Happy Steps travel blog

Cheap flights from the USA to top tourist destinations around the world

It’s the season for travel again as the holidays are fast approaching! And I’m on dreaming mode once more as I’m browsing over my favorite travel destinations featured in British Airways’ “World Sale” such as London, Paris and especially Rome which is my top dream destination in Europe as I wish to visit the historical churches and buildings there. For those who are on the lookout for some great travel deals, check out the November Seat Sale British Airways is currently offering.

For instance, a World Sale flight from New York to London starts at $229 (each way based on round-trip fare) and a travel package which includes round-trip airfare from New York to London with double occupancy and 3-night stay starts at $659. Thus combining your chosen flight with selected hotel and car rental means even more savings. Plus you receive 2,000 bonus miles from British Airways when you book a customized travel package. Continue reading… »

Budget travel plans for the coming holidays

It’s been a hectic week for me, I didn’t even notice the upcoming holidays until we dropped by the mall and I saw Christmas trees and trimmings on display. So yes, it’s holiday shopping season again and many are expected to come up with unique and creative gift items for their loved ones. With the recent natural calamities and economic crisis hitting the country, more people are now becoming budget-conscious. While some are busy thinking about where to buy cheap presents, others are looking for travel deals with cheap flights and planning for a budget vacation for the holidays. Continue reading… »

Philippine Airlines (PAL) Manila to Los Angeles/San Fransisco holiday promo 2009

Hi all! Here’s another holiday promo for those planning to spend their Christmas vacation in the USA. Philippine Airlines (PAL) is offering their “Awesome Online Fare to the USA” promo for outbound Manila flights. Here are the details:

USD758
(USD528 Round-trip fare + USD230 surcharges)
(Exclusive of Government Taxes)

Manila TO Los Angeles/San Francisco
Round Trip Economy Class Fare

Travel Period (Outbound Manila) : 09 October 2009 – 25 December 2009
Selling and Ticketing Period: ongoing until 31 October 2009 Continue reading… »

Freeride World Tour Season 3 kicks off in the Russian resort of Sochi

Ski season is here again and ski enthusiasts are getting excited checking out ski deals, local and international ski events and even planning for their own ski holidays. For instance, on January 21, 2010, at the Russian resort of Sochi, the Freeride World Tour Season 3 starts. This four-leg action-packed event will again be featuring the world’s best skiers and snowboarders as they come down a designated mountain choosing any route they want and performing their skills and tricks along the way. Continue reading… »

Cheap flights to the UK, Germany and France via KLM Philippines

Dubbed as their “Hot fares for the rainy season,” KLM Philippines is currently offering some tempting flight deals from the Philippines and Guam to the UK, Germany and France in Europe as long as you book your flights during weekdays (Mondays to Thursdays) and travel period should be until September 30 only. The promo air fares already include taxes, surcharges and booking fee. Continue reading… »

Philippine Airlines promo: Way To Go Philippines (July 7-15, 2009)

If you’re based in Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries in the Asia Pacific and would like to visit the Philippines this year, you can avail of the ongoing promo ‘Way To Go Philippines’ with discounted all-in-fares by Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Destinations included in the travel promo are: Manila, Luzon (Laoag and Legaspi), Visayas (Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban, Tagbilaran) and Mindanao (Butuan, Cotabato, Cagayan De Oro, Dipolog, Davao, General Santos, Ozamiz, Zamboanga). Selling period for the promo started last July 7 and will be until July 15, so there’s still time left for making that decision about a trip to the Philippines this year.
Continue reading… »

If I were to go on a vacation somewhere in Asia Pacific…

…I would choose Auckland in New Zealand! Or maybe Sydney, Australia. Or Hong Kong perhaps? Aside from being a shopping paradise, Hongkong is also a great destination for cultural activities and festivals. Oh well, it’s me on a holiday dream mode again after browsing over some Accor Hotels City Super Sale! My mom and I have been considering a trip to Hong Kong though, especially since my big bro who’s working in China can meet us up and tour us around. I’ve also wanted to go to Disneyland Hongkong after seeing some pics from my friend and her family’s stay there.
Continue reading… »

Online travel community sharing the best travel deals

Don’t all travel bugs like to get the best deals for an upcoming vacation or trip? If possible, they would inquire about discount packages from their travel agents, or browse the net for big savings on round trip flights, hotel accommodation, day tours, local shows or car rentals.

Personally, I’m always on the lookout for freebies and extras when it comes to travel-related expenses, thus it’s nice to know about an online travel community where members can share the best travel deals they’ve discovered.
Continue reading… »

Buying a waterfront villa for tourism investment

Who would not want to experience this?

