Cheap Flights - Travel Deals

Didn’t qualify for the national speed walking team? Your ambitions to win a medal as a fencer come up a little short? Did your synchronized swimming partner let you down once again? Don’t worry. Even if you are not representing your nation at the 2008 Summer Olympics you can still take part in all the fun in Beijing by being one of the millions to watch the games in person.

The eyes of the world will be on China’s capital as it puts on a show that promises to be unlike any other. Forget the pollution, repression and political intrigue, the Olympics are all about competition, peace on earth and all that jazz.

They are also about money. Lots of money. Even in a communist country there will be people profiting greatly from the games. They will be trying to squeeze every last dollar out of you and I. That is why you should do your best to save money even before you step foot in China by booking a cheap flight to Beijing through Sidestep.

Now get back to your speed walking training already! You can still make the 2012 Games if you work hard enough.

Confession time. I don’t have cable television. I know, it is 2007 and by law of the universe everybody is supposed to have seven millions television channels to choose from. I am one of those weirdoes that do not. When I want to watch a television show I break out the rabbit ears, dust off the television screen and try to remember how to use the remote control. Well, I do that or I book a flight on JetBlue.

You know the JetBlue story by now. They are a cheapie airline that goes head-to-head with Southwest and the other discount airlines in terms of low prices and no frills service. The thing is, the service on JetBlue is actually full of frills if you consider having satellite television at your airplane seat to be frilly.

I do. Thanks to the powers of Directv, you can watch 36 channels while cruising at 15,000 feet. We’re talking sports on ESPN, news on the news stations, BBC America and whatever else is shown on the myriad stations that don’t come in throw my rabbit ears. Sure makes the flight go by faster.

Check out the latest deals on JetBlue fights.

Even with its explosion of tourism over the past decade and even though seemingly every American under the age of 40 is living there writing his or her first novel, there is still only one airline that flies directly from the United States to Prague. Want to take a guess which airline that is? Three seconds. One….two…three.

Time’s up. If you answered Czech Airlines you would be correct. Your fabulous prize is that you can read the rest of this post and click on the link that will take you to a page where you can book a flight on the airline. If you answered anything other than Czech Airlines, you can also click on the link and book yourself a ticket on the airline. Winners and losers are all the same around these parts.

At an attempt at seriousness, I will say that Prague is an absolutely wonderful city to visit as long as you aren’t under the impression that you will be the only foreign traveler there. Czech Airlines also do a nice job of getting you from here to there, which is a good thing since they do in fact have that non-stop monopoly.

Ok, here’s your reward for making it this far.

A few stories have crossed my eyes lately that questioned how much longer Belgium will be a country. They make the case that there is an awkward melding of the Flemish speakers and the French speakers and that history is not on the country’s side. One sticking point is the city of Brussels. A French-speaking city in Flemish territory, if Belgium were to break apart one has to wonder what will become of Brussels.

A cosmopolitan place with a large international community, Brussels has its own unique identity within Belgium. It is neither this nor that, but its own. It also happens to be a great place to visit if you like fine dining, culture and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Who doesn’t like that?

There is a sale right now on flights to Brussels with prices about as tasty as one of those Belgium waffles. Be forewarned, however. There is a good chance that when you are in Belgium you will be given French fries with mayonnaise on them regardless which side of the divide you are visiting. Maybe it is the mayo that is holding things together.

During the past 14 months or so that I have posted travel deals on this little ol’ blog of ours, I have come across some fantastic travel deals, as well as some deals that were merely average. On the scale of merely average to fantastic, I have to say that the deals I found today are beyond fantastic.

Want to go to Europe this winter? You, my cyber friend, are in luck. You can fly from Philadelphia to Frankfurt, Germany for $365. That is insane. There is also a new direct flight from Portland, Oregon to Amsterdam, Netherlands for $664. As someone who lives in Portland and who eyes European flights like a hawk, I can safely tell you that it will never get much better than this.

In fact, Priceline’s PriceBreakers! have goodies from all parts of the United States to all parts of Europe. The usual restrictions apply, meaning you can’t get these deals during peak holiday season and you might have to travel on odd days of the week, but those are sacrifices well worth making when it means getting an outstanding price on airfare to Europe.

I will be spending my honeymoon in Malaysia next summer. This didn’t come about by choice, but rather by circumstance. My fiancée is attending an event in Penang and since we both have limited vacation time and funds, we decided to role her trip into one grand vacation.

When we made this decision, I was lukewarm about it. I knew that Malaysia had the tall towers in Kuala Lumpur and I knew that it had some nice beaches, but other than that it was a blank hole in my visual map of Asia. I knew some people who traveled through the country, but mainly because they were trying to go to Thailand.

