Best Of the Winter Travel Deals

Q: I Love Europe, the food and the culture, but with the strong Euro, I’m afraid that I may not be able to afford it.

Paraphrasing Shakespeare’s Richard the III: Now is the winter of our discounts, made glorious summer! Winter is the best time to get travel deals to Europe and in Europe. Not only the international discounted airfares to get there are low (some will be as low as $99 plus tax roundtrip, like from New York to London come midwinter), once on the ground in the great capitals of Western  Europe, you will find that the same hotels and stores that were charging a lot of Euros during the summer, will have slashed their prices for the cold season and offering amazing winter travel deals.

For the frugal traveler, Europe in mid-winter is the best time

Western European Capitals like London, Paris, Rome, Venice and Milan, that were simply too crowded and expensive in the summer will court your weakened Dollars with travel deals across the board this winter, just wear your woolly jumpers and enjoy the winter bargains!

When is the best time during the winter to go?

The trick is to arrive early or later in the winter season.  Some of the best bargains in Paris and London happen just before Christmas and during the slow January and February midwinter season. Classic Parisian department stores like Galeries Lafayette or Le Bon Marché will be in full sale mode when you visit them during these cheap winter periods. Trendy London markets like Camden Lock and Portobello Road will be offering discounts on a wide array of trendy wear and antiques (great if you’re in the market for Tibetan yak sweaters, platform boots or classic British leather jackets or motorcycle pants). The beauty of Rome is that even in the deepest January winter, it still feels like summer in San Francisco (a bit chilly, but not too bad), with the added bonus of having the Campo de Fiori for yourself. Vatican City is also quiet outside of the Christmas festivities (witch in Rome extend until mid January). Check out Rome’s “Le Saldi” Sale, when all the designer stores throw out the baby with the bathwater, you might score that pair of Ferragamo shoes for less than half the summer price.

What if I’m on a shoestring budget?

Skip the Eurozone for deeper savings: If Rome is too expensive for your wallet, try Istanbul, Turkey is the new Greece and a great winter travel bargain:  Located outside the more expensive Eurozone, but conveniently sharing the same Mediterranean and Aegean seas. Visit the Genoan Quarter in Istanbul, have some Raki with a great and inexpensive dinner in a restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus and the splendid Ottoman era Palazzos that adorn the waterfront, it will remind you of Venice, but at a quarter of the price.

Try Buenos Aires instead of Milan or Paris, cheap but posh

You will be hard pressed to tell the difference between posh Avenida Alvear in Buenos Aires’s exclusive Recoleta District and any high end shopping street in Rome, Milan or Paris, except for the bargain  prices.  The US Dollar is still king in Buenos Aires,  so you can sample this sophisticated city’s top French, Italian, Spanish and Argentinean restaurants, enjoy the excellent local wines, cheeses and steaks for a fraction of the Eurozone prices.  Buenos Aires also offers the added bonus of a southern summer.  So you can get a tan and jet ski on pristine Andean lakes in the exclusive ski resort of Bariloche or sunbathe on the famous beaches of Punta del Este in nearby Uruguay, both popular southern summer destinations for the ‘beautiful people’ of Buenos Aires.

Armani for Sale in Buenos Aires's posh Alvear Avenue

Grab Vayama’s Winter Travel Deals :

Here’s some winter bargains I found on the vayama website today:

* Chicago to Istanbul from $650 w tax total  on Turkish Airlines

* New York to Madrid from $534 w tax total on Air Europa

* New York to Paris from $585 w tax total on Air Europa

* Miami to Buenos Aires from $690 w tax total on TAM Airlines

So get out there and see the world for less, you deserve it.

By Florin R. Ferrs

(International airfare expert, frequent traveler &  frugal bon vivant)

Cheap Airfare to Brazil!

Q: I want an exotic but still cheap Christmas getaway somewhere warm this year, where can I get away cheaply for a recession busting fun time?

In the cult movie Brazil, the overworked office clerk hero would dream of a place where the skies were  pink and palm trees swayed under a warm tropical breeze with a melodic Samba tune playing in the background,  sounds good?

