hotels and Travel on the Net - www.hotelstravel.com - 200 + hotel chains
Howard Johnson Super Miles – www.hojo.com
Hyatt Gold Passport - www.goldpassport.com
Ibis Loyalty Card – www.ibishotel.com
Inter-Continental Hotels Group - Six Continents Club – www.ichotelsgroup.com
Marriott Rewards - www.marriott.com
Mercure Hotels Club Mercure – www.mercure.com
Novotel Worldwide Card – www.novotel.com
Preferred Hotels – www.preferredhotels.com
Radisson Gold Rewards – www.radisson.com
Ramada Club Ramada - www.ramada.com
Royal Cliff Beach Resort – www.royalcliff.com
Sandals – www.sandals.com
Sheraton Club International - www.sheraton.com
Sofitel – www.sofitel.com
SRS Hotels - www.srshotels.com
Starwood Hotels Preferred Guest – www.starwood.com
Superclubs – www.superclubs.com
USA Hotel Guide - www.usahotelguide.com - 15,000+ hotels and resorts
Utell - www.hotelbook.com - 6,500 hotels worldwide
Westin Premier - www.westin.com
The Frequent Flyer Magazine, by Randy Petersen, The Frequent Flyer Guru, has almost everything you would like to know about Airline Frequent Flyer Programs / Hotel Frequent Stay Programs / Credit Card Programs / Miscellaneous Products and Services … www.webflyer.com
Travel Books and Magazines: www.barnesandnoble.com / www.amazon.com
Suggestive reading:
World Travel Guide - www.travelknowledge.com
Lonely Planet guides - www.lonelyplanet.com, and for those who have purchased their books, they can even download the updates.
Conde Nast Traveler: food, magazines, attractions, events, 500 + locations - www.condenast.com
European Visits Magazine - www.eurodata.com
Arthur Frommer's guide books are always a favorite, and Fodor's Travel Guides - www.fodors.com are among the most popular.
Traveling with a disability? Traveling with Oxygen, finding a hotel room, airline travel, cruise ships, service animals, finding transportation … www.access-able.com/tips/
Going Abroad? Don't leave home without them …
Good and comfortable walking shoes; a photocopy of the first two pages of your passport and all your credit cards (carry them separately); travelers checks; photocopies of prescriptions for medicine and glasses; personal medical kit; a Swiss Army knife; pocket flashlight; calculator; camera, spare camera batteries and film; your address book; Immodium (for diarrhea); rainwear; currency converter and adaptor plugs (if traveling to countries operating with a different voltage); sun block, sun hat, sunglasses; tissue paper; money belt; ear plugs, eye-mask and an inflatable neck pillow.
If traveling to remote areas: hair dryer, razor, personal medical kit, toiletry kit (toothpaste, toothbrush, Q-tips, soap, shampoo); guide book and reading material; luggage locks; a heater / hot pot to boil water; eating utensils; a supply of your favorite snacks; a sleeping bag - if required; travel insurance – www.chinalife.com/tous - insurance.
An important safety measure when traveling is to be in good health. An important tip is to drink and brush your teeth with bottled water. The best advice is to know the area you are traveling and be prepared for any unexpected events.
BOOKING LINKS:
Air Brokers Int'l Inc. - www.airbrokers.com - consolidator specializing in around-the-world fares
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) - . www.astanet.com the world's largest travel trade association, with over 26,500 members in more than 165 countries
BizTravel - Internet company for frequent business travelers - www.biztravel.com
BROL – Trips to Brazil from USA – www.brol.com
Cheap Tickets – last minute fares – www.cheaptickets.com
Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) - www.ciee.org - U.S. oldest and largest student travel agency, deals with the general public too.
Euro Lloyd Travel Group – www.eltexpress.com
Europe Online - www.europeonline.com
European Travel Network (ETN) - www.etn.nl/
This site has links to discount airfares, cheap flights, discount hotels and discount cruises from consolidators, discount travel agents, tour operators in 144 countries, and currency conversion.
Eurotrip - www.eurotrip.com - budget travel in Europe
Expedia – www.expedia.com
FLIFO - www.flifo.com - hotel, air fare discounts
Hot Wire – www.hotwire.com
Intellicast - www.intellicast.com - weather information
Microsoft Expedia - www.expedia.com - uses Worldspan
Opodo – www.opodo.com - formed by 10 European airlines
Orbitz – www.orbitz.com - formed by major U.S. airlines uses SABRE
Priceline.com - www.priceline.com - air ticket, car, home financing, hotel room bids
Quinwell Travel Service - www.quinwell.com - More than 400 pages and links to over
16,000 travel related sites. QuinWell's online booking center and section titled Travel 101, contains information on topics such as baggage allowances, charter flights, honeymoon planning, tipping and travel safety.
