An amazing deal is available this spring aboard OpenSkies, a premium service airline. Including all taxes and fees, the roundtrip fare is $1,596, which is more than $2,000 off competitors’ business-class fares this spring. OpenSkies offers a unique overseas flying experience, with no more than 84 passengers on each flight.

Book by March 24 for roundtrip travel from March 29 through December this year and enjoy gourmet French cuisine, award-winning wine selections and a personal entertainment system with more than 50 hours of on-demand programming. Relax in a BIZ SEAT, which reclines 140 degrees and provides plenty of legroom while you fly!

Bermuda is unlike the other “tropical destination islands” in the Caribbean.  It hangs on to much of the culture that comes from its status as a British overseas territory.  It is more about high tea and country clubs than rum-based punches and lounging on the beach (though there are plenty of sandy stretches to explore and plenty of unique alcoholic beverages available).  The old forts, classy restaurants, low-key nightlife, and high-quality golf courses make this one of the more unique destinations in the North American tropics.

Unfortunately Bermuda is one of the more expensive Caribbean islands to visit.  Import taxes raise the price of goods, which are further inflated in tourist areas, and steep airport fees cause airlines to charge much more than standard Caribbean fares.

This is all the more reason to take advantage of special promotions when they come along.  An early March promotion offers a reasonable flight and hotel package for the Grotto Bay Beach Resort, which sits one a few minutes from the town of Saint George and the international airport.  The 4 night fly-and-sleep deal starts at $639 per person.

This will be one of the better chances to see Bermuda on the cheap.  The only catch is that you have to book by the end of this week (Friday, March 5th) and travel by March 26^th.  That might seem like a last minute trip, but there are some welcome extras to take some of the uncertainty out of the deal.  The $639 includes both trip insurance, should weather make travel impossible, and a $100 discount if there is a significant amount of rainfall during the four day stay.

Grotto Bay is more than your typical, bland “package” resort.  It features well manicured lawns, three private beaches, an in-house dive shop, tennis courts and a network of underground caves (which give the resort its name).  Yes, there are cheaper packages if you choose another Caribbean island, but you will not be able to find the landscape, attractions, activities, and atmosphere of places like the Grotto on other islands for this price.

via kiwinz, Flickr

New Zealand has plenty going for itself as a tourist destination: it is known for its laid back culture, diverse and amazingly scenic landscapes, water sports, and numerous opportunities for outdoor adventure.

The problem is that its remote location, in the southern South Pacific, makes it difficult (and expensive) to reach, especially for travelers from North America and Europe.  National carrier Air New Zealand (usually referred with the acronym ANZ) is one of the better options when the time comes to start looking for flights from the US to the land of kiwis.  Temporarily lowered fares make right now the best time in years to plan your South Pacific getaway.

Book by February 1^st to lock in ANZ’s sub-$900 fares between San Francisco or Los Angeles and a number of  Kiwi cities including Auckland and Wellington.  The best of these deals: $798 for round trip service from SFO to Auckland.

The travel dates for the promotion are a little far removed from the purchase date.  The low rates are  only available for travel starting on August 6th.  Yes, that is more than six months from now, but August is arguably one of the better times of year to visit New Zealand.  The mild Southern Hemisphere winter comes to an end.  Temperatures are usually around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and there is plenty of sunshine in coastal areas.  It’s too cold to hit the beach, but perfect weather for many of the other outdoor activities that the country has to offer.  The promotion is also good for the first half of September, when temperatures rise slightly as Springtime sets in.

The Air New Zealand deal is not for spur of the moment travelers.  But if you’ve always wanted to head to New Zealand, this is one of the better opportunities to take the plunge and purchase your tickets.

It’s time to start planning for spring break, and these Spring Break Ski Deals are just in time: Get the Third or Fourth Night Free with great sales at Keystone Resort in Colorado. This resort is lifting the blackout dates precisely during its busiest ski months to offer a Spring Break On Us promotion of a third night free (for certain weeks you’ll get the fourth night free). Or $581 & up for 4-Night Ski Packages Across North America, with airfare. Build a Ski vacation that’s all about you. Your flight. Your hotel. Lots of options!

There’s a number of other airfare and hotel deals going on now too. $639 & up for a 4-Night Montreal Westin Package with Airfare at the Le Westin Montreal, ideally located in a world famous tourism and historic district of Montreal. This state of the art newly built hotel features a full service spa, a complete health club, a fine dinning restaurant inspired by International cuisine and a lobby lounge which promises a welcoming and yet, relaxing environment.

