Clark Howard's Travel e-Scapes Newsletter May 6, 2014
Travel e-Scapes is brought to you by Clara Bosonetto, Team Clark Travel Editor
Travel Tips, Tidbits & Trivia
Exchanging Money Abroad
Match up your arrival airport and/or overseas hotel address with the nearest ATM for money withdrawals. Find available VISA and MasterCard ATMs online. Drawing money from an ATM is the best way to get local currency while abroad. Get more tips for money exchange, using your mobile phone and more with Clark's Overseas Travel Guide.
VIA Canada Rail Sale
There's a major seat sale underway from VIA Rail Canada. All routes throughout Canada are discounted 50 percent or more in all classes, except Business class. Tickets be purchased by May 8 for travel from May 21 to August 27.
Discount rates apply to Economy, Touring, Sleeper class and Sleeper Plus classes. For example, travel from Montreal to Quebec City for only $45; from Ottawa to Toronto for $73, or from Montreal to Halifax starting at $119.
Take advantage of never seen before low fares in Economy class on the Canadian, starting at $124 between Edmonton and Vancouver, for example. Renowned to be one of the greatest train journeys in the world, this is be the perfect time to experience the Sleeper Plus class that provides you a comfortable cabin, made-to-order freshly prepared locally inspired meals in the dining car, and the Panorama car with its floor to ceiling windows for the best views of the mountains, waterfalls and cities. Seat sale fares between Toronto and Vancouver in Sleeper Plus class start at $682 per person.
New Airline Routes
Delta Air Lines expands in the New York market by offering new year-round daily service from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Zurich and expanded service to Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport.
The Zurich flight will featuring full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in the BusinessElite cabin. Daily Zurich service will begin effective June 16 and during the summer will complement the airline's existing service from Atlanta.
Service to Rome will operate daily from April to October, and then five times per week in November, December and March with Delta's partner Alitalia.
Starting this winter (TBA), Delta and partners Air France-KLM and Alitalia are also expanding service to Paris and Amsterdam from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The move will add an additional daily nonstop flight for a total of four daily flights to both Amsterdam and Paris - and timed to provide customers with more connecting opportunities to destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
All of Delta's international widebody flights now offer full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in BusinessElite in addition to Economy Comfort seating. Delta is also the only U.S. domestic carrier to offer personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul international flights. Delta will also roll out Wi-Fi across its entire international fleet by the end of 2015.
______
American Airlines, together with US Airways, announced the addition of eight new domestic routes from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Phoenix. Scheduled to launch this fall, the new routes include service to five destinations in the Midwest, including Bismarck, North Dakota, a new destination for the combined carrier.
Beginning September 3, customers in Grand Rapids, Michigan (GRR) will have access to twice-daily nonstop regional service to both Charlotte and Philadelphia. The remaining routes will launch October 2 and include service between:
Charlotte and Evansville, Indiana (EVV), three times per day
Charlotte and Fort Wayne, Indiana (FWA), daily
Chicago and Bismarck (BIS), daily
Dallas-Fort Worth and Bismarck, daily
Philadelphia and Fort Wayne, Indiana, twice-daily
Phoenix and Cleveland (CLE), daily
Customers can already book travel on most new routes, with the exception of flights to Evansville and Fort Wayne, which will be available for booking beginning Saturday, May 10.
Today's HOT Domestic & International Deals
The following rates could vanish at any time. HOT deals have no ticket-by date, meaning the airlines can 'pull' these rates when they deem the offer a sell-out or an error. Act fast!
One-way from Atlanta:
$180 each way, Aspen, Colorado ($134)
$187 each way, Jackson Hole, Wyoming ($140)
Travel any available day
Complete travel on or before August 18
Valid on United via Chicago
GO NOW TO EUROPE! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$727 Brussels, Belgium, or Zurich, Switzerland ($200)
No advance purchase required
Travel any available day
Depart May 16-August 23
Stay at least one Saturday night or up to one year
Valid on United via Washington DC-Dulles
Compare to $1,600 on Delta!
