Travel Tuesday

Travel Deals for Black Friday

Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Travel Deal Tuesday Travel Deals Back with a Vengeance

(This is a slightly different version of a story we prepared for NBC News)

The pandemic put a ground hold on travel for much of the past 18 months. But with global travel restrictions lifting and holiday retail sales expected to shatter previous records, the travel industry is already rolling out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for those whose holiday shopping lists include experiences, reunions with friends and family, and bucket list adventures.

“Sweaters are nice but what people really want this holiday season is a warm embrace from family and friends,” says Mike Daher, vice-chair, U.S. transportation, hospitality, and services non-attest leader for Deloitte.

With 42% of Americans planning to travel between Thanksgiving and mid-January, Daher doesn’t anticipate travel sites, airlines, hotels, or other attractions extending many promotions and discounts for travel during the holiday season. But that doesn’t mean eager travelers won’t be looking for bargains now and into the new year.

Where are the Deals?

“Although holiday travel demand is expected to reach 2019 levels, travelers are still very hungry for deals as a result of widespread consumer inflation,” says Brett Keller, Chief Executive Officer at Priceline. “So Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are now even more important than ever as consumers are looking for ways to save money.”

As they did last year, many companies are kicking off their sales early. Flexibility is still the watchword. But while some properties are offering their best deals, others may be pulling back a bit from last year’s fire sale offers.

The Nines, a Luxury Collection Hotel on the top floors of the historic former Meier & Frank department store building in downtown Portland, is offering its deepest discounts ever. From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, rates for king rooms, regularly $289, can be booked for $199, while the Presidential Suite can be had for $1999 instead of $4299 for stays between December 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.

“We want travelers back in Portland so they can see how we’re thriving,” said Kasey Connor, the Nines’ Director of Sales & Marketing. “A great deal can be the determining factor for any traveler on the hunt, so we pulled out our best one yet.”

The Caribbean island of Saint Lucia has more than 30 hotel and villa deals for Cyber Monday, a dozen more than last year, conveniently gathered in one place. Discounts at some properties may be slightly less in percentage than last year, but there are still extremely generous deals, says Colette McDermott, Marketing Manager, Saint Lucia Tourism Association. For example, the Ti Kaye Resort is offering 55% off 2022 dates plus perks such as hotel credits and spa discounts.

Get ready to shop

Finding the best travel deal during the Black Friday/ Cyber Monday shopping frenzy can be stressful. Experts recommend working up a wish list of destinations and travel times and doing some homework on current prices, so you’ll recognize the deals.

Sign up for the newsletters and frequent travel programs of airlines, hotels, destinations, and online travel agencies such as Expedia, Booking.com, Priceline, etc. to get early bird offers, which often come with extra discounts. (You can always unsubscribe later). Check to see if the destination you want to visit has a Black Friday/Cyber Monday landing page gathering up all the deals in one place. Myrtle Beach, S.C. has one, Orlando has one, and others will too. Also, before you hit ‘buy’ on any booking, check the cancellation and change rules, which may be more restrictive than last year.

And don’t forget Travel Deal Tuesday, on November 30. It is a growing ‘holiday’ when many travel brands roll out bonus deals and offers. Based on its analysis of historical pricing data, booking travel app Hopper found that the Tuesday following Thanksgiving has consistently offered the most significant volume of deals that week.

You’ll find many deals already available for booking. Some do not go live until Black Friday. But here are some to get you started.

Hotels

National Park visits surged during the pandemic and still top many travelers’ wish lists. Xanterra, which owns or operates lodges in Yellowstone, Zion, Glacier, Death Valley, and Grand Canyon South Rim will offer a “Book Your Bucket List” sale through Tuesday, November 30. (Stay dates vary by site).

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, with 27 properties in 16 countries, will be offering up to 50% off the best available rates at its urban properties and up to 30% off at its resort properties, exceeding last year’s discounts. Book November 26 (Black Friday) to November 30 (Travel Tuesday) for stays through June 30, 2022. Use promo code CYBER21.