$339 & up for 4-Night Mexico Packages, including airfare. There are a number of desinations available, such as Cancun and Riviera Maya from $339 per person, Cozumel from $390 per person, Puerto Vallarta from $406 per person, Los Cabos from $493 per person, and other deals for travel to Acapulco, Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Ixtapa, Mazatlan, Puebla, and Riviera Nayarit!

$253 & up for 4-Night Phoenix, AZ Packages, with airfare. Book a low-priced escape today and revel in a golf-and-spa sanctuary, a round-the-clock casino hotspot, a heart-pumping outdoor adventure, or a lavish luxury resort for less.

$227 & up for Vegas 4-Night Vacations with airfare. Choose from a fabulous array of some of Las Vegas’ most popular resorts, including Caesars Palace, Paris, Rio, Harrah’s, Flamingo, Bally’s, and Imperial Palace. Experience the dazzle, glitz, and high energy of the Las Vegas Strip, where you can relax in the finest accommodations.

$1134 & up for 6-Night Bali Packages with airfare. Offers vary by hotel, are subject to availability, and may be discontinued without notice. Additional restrictions and blackout dates may apply.

$48 rooms at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. This is a great deal because it includes the Paradise Tower, which just opened in August. Plus, if you sign up for Hard Rock e-mail newsletters, you can receive e-mail promotions for even greater savings, to the tune of 40% off.

$89 a night for Hilton Beach Resort & Spa, that’s 50% OFF this Sandestin, Florida hotel with in-room movies and video games. Rooms feature a dressing area with 2 vanities and an on-site Full Service Spa.

Practical Traveler columnist Michelle Higgins 10 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs This Year. Her ideas include looking into rentals rather than hotels, tracking prices after purchase, and starting a twitter account to follow twitter accounts that tweet last-minute best travel deals, like us @BesTravelDeals.

$375 & up to Ski & Stay at 5-Star Montreal Westin, and this price includes BONUS 3rd night free & $300 air credit per person. With easy access to the nearby pedestrian village and skiing areas of Tremblant, this 5-star resort features a luxurious lobby and fine Japanese and Sushi dining.

$335 & up for 3 Nights at a 4-Star Ottawa Hotel, and this price includes BONUS 3rd night free & $300 air credit per person. The tasteful rooms and suites have air-conditioning, a city or courtyard view, windows that open to the outside, a television with the On Command system, a coffee maker with complimentary coffee and tea, a refreshment center, a clock radio, bathrobes, an iron and an ironing board, and a hairdryer.

This could be the year you tour Asia! With the 2010 All Asia Pass from Cathay Pacific Airlines you could visit magnificent Hong Kong, tropical Bali, culturally-rich Bangkok, ultra-modern Singapore and legendary Tokyo, plus many other destinations all for just $1,599.

A couple other great airfare deals just in, $446 to fly to Shanghai or Beijing from San Francisco, $515 to fly to Sydney from New York, and $399 & up to fly to Shanghai or Beijing from Boston, each way.

Occidental Hotels and Resorts, whose all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and Mexico, include dining, drinks (alcohol included), use of the Kids’ Club, and a myriad of both water and land activities in its rates, is offering a Winter Special sale on its 13 resorts in Aruba, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, with savings ranging from 20% to 50% for stays from January 4 through April 30, 2010.

$699 for this New Riviera Maya *Dreams* Getaway w/Air: Save $450 on vacations at the Caribbean’s coast of Mexico, with blinding white strands of sand embracing clear turquoise waters, shores that curve into calm lagoons, and are beloved by scuba divers, snorkelers, bird watchers, and beach combers. The Pacific coast contains some of Mexico’s principle beach resorts as well as other lesser-known, beautiful spots and small coastal villages, backed by sweeping jungles that reach down to the clear blue waters of the Pacific.

$129-$139 a night for this Westin in Jersey City, just minutes from Manhattan. With spectacular views of Manhattan, The Westin Jersey City Newport Hotel is providing guests with a significant reduction on normal rates for Friday-Sunday nights through January and February. Rates for this property are regularly $230.

$90 a night for the newly renovated Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis on Friday and Saturday nights through March 28. The same room is regularly $190 on weekdays.

$109 a night for a top-rated Cleveland hotel. The Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center is rated the #1 hotel in Cleveland on Tripadvisor and is conveniently located within walking distance from the city’s downtown attractions. Guest rooms are newly renovated and feature plush bedding, marble bathrooms and spectacular Lake Erie views, and this deal is 40% OFF the regular rates.

$71 a night for a Junior Villa at Palm Springs Resort. This offer is for Sunday-Thursday stays and is 30% off regular rates. Weekends are $16 more per night. Bonus: Guests looking to extend their stay will receive their fourth night free, as well as an upgrade to an 800 square foot, one-bedroom villa. Each spacious one-bedroom villa features a full kitchen and private balcony.

