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| The Basics | Five ways to find fabulous getaways
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If you're ready to flee, use the Net to find the best deals. Here are the insider tips you'll need to sniff out the best bargains -- and where to find more just like them.
By Jennifer Mulrean
It takes practice to become a true escape artist -- to be able to take off for a quick break of a week or so, knowing exactly what to do and when. But a great crib sheet can shorten the learning curve.
With that in mind, we've scoured the Net to fill you in on the where, when and how of finding abundant travel savings opportunities.
Flexibility rules
Going against the crowd can really pay, especially when it comes to knowing where and when to travel. This doesn't just mean traveling in "shoulder seasons." It also means flying on less in-demand days of the week or flying into alternative airports. Wondering which days to fly are less popular? If you're going on a weekend trip, flying Thursday and Sunday can be cheaper than Friday and Monday.
"Just be flexible and think creatively and it can pay off in a big, big way," says Gregg Brockway, co-founder of Hotwire.com. "If you're heading to Los Angeles, think Burbank (airport). Heading to San Francisco? Think Oakland or San Jose."
Fly, sleep, drive blind
If you're willing to forgo a little knowledge when planning your trip, you can rack up a whole lot of savings. Priceline.com was the early mover here, but other sites that allow you to trade ignorance for bucks include Hotwire and Expedia's bargain fares. The sites work something like the TV show "The Dating Game:" You often don't get to see what airline, hotel or car rental company you're buying from until after you've paid. The missing piece of the purchase puzzle varies by site -- and by what you're buying: most hide the exact rental car company until after you've paid, and at Priceline.com, the prices as well as the airlines and itineraries are hidden. At Hotwire and Expedia, the prices are preset and viewable, but you allow them to pick the airline and itinerary, within certain parameters (e.g., you can choose to search only for tickets with 0-1 layovers).
For those with slightly less flexibility in their schedule, a car rental can be a good way to test out these sites, since in most cases you're simply blocked from knowing the rental car company, rather than pickup time or location. For a recent weekend trip in Arizona, Hotwire's rate of $18.82 a day for a compact car was the lowest I could find. I was happy with the deal and booked it (the rental car company turned out to be Avis), noting it saved me about $20 over renting through AAA's site. I didn't feel quite so smug once I stopped by Flyertalk, an online forum for travelers, where I saw that people were getting deals for about half that, albeit at different times and locations. This brings us to the next tip.
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MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. Our articles, columns, message board posts and other features should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by Microsoft of any specific security or trading strategy. An investor's best course of action must be based on individual circumstances.
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