Comments on: The Staycation Effect: 5 reasons to vacation now http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/the-staycation-effect-5-reasons-to-vacation-now/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Emerson http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/the-staycation-effect-5-reasons-to-vacation-now/comment-page-1/#comment-14485 Emerson Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:20:53 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5208#comment-14485 I've recently gotten some of the best prices I've seen lately at 4 star hotels on Hotwire. It's obvious they are trying harder to rent rooms. I’ve recently gotten some of the best prices I’ve seen lately at 4 star hotels on Hotwire. It’s obvious they are trying harder to rent rooms.

]]> By: Chicky http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/the-staycation-effect-5-reasons-to-vacation-now/comment-page-1/#comment-14478 Chicky Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:49:44 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5208#comment-14478 I married in October, 1996, and we went to the Alabama Gulf Coast for our honeymoon. October at the beach is great. The water is warm, the weather is beautiful and the beaches are empty. Sigh.... I've taken most of my vacations in the fall and I prefer it. I married in October, 1996, and we went to the Alabama Gulf Coast for our honeymoon. October at the beach is great. The water is warm, the weather is beautiful and the beaches are empty. Sigh….

I’ve taken most of my vacations in the fall and I prefer it.

]]> By: Joe Farrell http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/the-staycation-effect-5-reasons-to-vacation-now/comment-page-1/#comment-14475 Joe Farrell Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:33:49 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5208#comment-14475 Yep - almost free. We are getting rid of our accrued airline miles and went shopping for a California trip for our 20th weddng anniversary. The airlines have gotten tricky with their awards. It is almost impossible to find a 25k round trip award that does not involve two stops - which is insane. So they want you to use 50k to get the flights you want. That being said, over Columbus Day we are going to Paris - 40k miles in coach. Yep - 40k each. The other option most folks never explore is First and business class. For our actual anniversary we are going to Napa Valley and our airline had no 25k coach tickets but it was pretty easy to get 45k first class seats. Thus, for 5k fewer miles than the unrestricted coach coach tickets we are first class on the same flights; nothing like going first class, which is just like coach was in the 1970's. So, think about first class awards - we could have gotten 2 business class tickets to Paris for 90k each. But we decided to take 2 trips instead of only 1. I've been to Tokyo and Asia from the US east coast, 14 hour flights, I can do 6 to Paris in coach standing on my head. Yep – almost free. We are getting rid of our accrued airline miles and went shopping for a California trip for our 20th weddng anniversary.

The airlines have gotten tricky with their awards. It is almost impossible to find a 25k round trip award that does not involve two stops – which is insane. So they want you to use 50k to get the flights you want. That being said, over Columbus Day we are going to Paris – 40k miles in coach. Yep – 40k each.

The other option most folks never explore is First and business class. For our actual anniversary we are going to Napa Valley and our airline had no 25k coach tickets but it was pretty easy to get 45k first class seats. Thus, for 5k fewer miles than the unrestricted coach coach tickets we are first class on the same flights; nothing like going first class, which is just like coach was in the 1970′s.

So, think about first class awards – we could have gotten 2 business class tickets to Paris for 90k each. But we decided to take 2 trips instead of only 1. I’ve been to Tokyo and Asia from the US east coast, 14 hour flights, I can do 6 to Paris in coach standing on my head.

]]> By: jamie http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/the-staycation-effect-5-reasons-to-vacation-now/comment-page-1/#comment-14440 jamie Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:01:26 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5208#comment-14440 Okay, you've convinced me. I'm going to fish around for a Hawaiian deal. I'm a sucker for cheap aloha... Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’m going to fish around for a Hawaiian deal. I’m a sucker for cheap aloha…

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