Cheap Travel to Arizona Online
This article could be more aptly named “How to Find the Best Deals Online and Get to Arizona Cheaply.” Okay, so maybe it’s not cheap to travel anywhere these days with all the supplemental and additional taxes, like those related to flying. I started my plan of action months ago but even if I had started today, there is still plenty of time to find lodging, a rental car, some cool places to eat, and an airline seat. I might also mention that it sometimes takes the patience of a martyr to go through all the pricing options and read the fine details, butÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½taking the first offer often results in a higher cost down the line.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½
Using the Personal Touch – Travel Agents
Most folks may seem to have forgotten about them, but travel agents still offer the most personalized service when it comes to making travel arrangements. They may be a native of the area, know the best hotspots, or know the name of a good seamstress. Since I don’t know any agents in the area, I decided to start with my travel agent that runs a site called CruiseOpinion.com. She’s traveled and makes arrangements for anywhere I can imagine and has been to most places by all the possible means to get there. I also took a look at Virtuoso.com. This site lists the cream of the crop in the travel industry for luxury travel. I’m not daunted when it comes to titles like luxury though. A good travel agent can help almost anyone or at least make a referral to someone who can. Check out Yahoo’s travel agents listing for Phoenix.
Hotel and Airline Arrangements
One easy way to get an inexpensive room is to take advantage of the University of Phoenix discount available at the Hyatt Regency next door to the graduation venue. The discounted rate is nice, and its proximity to the graduation site helps avoid traffic or long walks. To get the discounted rate, graduation attendees must call the hotel directly.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½For these and other options, check out graduation information at the University of Phoenix’s Graduation website.
Another option is to use one of the many travel-related online search engines like Travelworm, PlacestoStay, Travelocity, Orbitz, McFind, Yahoo!, or airline websites themselves. Airline sites offer promotional savings that are sometimes not available through the other sites or package discounts that include flight, hotel, and auto rental arrangements. They have frequent web only offers or offers for certain flight segments. The trick with using any of these discount sites is to pay attention to the fine print because some flights may be limited by dates, state-to-state locations, or times of the day. Oh, and sites like Hotwire.com or Priceline.com are good alternatives if I have more flexibility in my travel schedule.
Another great option is to use any accrued frequent flier miles, employee discounts, or special offers through credit cards. Discount airlines like Southwest or ATA may have unadvertised or web only flight specials. Without using any of these types of special offers, the lowest priced airline ticket I was able to find was through TravelHero. I was able to get a fare of $853 plus tax for 4 round trip tickets on a direct flight from Chicago to Phoenix.
Another thing to note is which airport the search site is using to check for available flights. If your city has more than one airport, secondary airports can add a lot of flexibility and savings to the trip planning process. These locations often afford other options for accommodations, traversing the city, or making a speedy exit when you’re ready to depart. For instance, Midway airport in Chicago is in the heart of the city but close to nearby expressways. There are a plethora of hotels, motels, and auto rental agencies all within walking distance as well as access to public transportation within a block of the airport. Travelers can fly in, hop on the “el” and be in downtown Chicago in 17 minutes, which still easily beats the commute from O’Hare airport.
I also found a couple of nifty tools such as Sidestep.com and Kayak.com. SideStep is a wonderful little download that attaches to your browser.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½It will performÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½multiple searches on air, hotel, and auto rentals. Best of all, each rate quote has a link directly to the company offering the price. While the air fares weren’t the lowest I was able to find, the automobile rates were. My hotel rates also weren’t the lowest, and sometimes returned areas around Phoenix instead of sticking to my request for downtown Phoenix hotels only. I say give it a try because it’s fun to watch and a good deal might be forthcoming.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Kayak.com is great for searching a broad range of airline quotes and it’s great because it includes the whole fee for your fare selection.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½
To familiarize myself with the latest rules and regulations, I checked out the FAA website.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ When I pack my luggage, I am going to use the “when in doubt, leave it out” rule. Expect to prove that any electronics carried on the plane operate, to possibly be patted down, scanned with a wand,Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½asked to remove shoes or belt, asked to leave open liquids behind, or get a new rule from the airline you fly. To eliminate the hassle, I download a copy of the rules enforce when I purchase my ticket from the airline and the ones from the FAA. Sometimes your information can settle a discrepancy between the two policies without much of a headache.
