Daily Getaways return today with a special 10th anniversary edition to mark the U.S. Travel Association’s campaign to promote destinations within the United States. The program each year has offered a number of discounts from leading travel providers, including package deals and cheaper prices to purchase loyalty points from hotels and car rental agencies.
Deals go on sale each day at 1 PM Eastern Time (11 AM Pacific Time). There are a limited number of each package available, and they tend to sell out quickly. Typically you can only buy one of each package, though exceptions exist. You may also be able to buy of several different package offered by the same provider (e.g., one package each for 10,000 points and 100,000 points).
To celebrate the 10th anniversary, the purchase of every deal includes an entry to win a $10,000 custom trip to a U.S. destination of your choice. Personally, I might take another road trip across the American west like the one last summer! Not every deal works for me, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good. It’s simply about personal taste. Each week I’ll be listing the offers in advance and discussing those that are particularly promising.
I have found Daily Getaways to be a good opportunity to load up on points from a variety of loyalty programs like Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG. Sometimes the package deals at Orlando, Las Vegas, or elsewhere can be good, too, but I simply don’t plan far enough in advance to make those worthwhile. There are others who do, and I agree with the U.S.T.A. that you can find a good deal over the next couple of weeks.
Monday – May 6th: IHG Rewards Club
- Buy 10,000 IHG Rewards Club points for $50 (0.5 cents each; 410 available)
- Buy 35,000 IHG Reward Club points for $175 (0.5 cents each; 440 available)
- Buy 60,000 IHG Rewards Club points for $300 (0.5 cents each; 425 available)
- Buy 100,000 IHG Rewards Club points for $500 (0.5 cents each; 550 available)
IHG Rewards Club isn’t my loyalty program of choice, but it is found almost everywhere and is a good program to keep in your back pocket when you need a hotel in some more remote parts of the world. Their InterContinental luxury hotels are also quite nice. Check out my comprehensive guide to IHG Rewards Club to learn more. The standard price for buying points is about 0.7 cents, so this is a good discount.
Tuesday – May 7th: MGM Resorts Las Vegas
- $475 for 2 nights at New York-New York (7 available)
- $500 for 4 nights at The Luxor Hotel with a $400 dining credit and tickets to The Blue Man Group (7 available)
- $1,545 for 2 nights in a Skyline Marquee Suite at the MGM Grand (4 available)
- $1,700 for 3 nights at Mandalay Bay with dinner and tickets to Michael Jackson ONE (8 available)
- $1,750 3 nights at The Mirage, dinner for two, and VIP seating for two shows (6 available)
My trips to Las Vegas tend to be more spontaneous, and I feel that there are always deals available. But if you know you like a particular hotel and a particular experience (shows, dinner, whatever) then I think these packages can be worthwhile.
Wednesday – May 8th: Wyndham Rewards
- 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points for $175 (1,143 available)
Wyndham Rewards had a great deal with its award chart, offering a free hotel night anyway for 15,000 points. Recently that’s changed and so some hotels cost more or less, not unlike other programs. it can still be worthwhile for some marquee properties.
Thursday – May 9th: Alamo Car Rental
- $50 gift certificate for Alamo Car Rental for $25 (2,200 available)
Alamo is usually my go-to car rental when I shop through Costco, although I’ve had a run of bad luck with some recent rentals in Hawaii. Regardless, 50% off is pretty good.
Friday – May 10th: Busch Gardens and SeaWorld
- $55 for a single-day admission to any SeaWorld or Busch Gardens location for $55 (1,403 available)
- $75 for a two-park ticket to SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, and Adventure Island in Florida for $75 (550 available)
- $195 for a Discovery Cove dolphin swim package, including a 14-day ticket to SeaWorld and Aquatica in Orlando (225 available)
I have not personally been to SeaWorld (although my brother is a marine biologist for the SeaWorld Conservation Fund in San Diego). I’ve gone swimming with dolphins before at the Mirage in Las Vegas and had a lot of fun. This is cheaper!