Viceroy Hotels & Resorts discounts will be up to 35% off across the brand with flexible cancellations. “We believe it is still important to offer flexible cancellations to encourage travel and offer guests peace of mind when traveling with us,” said Jane O’Shea, Viceroy’s VP of Sales.

Graduate Hotels, with locations in 30 university towns in the US, plus Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, plans a Cyber Monday Sale with discounts of up to 50% off. Book by December 3 for stays through March 31, 2022. (Link goes live Nov 29).

Virgin Hotels, with properties in New Orleans, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and Las Vegas will launch a Black Friday sale with 25% off on stays between November 26, 2021, and December 31, 2022. (Booking window Nov 26 through January 2, 2022). As a bonus, anyone booking during the sale will automatically be entered for a chance to win a free upgrade to each property’s penthouse suite.

Planes and trains

Amtrak usually rolls out a generous Black Friday deal, so be on the lookout for that. Many airlines will likely join in on Black Friday as well. Alaska Airlines traditionally offers one of its largest sales of the year on Black Friday. And Turkish Airlines is lining up its “Friday Flyday” offer with discounts networkwide available for booking on November 26.

Cruises and Tours

Hurtigruten will be offering 50% off most of its expedition cruise line destinations online through November 30. The cruise line has also lowered its deposit requirement to 10% (from 20%) for the sale.

Virgin Voyages, Richard Branson’s new adults-only cruise line, is offering 20% off voyages on Black Friday/Cyber Monday for both Scarlet Lady’s Caribbean voyages and Valiant Lady’s European voyages. Booking window through November 29 for various sail windows.

And tour operators such as luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, and EF Ultimate Break, which offers Gen Z- and millennial-tailored group travel experiences will be offering Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on adventures through 2022 and beyond.

Travel deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Travel Tuesday

Skip the things. Grab travel deals on Black Friday/ Cyber Monday instead.

Here are some travel-related deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Travel Tuesday to get you started on deal-shopping this season.

More deals to come!

Deals on getting from here to there

Look for Amtrak’s “Track Friday Sale,” to go live at Amtrak.com on November 29. Last year’s deal offered 30% off nationwide train travel well into the new year.

Many airlines will be offering discounts and flash deals.

To catch them, make sure to follow a few favorite airlines on Twitter and other social media sites and join their frequent flyer programs so you get email announcements sent to insiders.

Until December 2, Air France is offering current and new Flying Blue loyalty program members triple miles on most US to Paris flights purchased for travel December 7 to March 31, 2020.

Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus will offer $100 off on round trip economy fares and $200 off on round trip business class flights from the US and Canada to Europe booked between Tuesday 11/26 and Tuesday 12/3 for travel between January 1 and March 8, 2020.

Turkish Airlines is having a Black Friday “Friday Flyday” sale with discounts to various cities around the world.

According to Hopper, many other airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and TAP Portugal will likely launch sale offers on Cyber Monday or Travel Tuesday.

Airport lounge pass deal

Plaza Premium Lounges has a walk-in offer for holiday flyers.

From 5 a.m. November 29 through midnight on Monday December 2, travelers flying out of Toronto or Vancouver, B.C. can get 25% off a 2 or 3-hour lounge stay and 35% off 2 and 3-hour lounge stays in their airport lounges in Winnipeg and Edmonton.

Place to stay  

It seems that just about every hotel and resort is courting travelers with a Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Travel Tuesdays deals this year.

Savvy shoppers will be able to snag great lodging deals but pay attention to the fine print on the offers. Some deals are non-refundable, have blackout dates and narrow stay windows or other restrictions.

As with airlines, you can often get the best deals if you are a member of a property or chain’s free-to-join frequent-stay program. And, keep in mind that discounts often don’t apply to local and state taxes and resort and amenities fees, which can be quite steep at some properties.