Travel Hub - www.travelhub.com - Discount Airfare Network (consolidator)
TravelNow Network - www.travelnow.com
Travelocity - www.travelocity.com - SABRE booking engine
Travel Web – discount hotels - www.travelweb.com
Travel Zoo – www.travelzoo.com
World Traveller's Club - www.around-the-world.com
Tour Operators
Abbey Tours – www.abbeytours.com - Ireland specialists
Aberdeen Tours – www.aberdeentours.com - Asia specialists
ABINOS Travel & Tourism – www.abinostravel.com - Syria specialists
Albatross Travel – www.albatrosstravel.com - Specialist on groups to Europe
Apsara Tours – www.apasaratours.com.kh - Cambodia specialists
Asia World – www.AsiaWorld-travel.com - Thailand specialists
Asian Affair Holidays – www.asianaffairholidays.com - Singapore specialists
Asian Overland – www.asianoverland.com.my - Malaysia specialists including Formula One races
ATS Pacific – www.atspacific.com.au/ - Australia specialists
ATS Pacific – www.atspacific.com/newzealand - New Zealand specialists
Bhutan Lha-Yul Tours & Travels – www.lhayul.com - Bhutan specialists
Borneo Adventure – www.borneoadventure.net - Borneo specialists – Sarawak, Malaysia
Buffalo Tours – www.buffalotours.com - Vietnam and Cambodia specialists
Carbone Vacations – Florida Specialists – www.carbonevacations.com
CITIRAMA – www.ecityrama.com - France specialists
Destination (Asia-Hong Kong) Travel Ltd. – www.destination-hongkong.com - Hong Kong specialists
Diethelm Travel – www.diethelm-travel.com - Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam specialists
Dorothy Tours – www.dorothy-tours.se - Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway – Scandinavia specialists
East West Siam – www.eastwestsiam.com - Thailand specialists
Ecological Africa Safaris & Travel – www.ecologicalafrica.com
Ecosummer Expeditions – www.ecosummer.com - Canada specialists
Educacentre – www.educacentre.net - Russia language courses
Everest Express – www.everest-express.com - Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim & Tibet experts.
Exodus – www.koreabound.com - Korea specialists
Exotissimo Travel – www.exotissimo.com - Indochina experts:Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar
Explore Nepal Richa Tours & Travel – www.explorenepal.com - Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim - India specialists
Fiji – www.utcfiji.com - UTC Fiji, The Fiji Experts
Floressa Tours – www.floressa.bali.com - Indonesia experts.
Globus and Cosmos – www.globusandcosmos.com - Tours from USA abroad
Go Africa Travel Tours & Safari’s – www.goafricatravel.com
GO GO Tour – www.gogowwv.com - Caribbean specialists
Grand Holidays – www.grandholidays.com - Asia specialists
GreatDays – www.greatdays.co.uk - UK specialists
Himalayan Journeys – www.gohimalaya.com - Nepal specialists
Indochina Services – www.indochina-services.com - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar specialists
ITBC Elita Travel – www.centraleurope.cz - Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia
Journey to Africa – www.journeytoafrica.com - Tanzania specialist
KZN Tours – www.KZNtours.co.za - Africa specialists
Marintur – www.marintur.co.id - Indonesia specialists
Nature Style – www.naturestyle.com Go Africa Travel Tours & Safari’s – www.goafricatravel.com
Ner Tourism – www.ner-tourism.com - Jordan specialists
Journey to Africa – www.journeytoafrica.com - Tanzania specialist
Metamondo – www.metamondo.it - Italy specialists
Moscow Bureau of Voyage – www.moscowvoyage.msk.ru - Russia specialists
Muza Tours & Travel Company – www.muza.com.kg/ - Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan specialists
Nature Style – www.naturestyle.com - Argentina specialists
Nature Tours – www.naturetoursinc.com - Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama specialists
Pacific Protour – www.pacificprotour.com - Asia Specialist from U.S.A.
Paris Chic – www.parischic.com - France specialists
Pegasus Travels – www.pegasustravels.com.pe - Peru specialists
Silkway – www.silkwayhk.com - Hong Kong specialists
Rim-Pac International – www.rim-pac.com - low cost tours to China from U.S.A.
Shiva Holidays and Shiva Treks & Expeditions – www.shivaholidays.com - Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim specialists
Siam Express – www.siamexpress.com - Thailand specialists
Silkway – www.silkway.com.hk - Hong Kong specialists
SITARA – www.sitara.com - Pakistan, Silk Road, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan specialists.