Now you can get to the real Brazil for less with vayama’s  great winter deal on Korean Airlines,  nonstop,  from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The simple fact that one can fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Brazil has me hearing that melodic Samba from the movie and the cheap international Korean Air airfare that I found on vayama.com is the cheapest I have seen for this time of the year (From $729 plus taxes). This has me ready to book my ticket to spend  a warm Christmas season among the warm Paulistas (citizens of Sao Paulo), who may or may not be the most orderly  or progressive citizens on earth (as in the Brazilian flag motto), but when it comes to wild partying  until the next morning and the strongest but sweetest Caipirinhas on the planet, Brazilians and Paulistas in particular, will always be number one.

Orderly & Progressive?

And if you still have any doubts that Brazil is sizzling hot this Christmas season, check out the New York times travel section’s Sunday spread about things to do in Sao Paulo and in all the happening nearby cities like Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and plenty more. Brazil! Brazil!

Christmas Holidays for less with Cheap International Airfares to European Second Cities.

Q: How Can I still find cheap airline tickets to spend a white Christmas this holyday season?

Dreaming of a White Christmas in Europe for less this Winter? The trick is not to forget secondary airports, both in the USA and in Europe, these secondary airports often offer the cheapest international airline tickets and are the last ones to sell out, so many are still available for the Christmas vacation period. If you have found that most of the traditional Western European gateways like London, Paris, Rome, or Frankfurt are already sold for the busy Christmas season, use the vayama.com international airfare booking engine to find plenty of cheap seats out of second USA airports like Philadelphia, Boston or Chicago, flying into cities in the heart of the Central and Eastern Europe Like Moscow, Stuttgart, Warsaw or Bucharest that are providing savings of over 50% compared to the primary gateways of Western Europe plus you get the guarantee of a traditional winter wonderland for your Christmas holidays.

Secondary cities in Europe also offer additional benefits such as faster immigration and shorter lines and are usually closer to quaint villages and natural beauty as they are the airports normally used by vacationing locals, not to mention cheaper accommodation, food, nightlife. Skiing etc…

Here are some cheap international airfares still available into secondary European cities this Christmas Season:

• Warsaw: Philadelphia to Warsaw, instead of Frankfurt, from $296 + tax & fees ($679 total).

• Oslo: Newark to Oslo, instead of London, from $230 + tax & fees ($594 total).

• Moscow: New York to Moscow, instead of Paris, from $249 + tax & fees ($483 total).

• Bucharest: Boston to Bucharest, instead of Rome, from $325 + tax & fees ($699 total).

• Stuttgart:New York to Stuttgart , instead of Munich, from $455 + tax & fees ($594).

Moscow Snow: Dreaming of a White Christmas this Winter?

To B or not to B: Get the Cheapest International Airfares on Vayama’s Best B Airlines.

Q: I want to book one of your recommended B Airlines, how does a discounted airfare on a B Airline compare to an the airfare on a legacy Airline? Can you offer a specific comparison? Also, any input on the safety of B Airlines?

‘B Airline’ is travel agent jargon for a new up and coming airline or even an old airline that is not well known in the USA. It reflects more on the airline’s position in the marketplace, rather than a specific technical level or airfare. For example, a travel agent from the Midwest may not be overly familiar with a great B airline like China Airlines and may prefer to use legacy carriers like United or Northwest, but a travel agent from San Francisco has probably been selling cheap international airfares on China Airlines for over 30 years, as San Francisco is one of China Airlines main USA hubs. So a B airline basically means a non ‘legacy’ airline the same as ‘legacy airline’ is travel agent jargon for a well known, established carrier like United, American Airlines, British Airways etc. For example: Virgin America, Jet Blue & Southwest would be considered B carriers, just because they are new airlines. This does not necessarily reflect their airfares or safety record, but having said that; B carriers have historically offered innovative marketing techniques coupled with cheap international airfares, and are known for going the extra mile in the customer service department. This is one of the main reasons why vayama supports the good B carriers that have demonstrated a superior level of service and that offer cheap international airfares priced to sell.

Here are some cheap international airfare comparisons:

San Francisco to Hong Kong departing Nov 17 / returning Dec 7 On China Airlines (B Carrier): $713 total w tax & fees (lowest airfare on the market). Same Dates on Cathay Pacific (A carrier) $807 total including tax & fees

Los Angeles to Sydney departing Nov 18 / returning Dec 1 on V Australia (B Carrier) $986 total. Same Dates on Qantas (A carrier) $1200

Angeles to Manila Departing Nov 17 / Returning Dec 7 On Asiana Airlines (B carrier). Same Dates on North West (A carrier) $766 total.