After doing some research and looking around, my lukewarm feelings have turned into unbridled excitement. By all accounts, Malaysia is an excellent place to travel. It has plenty of options for both the budget and the more upscale traveler, it has a rich culture, it has friendly people who speak English, and it does have some splendid beaches where you can get away from the world and even get away from other tourists.

Airfares to Malaysia are not always cheap, but they are also doable. The moral of the story is to never discount a country as a possible travel destination until you do some research. Well that, and make sure you marry someone who is cool enough to want to cool to far corners of the world for her honeymoon.

This is my favorite time of the year. The leaves are colorful, the air is crisp in the morning, there are football games on the telly, and flights to Europe are ridiculously cheap. Take note, my friends. If you ever want to travel to Europe and not fight the crowds or pay out the nose for an airplane ticket, travel in Autumn.

Delta currently has a sale on flights to Germany, Italy, England and other parts of Europe that will knock your socks off (funny expression, that one). For example, you can fly from New York to Frankfurt for less than $300. Amazing. Frankfurt is the hub of the universe when it comes to international flights so once you get there you can pretty much fly to anywhere else in the world. Seriously, walk down the corridors at the Frankfurt airport and you will see flights for countries that you thought only existed in a game of Risk.

But I digress. You come here for cheap ticket links and cheap ticket links we shall give you. Act now because Autumn will not last forever and neither will the cheap arse tickets to Europe.

If you blink while you are in Bangkok, Thailand you may miss the construction of another high rise building. A city teeming with millions of people, Bangkok continues to grow up each and every day. That growing includes the rapid construction of high rise buildings that are changing the landscape of Thailand’s capital.

More than 15 million visitors a year arrive in Bangkok. That is quite a number for a city that used to be small and sleepy. It neither these days. Bangkok is full of life and full of activity. All of this is taking a toll on some of Bangkok’s most historic and unique sites, but even with the spread of modernity you can’t help but feel a connection to the past while you are there. From the Grand Palace to Wat Pho to Wat Arun, Bangkok is a city that is rooted in its tradition, a tradition that happens to hold much beauty and intrigue to those who visit.

Because of its popularity, affordable airfare to Bangkok is a possibility, especially if you are willing to travel during the offseason. Just remember to keep your eyes open while you are there. You won’t want to miss out on seeing something historic and you certainly don’t want to bump into one of those new buildings that are seemingly built overnight.

Krakow if one of the oldest cities in Poland and it is arguably the best to visit. Founded back in the 7th Century, Krakow has been able to maintain its historic charm as it has transitioned into a modern city. The center of Krakow, which includes the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle, is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Krakow has long been one of the cultural and educational centers in Central Europe. That is still the case today. The city boasts no less than 28 museums and public art galleries. A must-see for anyone visiting the city is the Czartoryski Museum, which features works by Leonardo, Raphael, and Rembrandt among others.

Many people who go to Krakow also make a trip to nearby Auschwitz, home of the infamous Nazi concentration camp. It is a sobering place to visit but one that is invaluable in understanding the events of World War II and the Holocaust.

As Krakow has grown in popularity over the past decade it has become easier and cheaper to reach. Airfare to Krakow, Poland from the United States can actually be quite reasonable and once you are in the historic city you will be more than happy with your decision to visit one of the jewels of Europe.

Tell people that you are taking a trip to Iran and you will receive a look of shock and amazement. Iran isn’t exactly a popular destination in the travel magazines and on Rick Steves these days, but for the adventurous traveler now is an excellent time to visit Persia.

I went to Iran a few years ago. As an American citizen, securing a visa meant working through the Pakistan embassy in Washington, DC. It took a little wrangling, but no worse than getting a visa to countries in the former Soviet Union. My flight path took me from the US to Amsterdam and than on to Tehran. Once I arrived in Iran I expected customs officials to interrogate me. They stamped my passport without even an eyebrow raised.

The reaction I got throughout my stay in Iran was one of appreciation. I was never hassled or bothered. People were genuinely happy to have an American visiting their country and to show off their renowned hospitality.

That isn’t to say that travel in Iran is easy for everyone. Certainly as a single male I had an easier time of it than a single female would. The language barrier was also a bit of a challenge. Many people in Tehran know some English, but when you leave the capital it gets harder and harder to find people who can help with translations.

All in all, Iran is a fascinating culture to see, especially with the headlines you read daily in the news. It is a rich culture with historic sites that are second to none. It is also a country that is not overrun by tourists, which means you will feel like your experience there is truly unique.

The cheapest airfare to Tehran, Iran generally is on flights that go through Europe and the Middle East. They can be spendy. Flying between cities in the country, however, is super cheap. I took a three-hour flight that cost less than $30 round trip.