Travel Tuesday boasts savings on flights, hotels, cruises and more: how to score the best deal

Travel Tuesday is here, and the next big vacation could be just a click away.

“We expect to see more deals available today than Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday combined,” Hayley Berg, chief economist for travel app Hopper, told “Good Morning America.”

“There will be great deals on flights, hotels, rental cars and vacation homes today,” Berg said. “If you’re planning a trip for 2024, today is one of the best days of the year to book and score deals on future trips.”

Whether you’re looking to take a trip with the family or enjoy a weekend getaway with friends, there are plenty of ways to plan and save so you don’t have to break the bank.

Hotels are slashing prices on rooms, including some holidays. Marriott is offering up to 20% off until Tuesday only for stays through January 15th. In addition, travelers who are enrolled in the free One Key rewards program from Expedia and Hotels.com can get at least 30% discounts on travel until 2024.

If you have your sights set on Europe, Hopper offers great deals on hotels.

“We’ll be offering up to 50% hotel discounts exclusively on the Hopper app in destinations like Rome and Paris,” Berg shared of the 80 dream destinations and more than 10,000 hotel properties offering discounts no dates or restrictions.

Points Guy CEO and founder Brian Kelly told “GMA” that the flight deals are even better now than during previous Travel Tuesdays.

“Because the airline industry is slowing down, air fares are starting to drop. And something we never thought about a year ago. [is] airlines struggling to fill seats,” he said.

Southwest is offering 30% off some fares, while Frontier is extending its all-you-can-fly annual pass to its lowest price ever of $499.

More than 100 of Hopper’s airline partners will offer deals on Tuesday, including $50 round-trip from New York LaGuardia to Orlando, Chicago to San Juan for $160 round-trip, and Los Angeles to Rome for as low as $480 round-trip and return

If an oceanfront vacation is more your style, Virgin Voyages—one of several cruise lines that discount trips—offers up to 30% off fares.

“MSC cruises are coming in, they’re offering really robust deals,” said Points Guy’s Kelly, adding that “Netherlands America is also offering 30% off select cruises.”

Tuesday’s best travel tips for savings

Clint Henderson, managing editor of The Points Guy, offered more tips for “GMA” to help travelers score the best deals on Tuesday and possibly beyond.

“There are already some great deals on flights and hotels going through Travel Tuesday – or even longer,” encouraged Henderson. “Right now you can fly Southwest for 30% off. Alaska Airlines offers flights starting at $39 or as little as 4,000 miles, Delta offers flight deals and mileage reimbursement worldwide, and American Airlines has flights up to $69. .”

As well as using the travel expertise from TPG where the best deals are compiled in one place, Henderson said simple flight searches on Google can help you find the fascinating limited time offers.

“The best way to track historical prices is to use Google Flights. If you put in the flight, it will tell you if it’s low or high compared to normal prices. It’s one of our favorite tools at TPG,” he said.

Another potential unexpected way to save is to take advantage of “vacation packages from airlines and/or online travel agencies.” For example, Henderson found savings of up to 40% off with AAVacations and DeltaVacations when booking flights and hotels together.

“Also check your credit card offers. Sometimes Amex or other credit card companies offer you bonuses or cash back for certain retailers,” he encouraged. “Don’t forget to start your booking on a shopping portal for maximum savings.”

In general, he suggests “if you see a deal, jump on it. They’re going fast these days.”

“Elsewhere, you can wait 1 to 3 months before a trip for domestic routes and 3 to 5 months out for international trips for the best prices,” he continued.

As Berg said, users of the Hopper app can check out the sales page, where Hopper has highlighted the best available deals.

You can also set up price alerts on Hopper for destinations or hotels you’re keeping an eye on, which Berg recommended to keep track of the best deals in real time. Just click “Watch” on the app for destinations or hotels of interest, and Hopper will notify you when a good deal is detected.

You can also take advantage of Hopper’s flexible booking options, which include “Cancel and Change for Any Reason” and “Flight Interruption Guarantee”, adding the flexibility to book now and then change or cancel plans later if needed .

Berg also said Hopper has more than 500 confirmed travel partners participating in Travel Deal Tuesday this year. So if there’s a particular airline you prefer or a hotel you’ve been eyeing, Berg said Tuesday is the ideal time to check out a deal.

“Airlines such as Aer Lingus, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Fiji Airways, Icelandair, PLAY Airlines, and many more will have special offers today,” Berg said. “Hotels such as Caesars Entertainment, Encore Boston Harbor Resort & Casino, Fontainebleau Hotel Vegas, MGM Resorts, Nemacolin Woodland Resort, The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, Vermont, Wyndham Destinations and many other properties around the world will be discounted up to 50 % off available to book today on Hopper.”

If you’re not ready to book on Travel Tuesday but don’t want to miss out on great deals, Hopper also has a “Price Freeze” feature that will extend the Travel Deal Tuesday offer. When you see a good deal, simply freeze the price and book later when you’re ready.