Amazing Travel Bargains for Seniors
- From: Ablang <ron916@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 17:40:34 -0700 (PDT)
Amazing Travel Bargains for Seniors
Joan Rattner Heilman
O nly 49? Forget it! But if you've turned 50 -- or better yet, 60, 62
or 65 -- you can make your age pay off. These days, all kinds of
companies are offering special privileges and discounts that can save
you a lot of money. Here are my favorites...
BARGAIN HOTEL ROOMS
Age 50 is the threshold for many hotel and motel discounts, some as
generous as half off. Virtually all lodging chains and most individual
establishments will give you a break on room rates. Most take only 10%
off your bill -- better than nothing -- but some do a lot better than
that, especially if you're at least 60. Examples...
Hilton. Join its Senior HHonors travel club at age 60 ($40 a year for
you and a companion) and get up to 50% off, depending on location and
season, on one or two rooms and guaranteed to be lower than any other
available published rate, plus 20% off meals for two at participating
hotel restaurants (800-492-3232, www.hiltonHHonors.com).
Starwood Hotels (Westin, Sheraton, W, Luxury Collection, Four Points)
offers up to 50% off, depending on location and season, when you're
age 50 or older and an AARP member. You must arrive on a Thursday,
Friday or Saturday and make a reservation at least 21 days in advance.
If you don't, you get 15% to 25% off, also depending on location and
season (800-325-3535, www.starwood.com/aarp).
Choice Hotels. The Sixty Plus Rate at Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn,
Quality Inn, Clarion, Econo Lodge, MainStay Suites, Sleep Inn, Rodeway
Inns, Cambria Suites) gives you a discount, based on availability, of
20% to 30% at age 60 and older when you call ahead to make
reservations. At 50, you're entitled to 15% for AARP members, 10% for
nonmembers (800-424-6423, www.choicehotels.com).
FRUGAL FLIGHTS
If you're age 65 or older, get Southwest Airlines' Senior Fare tickets
at much less than full fare -- never more than $149 one way, no matter
how long the trip, compared with up to $339 for full fare.
Senior tickets are available on all routes and all flights, and have
no advance-purchase requirements or fees for changing or canceling
your flights. Seats are limited, however, so make your plans early and
be flexible.
Saver: Southwest runs many seat sales for people of any age that cut
prices even further, so check them out before you book a senior fare.
For a route map and other information, visit www.southwest.com (click
on "Travel Tools").
OVERSEAS OFFERS
If heading overseas, you'll find senior bargains mainly on
transportation, such as train and bus travel. And, of course, at
museums, historic sites, movies, etc., just as in the US.
Did you know? Many foreign airlines take 10% off most non-promotional
fares on flights to and from the US for travelers 60 or 62 and older
(and sometimes for a younger companion, too). Among them: Austrian
Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, El Al Israel Airlines, Lufthansa
German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines Systems
(SAS) and Virgin Atlantic Airways. In most cases, you must request the
discount by telephone.
A LIFETIME PARK PASS
Buy an America the Beautiful -- Senior Pass (formerly called the
Golden Age Passport) for $10 at age 62 or older, and for the rest of
your life you will be admitted free of charge to all national parks,
forests, refuges, monuments and recreation areas and get half off the
federal user fees for certain facilities and services such as camping,
swimming and parking.
The free admission deal applies not only to you but also to up to
three additional adults in your vehicle. (Children under age 16 are
free.) You can get your lifetime pass at a park entrance or an annual
pass at a park or on-line at www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm. If you're
younger than 62, you'll need the America the Beautiful -- Annual Pass
that costs $80 a year and offers the same privileges.
BREAKS ON CAR INSURANCE
At age 50 or 55 you may become eligible for a discount of up to 10% on
your auto policy because insurance companies consider you a more
cautious driver than you were in your youth. (After 70 or 75, however,
the rates start going back up again.) Check out several insurers and
choose the one that gives you the best deal, then be sure to take a
defensive-driving course that entitles you to even more off the bill.
At the same time, find out if you can get a similar discount on your
homeowner's policy.
SAVINGS FOR SHOPPERS
Modell's sporting-goods stores (in the northeast). Get 10% off if
you're 60 or older.
Kohl's department stores have special senior days when you can get a
15% discount if you're 62 (55 in some stores) or older.
Ross. Shop at their Dress for Less events every Tuesday to get a 10%
discount if you're 55 or older.
Banana Republic. Any day of the week you'll get 10% or 15% off if
you're 62 or older.
CVS, Rite Aid, Longs Drugs, Eckerd's and other pharmacy chains. Save
money starting at age 55 or 60 if you have no prescription coverage by
paying cash for your prescriptions.
Kroger on Wednesdays (depending on region), if age 55 or older (if
you're 60, BI-LO or Publix Super Stores). Save 5% on groceries.
Smart: Watch the ads and window signs for specific senior discounts at
local shops and businesses. I've found senior deals in many, many
places, such as shoe-repair shops, health-food stores, beauty salons
and barbershops, veterinarian's offices, dry cleaners and even my
neighborhood Chinese restaurant.
HOP A TRAIN, BUS OR SUBWAY
Just about all commuter railroad and metropolitan transit systems in
the country charge you less once you're eligible for Medicare (age 65
in most cases). Usually they take half off the regular fare, although
sometimes only in off-peak periods.
Examples: For travel by bus, subway or train in New York, Chicago,
Washington, DC, Honolulu and other big cities, you pay half the usual
adult fare. Things are even better in the entire state of
Pennsylvania, where taking a bus, trolley or subway is free, and only
$1 on the regional rail lines. (Regular fares apply during rush hour
-- 7 am to 8 am and 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm.) In most cases, all you need
to qualify is proof of age.
SLEEP CHEAP
Join a bed-and-breakfast club and pay a pittance for a bed in the US
or Canada. The Evergreen B&B Club (800-962-2392, www.evergreenclub.com),
limited to people over age 50, charges annual dues of $60 for a single
and $75 for two for the privilege of staying at the homes of other
members here and abroad for $10 single or $15 double per night.
When you join the Affordable Travel Club (253-858-2172, www.affordabletravelclub.net)
at age 40 or older, you pay dues of $70 a year and nominal fees of $15
(single) or $20 (double) directly to your hospitable fellow members
for each night you stay in their homes. Count on them not only to give
you a full or continental breakfast but to show you around the
neighborhood, too.
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Joan Rattner Heilman, an award-
winning travel writer based in New York. She is author of Unbelievably
Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless
You're Over 50 (McGraw-Hill).
.
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