Chicago to Shanghai departing Nov 17 / Returning Dec 7 On Asiana Airlines (B Carrier). Same Dates on American Airlines (A carrier) $916

New York to Delhi departing Nov 17 Returning Dec 2 on Jet Airways $877 (B Airline). Same Dates on KLM Royal Dutch (A carrier) $947

B is for Best Value

While we are not saying that B carriers will always be cheaper than legacy carriers (factors like availability affect airfares), the simple fact that B carriers exist in the marketplace is a crucial factor in keeping cheap international airfares cheap, as legacy carriers are forced to compete by offering their own cheap international airfares, so just for this fact alone the B carriers benefit us all. Take the India market for example, historically a coach class airfare from the USA to Delhi or Mumbai on legacy carriers has hovered between $1000 to $1200 USD, but this year during shoulder season, thanks to the arrival of China Airlines, Jet Airways, Asiana and other B carriers into the Indian market, we were able to book a cheap international airfares to India from $750 USD total (a historically low airfare from the USA), furthermore, our passengers reported that the service they received on these B carriers (particularly Asiana and China Airlines) was excellent and that the connection in Seoul and Taipei was very smooth and uncongested in comparison with a connection in London’s Heathrow Airport or Frankfurt with British Airways or Lufthansa at a higher airfare during the same time period (Oct 2009, around $1200 USD).

B all you can B

B Safe

In regards to the safety record, it is known that some B carriers, including like China Airlines, have had incidents during the early 1990’s, but China Airlines has radically improved their maintenance and hiring practices in the last decade and this has been instrumental in China Airline’s improved safety record, culminating in the company’s recognition by the IATA Operational Safety Audit (Source: Wikipedia). Some mainland China airlines also had safety issues on domestic routes during the early 1990’s when they still used antiquated Russian equipment, now have an impeccable safety record since having updated their entire fleet to new Boeing and Airbus airplanes. Asiana (a Korea based B carrier) has an excellent safety record, In fact, Asiana is one of only five carriers that have been given the five-star rating by Skytrax (the other four are all mayor A carriers Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Malaysia Airlines). So we can safely say that the safety record of vayama’s recommended B carriers is just as good as the A carriers and in most cases much better than some American legacy carriers.

B part of an alliance

Some B airlines like Asiana and China southern already belong to the Star Alliance and the Sky Team Alliance respectably, offering the high standard of service & safety that these alliances guarantee. Other B airlines like China Airlines, are already in conversations to join the Sky Team alliance, proving that the B carriers are here to stay and are well on their way to becoming the legacy carriers of the future.

B Airlines in the news:

Check out the article about B airlines on the New York Times Travel Section.

Attack of the Killer B’s: Meet the B Airlines

By Florin R. Ferrs (Savvy frequent flyer & international airfare expert)

Q; How can I save money on my next long haul flight to Asia/Pacific and still keep my creature comforts without breaking the bank?

In these tough economic times,  savvy travelers are committed to save as much money as possible on international airfares, but that still doesn’t make their long haul  flights to China or Australia any shorter, nor diminishes their  taste for the finer things in life and their special predilection to legroom!  So what can be done?  Is there a way to have your cake and eat it too when it comes to international airfares?

B Second to None:

Secondary airlines, known as B carriers, have long been the best kept secret of international travel and I am happy to report that these ‘killer B’s’ have redoubled their efforts in recent years (they try harder!) and are now able to offer you the best value for money and the best level of service,  both in the sky and on the ground, with uncongested and modern international airports, particularly in the Asia/Pacific region,  but also making inroads in Europe and South America.  International travel provider vayama.com is an expert in B Airlines and when I  book one of vayama’s selected B carriers, I am confident that I  will get only the Best service & value on great airlines like Asiana, China Airlines, V Australia, Air Europa & many more.

We try harder!

Skip Congested Legacy Airports:

We have all heard horror stories about congestion at London’s   Heathrow airport and strikes at Paris’s Charles de Gaule, one of the advantages of  B carriers is that they circumvent these clogged hubs  and connect in sleek and modern international airports with all the mod cons like free  WI-FI and deluxe airport lounges.

