Weekly round up: Europe's Rising stars, NYC hotel for under $100 a night???, JetBlue getaways and more.

Another eventful week in the travel business. So I thought today I would catch you up on some of the deals, news, stories and articles that came out this past week.


Jetting for less: JetBlue currently has a 40% off select getaways that include such destinations as Aruba, Cancun & Nassau. These "beachy keen" deals include 4-star accommodations and nonstop flights from such locales as Boston, New York & Orlando.For more information head on over to JetBlue.

NYC Hotel for $89/night???: Whoa...recession pricing is in full effect with this great deal from TravelZoo and Best Western. The new Bowery Hanbee Hotel, which is located in the hip and trendy SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, is offering a jaw dropping special. For select dates through April, travelers can enjoy a great room for only $89/night! In order to get this low rate you must book with TravelZoo's special code, which is...well..."TravelZoo"...not hard to remember. Click here for more information. Hurry because you must book by March 9.


Luck of the Irish: While not "new" news, it is worth mentioning the current sale and prices that Ireland's most popular airline Aer Lingus currently has on their website. Sales at a stunningly low $199 each way to/from Ireland in the spring and $229 in the summer. Simply amazing considering how expensive flights to Europe were just 8-12 months ago! But Aer Lingus is not just good for flights to the Emerald Isle. In fact they have dozens of European cities at lower than normal prices right now. I booked a 3 week trip to Krakow in June for about 40% lower than the competition. More for information on the Ireland sale click here, to check out all of the other great destinations that Aer Lingus flies to click here.

(Another)Southwest sale: In what seems to be a regular occurrence these days, Southwest is offering a sale. But this sale is unique as it covers all of the airline's destinations. Some of the cities that the low cost airline flies to include New York (Long Island Islip), Ft. Lauderdale, Chicago (Midway) and Seattle. The Nationwide sale has fares that range from $49-$129 one-way. Check out Southwest for more information. Hurry though, this sale ends Monday March 2.

Europe's other great cities: Fodor's has a great article about "Europe's Rising Stars", which includes a look at such amazing, yet sometimes overlooked, cities like Galway, Ireland and Valencia, Spain. These particular cities offer all of the same excitement and culture of their more popular neighbors, but often times To check out the full article, click here.




So much is going on these days in travel. Airfare sales seem to pop up every 7 minutes (or at least it feels that way) and hotel prices are plummeting worldwide. Who would have thought a year ago that you could stay in a nice hotel in Manhattan for under $100/night? Madness. It is safe to say that the term "Staycation" is officially retired. To that I say, GOOD RIDDANCE!

Ireland on sale? More like giving itself away.

As an Irish American, I must say that my Irish eyes have been smiling a lot lately. You see my favorite country to visit outside of the US is so damn cheap to visit it is making me want to book a trip to the Emerald Isle right now. Unfortunately I already have 3 trips (one of them being a month in Eastern Europe), so I am good for now.

I will however touch down in Ireland for a brief moment, because my layover from New York's JFK to Krakow is in Dublin. Can you say mad dash to the airport pub for a pint of the black gold (Guinness)?

Now I have seen some deals come in as low as $315 r/t this Spring! While under $400 fares are becoming harder to find as each we get closer to Spring, you can definitely still find some gems out there. Here are some helpful links to get you started on your vacation to Ireland:


Aer Lingus: Of course you can not mention flights to Ireland and leave out the country's biggest airline. But Aer Lingus is seriously on fire this year with deals to not only Ireland, but to many top European destinations like Brussels, Krakow and Nice. Fares to Ireland via Aer Lingus start as low as $199 each way between April 1 and June 15. If you are looking for Summer travel, then their one way fares start as $283 between June 16 and August 22.

Continental Airlines: Today is one month until St. Patrick's Day and if you are looking for a last minute jaunt across the pond for that holiday then check out Continental, which still has low fares nonstop to Dublin out of Newark for $423 (Based on a Sunday/Monday March 15/16 arrival and a Monday March 23 return; round-trip with taxes and fees included). While that is not the cheapest fare I saw for St Patty's week (It was as low as $315 back in January), it is still much lower than visiting many parts of Europe this Spring. Do a Kayak search and be flexible with the date of arrival and departure option or visit Continental Airlines direct.

Dooley Vacations: Want to see more of Ireland for less? Then book a vacation package this Spring or Summer. Dooley Vacations is one of the many companies that are offering travelers much to do without breaking the bank. One package in particular that stood out was the "Ireland Two-City Vacation" starting at $599, which includes a 3-night stay at the Strand Hotel in Limerick and 3-nights at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. Plus the package includes r/t airfare, 3-day manual shift car rental (pick up Shannon Airport & drop off Dublin Airport on Day 4 by 6pm. Transfer to Regency Hotel will be provided), full Irish breakfast daily and even a discount booklet to save while on the trip. Check out Dooley Vacations for more information and pricing.

For more Ireland vacation packages, starting as low as $349, check out Travel Zoo and their European Vacations section.

Hopefully these links have provided you with some ideas on how cheap is it right now to fly to Ireland. May your days in Ireland be filled with plenty of craic (fun and enjoyment).