Here are some offers that caught our attention:  

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort’s Cyber Deal, underway now through December 3, offers Honors Members up to 30 percent off a Hawaii vacation. Valid for stays Nov. 28, 2019 through June 30, 2020.  

For its ‘Black Friday Meets The Mile High’ deal at The Curtis in Denver, the hotel is linking its holiday booking deal to Denver’s elevation of 5280 feet. The hotel is offering discounted rates of $52.80/night for dates in December and January booked from Black Friday to Cyber Monday (11/29 – 12/2).

Virgin Hotels in Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas are celebrating Cyber Month. Discounts of up to 30% off best rates will be available December 2, 2019 through January 2, 2020 for stays between December 2, 2019 and June 1, 2020. As a bonus, each hotel will choose a winner each day to be upgraded to a penthouse suite.  

MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, including Bellagio, Aria and MGM Grand, have lined up Cyber Week deals up to 35% off regular rates, plus 5% more for M Life Rewards members, from November 25 through December 4, 2019. Look for many more offers Sin City offers on visitlasvegas.com.

Pacifica Hotels, which owns boutique properties on the Pacific Coast, will offer 40% off room rates during its Cyber Monday Sale. The hotel’s Passport Program participants get early access to the sale on Friday, November 29th. Sale covers stays from December 2, 2019 through March 14, 2020.

If you book on the HotelTonight mobile app, use the code HTDEAL25 between Monday December 2 and Tuesday December 3 (Cyber Monday/Travel Tuesday) to get 25% off one hotel stay.

And double-up on discounts at Hotwire’s mobile app with promo codes that can be used on top of discounted hotel bookings made between November 27 and November 29. Use code HWBF for $10 off $100 hotel bookings; HWBF40 for $40 off $300 hotel bookings and HWBF70 for $70 off $500 hotel bookings. On Cyber Monday (Dec 2), use promo code HWHOTDEALS for an extra 11% off $100 Hotwire Hot Rate Hotels.

Packages and tours

Botswana, Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Photographing Elephants on a Game Drive

Cruise lines and tour companies will be also be floating special offers during this holiday shopping weekend.

Travelers looking to experience bucket list cruises destinations such as Antarctica, Alaska and Norway can take advantage of Hurtigruten’s deals of up to 50% off select 2020 and 2021 itineraries. Sale dates are November 27 through December 4, 2019, and include expedition voyages aboard the line’s MS Roald Amundsen, the first hybrid electric-powered expedition ship in the world.

Abercrombie & Kent’s Holiday Sale offers discounts of $1,000 to $3,900 on a wide variety of adventures to destinations such as Vietnam, India, Peru and Kenya. Their sale runs from 8 a.m. C.S.T. December 2 through 4 p.m. December 6, 2019.

Deals on attractions

While you’re grabbing airfare and lodging deals, be on the lookout for discounts on attractions and amusement parks in cities you plan to visit.

Now through December 8, 2019, use promo code “GIFT” to get an additional 10% off the deals and discounts to more than 50 theme parks, attractions, activities and dinner shows at Visit Orlando.

From Saturday, November 30 through Monday, December 2, use promo code CYBERMONDAY to save up to 15% on Go City passes, which offer discounted admission packages at popular attractions in more than 20 cities.

And in advance of the July 4, 2020 opening of LEGOLAND New York Resort, the price of the park’s highest tier annual pass, the Gold Pass, will be on sale for $99.99 instead of $209.99 from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.

The pass can’t be activated until the LEGOLAND New York park opens but waiting will be worth it. The pass not only offers year-long admission to this new LEGOLAND resort, but admission to more than 30 other Merlin Entertainment attractions around the country, including LEGOLAND resorts in California and Florida, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE Aquariums.

(My story about Travel Deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Travel Tuesday first appeared on CNBC in a slightly different form).

