Budget travel: Megabus is giving away 200,000 free tickets

by Jessica Festa on

Because transportation is often one of the most expensive parts about traveling, it’s always nice to get a free ride. And for people traveling around the United States and Toronto from January 4 through March 1, 2012, Megabus is giving away 200,000 free seats.

Megabus, which launched in April of 2006, is already known for it’s budget-friendly prices and offering rides that start at $1 when booked on the internet. The company services nearly 50 cities through the United States and Canada from five major hubs which include New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Toronto. For those who value comfort, Megabus’ single and double decker buses offer panoramic windows, free wi-fi, and at-seat plug ins.

To reserve a free ride, use the promo code GOFREE when booking. The offer is based on availability and if you can travel midweek and/or on some of the more popular routes you shouldn’t have a problem taking advantage of the offer.

Eurail to expand into Slovakia

by Kyle Ellison on

Attention college students, rail-lovers, and European travelers with a fear of flying. Eurail has just announced that starting in 2012 the national railway of Slovakia will be included in the oft-purchased Eurail Global Pass, thereby linking Slovakia with 22 other nations in what has historically been many traveler’s favorite means of scouring the European continent.

When I last took a train into Slovakia it was before the country was even a member of the European Union, much less part of Eurail. There were guns, and soldiers, and a hailstorm of passports being thrown about the cabin from all angles. It was also New Years Eve, the streets were full of liquored up Germans, and there was a tight-wearing archer shooting flaming arrows across the Danube. That’s another story for another time, however.

With the addition of Slovakia into the Eurail network, it’s now possible to connect the Slovakian capital of Bratislava with virtually anywhere else in Europe for the low 15-day price of €345, if, of course, you’re under 26 years old. The rest of us, per Eurail standard rates, are still forced to shell out considerably more.

Regardless, for those lucky European travelers holding a fancy new 23 country Eurail Global Pass for 2012, you are now stuck with 3,616 more km of rail to further complicate your decision on how to get from Athens-Zurich, all the while attempting to fill in towns that start with the remaining 24 letters of the alphabet while you’re at it.

Photo: Flickr/Chris Yunker

Gilt City lets you name your own Virgin America plane and take your friends on a trip – for just $60,000

by McLean Robbins on

In search of a luxe holiday gift for someone special? You don’t have to shell out for the G5.

For just $60,000 this Cyber Monday, Gilt City has partnered with Virgin America to offer a lucky person the chance to name a Virgin plane (permanently!) and enjoy a round-trip flight for the purchaser and 145 of their closest friends. You can take any roundtrip nonstop domestic flight (Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, New York and DC are on the list) on your own schedule, plus enjoy WiFi, a complimentary checked bag each and extra Gilt City amenities during the flight.

It’s a pretty sweet deal, coming out to just $411 per person, which is about the price of a roundtrip flight anyway. Even better? You can depart and leave whenever you wish, so long as you abide by the “four months in advance” reservation requirement.

Just one catch – you need to sign up for a free Gilt City membership to buy. But don’t worry, we’ve got an invite code for you.

Deep discounts on luxury travel from Abercrombie & Kent

by Melanie Renzulli on




Have you always wanted to go on safari in Kenya, tour the colorful markets and Mughal palaces of India‘s Golden Triangle, or explore the mysterious Incan settlements of Peru and do so in style? Beginning on Cyber Monday, Abercrombie & Kent will begin its Six Days of Holiday Savings sale, during which 10 luxury trips of a lifetime will be on sale.

Starting at 9am CST on November 28 and running through 1pm CST on December 3, Abercrombie & Kent is offering substantial mark-downs on trips from Amsterdam to Tanzania. Some A&K luxury travel packages will be on sale at a 50 percent discount. The best deals are an 11-day tour of India priced from $2,455 per person (originally $5,595); a six-day journey to Peru and Machu Picchu from $2,395 (usually $5,095); and an eight-day Thailand temple trip priced from $1,660 (was $4,295). You can also choose from Paris in the spring (from $2,495 for six days), a five-day jaunt to Florence and Chianti (from $1,395), and five other “guided independent journeys” starting from $1,795.

