Beat the Heat: Cool Summer Destinations

It happens every summer. The sun peeks out of the clouds, and everyone falls all over themselves to be the first ones at the beach sporting a tan. Not in the mood for baking? We’ve got you covered. Check out these five destinations around the globe that keep things cool in the summer, but turn up the heat with culture, nightlife, and dining.

If you’ve never been to the Land Down Under, book a flight to Sydney, Australia to check out how the Aussies chill.  One of the country’s most famous cities, Sydney welcomes travelers from all over the world and offers distinct dining options, special interest sites like the Sydney Towers, The Rocks, and the Taronga Zoo. The best part? Temperatures stay between 60-65 degrees, so you won’t have to sweat it.

San Francisco takes the word “cool” to a new level. Not only is the weather pleasantly chill in the 60’s all summer long, but the attitude of the entire city follows suit. Locals here are laid back, art-savvy, and open minded. Be sure to check out the small, approachable art galleries on Geary Street, and see a local music act on the weekends to really soak up the vibe.

Cheapflights Weekly Round-up: Flight Deals, Hotel Discounts, and Airline News

This week has been a surreal one.

Luxury travel on the cheap has really made a play - jetting people off to preppy Nantucket for less than $10, and allowing perfectly non-first-class regulars to participate in the elegant front of the cabin quarters. It's like pigs flying. I can suddenly afford to hop on a first class flight and stay at the Fairmont, or get free medical insurance in Mexico.

Check out these unreal savings (and eye-catching news stories) in case you missed them:

Flights
JetBlue $9 Flights to Nantucket: (Yes, that’s the cheapest thing you’ll find on the island.) Sure, New England has some schizophrenic weather patterns, but that shouldn’t stop you from booking a flight to Nantucket. JetBlue caught on to this hot little island’s allure and set prices to $9 per flight as a part of its “Cheeps.”

You Stay Classy, United: This week, United let the rest of us in on the luxuries of first class. Awesome rates (like $209 for a New York flight to Washington, DC) give us just enough room to rub elbows with our VIP friends up front. Our tip? Act like you were born to sit there.

Los Angeles Hotel Deals

What’s better than a free hotel night? Up to $100 in hotel credits in a place where money is seemingly no object: Los Angeles.

We dug up a thorough list of hotels offering dining and entertainment credits at discoverlosangeles.com, the official Web site for the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. Hotels range from budget accommodations to more upscale digs.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the top credit offers:

-Arrive Thursday through Sunday at the Westin Los Angeles Airport and get up to 25 percent off.

-Get a $25 restaurant credit when you book a stay at the Hollywood Heights Hotel.

Discount Hotels: Book Three Nights, Get One Free at the Westin

Hotels have been offering up free nights all summer and we’re loving every minute of it. We’re especially excited when a well-known upscale brand, like the Westin, offers free nights worldwide.

Here’s the deal: Book a hotel room for three or four nights and get one free. Or, book six nights and get two free nights. This promotion applies to all Westin properties in the world. So why not book a stay at the Westin San Francisco Market Street or the Westin Paris and get your last night free?

Flight Sale: Midwest Airlines' Kansas City and Milwaukee Routes

Midwest Airlines is offering discounted fares to and from several U.S. cities, including Milwaukee, Boston and Orlando. The flights are good for travel beginning Aug. 11 through Sept. 30.

To get the advertised fares, book a flight for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday travel. Other days of the week will result in slightly higher fares. Book by Aug. 3. Sample fares are round-trip and don’t included taxes and fees.

Milwaukee flights to/from:
Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh from $148
Atlanta, Boston, New York City, Orlando, Washington, D.C. from $168
Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco from $198
Seattle from $218

Meet Alex: Continental Airlines Introduces Virtual Customer Support

Good news – confused travelers get a helping hand from Continental Airlines. If you’ve ever had a question you needed answered, a web page you needed an explanation for, or a route you needed to be clarified, you’ll be happy to meet Alex.

Created from Virtual Expert Technology, Alex (airline expert) is an interactive guide that looks, sounds, (and in most cases understands) like a normal human being. Basically, she’s the new version of 24-7 customer support, put in place to help guests with all their travel needs, from booking flights to changing reservations.

Check her out, she lives on continental.com.

Play Ball: Historic Baseball Destinations in the U.S.

Some things just mean summer time in America. Along with apple pie and barbecues, baseball is one of America’s greatest pastimes. Don’t let this summer go by without visiting one of the nation’s oldest and most revered parks. 

Boston: Fenway Park
When you’re looking for Fenway, keep in mind that locals will probably understand you better if you ask for “the pahk” and the “the park.” Toss in a slur about the Yankees, and you’re golden. The oldest park in the nation, Fenway boasts structural gems that date back to 1912, and though it survived two fires in the early 1900’s, this place just won’t quit. It’s known mostly for its almost-impenetrable Green Monster (ahem, Monstah) and fans’ enthusiastic rendition of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” When the Sox are winning, Boston never feels so good – so good – so good, so book your flight to Boston today to experience this historic baseball haven.

New York City: Yankee Stadium
Known for history, culture, and nightlight, the Big Apple has plenty to boast about outside of baseball, but the only logical place to visit after Fenway Park is the home of their long-time rival: Yankee Stadium. While it’s been built, rebuilt, and built again, we still recommend seeing this New York landmark in all its glory, since the Yankees elicit so much nostalgia within the MLB. Book a flight to New York to see if you can get day-of tickets, but if you can’t there are always daytime tours of the House That Ruth Built.

Airline News: Southwest Makes Bid for Frontier Airlines

Southwest Airlines Co. announced it will bid $113.6 million to purchase Frontier Airlines. According to Business Week, Southwest's bid is part of a U.S. Bankruptcy Court proceeding which says airlines can submit "nonbinding bid proposals to acquire the troubled carrier."

The bidding deadline for the airline is Aug. 10, at which point Frontier Airlines will be sold at auction.

In a statement from Southwest, the airline said the acquisition of Frontier into the Southwest network would expand the company’s route list and possibly add jobs in Frontier's core areas, including Denver.

© Cheapflights Ltd

Tasty Trips: Restaurant Week in Boston, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

One of our favorite parts of traveling is trying new restaurants, which is why we’re so excited about the upcoming restaurant weeks being held in Boston, Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Book a flight to the East Coast and dine your way through these historic cities.

Boston Restaurant Week lasts from Aug. 9 through Aug. 14 and again on Aug. 16 through Aug. 21. Prix fixe menus are offered at more than two hundred restaurants. Two-course lunches will be $15.09, three courses will be $20.09. Dinner will cost $33.09. If you think that’s a deal, we found flights to Boston starting at $179 roundtrip (taxes included) on Continental Airlines.

Or, book a flight to Baltimore and chow down with $30.09 three-course entrees from more than 90 restaurants. Three-course lunches will cost $20.09. The event begins Aug. 7 and runs through Aug. 16. Book a flight on US Airways with fares from $213 roundtrip (taxes included).

Hotel Deal: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Offers Rooms from $55/night

We usually like to fly by the seat of our pants (no pun intended). When we see a great last-minute flight deal, we pack our bags immediately. However, in this instance, we’re going to tell you to take it slow.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering an exclusive deal through Hotwire’s Travel Ticker. The details: Stay in August and you’ll save 10 percent on regular room rates. Get away in September and get 20 percent off. Book a stay for October, November or December and save 30 percent.

Room rates are advertised as $55/night for midweek stays and go up to $139 on weekends, but we did a little searching and actually find a few instances in September where rooms were going for $48/night (Casino Tower Mountain View King). We also found one Friday night – Oct. 11 – for $111.