You wake up to the sound of the waves splashing below, your eyes taking in the stunning view of the ocean from your bedroom’s sliding glass doors. Few steps from your comfortable bed, the balcony awaits, a nice place for you to do some morning stretches out in the warm sun. With the allure of the blue waters and white sand beaches, you just can’t wait to engage in your favorite outdoor water sports or simply explore the surroundings.
Continue reading… »

Buying airline travel ticket from Cebu Pacific website failed transaction a phishing trick?

I certainly hope not! That’s what I told techie bro when he raised the possibility of a phishing trick after I unsuccessfully tried many many times to purchase online for Mom’s Bacolod-Manila round trip ticket via Cebu Pacific Air’s online ticketing system last week. I already used two Visa Electron cards and one MasterCard but to no avail, I got declined status, i.e. failed transaction, for them. Thankfully, our Prague Connection did the ticket purchase the next day using his Mastercard account and the transaction was accepted.

The last week of April was quite busy for the airline site as they were having an ongoing seat sale (from April 25-30 for domestic and international flights), applicable for travel period from June 1 to August 31 from all hubs – Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao. The ticket prices were incredibly low. Imagine getting a roundtrip Bacolod-Manila ticket for only Php1375! That’s even less than the regular one-way ticket.
Continue reading… »

Educational travel and tour programs

As St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” So true, isn’t it?

Travel is a good learning experience and it’s the best way to understand the history and culture of another place. This is why educational trips are very much part of school curriculums. Engineering students usually have technological tours which take them to various manufacturing and processing plants. These trips give them the chance to observe and discover the practical side of what they learn in classrooms. Historical and cultural tours are also great for elementary and high school students.
Continue reading… »

Travel promo for car racing enthusiasts

The 2009 Formula One season has already kicked off last month with its first round at the Australian Grand Prix. This racing event is the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season which consists of 17 rounds of races to be held in series in different countries. So far, Jenson Button from England has the most wins. With the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix (Gran Premio de España) to be held in Barcelona on May 10 and the Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Monaco) on May 24 at Monte Carlo, many car racing fanatics are looking forward to watching their favorite racing drivers on TV again.

Incidentally, there’s an ongoing online travel promo, the Sleep Inn racing promo where car racing enthusiasts are given a chance to treat themselves to a real hands-on racing course. The winners will undergo an “Introduction to Racing” program by the prestigious Skip Barber Racing School, the world’s largest school for those who aim to seriously pursue a career in auto racing.
Continue reading… »

Shop at online travel stores with discount coupons

Most net-savvy travel bugs would prefer doing online transactions for car rentals, phone cards, hotels, luggage, travel gear, vacation packages and other trip essentials. Aside from shopping in a relaxed home environment, online purchases sometimes offer the best deals. For instance, we got our air tickets at a very low price when we bought them online and more than a month ahead of the scheduled departure. Getting them at a local travel agent usually costs more since there’s a service charge.
Continue reading… »

Globe and SM promo: Trip to Macau

Here’s another ongoing promo for travel bugs by Globe Telecom as it joins SM Department Store’s 50th anniversary. Globe subscribers (mobile, landline and internet) paying their bills at any SM Bills Payment counter get a chance to win a trip for two to Macau.

Here are some of the trip details:
- good for 2 persons
- round-trip airfare on Philippine Airlines (PAL) economy class
- 3 days and 2 nights twin sharing hotel accommodation at Grand Emperor Hotel
- daily hotel breakfast
- half-day Macau city tour

One winner will be chosen every month starting July until December at designated raffle dates from September 2008 to January 2009. The prize is transferable and convertible to cash, with the prize tax to be shouldered by Globe Telecom.

Being a Globe broadband subscriber, we’ve always been paying our bills at SM since we usually go there for shopping anyway. It’s more convenient for us than paying at the Globe office at Lacson Street where the queue is usually longer. We’ve already paid two Globe bills via the SM payment counters, I really hope we would be one of the Macau promo winners.

Photo credits: Wikipedia.org

Philippine Airlines promo fares for last quarter of 2008

For travel bugs and tourists who plan to travel to some destinations (Honolulu, Guam, Bangkok, Los Angeles or Sydney) to and from Manila, check out some promo packages from Philippine Airlines (PAL). Here are some low fare flights available at their online booking facility which features their calendar pricing, showing the fares within a seven-day range for the travelers to choose from based on 3 days before and after their inputted travel date.

Bangkok to Manila

For only THB4660 plus taxes and applicable surcharges for 2 days minimum stay up to 8 days maximum stay, travel period until December 14, 2008, no mileage accrual and ticket is non-refundable. For THB 5000 plus taxes and applicable surcharges, the same condition applies plus rebooking is allowed at a charge of THB1,000.

