Clark Howard

Travel e-Scapes: February 23, 2018

DESTINATION & DEAL OF THE DAY: Oakland, California

HURRY! Nonstop Route from ATL! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$278 Oakland, California, or $139 each way
Valid daily from June 8-26 on new nonstop Delta service
Rates as low as $158 offered on midweek service through August 22

TRAVEL TIPS & TIDBITS

New Airbnb Options
A decade ago, Airbnb's co-founders started a global travel phenomenon after inflating 3 airbeds for guests in their San Francisco apartment. Today, Airbnb is one of the world's largest accommodation platforms with 4.5 million places to stay in 81,000 cities. Over the last 10 years, Airbnb guests have checked into an Airbnb more than 300 million times.
Airbnb unveiled Roadmap – designed to bring the benefits of local, personal and authentic travel to every type of traveler with four new property typesVacation Home, Unique, B&B, and Boutiques. The new categories are in addition to existing choices of Entire Home, Private Room and Shared Space. Previously having only 3 choices, it was difficult for hosts to stand out and guests couldn't always find exactly what they were looking for.
The new property types will give a greater choice of accommodation options and provide greater transparency over the types of accommodation available. All 7 property types will launch to guests this summer.
To meet the needs of such a diverse range of travelers, Airbnb is launching Collections – perfect homes for every occasion. Launching today are Airbnb for Family and Airbnb for Work with Collections for Social stays, Weddings, Honeymoons, Group getaways and Dinner parties coming later this year.
Airbnb Plus is intended for guests looking for beautiful homes, exceptional hosts and added peace of mind. Plus homes have been inspected and verified in person against a 100+ point checklist covering cleanliness, comfort, and design.
Launching soon, Beyond by Airbnb will offer custom designed trips of a lifetime, including the world's finest homes, custom experiences and world-class hospitality.
Later this year, Airbnb will also recognize its best guests with a new guest membership program offering benefits across the entire trip. Superguest will launch initially to 10,000 guests as a trial this summer before being rolled out to Airbnb's wider guest community before the end of the year.
Learn more about the new and upcoming accommodation options at Airbnb .

Theme Park Ticket Increase
Just days after the Walt Disney World Resort revealed ticket prices would increase, Universal Studios Orlando have raised the price of admission.
The price of Universal's single-park tickets increased $5 to $115 for adults, and single-day, park-to-park tickets for Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay jumped from $165 to $170.
Admission costs will vary throughout the year based on Universal Orlando's tiered-pricing structure.
Last week, Disney World and Disneyland announced admission prices for both theme parks would increase effective immediately. One-day regular ticket prices for the Magic Kingdom jumped from $107 to $109 and peak ticket prices climbed from $124 to $129 per person.
Disney also announced Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom prices will increase from $107 to $114 for a one-day regular ticket, $99 to $102 for a value ticket and from $119 to $122 for a peak ticket.

SPECIAL DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL OFFERS

Airfare offers – ones with a ticket-by date – and deals with our suggestion to HURRY!  can expire at any time.   Heed Clark's advice: Buy that great airfare deal – and then figure out a reason to go there! Eventually, you'll see the world at a fraction of the normal price!

HURRY! GO NOW! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$92 Philadelphia, or $46 each way
No advance purchase required — go as soon as this week!
Valid Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday through June 26 (not valid June 24)
Valid on American, nonstop
Note: See below for a deal from PHL to Iceland

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$142 New York-LaGuardia, or $71 each way
A 14-day advance purchase required
Valid Tuesday, Wednesday through May 15
Valid on American, nonstop

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$158 Denver, or $79 each way
A 14-day advance purchase required
Valid daily through June 26
Blackout date: June 24
Valid on United, nonstop

Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$254 Phoenix, or $127 each way
A 21-day advance purchase required
Valid Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday
Add $10 each way for Monday, Thursday travel
Finish trips on or before June 13
Valid on Delta, nonstop
Purchase by March 8

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$263-$276 San Francisco
Valid Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday
Start travel on or after April 3
Finish trips on or before May 23
Valid on Delta, nonstop
Purchase by March 7

Round-trip from Atlanta:
$410 Bogota, Columbia
$417 Quito, Ecuador
A 28-day advance purchase required
Valid daily on departures to Bogota through May 31
Finish travel from Bogota by June 13
Depart to Quito by June 27
Finish travel from Quito by July 25
Valid on Delta, nonstop
Purchase by February 26

Round-trip from Atlanta:
$450 Aruba
Valid Monday-Thursday only from April 3
Finish trips on or before May 17
A Saturday night stay required
Valid on Delta, nonstop
Purchase by March 8
__________

Deals from other U.S. gateway airports:

HURRY! Round-trip from Philadelphia:
$443 PHL to Iceland
Valid Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday
Start trips on or after April 22
Finish trips on or before June 14
Valid on Icelandair, nonstop

How do you find these great airfare deals? Visit Clark's Atlanta Travel Tips page for a step-by-step search and booking guide.

