At Chez Jaunted, the usual goals of Christmas are to eat lots of cookies and duck questions from family members about getting "real" jobs. But this year, we're adding another project to the list: Scouting out Dead Zone Travel deals for the first week or two of January, when airports are sure to be empty, flights cheap and hotels ready to slash rates to get you to stay an extra night.
As we reported two weeks ago, Thanksgiving and Christmas zap most travelers' vacation days and budgets, leaving the weeks between and after those holidays stress-free when it comes to travel. What kind of deals are dead zoners likely to find?
Baltimore (and DC) people can get out to Vegas for less than $200 round-trip, and New Yorkers who want to experience acqua alta can get to Venice and back for less than $500. If you're brave enough to fly US Air, you can get from NYC to Salt Lake City for some skiing for just over $200.
Hotels? If you want to try out a Thompson Hotel anywhere, HotelChatter recommends jumping on Quikbook where the deals are almost unbelievable. The Empire Hotel in NYC has sub-$200 rooms that usually go for much more. And ski deal resource Liftopia--which we love for cheap lift tickets--helps you scan lodging bargains at ski areas on both coasts.
Just remember, as with the early weeks of December, this Dead Zone won't last: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 19 in 2009, is the official end of the bonanza, with that weekend frequently fetching super-high rates.
Spotted some Dead Zone deals we should know about? Drop 'em in the comments.
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