All of the packages included in A&K’s six-day sale must be booked by December 3 and take place in spring 2012. So, your chance to become a luxury traveler – or to surprise a loved one with a truly one-of-a-kind gift – is just a click away this Cyber Monday. Visit abercrombiekent.com for details.

Even more Cyber Monday hotel and travel deals

by McLean Robbins on
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just for holiday shopping. You can get great deals on holiday travel too. Writer Melanie has already tracked seven great Black Friday travel deals and Chris found some awesome Black Friday cruise and general travel promos but there are more floating in every day. Peruse the list below, and let us know if we’re missing any – we’ll add it right in!

Best Western
Purchase a $100 Best Western Travel Card online and receive a bonus $20 gift card reward for yourself. Cyber Monday shoppers can choose a $20 Best Western Travel Card, or a $20 gift card from participating retail partners. The Best Western Travel Card can be used like cash to pay for accommodations at more than 4,000 Best Western hotels worldwide. BWR members will be able to take advantage of this special offer now, through Monday, Nov. 28 at 11:59 p.m MST.

Abercrombie & Kent
The luxe tour company is offering independent departures to 10 of their most popular destinations at up to 50% off during the Six Days of Holiday Savings, from November 28 at 9 a.m. to December 3 at 1 p.m. CST.

Cape Resorts Group
Starting Friday and going to midnight Monday, purchase $100 in gift cards and receive a $20 bonus gift card. With every additional $125 purchased received additional $25 on your bonus gift card. The card is valid at all Cape Resorts in Cape May, NJ.

Marriott’s Florida Hotels
JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Florida hotels and resorts are joining in on the e-shopping spree with up to 25% savings on Cyber Monday with rates starting from $95 to $186 per night. The one-day only online sale is available for those who book on Monday, Nov. 28, 2011 for stays through Jan. 8, 2012.* For reservations, visit www.marriott.com/floridacybermonday (live on Cyber Monday) or visit www.marriott.com and enter the promotional code DOD.

Omni Hotels & Resorts
The Omni Hotels & Resorts “Holiday Treat” limited time offer is back for a second year, offering travelers exceptional values on wonderful winter destinations. From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, rooms across the brand will range from $79 to $119 in favorite Omni destinations such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, New York, San Francisco and more. Plus, in honor of the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season, Omni will give away 100 room nights to 100 followers at Facebook.com/OmniHotels.

InterContinental Hotels Group
IHG’s (InterContinental Hotels Group) is offering a Twitter-exclusive travel deal with their “Gotta Get 100” promotion. Followers of @IHG_Deals who uncover the “Gotta Get 100” link and register for the promotion Nov. 1 through Nov. 28 will be eligible for $100 off of any flight on any airline to any destination, when they book two consecutive weekend nights (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) at any IHG hotel throughApril 29, 2012. IHG is also giving away a $100 prepaid gift card for every day of the “Gotta Get 100” promotion. For more details visit www.ihg.com/get100rules.

Viceroy Resorts
A variety of deals are available for Cyber Monday, detailed at viceroyhotelgroup.com/cybermonday. Many involve social media offers and include hotels in Palm Springs, Santa Monica, St. Luicia, Aguilla, Snowmass, Abu Dhabi, Miami and more.

Hotels.com
hotels.com® is starting its annual Four Day Sale at midnight on Black Friday with more than 300 properties half off their original costs for travel through January 2nd in most destinations. The sale runs through 11:59 p.m. on Cyber Monday.

American Airlines
Beginning Nov. 23 and running through Jan. 2, 2012, customers traveling on American’s Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft can enjoy 30 minutes of free access to special discounts and in-air exclusives at top retailers with the Gogo Fly & Buy Holiday Store. Purchase a two-pass holiday pack for $14.95 and use the passes any two days until Jan. 3, or buy a three-pass holiday pack for $19.95 and use the passes on any three days through the same promotion period.

Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways is offering savings of up to 25% on roundtrip flights from the USA to over 100 destinations worldwide through Cyber Monday.

[Flickr via Dan Shouse]