Ever notice that some products aren't always any cheaper in "discount" stores? The same is true for travel arrangements.
It's fairly easy to find airfare bargains if you're going someplace solidly popular: London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, virtually anywhere in Florida. When there's lots of competition flying around, airlines are more likely to wind up with some unsold seats - and thus more likely to turn tickets over to consolidators to unload at a discount. Once a flight lifts off with empty seats, that's revenue gone forever. So carriers figure, "Why not at least get something for them."Bargain-hunters headed somewhere that's off the beaten track or served by only one or two airlines, however, may strike out time after time.
In trying to plan a trip to a non-touristy city south of the border, I recently called a dozen air-ticket consolidators that specialize in Mexico. Not one could shave a penny off the fare my travel agent got directly from Continental Airlines, which essentially offers the only convenient service there.
The same principles apply if you're seeking hotel bargains. Nationwide or citywide reservation services can be a convenient source of the latest deals, but don't assume their rates can't be equaled. While some of these organizations pass along last-minute price cuts, others aren't discounters at all. They're merely central-booking services for hotels that belong to the local chamber of commerce. If you belong to an auto club or another organization, you may do just as well or better on your own - espe cially if you're dealing with the owner of a small lodging that's not part of a major chain.
Discounts are always pegged to supply and demand - a dynamic many vacationers unfortunately don't discover until it's too late. If you'd only known your hotel was experiencing a slack month, you might have taken a shot at a price break. On the other hand, if your timing is right, often you don't have to say a thing. On an off-week vacation in Florida, I've had a hotel that caters to business meetings offer a corporate discount the minute I walked in - obviously dressed for the beach and not the boardroom.
International tour packages typically provide savings of 20 percent to 30 percent over the total cost of their individual components, so they're rarely marked down further once printed in a brochure. A guaranteed rate protects Americans headed abroad from added costs in the event the dollar takes a nose-dive. But if the dollar soars, no one is going to hand you a rebate.
Discounted packages usually crop up only when a destination feels it needs to bolster business (expect deals this winter in both Florida and the Caribbean). The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau saw its prized Northeast market slipping ever so slightly, so it's offering discounts of up to 30 percent over last season. Two-night packages from New York will run $198 to $365, Nov. 1 to April 30, including round-trip airfare, a Miami Beach hotel and a two-for-one coupon booklet good for dining and visitor attractions.
When you're bargain-hunting, you're not going to know whether you've found a true discount unless you know the base rates. That means making calls to airlines, cruise lines or hotels you're considering before hitting the cut-rate outfits. And don't expect a travel agent to do extensive research for you - not with major airlines capping agent commissions and consolidators frequently offering them none at all. But then, did anyone shop for you when you were looking for a new TV?