Time to Travel
Crowds are Small and Savings are Great

Dateline: 9/23/01

Care for a table at one of Washington's most popular restaurants? No problem.

Need a room on the Las Vegas strip for a few days? Plenty are available.

America's current tragedy has hit the travel industry like no other business. Airline struggles are getting most of the headlines, but hotels, restaurants, and tour operators are hurting, too.

Many are working with a degree of desperation to get travelers back in line. That means lower prices, smaller crowds and a good experience for consumers who are willing to buck the trend.

Airlines Offer Discounts

Southwest has been offering $34-89 USD one-way fares on air segments. By the time you read this, the offer (through September 24) probably will have expired. So why mention it here? It is an example of a budget carrier slashing prices even lower to fill seats. Look for more of this.

America West and National have launched major fare sales, and National has also waived many advance purchase requirements until September 28. Check our update section for the latest from the airlines.

As some carriers slash prices, Congress has passed a $15 billion USD aid package for the airlines. It's less than the $20 billion requested, but the industry is breathing a small sigh of relief.

"We are gratified that our nation's airlines will not become the first economic casualty of this war," said American Transport Association CEO Carol Hallett. "Restoring economic stability to our air transport system is essential to moving our nation forward and resuming our way of life."

	Hotel deals abound in larger cities like Chicago, where convention business is hurting.

Hotels Cutting Prices

When Orlando is hurting, you know the situation is critical.

It's quite possibly the world's best-known tourist destination, but even Walt Disney World has been cutting part-time employees.

Businesses are going to groups and offering special discounts. But the truth is that Orlando and other major convention cities are seeing mass cancelations.

If you're up to it, this is an excellent time to visit places like Orlando or Las Vegas and get good deals on hotel rooms or weekend getaway packages.

Travelocity and its partner Site59.com offer such deals. One example: a three-night weekend stay in Chicago, including a free architectural walking tour, is priced at $186 USD for two people, double occupancy. That hotel is out near O'Hare Airport.

The same package allows a choice of several other hotels for more money. For $360 (taxes included), you can choose a hotel just off Michigan Avenue in the heart of Chicago's entertainment and shopping district. That's $120/night in an area where you could easily spend two or three times that amount.

The packages there can be altered to include combinations like airfare/hotel, airfare/rental car, etc.

Expedia offers three-star rooms in Las Vegas as low as $25 USD/night, with airfare/hotel packages starting at $202. They're offering 10% off Las Vegas vacations through October 1.

Your best chances of finding lower rates will be in large cities, where convention rooms are empty. But shop around the smaller markets, too. You might find nightly rates are negotiable when several competitors are nearby.