Sleek & uncongested.

Travelers to Asia are in for a treat this season with B Airlines  like Asiana & China Airlines. Both of these carriers offer easy connection to  Asian destinations through their  high tech airports in Taipei & Seoul, including same day connections to the Indian subcontinent that are staffed with an Indian crew to better serve the language and dietary needs of the Indian market.

Business Class?  Discover the Joys of Premium Economy.

Another excellent B Airline to Asia is China Southern, with a great hub at Guangzhou’s modern and uncongested Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, and offering hassle free connections to all main destinations in South East Asia and mainland China.  China Southern also offers an excellent premium economy cabin at a fraction of what the big boys charge for Business class but with very similar amenities and legroom.  Eva Air, connecting in Taipei, is another excellent Asian B carrier with a very good Premium Economy cabin; and you can’t beat these Premium Economy fares as a recession busting alternative to flying on Business class over the Pacific. For those still on expense accounts, the level of  service on Business and First class on  all Asian B Airlines is just as attentive and comfortable as the legacy carriers (perhaps more so, thay try harder, right?) for a much lower international airfare.

How do B carriers fare when it comes to service in the sky you ask?

Some B carriers like China Southern and Asiana, already belong to mayor international airline alliances like the Star Alliance and the One world alliance and my personal experience and what I consistently hear from other savvy frequent travelers is that the level of service of these B carriers sometimes puts some of the European and American legacy carriers to shame, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.

B now stands for Best service

If you want to enjoy a summer Christmas in Australia this year, why don’t you try one of the newest killer B, a brainchild of Sir Richard Branson and an airline that has already gained an excellent reputation for onboard service in coach on premium economy from Los Angeles to Sydney and   Australian Gold Coast destinations like Brisbane.

Europe and South America are also seeing the rise of the killer B’s with excellent carriers like TAM, TACA, Icelandair, Air Europa and Air Berlin. And when you pair the low international airfares and good service offered by the B carriers with Europe’s extensive network of low cost carriers, you are in for a cheap and cheerful European vacation that doesn’t sacrifice comfort where it counts: on the long haul over the water.

Destination of the Week:   Magical Mystery Tour,  Rishikesh, India

It’s a good time to fly to India, the forces of a competitive market and the rise of the B carriers have made India very affordable, with airfares as low as $750 total with tax from New York or California to Delhi during shoulder season.  If you are a savvy traveler (or want to travel like one), you probably share a small dislike for overly touristy destinations and India’s top five tourist destinations, as amazing as they are, can be overrun with international tourists (Japanese, Chinese, European, South Americans etc), not to mention having to run the gauntlet of tauts that aggressively man the entrances to all of India’s beloved monuments like the Taj Mahal or the Agra fort. Not that any of this should be a deterrent to admire these amazing palaces and tombs, all we are saying is: Take your pictures in front of the Taj Mahal and then run for the hills, before the tauts get to you.

Don't let the tauts get you down

The Real India?

During my recent trip to India and after feeling a bit overwhelmed by the heat and the overt touristiness of the main sites in Delhi and Agra,  I decided to head for the hills. During the British Raj, the colonialists built their summer capital in the foothills of the Himalayas and dotted the region with picturesque hill stations. The coolness and fog up in the hills were a welcome relief from the searing heat of the plains, and my encounter with the large Tibetan population in exile that inhabit these hill stations was a surprising treat. We spend our first night at the Hill Station of Missouri, where cooling fog enveloped Hindu temples and Tibetan markets and where waterfalls carry Himalayan snowmelt downstream to meet with the sacred Ganga river.  We drove into Rishikesh on the second day to find a magical mystery town on the banks of the Ganges that is set against the dramatic backdrop of the Himalayan foothills. It only took about five minutes before I spotted a hirsute Hippy with a  The Beatles T shirt,  as Rishikesh  is the very same town where John, Paul, George & Ringo sequestered themselves for three months  at the  Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram with other celebrities, including Mia Farrow, Donovan and members of The Beach Boys, during the winter and fall of 1968,  and where most of the songs for the Beatles’ White Album were written.