NOTE: Airline fees can and often do exceed the cost of your flight! Additional charges now apply to budget and sale rates on most airlines for a carry-on bag, checked baggage and advance seat assignments. The least expensive fees are charged when these options are purchased during the ticket booking process. Fees climb higher after flights are reserved and even higher when adding these options at airport check-in. Kayak offers the most up-to-date Fees Chart for all domestic and international airlines.

HOTELS, RESORTS & MORE

Downtown Denver Art Package
The Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center and the Grand Hyatt Denver offers new hotel packages that make seeing the Degas: A Passion for Perfection exhibition at the Denver Art Museum easy and convenient. The Passion for Perfection package includes VIP quick-admission for two to the exhibit with no waiting in line (additional package features include two cocktails in Peaks Lounge at the Hyatt Regency Denver).
Overnight packages start from $189 per room and valid for stays through May 19.
Both award-winning Hyatt Hotels in downtown Denver are located two blocks apart with easy access to entertainment, dining and attractions.
Additional packages are offered at even more upscale properties in Denver.
View all of the deals at Visit Denver .
The Denver Art Museum is the sole American venue for the exhibition Degas: A Passion for Perfection which features many of Edgar Degas' well-known masterpieces, showcasing his works from 1855 to 1906. The exhibition focuses on the most prominent and recurring themes with more than 100 paintings, drawings, pastels, etching and sculptures on view through May 20.
Admission to the Denver Art Museum without a hotel package are $24 adults, $5 ages 6-18, including audio.
The Denver Art Museum is located a few blocks from the downtown Denver Hyatts.

Orlando Discounts
Visit Orlando, the official tourism association for the destination will offer an extra 5% discount on already reduced ticket prices in honor of Spring Break. Use promo code SAVE5 on purchases made at  VisitOrlando . Discounts are valid on March 5 through April 1 visits at more than 50 attractions, dinner shows, theme parks and more.
Attraction Deals:
Walt Disney World Resort: Save 20% on four-day or longer tickets.
Universal Orlando Resort: Save up to $35 off gate prices for Park to Park tickets, including the all-new Universal's Volcano Bay water theme park.
Aquatica, SeaWorld's Waterpark: Enjoy savings of up to $28 off gate prices when purchasing 1-day with All-Day dining tickets online.
Coca-Cola Orlando Eye: A 14-day ticket includes unlimited visits to Madame Tussauds Orlando, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, and Coca-Cola Orlando Eye for $59 per adult, $54 for children plus tax.
LEGOLAND Florida Resort: Save up to $28 off gate prices.
The Escape Game: Save 20% off standard ticket prices for up to eight players with promo code VisitDeals20.
Capone's Dinner Show: Enjoy 50% off all tickets, for a night of entertainment including dinner, drinks and dessert.
Accommodations Deals (a sampling of the savings):
B Resort & Spa: From $489, for a 2-night stay with buffet breakfast, early admission to Disney Theme Parks, $20 off a Spa Treatment and no resort or parking fees with the "B On Your Way" package. Use promo code "BURWAY", for stays March 11-April 7.
Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa: Save up to 30% off normal rates.
Reunion Resort: With the "Sunsational Experience" Package, get a $50 Resort Credit per night of stay in Luxury Villa accommodations. Rates start from $199 per night.
Caribe Royale: Save 30% off best available rates every second night of a stay, and earn a $30 food & beverage credit per night, for travel March 1-May 31.
Special Events:
Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida, Now through April 7
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, February 28-May 28
SeaWorld's Seven Seas Food Festival, Saturdays now through April 15

Travel e-Scapes is brought to you by Clara Bosonetto, Team Clark Travel Editor. Follow Clara on  Twitter .

Looking for more deals?
View all current airfare offers at Clark's Atlanta Travel Deals page or the National Travel Deals page.

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