Domestic & International Sales
The following rates have a ticket-by date which gives you a bit more breathing room to purchase tickets. However, the offer could expire before that date should an airline deem the sale rates sold-out -- or a mistake!
One-way from Atlanta:
$133 each way, Seattle ($111)
$134 each way, San Antonio, Texas ($112)
$146 each way, Los Angeles ($124)
Not valid Friday or Sunday
Start travel on or after August 25
Complete travel on or before October 30
Purchase by May 8
Valid on Amerian via Dallas
One-way from Atlanta:
$207 each way, Vancouver, British Columbia ($165)
A 14-day advance purchase required
Travel any available day
No blackouts
Complete travel on or before April 2, 2015
Valid on Amerian via Dallas
GO NOW! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$409 San Jose, Costa Rica ($150)
No advance purchase required
Travel any available day
Complete travel on or before June 20
Sunday-Wednesday departures require a 3-night minimum stay
Purchase by May 13
Valid on United via Houston
GO NOW OR BUY NOW FOR SUMMER! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$899 Dublin or Shannon ($483), depart by May 15
$1,079 Dublin or Shannon ($663), depart June 1-August 31
Add $20 per direction for Friday-Sunday travel
Stay at least one Saturday night or up to one year
No advance purchase required on departures through May 15
Purchase by May 15
Valid on Aer Lingus via Chicago-O'Hare
One free stopover permitted
Compare these deals to Delta's round-trip rates from $1,400!
SUMMER IN ITALY! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$933 Milan, Italy ($262)
Add just $16 per direction for Thursday-Saturday outbound; Friday-Sunday returns
Depart May 17-August 25
Stay at least one Saturday night or up to 180 days
Valid on American/British Airways via Miami or London
Compare to Delta's round-trip rate of $2,123!
Top 10 Tuesday
When you're trying to relax on the beach, the last thing you want is to contend with screaming children and obnoxious couples engaging in PDAs. The best beach experience is one uninterrupted by these distractions. If you're looking to enjoy complete solitude on a gorgeous beach, you'll definitely want to check out one of the following Top 10 World's Most Secluded and Beautiful Beaches:
1. La Sagesse Bay, Grenada: Secluded La Sagesse Bay lies just ten miles from the resorts of Grand Anse. Find seclusion with an exploration of the hiking trails found throughout La Sagesse's nature center.
2. Rocktail Bay, South Africa: Located within the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, Rocktail Bay is incredibly difficult for tourists to access. A trip to this gorgeous beach requires a series of flights, including the initial journey to Johannesburg, plus a second flight to the Richards Bay airport and a final trek via single-engine aircraft to KwaZulu-Natal.
3. Wildcat Beach, California: Getting here is highly challenging. It involves a nearly six-mile foot hike or a near seven-mile bike journey. But once there, enjoy over two miles of stunning shoreline and a waterfall.
4. Smuggler's Cove, Greece: Get a cliff-top view of the Mediterranean - and a shipwreck. Also known as Navagio Beach, visitors must hire a boat tour to reach it. Expensive guided trips typically depart from the harbor of Zakynthos.
5. Ko Adang, Thailand: Part of Tarutao National Park, this beach on the emerald Andaman Sea offers several challenging hiking trails, secluded nature for bird watchers and opportunities for snorkeling or scuba diving.
6. Grenen, Denmark: Located on the northernmost tip of Denmark. The sandbar beach is for your eyes only. Swimming is prohibited in the treacherous waters.
7. Macushia Beach, Australia: Located within Hinchinbrook Island National Park, the largest island national park in the entire world - and reachable only by a 40-minute boat ride from the town of Cardwell. The vast secluded beach is home to some of the best sunsets in Australia, as well as plenty of cockatoos and turtles.
8. Carro Quebrado, Brazil: A guide is necessary to get to one of Brazil's most notable beaches located on the Coast of Alagoas. Carro Quebrado means broken down car — and that's exactly what you'll experience if you attempt to access this destination in a conventional manner. Arriving visitors encounter white sands, emerald waters and a vast array of colorful stones. From the shores of the beach, you can see spectacular red cliffs. A tiny palm-thatched bar serves up fresh shrimp to cold beer.