I am also planning on packing any carry-on items in large plastic bags so that the contents can be seen. If they are removed for inspection I can quickly put them back in their containers, drop them in the bag, and be on my way. I’m also keeping my id or passport accessible, my cap and gown in my carry-on and most important, remaining calm. I want to get to graduation, not have a debate with security personnel!
Out and About Town – Travel Logistics
I don’t know how others feel but when I travel I like to know as much about the town as possible. Who knows, I may want to have a look around or eat a meal off the beaten path. In addition, I don’t want to stray into too much uncharted territory. I’m city smart but don’t want to be a foolish tourist if I can help it.
I started with a great site called RealCities.com. Local and national news stories, coupons, and special offers abound to combine into a great compilation news site. I then went and checked out the City of Phoenix website. I found great information like the name of the mayor and cab company names. A note about Phoenix is that some areas have more than one address. When in doubt, be sure to get a map online or call the destination directly.
Traveling to my location isn’t a problem either. Depending upon the destination, I can walk or take a cab to anywhere in Phoenix, but I think the strolling will be limited if it gets too hot outside. I used Supershuttle.com and Limos.com to find some affordable rates for getting around town. For instance, my Supershuttle.com search yielded $7 for a shared ride, $40 for a private van, or $25 for an executive will-call car for up to 5 passengers.
Trains or Automobiles – Car Rental or Bus / Train Tickets?
Considering all the recent concerns with airline travel, I thought I would check out the rates and dates for traveling to graduation by train or bus. It wasn’t a viable option for me because I don’t have that kind of time to devote to getting there. For those with the time, great accommodations are available through Amtrak’s web site. If you get a sleeper car, it is both comfortable and the views from the room are guaranteed to be scenic. It’s spring and the land is blooming all over.
I also took a look at Greyhound’s website. Wow, traveling by bus will also add a day to my trip and get me there at AM, which is too late to check into the hotel. Still, this might be a great low cost alternative. Check out StudentAdvantage.com for 15% discounts on both travel providers.
Eats and Treats – Phoenix Restaurants
Phoenix has some great places to catch a bite, a museum visit, or a massage. I took a peek at the Yahoo local site for Phoenix to find a restaurant, get local museum hours, and arrange for a quick massage and manicure before graduation on Saturday. I checked out the convention visitor’s site at Arizonaguide.com and the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce website to get the locations of great places like ballparks, zoos, and museums. For my dining pleasure and that of my buddies, I got a list of well over 250 restaurants in Phoenix from Scanmenus.com, RestaurantRow.com, and Digitalcity.com. Digitalcity.com listed a great assortment of places for shopping, eating, and spa visits. DigitalCity and RestaurantRow also have online reservations available. Nothing beats a reservation when the town is full of tourists for the weekend.
Last Minute Travelers
Last minute travel is not my favorite way to go, but I thought I’d let everyone know about a few places to find some great last minute deals for getting to Phoenix. For airlines, standby reservations still work. Just make sure you have your id and the patience of Job. I’ve flown ATA several times and they always seem to make room for the standby flyers. This is another great time to use the services of a travel agent; they often get notices of great last minute travel specials. Some online sites for the adventurous include Site59.com, LastMinuteTravel.com, and Travelocity.com.
Gone but not Forgotten
I love to travel and graduation is just my excuse to give myself a mini-vacation. I will be taking two cameras to record the moment; a pen sized one that I can later connect to my computer and a disposable unit. I’d like to take a picture of mom in front of a cactus. I want to be a real tourist and capture some of the sites and sounds of the occasion. This might make it hard to leave for home when my tickets say I should, but I’ll have something to take back with me.
In summary, the ability to use the online world to make my life easier when I travel is invaluable. I got a great room rate, a reservation for a limo, and appointments for a massage with a few clicks of the mouse. I look forward to meeting the graduates, seeking a bit of Phoenix, and walking the stage, and I’m just happy I got to arrange it all via the web! Now, where did I put my luggage???
