Sometimes it's just raw luck
© Diane Goldberg under the original topic name
Last week I mentioned that was the plan and as promised this week I am going to you how it happened --- with a few tips on how you can work to make it happen for you.
Last Summer US Airways, British Airways, and others ran a brief buy-one-get-one-free special US/UK round trip. The deal required a summer flight and gave you a coupon good for a low season flight.
How do you find out about those deals?
Check the budget travel page often --- regular readers have let me know that they've saved a bundle checking my welcome page for deals or reading the breaking bargains, I sometimes insert at the bottom of my weekly column.
Check the web pages of every airline that leaves from your area; get on the email lists to receive frequent e-saver and sale updates.
Check http://www.travelzoo.com for Net Fare specials.
Keep in touch with travel professional who knows where you like to go - if you have a history of booking package deals and lodgings through an agent, they'll help you find good fares even in the era of disappearing profits. (The airlines have recently cut commissions to agents --- don't get excited, they aren't passing the savings on to you.)
Check the travel section of your local paper for special fares.
Be very lucky.
Back to how I found the fare . . .
Israel has long been on my list of darn-that-airfare is expensive destinations. I don't live in a major air market. To connect with most carriers I need to hop elsewhere.
With the promotional ticket to London, Israel seemed attainable. London is, after all, a rather large travel market. I spent some time researching --- I called El Al and found I could not credit card book a flight that did not originate in the USA with them.
I found a super-saver apex fare at http://www.travelocity.com ---- based on the limitations of the promo flight, and the terms of the El Al apex flight I had to do some juggling. To meet the requirements of two highly restricted tickets I end up spending a few days in London. X-ref.: "Please don't throw me into that briar patch."
When I started searching for a place to park my travel-damaged body upon arrival in Israel, I kept confronting advertisements for four and five star hotels. One night in one of those --- even with their super-special off-season rates would have blown my entire budget. Then I got lucky again --- I found http://www.bnb.co.il and it appears they have inexpensive room at the inn.
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