Party like it's 1968

A Room With a View

We lucked out by finding a cheap and clean local hotel for $50 per night with a private balcony overlooking the Ganges River and the mountains (‘finding’ the hotel is a bit of an overstatement, as the hotel was hidden at the end of a local neighborhood lane that was chock full of cows, goats, temples & corner shops, but we had a lot of local help in finding it). The next morning we awoke to the treat of seeing the local townspeople come down to the river’s edge to bathe and perform their morning water rituals. Later that same morning we crossed the bridge over to the opposite bank and walked around an amazing bazaar, full of holy men, temples and shops,  where we jumped into a Jeep taxi and were spirited away to look for the ruins of Maharishi’s Ashram, as he had apparently fallen behind in the rent and the building had long ago been taken back by the Indian government and the local forest. After a five minute drive, skirting Indian Tuc Tucs, cows and rickshaws, we left the blacktop road and barreled down a dirt track. What greeted us what something straight out of Disney’s “The Jungle Book”, the old ashram had reverted back to nature (Mother Nature’s Son?) : Greenery and monkeys now cavort in the very  same cottages that formerly housed all these icons of western pop culture that went to Rishikesh to find themselves in 1968.

Run to the Hills: Rishikesh, India

My Generation:

The Hindu festivals were  at full swing that evening when we returned to the bazaar, a chorus of local children joined  in the celebrations and teenagers danced fire rituals.  Every local temple was alight with celebration and Hippy tourists adorned the Hindu trance like music with their own interpretative dancing. That is what  I love about Hinduism,  the locals never seemed to mind when our western Hippies joined in their ancient rituals and chants,  and even when our  Hippies evidently didn’t  have a clue about local customs or language, the locals always greeted them with a smile and let them join in.  I love India.

Discounted Airline Tickets to Johannesburg for the South Africa Football World Cup

Q: How do we get discounted airline tickets to Johannesburg for the South Africa Football World Cup next June?

Unfortunately, FIFA dictates who they can sell their tickets and there are only 3 large consolidators appointed in the USA by FIFA – who can sell the entire world cup package (Including hotels plus Air etc).

The discounted airline tickets to Johannesburg for next June are currently very expensive because the seats are blocked by the airlines to fulfill the package deals given out through the FIFA appointed agents.

However vayama.com expects to get last minute deals when the appointed agents return some blocked seats, if they are unable to sell everything by the ticketing deadline – that will be sometime next year, aprox 3 to 4 months before the June kickoff . So keep checking this space and the vayama.com website for news of cheap Johannesburg Tickets closer to June.

Top 5 Fall Festivals of the world & cheap airline tickets to get there for less:

Fall’s foliage is here and fall festivals begin all around the world, from Crop Over festivals in the West Indies to the famous Diwali festival of light in India, don’t miss the top five fall festivals to discover or to celebrate with your family this fall and the cheapest airfares to get there.

1-Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany.

Oktoberfest will start on Saturday September 19th at noon and last until October 4th, 2009 and it’s free to enter (Beer and sausages are purchased separately and it’s a good idea to book a place on your favorite brewery’s tent. The Festival consists of over 6 main brewer’s tents, including Spaten and other Munich Based breweries.

How do we fly to Munich cheap?

I recommend vayama.com to find the cheapest airline tickets to Munich; I just found a cheap airline ticket from New York to Munich from $597 total, including all taxes on British Airways departing September 15th and returning October 7th. You can also return from another city in Germany or Europe for the same price and take the train in the middle for the ultimate European trip this fall.

2-Diwali : Delhi, India

Diwali in 2009 is celebrated on Saturday, the 17th of October. It is the largest festival in India, known as the “Festival of light’, a thousand tiny oil lamps will be lit from every window, verandah and patio and from paper boats on the Ganges river and lakes. It is one of the most beautiful fall festivals on Earth.

How do we fly to Delhi cheap?

With vayama’s cheap tickets to Delhi, tourists can see it for themselves and expats can fly home cheap to celebrate with their families. I just found a cheap airline ticket from San Francisco to Delhi on Vayama.com (link) for $749 total on Asiana Airlines. Other cheap tickets to India on Vayama.com include Chicago, Los Angeles and New York from $750 on Air India or Jet Airways. Take advantage of the cheap fare to fly back out of Mumbai for the same airfare and take advantage of cheap rail travel in India for the ultimate Indian travel adventure during Diwali.

