Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Senior Travelers, Let's Go!

the senior years can be some of the best years in a person's life. Taking those dream vacations, new adventures, creating memories with grandchildren and spending quality time with good friends. Well, it's just simply the spice of life!

Leisure travelers, adventure travelers and novice travelers alike, when you're ready to take flight, nothing should stand in your way. Whether you're living on a fixed income or high on the hog, budgeting, planning and saving money is an important piece of the senior traveler's pie.

CheapoAir has put together a mini senior travel guide based on emails we receive from our customers. This Q&A is designed to help you differentiate between travel bargains and travel gimmie a break's!

One question we get asked frequently, is there a difference between Senior Travel Deals and Senior Travel Discounts?

There are plenty of senior traveler deals and discounts out there. The trick is knowing how to find value in those deals and discounts. It's also knowing where to look and who to ask.

For example, if you belong to an Affinity Group, like, Senior's Coalition, AAA, AARP, a Veteran's Organization or an Alumni Group, chances are travel discounts abound! When you go to your mailbox, it's probably filled with what appears to be junk mail; even though it's from one of your affinity groups. Next time, open it up instead of throwing it away. Often times, these mailers are filled with travel coupons and more! You'll find things like, airline deals, hotel and rent-a-car upgrades, 2-for-1 meal tickets, golf passes, half price coupons for museums, monuments and botanical gardens.

You can also call your local affinity group and ask to receive annual travel discounts via email, post or by joining their website. P

One of the great misconceptions People have is that if they book through an affinity group, they have to travel in a group in order to benefit from top notch travel discounts. Guess what? That is a myth! You can travel with anyone you wish and still take advantage of great deals.

So, if you’re not a part of any affinity group, it might be time to think about joining one.

Another question we get is, what is a Pre-Paid Voucher?

Pre-Paid Vouchers aren't as scary as they sound. It's simply a coupon book that you've already paid for. Let's say you are planning a whirlwind tour, the grandchildren in Ohio, some friends in Indiana and rounding off this perfect vacation, a romantic 4-day weekend in Mexico. Pre-Paid vouchers are basically one-way airline tickets sold at a discounted rate. Several top notch airlines offer them, so if this is the kind of trip you're planning, definitely ask.

For the very best deals, book at least 21 days in advance because cheap tickets sell out fast!

CheapoAir, what's the Deal with Membership Clubs & Frequent Fliers? Can I really Save Money by joining?

You know... You actually can. Big money! Here's what you want to look for when considering a membership club or frequent flier program:
  • What is the annual fee? Whether it's paid monthly or annually is irrelevant, it's the final cost you are most concerned with.
  • What type of discounts and coupons are offered? The first question you ask yourself is if these coupons and discounts fit in with your lifestyle. Here's an example, if you are a frequent flyer and this particular membership gives you points that qualify you for free upgrades or free tickets every time you spend and the membership fee is $40 per year, it's probably a sound investment.

There are other programs too, for example, members over 55 might be eligible for an even lower annual fee, you just have to ask for it. Each program offers different discounts, coupons and bonuses. The trick is finding a program that works for you. Some membership programs offer travel credits up to $400 every year, plus bonus miles, hotel and rent-a-car discounts. Not bad, huh? Don't be shy! Ask as many questions as you need to, to qualify membership for you and your family.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of Senior Travelers, Let's Go! We'll be covering topics like, Is this a Gimmick or a Deal. Local Community Discounts and Where to take your grandchildren on holiday!

If you have any questions, leave us a comment! We'd love to hear from you.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Why do I have to go to multiple websites and make multiple calls to AAA, AARP, etc, etc, to determine wheter they have travel deals and discounts that are applicable to my desired travel plans? Why isn't there a single website that contains information about the discouts I am entitled to because of the affinity groups I belong to, and that can tell me what discpounts I am entitled to, based on when and where I want to travel? RB