9. Port Isaac, United Kingdom: Cornwall's quaint town is still relatively quiet compared to your typical British weekend destination. For beach lounging, try Daymer Bay.
10. Kaupoa Beach, Molokai, Hawaii: A desolated, haunted shoreline with a name that translates to "Place of Thieves." Once one of Molokai's most popular destinations, but the only resort closed seven years ago. Go for stunning ocean views and snorkeling when the ocean is calm.
Source: Visit Destination Seeker for more info on each destination.
Special Hotel & Resort Deals
Chi-Town Deal
The newly renamed Fairfield Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile places visitors steps from the city's most popular attractions. Guests can spend an afternoon browsing retailers at The Shops at North Bridge and 900 North Michigan Shops, both along the Magnificent Mile. Nearby are some of the city's architectural landmarks - the John Hancock Building, which offers a 360 degree spectacular view, Navy Pier, the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Field Museum of Natural History and Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum. Here's a trio of value-priced packages, valid on stays through December 31:
The "Children's Museum" package, from $89, includes a family pass for four to the Chicago Children's Museum and valet parking.
The "Shop Magnificently" package, from $89, includes a $50 gift card to 900 North Michigan Shops and valet parking.
High-end shoppers can get a break on luxury retailers with "The Shops at North Bridge" package. Rates start from $99 and includes a $50 "Give Style" gift card to The Shops at North Bridge, a Shopping & Dining Visitor Rewards brochure and valet parking.
Guest amenities include access to the fitness center, wifi in all guest rooms and public spaces, plus complimentary hot breakfast each morning with a USA Today newspaper. Guest rooms feature plush bedding, a large work desk and coffeemaker.
Calling All Vets!
Calling all active and retired military personnel. The Courtyard New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue has a special deal just for you during Fleet Week. To celebrate, the Courtyard New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue will offer special military rates starting at $169 for deluxe accommodations on May 21-27 stays. Guests will need to show their military ID at check-in. The hotel features spacious, newly renovated rooms that are limited to just seven per floor for a boutique-like feel. Guests amenities include wifi, spacious desks with ergonomic chairs, coffeemakers, plus mattresses and bedding, and a fitness center.
The hotel is within walking distance to Broadway, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Rockefeller Center - and is close to nightlife. Across the street, Bryant Park features an open air "reading room" with a selection of books to browse. Diners can grab something to eat at the Bryant Park Grill or Bryant Park Cafe or just enjoy the sunshine on the lawn. Rockefeller Center offers the Top of the Rock Observation Center as well as premier shopping and dining at Anthropologie, Gamestop, J. Crew, Au Bon Pain, City Lobster and Steak, Harry's Italian Pizza Parlor and Liberty Deli.
The 26th Annual Fleet Week New York is a celebration of the sea services. Including some of the finest ships and personnel from the participating services, the weeklong event is an opportunity for citizens to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsman and tour several ships docked in the city. Tours offered May 22-26 include five ships at two locations. The guided-missile destroyer USS Cole and guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg join U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Katherine Walker at The Sullivans Pier in Staten Island. At Pier 92 in Manhattan, the dock-landing ship USS Oak Hill and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Campbell are on display.
Travel Quotation
Roam abroad in the world, and take thy fill of its enjoyments before the day shall come when thou must quit it for good.
Saadi, major Persian poet of the medieval period (1210-1291)
Planning your getaway? Get more of Clark's money-saving travel advice! And, follow Clara Bosonetto on Twitter for breaking travel news and deals at AirfaresToGo.
Note: Prices shown in parentheses are the airline’s base fare before taxes and fees. Clark Howard's Travel e-Scapes Team reminds you that the information in this newsletter is researched on the same day that you receive it. It can happen that by the time you read your copy a particular airfare may already have expired, especially the "HOT" deals listed. Airlines can publish and then 'pull', or discontinue sales without warning. Timing is everything!
Get more of Clark's best travel deals Mondays through Fridays on the Atlanta Travel Deals page.
