Asking The Right Question Is Key To Saving

Certain questions just keep rolling in to this travel writer.

Can you fly free as a courier? Can you find a decent hotel in Manhattan for less than $90 per night? When isn’t San Francisco full?

The answers are no; probably not; and perhaps Thanksgiving.

But the questions shouldn’t end there. In fact, some of the most valuable travel questions don’t get asked nearly often enough. Consider these Infrequently Asked Questions and the money they might save you.

Q: How am I deploying my bargain-hunting time? Are the airlines getting too much attention and the hotels too little?

A: I regularly run into travelers who have searched feverishly for the cheapest possible air fare, then settled quickly for the first hotel price they heard. But keep the math in mind: If you’re staying more than five nights, a $5 nightly lodging discount will do you more good than a $20 air-fare reduction. When researching hotels, contact brokers like Hotel Reservations Network, (800) 964-6835, or Quikbook, (800) 789-9887, which handle discounted inventories in major cities. Some travel agents get preferred rates with certain hotel companies. If you’re booking yourself, especially on short notice, call the hotel itself (its local number, not the toll-free chain number), mention your auto club or AARP card, ask for the lowest price in the house, and don’t be afraid to dicker. (Your bargaining power is greatest, of course, when you’re standing at the desk and you know they have unsold rooms that night.)

Q: Are Internet fares better than those offered to the unplugged?

A: They can be, especially for major U.S. airlines. Eager to shift more business to their Internet sites (which carry less overhead than the old-fashioned sales-and-distribution system), many carriers extend deals to Internet customers that can’t be obtained over the phone or through travel agents. But just because you found it on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s a great bargain. Second sources and comparison shopping are vital.

Q: Is breakfast included? Exactly what kind?

A: Given the high prices some hotels charge for breakfast, a good free one is like getting $10 to $20 lopped off your room rate.

Q: Are taxes included in these hotel rates?

A: In the United States, travelers are accustomed to having taxes excluded from the rates quoted by hotels. But it’s trickier abroad. For instance, most budget and midrange English hotels include value-added taxes (VAT in their lingo) in their quoted rates. But many upscale lodgings in Britain have started excluding the VAT - a whopping 17.5 percent - and instead put a notation at the bottom of the brochure. If you’re booking a hotel in Britain, always ask about VAT.

Q: What’s the best public transport from the airport?

A: Ask your travel agent or the hotel where you’ll spend your first night. In some cities a taxi is best. But in many cities, buses or trains offer prompt service at a fraction of the cost of a cab.

Q: Thanks for loosening up the expiration dates on my frequent-flier program. But am I still blocked from using them on blackout dates?

A: The skirmishing to attract frequent fliers rages on among major U.S. airlines, which is why American and United airlines both announced liberalized expiration policies this month. On those carriers, as on the third of the big three, Delta, miles don’t expire unless customers let three years lapse between mileage-earning transactions. But most carriers still have blackout dates when award travel is impossible, unless you’re willing to use twice the usual mileage to get a seat. At Delta, for instance, blackout dates for travel to Hawaii in 2000 include Feb. 18 to 27, April 21 to 23 and 29 to 30, along with Dec. 21 to 31. At American, blackout dates in 2000 on coach-class award travel to Mexico include Jan. 1 to 4, Nov. 26 to 27 and Dec. 20 to 23.