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Post by brina on Mar 30, 2015 13:18:10 GMT
Dh's frat brothers would go the Peoples Express counter at the airport and buy tickets on the next departing flight to anywhere. In case you are not old enough to remember Peoples Express or have lived in a market the served, tickets were $19 or $29.
Anyway for a number of reasons DH and I have no plans for travel this summer and want to. I went on the United website yesterday and we cannot get tickets to anywhere on miles unless we are willing to really throw miles at the purchase, or a lot of money. We have decided to try a grown up version of the plastic fantastic weekend. We are always getting emails about last minute flight or hotel deals. We are going to arrange a week for somebody to watch out teenager who has chosen to not go away to camp this summer and then book a last minute deal somewhere.
I am usually a planner when it comes to travel. I used to buy books, now I stalk Trip Advisor and other travel websites. DH is generally happy to let me do all the planning and before we were married mot of his travel was with his parents and they are planners as well.
We are both excited, but also uncomfortable with this approach.
If you travel this way assure me it is going to be okay.
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Post by Miss Ang on Mar 30, 2015 13:22:55 GMT
I've never heard of that before. So how does the return flight work? You pay full price, I assume? I'd think that a last minute return flight could be costly. No? I'm anxious to hear more!
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Post by brina on Mar 30, 2015 13:31:31 GMT
I've never heard of that before. So how does the return flight work? You pay full price, I assume? I'd think that a last minute return flight could be costly. No? I'm anxious to hear more! back then it was all pretty cheap - i think for them it was the spontaneity of it - not so much the cost but the destination. They would fly to Buffalo, or Newark or wherever the next flight was headed- usually with just an overnight bag. It was the idea that you could have fun anywhere. I don't think dh and can be quite that loosy-goosy, not being college frat boys who only need a dive bar to be happy. We will book a round trip and a hotel based on last minute availability - maybe a Groupon deal or something. |
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wellway
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Posts: 9,203
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Mar 30, 2015 13:43:52 GMT
Can you limited it to the destinations you would be happy to visit? Once you book the flight then google like mad, both of you pick something to do that the other doesn't know about. I think it could be quite fun.
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grinningcat
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,663
Jun 26, 2014 13:06:35 GMT
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Post by grinningcat on Mar 30, 2015 14:01:35 GMT
We're doing this for the honeymoon. We're choosing the time we're taking off but we won't know our destination until within a couple weeks of leaving. We're taking advantage of last minute deals and getting more bang for our buck. I can't wait to do it. I've done it for train travel and it's a lot of fun. I can't imagine it's all that different for air travel. What makes you uncomfortable about it?
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Post by mtscrapper on Mar 30, 2015 14:20:11 GMT
I have friends who did something like this for spring break last week, but this was for his family (all 7 of them). He has benefits through his company that he and his family can fly free if he is on standby, so getting all 7 on a flight would be quite tricky. They didn't know where they were going, just that they were going to the airport on Tuesday and find a flight that was relatively empty to anywhere and that is where their vacation would be. They ended up going to Hawaii (Oahu). As soon as they found a flight that they could possibly get on, then they worked on getting their lodging worked out. They looked like they had a lot of fun and they were able to fly back on Saturday no problem. I don't know if I could do that, especially with 7!
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Post by anonrefugee on Mar 30, 2015 14:29:32 GMT
I've always wanted to do it, so I'm envious. I'm an intense planner.
The closest I've come is a weeklong road trip with DH. we had no preconceived goals and let Groupon travel offers help set a course. We got a couple of good hotel/resort packages in advance and filled in as we went. It was fun, like before we had kids.
I'd love to do one of the pick up and go flights. Ironically my DH keeps suggesting it- wouldn't have been his thing when we were younger. Now I'm worried I might be too uptight.
I could get over it, I'm sure.. Or at least I hope!!!
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ComplicatedLady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,182 
Location: Valley of the Sun
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Post by ComplicatedLady on Mar 30, 2015 14:33:43 GMT
Friends of mine did this. They selected the time they were taking off and then began looking at last minute deals a week or two prior.
They ended up in Belize and said it was an amazing vacation. Belize is somewhere they never would have chosen to go, but now they recommend it to everyone. I think they've told me I need to go to Belize about 100 times now.
