Today begins week 2 of the annual Daily Getaways promotions run by the U.S. Travel Associations. Revisit last week’s post on week 1 to learn more about Daily Getaways as well as the special 10th anniversary sweepstakes. Remember, one of the reasons I and other bloggers cover this program each year has offered a number of discounts on package deals and cheaper prices for hotel points and car rentals, in particular.
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.
Monday – May 13th: Universal Studios Hollywood
- $149 for one Universal Express ticket, which includes one-day access to Universal Studios Hollywood and one-time express access to each ride and attraction (235 available)
I’ve only been once to Universal Studios. It’s fine, if you’re into that sort of thing, but I don’t really care much for the movie business, per se. Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm have better rides. I think the real value here is in the express access that lets you avoid avoid longer lines.
Tuesday – May 14th: Caesars Las Vegas
- $299 for 2 nights at Harrah’s Las Vegas with Buffet of Buffets passes and round-trip limo transportation (10 available)
- $400 for 2 nights at Rio Hotel with a $100 dining credit and round-trip limo transportation (5 available)
- $450 for 2 nights at Harrah’s Atlantic City, dinner for two, in-room Champagne, and round-trip limo transportation (5 available)
- $500 for 2 nights at Paris Las Vegas, $150 dining credit, $150 spa credit, and round-trip limo transportation (5 available)
- $500 for 2 nights at Bally’s, $150 dining credit, two show tickets, and round-trip limo transportation (5 available)
- $1,400 for 3 nights at Caesars Palace, $200 dining credit, two show tickets, and round-trip limo transportation (10 available)
As I wrote last week, my trips to Las Vegas tend to be more spontaneous, and I feel that there are always deals available. Caesars has even better deals than MGM these days. But I think some of these offers are particularly attractive. Think about it: For $500 you can get a dining credit, spa credit, and airport transportation. That’s worth at least $400. The hotel is practically free. If you know you’ll be going to Vegas in the next year, give these deals some consideration.
Wednesday – May 15th: Choice Privileges
- 14,000 Choice Privileges points for $80 (0.57 cents per point; 1,150 available)
- 28,000 Choice Privileges points for $144 (0.50 cents per point; 1,571 available)
- 42,000 Choice Privileges points for $205 (0.49 cents per point; 1,049 available)
- 55,000 Choice Privileges points for $265 (0.48 cents per point; 1,306 available)
I don’t place much value in Choice Privileges points for stays at their hotels. With miles and points I’ve long been able to stay at much nicer brands. However, their points can be transferred to a half-dozen partner programs. It might be worthwhile to buy Choice points solely as an inexpensive way of getting airline miles.
You can redeem 5,000 Choice Privileges points for 1,000 miles in these partner programs (check out item 7 under AIRLINE AND LOYALTY PROGRAM REWARDS REDEMPTION):
- Aeroplan (Air Canada)
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- American Airlines AAdvantage
- Aeromexico Club Premier (earn 1,600 kilometers)
- Czech Airlines OK Plus
- Spirit Airlines FREE SPIRIT
- United Airlines MileagePlus
You can also redeem 6,000 Choice Privileges points for 1,800 Southwest Rapid Rewards points; 20,000 points for 50 Air New Zealand dollars; 20,000 points for 3,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points; or 20,000 points for 3,000 Virgin Atlantic Velocity points.
For perspective, I value Alaska Airlines miles at about 2 cents each. If you were to buy 55,000 Choice points for $265, you could convert them to 11,000 Alaska miles, worth $220. That particular transfer doesn’t make a lot of sense, but you might find one of the other transfer partners worthwhile.
Thursday – May 16th: Avis Car Rental
- One-day rental (up to Premium, Group G) for $30 (500 available)
- President’s Club membership for $750 (20 available)
Unlike Alamo, which was offering 50% off last week, Avis is promising a one-day rental for just $30. You can buy up to seven of these deals for a week-long rental, but I expect the competition to be fierce with only 500 available. If you are a frequent renter, you might find it more advantageous to go after President’s Club membership. Note that President’s Club is already a complimentary benefit with some other programs, like Founder’s Card.
Friday – May 17th: Loews Hotels
- $275 for a two-night stay at a luxury Loews Hotel (25 available)
- $325 for a two-night stay at a luxury Loews Resort (25 available)
- $950 for a two-night stay in a suite in Santa Monica (3 available)
- $1,000 for a two-night stay in a suite in New York (6 available)
- $1,200 for a two-night stay in a suite in Miami (6 available)
Loews is a smaller hotel chain but known for its quality, similar to Kimpton (which was acquired by IHG). I have not personally stayed at a Loews property so I can’t comment beyond that. However, some of these packages look like a good deal. I can imagine spending $275 for a single night, so getting two nights is like 50% off. Be sure to check out the Daily Getaways page for more information on which properties are included with each offer and how to book.