Hong Kong to Manila

For only HKD1,000 plus taxes and applicable surcharges for 2 days minimum stay up to 8 days maximum stay, travel period until December 14, 2008, no mileage accrual, non-refundable ticket, no ticket validity extension and rebooking fee allowed at USD50.

Manila to Honolulu

For only USD318 plus taxes and applicable surcharges for 3 days minimum stay up to 3 months maximum stay, travel period until December 15, no ticket validity extension, no mileage accrual. Other restrictions can be read here.

Manila to Guam

For only USD365 plus taxes and applicable surcharges for 4 days minimum stay up to 45 days maximum stay with no ticket validity extension.

Manila to Hong Kong

For only USD138 plus taxes and applicable surcharges 2 days minimum stay up to 8 days maximum stay, travel period until December 14, 2008, no mileage accrual, and ticket is non-refundable.

Special web fares

More special web fares from PAL such as Manila to Honolulu, Manila to Los Angeles or San Francisco, Manila to Singapore, Jakarta to Manila, Los Angeles or San Francisco to Manila and more are available here.

Note that promo packages have a lot of restrictions (non-refundable ticket, travel period, etc.) so be informed of all the details and plan it out well before doing your purchase. You might also want to check out Cebu Pacific and compare ongoing promo packages for both airlines.

Photo credits: Julius Silver (www.foto-julius.at)

Travel rewards programs

To recognize a customer’s loyalty and show appreciation for the business, this is what rewards programs are all about. For travel bugs, this means frequent flyer programs which usually includes free airline tickets, discounts on hotels, car rentals, shopping and more.

Travel rewards credit cards not only give points for the usual purchases but more reward points are given when purchases are travel related. It’s important to compare the amount of travel rewards points or miles earned for every credit card purchase and if there’s a limit as to how many points you can earn annually. Other things to consider are the bonus points offered and their expiry, blackout dates for hotels and flights, and the interest rate. These details can be read in every credit card’s terms and conditions, so it’s best to check them out.

A list of highly rated travel rewards credit card programs on CreditCreator.com ranks Blue Sky from American Express® as the best travel rewards credit card – it offers 1 point per dollar of purchase on any airline, hotel, and other travel related purchases with no blackout dates. Introductory rate is 0% APR (annual percentage rate) for 12 months, free set-up fee, no annual fee and low balance transfer rate. Runners-up include the Chase TravelPlus Visa® Card, Capital One® Orbitz® Visa® Signature, and Miles by Discover® Card. More details about these travel rewards programs can be browsed from the site.

Business Class treats from KLM Philippines

Here’s a quick announcement which I’d like to share for those who plan to go to Europe from the Philippines via business class. KLM Philippines offers a double treat for online round trip business class bookings until October 15, 2008 – a discounted fare plus a wellness treat at The Farm at San Benito in Batangas.

Isn’t it nice to come home from a trip and be treated to a relaxing overnight stay for free in this wellness resort?

More details about this offer can be read here.

Photo credits: KLM Philippines / The Farm

Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific: Which is which?

I’d say it really depends. While Philippine Airlines (PAL) airfares usually cost more than Cebu Pacific (CEB), this is not always the case. One of my trips to Manila was via PAL’s special evening flight which was a good deal compared to Cebu Pacific’s daytime flights.

Regarding airport terminals, both airlines now compete with serving their clients better – PAL at the Centennial Terminal 2 and Cebu Pacific at the new NAIA Terminal 3.

With respect to allowable baggage, Cebu Pacific has now reduced it to 15 kg, while it’s still 20 kg limit for PAL. Thus, for passengers coming from international flights with other airlines and traveling via Cebu Pacific from Manila to other provinces, please be aware of their new reduced baggage limit. If you have 20 kg, you might as well consider flying with PAL or avail of Cebu Pacific’s prepaid excess baggage discount of 20% per 5kg additional weight. Note that excess baggage fee is Php100 per 1kg. The prepaid excess baggage discount can be availed when buying the ticket, not during check-in.

To get the most savings in purchasing your air tickets, do a comparison of the total cost of flight expenses (air fare plus excess baggage cost) for both airlines. For instance, if you have 20 kg baggage, you don’t need to pay for excess if you fly with PAL and you might get a discounted fare if you buy weeks ahead of your flight schedule. On the other hand, if you’re traveling light, Cebu Pacific could be your best option.

Here are some tips about purchasing air tickets:
1. Always plan your trip in advance.
2. Tickets bought online are cheaper than via travel agents or at the airline office (you also save on time and gas).
3. Buy your ticket at least a month in advance to get the cheapest price.

Here’s to more happy travels ahead!