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MorningPerson
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Posts: 2,579
Location: Central Pennsylvania
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Post by MorningPerson on Mar 30, 2015 14:39:59 GMT
This go-with-the flow, lacking-a-planning-gene, live-life-on-the-fly type of girl thinks this would be a fantastic thing to do! Make sure you keep us updated.
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Loydene
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,639
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Post by Loydene on Mar 30, 2015 14:57:53 GMT
There are some incredible cruise deals! 12 Day Baltic -- $999 on Holland for a May departure! Of course, flight to embarkation would be expensive!
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Post by brina on Mar 31, 2015 12:44:08 GMT
We're doing this for the honeymoon. We're choosing the time we're taking off but we won't know our destination until within a couple weeks of leaving. We're taking advantage of last minute deals and getting more bang for our buck. I can't wait to do it. I've done it for train travel and it's a lot of fun. I can't imagine it's all that different for air travel. What makes you uncomfortable about it? I usually have vacations booked 6+ months in advance. I know where I am going and where we will stay. I research, research, research. What makes me uncomfortable? What if no good deals pop up in the last few weeks before our departure? what if we get emails from the airlines but there are no exciting destinations? what if we get a good deal on airfare but all the decent hotels are booked up and we are stuck staying some place awful? In the end we could just choose to stay home, but we do want to go somewhere, and I am sure we probably will, it is just outside my comfort zone to not have it all planned. |
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grinningcat
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Posts: 4,663
Jun 26, 2014 13:06:35 GMT
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Post by grinningcat on Mar 31, 2015 12:54:04 GMT
Makes total sense. My brother suggested for us to start looking at prices two months out from now, to get an idea of what prices will look like. Then we can do a bit of research of where we would go. Maybe you could do something similar?
I don't think you have to worry about there not being anyplace excited to go... anywhere different is going to be exciting. In my experience, there are always deals to be had.
But maybe take a look of what's out there and do a little research of some of the places you'd consider going. Then you might have the best of both worlds?
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likescarrots
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,879
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Post by likescarrots on Mar 31, 2015 13:35:49 GMT
We booked 2 of the 3 cruises we've been on at 1 week out. The worst part of 'spontaneous travel', money wise, is the airfare.
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Post by jenjie on Mar 31, 2015 21:53:11 GMT
That sounds like fun!
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Rainbow
Pearl Clutcher
Where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet...
Posts: 4,103
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Post by Rainbow on Apr 1, 2015 4:00:03 GMT
Sounds kind of stressful but also a great adventure!
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Post by AussieMeg on Apr 1, 2015 23:22:54 GMT
You used to be able to do something similar here, they were called Mystery Flights. IIRC it cost $99 for an overnight (or was it 2 nights?) trip, and it included accommodation. You didn't find out your destination until the night before. I did it several times and we usually ended up in Sydney, once in Adelaide. It was so much fun! The accommodation was always fine. And it was exciting to be able to travel and explore with absolutely no plans, just rock up and take it from there. The hotel will have brochures on things you can do around town, you don't need to plan for 6 months - just do whatever takes your fancy on the day. You'll love it!!
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jediannie
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Posts: 3,357
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Apr 1, 2015 23:40:06 GMT
I totally want to do this! I keep trying to convince my husband that we should take a long weekend and just do it but it hasn't worked out yet. Have fun!
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PLurker
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Posts: 9,890
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Apr 2, 2015 5:07:21 GMT
They used to have one day there and back flights from here (Milwaukee or Chicago-can't remember which-Milw I think) that would take you early am to a gulf location to gamble at the boats. We did it a couple of times but not to gamble. We would have a car rental ready and do other stuff we wanted. Favorite was spending the day in New Orleans playing and sampling the food along the way. Had a heck of good time in one day and then they'd fly you back later at night. 2 hour flight each way and 10ish hours there and fly home.
Wish they still did that. Leave cold midwest winter and spend day warm for $99- priceless! I think one time it was only $79. Talk about a mini vacation!
We always booked last minute when we had a day free. Would love to for a extended stay too. Anywhere you haven't or rarely been is going to be fun. Experiencing new things is almost always fun!
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happymomma
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Posts: 4,083
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Post by happymomma on Apr 2, 2015 18:14:40 GMT
It sounds like a blast! I'm confused about the return flight though, is it included as in this is a round-trip thing? If not, you might get stuck paying a pile of money on short-notice one-way return tickets.
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