Updated: Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Travel Tuesday deals

Updated on November 23, 2018 with fresh Black Friday/Cyber Monday travel deals.

Have enough stuff? You can still take advantage of travel-related deals during this holiday shopping season.

Here’s the list I put together recently for CNBC.

Walt Disney World Resort guests get to race and dive around a track that stretches across Toy Story Land. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

 

Black Friday and its cousins Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, Travel Deal Tuesday and Super Saturday are all projected to be shopping blockbusters this year.

But if you and everyone on your gift list already has enough stuff, rest assured there will be plenty of great deals for travelers.

Some offers have already been posted. Others will go live later. But once Black Friday rolls in,  get ready to wade through oodles of discounts on flights, hotel stays, tours, travel gear and gadgets.

To avoid getting overwhelmed by the options, do some research ahead of time on hotel prices and airfares to places you know you want to visit. That way you’ll be confident about snagging a deal when it flies by. Just be sure to read the small print; many Black Friday/Cyber Monday offers come with blackout dates and restrictions.

Here’s a sampling of what will be offered.

Get there

Amtrak confirms it will bring back its Black Friday sale again this year, offering significant discounts of up to 30 percent on train trips nationwide.

Look for airlines such as JetBlue and Cathay Pacific to bring back their Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals as well. Cathay Pacific will offer 60 percent off flights to Asia. Fare sale begins 11/19.

NewEmirates has both Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals from all 12 US gateways.

New: Use promo code “Friday” to get up to $750 off flights at Qatar Airways

New: Spirit Airlines:  Use romo code 85PCT  to get 85% off  the base fee on Friday, Nov. 23 until 11:59 p.m. EST. Check the exclusions at Spirit.com.

*New: WOW air is offering $69 and $99 sales to Iceland and Europe and a 40% off promo code on WOWCYBERMONDAY.  “Purple Friday” discounted fares are on sale now through November 25, 2018 for travel through April 2019.  On Cyber Monday, November 26, WOW use the code “WOWCYBERMONDAY” for 40% off flights to all WOW destinations.

 New: Turkish Airlines Friday Flyday will offer special discounted rates for travel travel from November 23, 2018 to May 15, 2019, with a maximum stay of four months.

 *New: Eurostar, the high-speed rail service linking the UK and mainland Europe, is offering savings of up to 30% during Cyber Week (November 23 to 30) for travel between January 8 and April 18 2019.

 Stay there

Hotels from Maine to Hawaii, and beyond, will be tantalizing travelers with room deals. Some offers may be offered to loyalty program members first, so this is a good time to sign up.

New: Travelocity and Orbitz: Save 50% off hotels by shopping on Travelocity and Orbitz mobile app and use the code FRIDAYAPP18 in Travelocity and THANKFUL in Orbitz to save an extra 18% off.

New: Hotwire:  In app-only:

Black Friday: $10 off $100 hotel bookings

  • $40 off $300 hotel bookings

  • $75 off $500 hotel bookings

Cyber Monday: An extra 11% off Hot Rate Hotels sitewide with promo code: TREATYOURSELF from 11/25 at 8pm PST to 11/26 at 11pm PST.  

Archer Hotel, with properties in Austin, Napa, New York City, Burlington, MA, and Florham Park, NJ (adjacent to the Jets training camp) plans a Cyber Monday deal of 25 percent off the best available rates plus direct-book perks of drinks or breakfast for two. Sale runs November 26 to December 3 at this booking link.

Arlo Hotels will offer 50 percent off stays (with no blackout dates) at the Arlo Solo and the Arlo NoMad in New York City with a portion of proceeds going to the Rainforest Alliance. Valid: Black Friday (11/23) to Tuesday, 11/27 for stays through Labor Day 2019.

On Cyber Monday, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, will be offering 25 percent off all 40 of its properties across the Hawaii islands, along with a number of mainland and Costa Rica resorts.

RetailMeNot and Hotels.com have teamed to offer some “Mystery Bookings” on Black Friday that offer 99 percent off.