Beginning at 9 am ET tomorrow (Thursday, December 10), Lufthansa will be auctioning seats on its flights. The auction opens with business class seats from the U.S. to Europe.

Five minutes later, there’s be an auction for seats from Chicago to Munich in coach. Business class seats between Chicago and Munich will be auctioned at 9:16 am. At 9:35 am bidding begins on business class seats from Florida to Frankfurt in business class. At 9:55 am., business class seats from New York to Dusseldorf in business class will be auctioned.

Each auction lasts for 30 minutes. The prices? From 30-300 euros in business class and 10-100 euros in coach.

You must be registered to take part in the auction. (From the Lufthansa.com home page, choose “login” and then “new registration.”) Register, go to the site tomorrow before the auction, log in and see what is on offer.

You can get more details on the auction here.

image via alohalady

What better place to celebrate the winter’s biggest holiday than a place that is known for its winters.  Iceland is already one of the cheaper European destinations for Americans to visit.  The nation’s currency, the kroner, has been devaluing quickly, giving holders of the USD a very favorable rate of exchange.

Yes, it’s cheap. But why risk your holiday on a largely unknown destination?  Reykjavik, the capitol and cultural heart of Iceland, celebrates the season in unique ways.  The proceedings are characterized by  plenty of sparkling lights, whimsical folk tales and centuries-old Scandinavian traditions.

Icelandair is offering a package vacation for those who want a memorable Europeanholiday experience without the Paris or London price tag.  For $899, visitors will be treated to round-trip airfare and 3 nights in Reykjavik’s stylish Loftleidir Hotel.  The hotel boasts 3-star accommodations, a sauna, beauty salon, pool and the popular Lon restaurant (locally famous for its daily Danish/Icelandic Christmas dinner buffets).  Shuttle service to the city’s Old Town is also included in the price tag.

But the real value of this package is not in the hotel or airfare.  It includes a guided tour of Old Town Reykjavik and a trip to the stunningly hued Blue Lagoon.  Tickets to the “Let’s Talk Christmas” performance, which features Iceland’s Norse-inspired holiday-themed folk tales.

Reykjavik is a city of deep traditions, but it is also a hip, modern city that has been called one of the world’s sexiest value destinations by Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Cyber Monday is here. The online retailers’ version of Black Friday will not only bring deals for holiday gift shoppers, but for travelers as well. It is going to be the single best day of the entire winter to find low prices on flights, hotels and vacation packages. Here are some of the best cyber savings:

Sun-seekers have several exciting opportunities to get great value on a Caribbean vacation this winter. Sonesta St. Maarten Resort launched a huge 50% sale on Black Friday. Rooms are still available today, with the sale running until midnight Eastern Standard Time. All inclusive stays start at $123 per night, down from the regular price of $245. To take advantage of this offer, use the code BF09 when booking at the Sonesta St. Maarten web site.

Hawaii is one of the more expensive wintertime destinations. But there are ways to avoid the high costs. Case in point: the Maui Seaside Hotel on Kahului Bay is taking reservations for 45% below regular price. The promotion, which runs until midnight tonight, gives travelers access to a classy seaside hotel with views of Hawaii’s most scenic landscapes for under $100 per night.

The upscale Saint James Hotel in Chicago is offering to match the number of “hotel credits” that customers buy on November 30th. Those who buy 50 credits, for example, will be awarded 50 more credits at no additional cost. The credits can be used for rooms, but also at the hotel’s stylish lobby bar, the super-trendy Jbar Lounge and the award-winning in-house restaurant David Burke’s Primehouse.

Massive travel booking site Expedia recently listed some last minute cruise deals that have escaped notice (for the most part). Booking ends today for 4-day Caribbean cruises priced from $119. Sail dates are throughout December. This is a perfect deal for cruisers who want to enjoy a quick pre-holiday getaway without having to throw too much cash out the porthole.

Carnival Cruises is offering a similar deal, with 4-day fares starting at $109. Week-long cruises are also part of the line’s Cyber Monday promotions. The price tags on a 7-day journey starts at $309.

Not to be outdone by the other tropical vacation promotions on Cyber Monday, JW Marriott is offering 40% off a stay at a number of its resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Costa Rica. This hefty discount is offered to all customers who book by the end of the day today and travel between January 1st and April 30th. This is a great opportunity to lock in a good hotel price for Spring Break.

Las Vegas is known for its great hotel and package vacation deals. Casinos will do anything to get people to the gaming tables and slots, even offer them hotel and airfare at ridiculously low prices. Some of the Cyber Monday deals, though, are shockingly under-priced, even by Sin City standards. Not only do packages start at $32 per person, it is possible to earn two free nights by booking at least two consecutive nights at the already reduced prices.