3 Guy Fawkes’ Night: London England

Guy Fawkes Night commemorates the failure of the “Gunpowder Plot” against King James I on November 5th 1605. So every 5th of November, in every town and hamlet in England, locals gather at dusk to burn effigies of Guy Falkes and to light massive bonfires to the sounds of exploding fireworks. It’s a rowdy celebration where the usually subdued English let their hair down (helped with generous rounds of beer). Nowadays in London, Guy Falkes night is celebrated with parades and costume parties as well as the traditional fireworks displays and huge bonfires.

How do I get to London Cheap for Guy Folkes night?

Easy! I just found a flight to London on Vayama.com for $185 plus tax ($549 total) on Virgin Atlantic nonstop. Great for Tourists and Ex- pats alike.

4-Day of the Dead: Oaxaca, Mexico

El día de los muertos, from November first to the second, is one of the most culturally interesting times to be in Mexico. Each town has its own special way to celebrate this day, but none more colorful than the celebrations in Oaxaca: From scull candies to elaborate papier-mâché shrines and colorful kites, you will witness numerous families visiting cemeteries with candies, flowers, candles and cheer, to sing, dance and celebrate with the deceased, leaving behind beautifully decorated graves.

How do I get to Oaxaca cheap?

I just found a cheap ticket to Oxaca on the Vayama.com Website for $677 total including all taxes. Great airfare for Mexican Ex-pats to fly home to celebrate with their families and for the tourists who will have the privilege of experiencing this amazing fall festival, for less.

5-White Night: Paris, France

Each year on October 1 and 2, the City of Light becomes the City of Wide Awake. Known as Nuit Blanche, or White Night. Over 120 cultural institutions and public gathering places stay open all night. This free celebration of arts and culture is the perfect opportunity to visit monuments, tourist attractions, museums, galleries, libraries, houses of worship, cinemas, parks, swimming pools and even universities. Monuments and buildings are illuminated in colored lights with accompanying music. At daybreak, the city hall in each arrondissement organizes breakfasts for those who’ve lasted through the night.

How do I get to Paris Cheap?

Vayama.com has cheap tickets to Paris from New York; I just found a fare on Air France from $549 total including tax. Take the Eurostar train to London and explore two cities and two fall festivals for one Airfare, or take the train to Munich and catch Oktoberfest too, the airfare will be almost the same returning from Munich, London or Paris.

Break the fare for a cheaper Passage to Kathmandu Nepal.

I just received an E mail from a friend of mine from Chicago.

“I want to track in Nepal this fall, I live in Chicago and when they enter Chicago to Kathmandu on the vayama.com booking engine (link) I am getting airfares of $1893 and up. Help!”

Do not despair, you can break the fare and save a bundle on Airline Tickets to Nepal and other South East Asian destinations.

How does one break the fare?

If you find that the cheapest airfare to any south East Asian destination is too high, use this trick of the trade: Search for the cheapest airfare to a south East Asian Hub airport like Bangkok. Vayama.com offers airfares from Chicago, New York and Los Angeles to Bangkok from $670 roundtrip including all taxes.

Break the airfare in Bangkok and save:

From Bangkok to Kathmandu, the Vayama.com website offers airfares from $554 plus taxes on Jet Airways via Delhi or on Thai Airways nonstop. I wanted to fly nonstop from Bangkok to Kathmandu so I selected the cheapest one on Thai Airways for $679 total including taxes. Add this to the Chicago to Bangkok airfare and the grand total is: $1349. That is almost a $500 saving from the $1893 airfare from Chicago to Kathmandu if I didn’t break the fare in Bangkok.

Go Native and save even more:

I could have saved even more if I had waited to arrive in Bangkok to purchase the Bangkok to Kathmandu roundtrip airfare locally. Sometimes it pays to call a local agent in Bangkok to buy the ticket for the local fare for further savings.

Now You Try it: Let me know how much you saved by breaking the fare in one of the world’s hubs.

Score the Cheapest International Airline Tickets by using Airline Hubs Smartly

Airline hubs are a savvy traveler’s best friend when it comes to international airline tickets. If your international ticket is originating in a small town in the USA and culminating in a small Asian destination, don’t accept the first airfare that you get, use Airline hubs and save.