All 5,300 IHG properties around the globe will be part of a Cyber Week Sale with discounts starting at 25 percent off the best available rate. IHG Rewards Club members get additional discounts starting at 3 percent. Book November 23 through November 30 (“Cyber Weeks Sale” rate) for stays November 26, 2018 through March 31, 2019.

The Kennebunkport Resort Collection (KRC), with 9 hotels and six restaurants in Kennebunkport, Maine will offer gift card bonuses on Cyber Monday. Buy a $500 gift card and receive a $100 resort credit; buy a $200 gift card and receive a $25 resort credit.

 Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is offering 25 percent off its Best Flexible Rates to IHG Reward Club member (free sign-up) from November 19 through November 30 for stays November 19 through March 31, 2019. Kimpton will also be donating $5/night to charity (The Trevor Project and No Kid Hungry)

Millennium Hotels and Resorts will offer 25 percent off flexible rates at its 13 hotels across the United States. My Millennium loyalty club members will get an extra 5 percent off. Book November 21 to 27, 2018 for stays November 21, 2018 – March 31, 2019.

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, more than 30 Myrtle beach-area properties will be offering deep discounts of up to 55 percent on stays that stretch through spring and summer 2019. Offers will be posted here.

From November 22 through November 27, Provenance Hotels, with properties in Portland, Seattle/Tacoma, New Orleans, Nashville and Stillwater, MN, will be offering discounts of 40-50 percent off stays through February 2019.

*New: Red Roof Inn: Up to 30% off during the Cyber Monday 72-hour sale (Nov. 26 until Nov. 28). Good for stays through Feb. 28, 2019. Use code VP625099.

Between November 22 and November 26, Viceroy Hotel Group, with 12 properties in cities ranging from Beverly Hills to New York City and Chicago, will offer discounts of up to 45 percent, as well as additional perks such as complimentary upgrades and resort credits.

And from November 23 through Monday, November 26, Pacifica Hotels will offer 40 percent off room rates at 34 beachside properties in California.

Keep an eye out for deals at individual hotels as well.

Walt Disney World adventure-seekers can nab 50 percent off the best available rates on two and three-bedroom suites at The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando. (Use code Cyber to book from Black Friday through Cyber Monday). And from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego will offer rates starting at $99 for stays through January 15 and add $100 drinking and dining credit to the first five reservations booked with the BF2018 code on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. One guest will also win a complimentary two-day stay, redeemable in 2019 including breakfast, parking and VIP check-in.

Tours, tickets, gear and adventures

Companies offering tours, packages and expeditions, including Intrepid Travel, Friendly Planet Travel and Liberty Travel, all have Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on tap. Glamping Hub, an online booking platform for unusual accommodations such as tree house, tiny homes, yurts and airstreams, will add 20 percent in value to gift cards purchased on Cyber Monday

From November 20 to 29, Visit Orlando will offer an extra 10 percent off purchases at OrlandoTickets.com on top of the deals and discounts offered to more than 40 theme parks, attractions, activities and dinner shows. Most are valid one year from purchase, Use code “GIFT.”

Sea Bags, which recycles sail cloth into travel gear, will offer a 20 percent discount storewide online and at its retail locations from Black Friday through Sunday, November 25. The company’s Portland and Freeport, Maine locations will be selling select for up to 60 percent off. On Cyber Monday, the online discount will be 25 percent, with free shipping.

Don’t shop; do

For those who would rather skip the shopping ritual altogether, there are plenty of other options.

On Friday, November 23, the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI will be holding its 7th annual Black Friday Beerfest.

And in solidarity with outdoor gear store REI, which closes all 153 stores, processes no online payments and pays its employees to spend Thanksgiving and Black Friday outdoors, state parks and recreation areas in Minnesota, Georgia and other states around the country will host Free Park Friday as part of the #OptOutside movement.