Cheapflights Weekly Roundup: Airline News & Travel Deals
This weekend marks the start of one of our favorite summer holidays. Think: BBQ, outdoor picnics, fireworks, friends and family... if only it would stop raining long enough in Boston for us to actually get outside.
On the bright side, thanks to some celestial magic, July 4 falls on a Saturday this year which means a 3-day weekend for many workers. That also means incredible last-minute airfare and hotel deals for those wanting to get out of town and celebrate their independence in a new city. Bottom line from the travel experts at Cheapflights: These are amazingly low prices for a holiday weekend.
From New York to Los Angeles, airlines and hotels are dropping rates by the minute to encourage travelers to get out of town this July 4.
In addition to the July 4 sales happening around the country, the travel industry released a few newsworthy reports this week. If you're doubting customer service, struggling to lose a few extra pounds, or you just feel like embracing your inner-daredevil at 30,000-feet, read on: Cheapflights.com brings you this week's weekly roundup:
Flights:
Continental Goes Back to Cali: If you're craving the beach, need some fine wine, or just want to play in the land of Legos, Continental has a deal for you. Flights to California start at $178RT.
JetBlue in the Kitchen: Low-cost airline JetBlue is helping New York promote the famous NYC restaurant week with cheap flights to New York through the month of July.
More Flights to Mexico: American Airlines and Orbitz teamed up to offer round-trip airfare to Mexico from $156 through Nov. 30, 2009.
Hotels:
Washington DC Hotels 30% Off Promo: If you're looking for patriotism, look no further than Washington DC. The DC Tourism Department is offering 30 percent off 3-nights hotel stays.
Kimpton Keeps it Real: Let's be honest: when it comes to finding a good hotel room, freebies are always a plus. We salute Kimpton's efforts to hand out $1 cocktails or $1 breakfasts with every night you stay at one of their hotels.
Vacation Packages:
Deals Down Under: Sydney vacation packages start at just $839 for round-trip airfare from Los Angeles and five nights accommodations.
Island Hopping: Can't decide which Hawaiian island to spend your time on? Not to worry, now you can visit three islands with this 9-night special from $999. Includes flights from the continental US, hotels and inter-island flights between Oahu, Kauai and Maui.
Dream Vacation to Thailand: Cash in your vacation days and book a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Thailand for $1,199, airfare and hotel included.
Airline News:
When it comes right down to it, customers still expect a little satisfaction on their flights. This week in airline news, J.D. Power & Associates released their annual Airline Customer Satisfaction Survey, which showed low-cost airlines still top the rankings in terms of customer service and amenities, but overall, airline customer satisfaction ratings are down.
Also in airline news, controversy hit the comments fields when some airlines announced this week they are considering charging fees for overweight passengers.
For those of you more daring types, the ingenious minds in China have come up with another way to maximize space and make a profit: standing-room only tickets on airplanes. Spring Airlines is planning to propose the new concept to regulators later this year. Will you pay less for standing room only flights?
That's it for us this week! From the travel desk, and on behalf of all the Cheapflights.com travel experts, we wish everyone a happy and safe July 4 holiday.
© Cheapflights Ltd Melanie Nayer