What is an Airline Hub?

Airline Hubs are the airports where most flights originate from, and when combined with their geographical location and a higher volume of travelers and airlines, it allows lower airfares to a particularly popular destination, for example:  New York JFK to London Heathrow.

Use Airline Hubs & Save a Bundle:

I need to find the cheapest airline ticket from Wichita in Kansas to Vientiane in Laos.  I request the itinerary on the vayama website  originating in Wichita and ending in Vientiane and got a grand total airfare of $1553. This is still a very good airfare, but we can get it even cheaper using airline hubs.

Take Advantage of Airline Hubs to save more money:

The trick is to breakdown your trip into 3 separate roundtrip flights from airline hub to airline hub.

First booking: Wichita to Los Angeles $184 plus tax on Continental $249 roundtrip total.

Second booking: Los Angeles to Bangkok from $583 ($660 total) on China Airlines roundtrip.

Third booking: Bangkok to Vientiane: $280 plus tax ($381 total) roundtrip.

These 3 separate flights add up to $1290 (total savings: $ 263 off the already discounted $1553 airfare).

Other Airline Hubs for cheap airfares:

Miami: Great airline hub for discounted international flights to Latin America, Mexico & the Caribbean.

New York: Low Airfare to Europe and India.

Los Angeles: Low Airfares to Mexico and Asia.

San Francisco: One of the best airline hubs for Asia (China, Taiwan, Bangkok, Japan, Philippines).

Chicago: Good airline hub for India & Europe

You can use low cost airlines like Jet Blue, Virgin America and Southwest to get to your USA airline hubs in order to connect to your international flight.

International Airline Hubs:

Bangkok: Great airline hub for tickets to India, Nepal & South East Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Jakarta, Bali).

Hong Kong: Best hub for discounted airfares to China and South East Asia.

Taipei: Great airline hub for international flight to Bali, Okinawa & Hong Kong.

London: Great airline hub for European flight and home base of several low cost carriers to Europe.

Dubai: Great airline hub for international tickets to India, Pakistan, the Indian Ocean, Middle East & East Africa.

Delhi: Great hub for international tickets to Nepal and flights within India.

Now you try it:

Send us your favorite airline hubs and the low fares you can get from there.

One Night in Bangkok and the world is your Oyster!

Use  Bangkok as your hub to discover South East Asia for less.

For travelers that have always dreamed of discovering South East Asia but were afraid of the price of the airline ticket, fear no more, we will show you how to get the most out of your airline ticket to South East Asia.

South East Asia multiple cities for less:

We recommend using the vayama.com website to grab a ticket on China Airlines to Bangkok; I have just spotted a ticket for $730 total from San Francisco to Bangkok  including a stop in Hong Kong.

How do you book it?

Select the multiple city option on top of the  vayama .com website’s  ”Find a flight” box: The  first flight will be from San Francisco to Hong Kong.  The second flight will be  from Hong Kong to Bangkok and the third flight from Bangkok back to San Francisco. The China Airlines hub is Taipei, so you can select a long layover there and hit the town for a bonus Asian city visit, all for only $730 from San Francisco, not bad.   You can also request the same itinerary from New York or Los Angeles.

Bangkok is the hub of South East Asia:

Once you are in Bangkok, you have most South East Asian capitals at your fingertips, here is a list of destinations where you can fly to from $150 each way from Bangkok:  Cambodia (Siam Reap & Phnom Penh),  Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City & Hanoi), Bangalore, Delhi,  Singapore,  Phuket & More.

How to book inter Asia Trips:

You have 2 options, you can use the vayama.com site to book as many side trips from Bangkok as you like, from the air conditioned comfort of your hotel room,  or you can brave the heat and visit a local travel agencies down the Khao San Road in Bangkok, you will find that you will be able to pay the local price and shave off a few dollars for puddle jumps that originate in Bangkok, plus it’s a great way to meet the locals and to get travel suggestions from them, like the best beaches of Cambodia or the cool jungle resorts of Thailand. Let us know what travel treasures you have managed to find out in the field.

Khao San Road Bangkok Thailand

Now you try it, let’s see how many South East Asian countries you can book for less.

Enjoy your trip.