Tahiti Nui Travel – www.tahitinuitravel.com - Tahiti specialists
The Trans-Siberian Express Company (GW Travel) – www.gwtravel.co.uk/ - Russia from Europe to the Orient
The Travel Advisers – www.traveladvisers.com.hk - Hong Kong and China specialists
Timeless Excursions – www.timelessexcursions.com - India specialists
TOPPSA – www.toppsa.com - Ecuador specialists
Tour Mandalay – www.tourmandalay.com - Myanmar specialists
Turkey Specialists – www.anadol.com
UVI Holidays – www.uviholidays.com - India specialists
Vacations Travels & Tours – www.vacationsindia.com - India specialists
Vermundos – www.vermundos.pt - Portugal specialists
Wanderlust – www.wanderlustindia.com - India specialists
Cruise Lines and Links
Bergen Line - www.bergenline.com
Carnival Cruise Lines - www.carnival.com
Celebrity Cruises - www.celebrity-cruises.com
Costa Cruise Lines - www.costacruises.com
Holland America Line - www.hollandamerica.com
Norwegian Cruise Line - www.ncl.com
Princess Cruises - www.princesscruises.com
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises - www.rssc.com
Royal Caribbean International - www.royalcaribbean.com
Victoria Cruises – www.victoriacruises.com - Yangtze River Cruises, China specialists
Windstar Cruises - www.windstarcruises.com
World Explorer Cruises - www.wecruise.com
Car Rentals Companies:
Alamo Quick Silver - www.goalamo.com
Avis - www.avis.com
Budget - www.budget.com
Carey International - www.careyint.com - chauffeur driven Limousines, Sedans, Vans, and Mini-buses
Dollar Rent A Car - www.dollar.com
FLORIDA WHEELS – www.jitrentacar.com - Special rates for Florida
Hertz Number 1 - www.hertz.com
Thrifty Car Rental - www.thrifty.com
Bus Sightseeing
Grayline - 200+ destinations throughout 6 continents - www.grayline.com
Greyhound - www.greyhound.com - fares and schedules
Cellular Phones
Action Cellular Rent-a-Phone International - www.actioncell.com - available in 150+ countries.
Worldcell Int'l Cellular - www.worldcell.com - U.S. travelers can rent a phone with the same number in 60+ countries (Europe, Asia and the Middle East)
Rail
AMTRAK - www.amtrak.com
Rail Europe - www.raileurope.com
Via Rail Canada - www.viarail.ca
Shipment Tracking
DHL - www.dhl.com
Federal Express - www.fedex.com/
UPS - www.ups.com/tracking/tracking.html
MISCELLANEOUS LINKS:
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) – www.astanet.com The world’s largest travel trade association, with over 26,500 members in more than 165 countries
Asia Travel – www.asiatravel.com - information on Asian countries
Austria Tourism Bureau – www.austriatourism.com
Brazil – www.fiesp.org.br - Events and Expositions
Brazil – www.embratur.gov.br - Tourism to Brazil
Brazilian Business – www.cin.org.br - English version
China National Tourism Administration – www.cnto.org
China Radio International – www.cri.com.cn in 15 languages - check out the section
in Portuguese / “verifiquem a seção em Portugues”
3rd China America Quality Conference – www.asqcsd.org/china/ -Shanghai September 2004
FLATA – www.atafl.org - Florida Chapter American Translators Association
France – www.france.com
Great Outdoor Recreation Pages – www.gorp.com
Hong Kong Tourism Board – www.hkta.org
MapQuest - www.mapquest.com - maps of over three million locations worldwide
Macau – www.macautourism.gov.mo
PATA – Pacific Asia Travel Association – www.pata.org - a non-profit organization serving travel related companies throughout the Pacific Asia region.
RIO Convention & Visitors Bureau – www.rioconventionbureau.com.br
Singapore Tourism Board – www.visitsingapore.com
South Africa Safari – www.onsafari.com
Smarter Living - www.smarterliving.com - emails weekly specials from selected cities
The Telephone Doctor – www.telephonedoctor.com - Customer service at its best
The Travel Channel - www.travelchannel.com
Theatre Direct – www.theatredirect.com
Ticket Master – www.ticketmaster.com
Traveler’s Journal - www.travelersjournal.com
Travelon - www.travelon.com - vacation packages
U.S. State Department of Travel Information - http://travel.state.gov/
World Traveler - www.worldtraveler.com - luggage and travel goods