One of the best family-friendly deals of Cyber Monday is being offered by Solaris Resorts. With locations in Cancun and Los Cabos, Mexico, this is one of the better all-inclusive options south-of-the-border. For today only, rates are reduced 45%. In addition, kids stay and eat free with a paid adult.

South Africa will be one of next year’s “it” destinations. Foresighted travelers can take advantage of Cyber Monday prices and book a hotel in South Africa for 30% off. Once the wave of popularity hits next year, prices are bound to rise further.

Continental Airlines is winding up a Thanksgiving promotion today by offering reduced fares to 10 cities from New York. Fares start at $148 round-trip. For those who really want to fall off the map, Lufthansa is currently offering a tremendous deal on flights to India. Prices start at $340 one-way from New York and $405 from Atlanta. That’s an exciting opportunity for globetrotters, considering the fact that round-trip fares usually hover in the $1,000 range between the US and the Subcontinent.

Jet Blue Airlines is running a one-day only sale for Cyber Monday: One-Way Non-Stop flights from $39, $69 and $99 depending on destination. Travel dates are between December 1, 2009 through December 17, 2009, so hurry to take advantage of this great sale today.

Find more Cyber Monday deals at besttraveldeals.net.

via bribrito

For many travelers, business class seems to be reserved for passengers with a corporate expense account and those who have diligently saved up their frequent flier miles. However, a full slate of upcoming promotions will make it easier for average fliers to experience business class without going broke.

Business-class-only carrier OpenSkies, whose parent company is British Airways, launched last year with a lot of fanfare. It has yet to become very successful, but still maintains one route from New York to Paris. Though other airlines have been aggressively lowering premium class prices, OpenSkies’ $590 one-way ($1,350 round trip, after taxes and fees) is one of the best early winter deals for those flying to Paris. The current fares match the promotional prices that the airline offered when it originally began service. The $590 deal is a limited time offer. Tickets must be purchased by December 15th.

Continental Airlines offered some of the best business-class deals in the industry in September and October. Though the most amazing deals have passed, there are still some worthwhile fares for flights from Newark to Europe. The standout deal is a $1,448 round-trip business-class fare from Newark to Shannon, Ireland. A business-class flight to Stockholm will set you back $1564. Continental has competitive premium class fares to other European destinations as well.

The current prices at Aer Lingus for a New York to Shannon, Ireland flight are slightly higher than Continental’s ($1698 round trip). But Ireland’s national carrier offers quite a bit more flexibility. For the same $1698 price, passengers can choose to fly to Shannon or Dublin from New York, Chicago or Boston. Also, as long as tickets are purchased by November 30th, passengers are free to choose travel dates between January 1st and April 30th.

You don’t have to go to Europe for outstanding premium class tickets. Air Canada has been offering great deals on business-class (“Executive Class” in Air Canada’s vernacular) fares, though would-be passengers will have to sift through a myriad of overpriced premium class fares to find these gems. Current door-busters include $539 one-way business-class service from New York to Vancouver. Other deals are available to those who can purchase by December 1st and fly by February 5th.

United Airlines is a bit behind in this year’s race for business class customers. Compared with the other carriers mentioned above, their prices are almost laughably high in many cases. However, business-class offerings like $1032 one-way from Washington D.C. to Rome are worth noting, though travelers would be wise to shop around a bit before settling on a ticket from United.

via Kevin Zollman

This coming Friday is the retail industry’s biggest day.  Online shoppers have to wait until Cyber Monday (on November 30th this year) to find the lowest prices of the holiday shopping season.  The travel industry is getting into the act this year with plenty of virtual door-busters for Cyber Monday 2009 deals seekers.

There has been an industry-wide effort by airlines to draw passengers to their premium class seats.  Cyber Monday promotions will include more than a few rock bottom business class fares on carriers like Continental and British Airways.  Some business class tickets to Europe will not be much more expensive than standard economy class fares.

Those who want to escape the cold Northern Hemisphere winter in the Caribbean will find plenty of one-day-only deals on Cyber Monday.  There are rumors that resorts in Jamaica and the Bahamas will be offering high-season rooms at low-season prices.

Of course, shopping is still a major theme on the Cyber Monday scene.  Hotels are offering special rates for shoppers who will receive extra perks like discounts at shopping centers located near the hotels.

Cruise lines are hoping that people will consider gifting cruises for the holidays.  Buyers can expect low prices from major cruise lines and travel agents on November 30th.

Best Travel Deals will be keeping you updated on the latest deals and promotions.  Check back early on Cyber Monday to find who is offering the best Cyber Monday travel deals during online shopping’s biggest day.