What A Difference A Day Makes

For Palmer McArthur, 74, and his wife Mary, 73, it was the trip of a lifetime. At the Bitter End Yacht Club in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, they had the chance in June to be with their four children, their spouses and 14 grandchildren. It posed no problem that June is off-season in the Caribbean. The weather there is consistent throughout the year, with temperatures averaging 80[degrees] F to 90[degrees] F, and the Bitter End staff was able to give the McArthurs lots of personal attention, including organizing activities for all three generations. Better yet, traveling in June meant a savings of 39%. The vacation cost them several thousand dollars less than it would have cost in high season.

The world changes little in a day, but getting around in the world can change dramatically in just 24 hrs., which is often the difference between high season and low season--and the vastly different prices attached to each. You can pay top dollar one day and several hundred dollars less the next for the same vacation. No group of travelers is better positioned to take advantage of off-season bargains than those of us, like Palmer and Mary, who are no longer tied down by children or 9-to-5 jobs. Bargains aren't the only rewards of off-season travel. There are fewer crowds and shorter lines, as well as learning opportunities and activity programs offered by hotels and cruise lines looking to fill rooms when demand is low.

O.K., there's a catch: off-peak travel can mean less than ideal weather. Choose Europe in November, and you may get cold and rain. Venture to Florida or the Caribbean in July, and you may find it extremely hot and humid. There may be fewer sites and programs available, and those that are running often have restricted hours or days of operation. The charming green markets and eclectic stalls of crafts and clothing that line streets in peak season may have disappeared; the golf course you play may not be in top condition. But if you're willing to bend a little, the rewards--financial and otherwise--are there for the taking.

What's Fare Is Fare
Finding the best deal on airfares can be an exercise in frustration, largely because no human being can fully comprehend the airlines' byzantine pricing system. Yet somewhere within that maze, savings are available--especially if you're able to burrow down deep into the Internet or participate in online ticket auctions. As you do so, though, remember that traditional travel agents, who have the time to research all possibilities for you, still have a role to play.

They know, for example, that most airlines have senior discounts for travelers age 62 or older, primarily in the form of coupon booklets good for four one-way or two round-trip segments. All four coupons can usually be used for one round trip to Hawaii. Northwest's senior coupon booklet costs $560; Delta's and American's are $596. The greatest savings with these coupons occur if you have to fly at the last minute or if you want to fly to several cities on one trip rather than make a straightforward round trip--two scenarios for which the airlines charge a premium rate. Hawaii can be a bargain too. Flights from Denver to Honolulu are booking at about $714, giving coupon holders a savings of as much as $154 per ticket.

Coupons aren't always the best deal, however. Jayne Piazza, an independent agent for Travel Masters in Missoula, Mont., checked a Spokane, Wash., to San Diego round trip in April for travel in May. Because her client was booking well in advance, the going rate was $50 cheaper than the senior discount.

The best deals are frequently on off-season flights, though fare wars and other unforeseen specials can serendipitously occur just when you're making flight arrangements (a good travel agent will check for these right up until your reservation is ticketed). In mid-June, Piazza checked fares to a sampling of cities. A flight last March from Missoula to Amsterdam cost $386, she found; in June the price of that flight rose to $928. Los Angeles to Christchurch, New Zealand, ran $1,561 in December and January--summer Down Under--but $1,018 in June, when the weather in New Zealand is cloudy with a high of about 46[degrees] F. How much of a difference can one day make? This spring you could have booked an Oct. 31 flight on Alitalia from New York City to Venice for $653. Those willing to fly on Nov. 1, just one day later, paid $508.

A Deal Is a Deal
Vacation packages too change from day to day. Virgin Atlantic Vacations, the airline's tour arm, offers a variety of packages throughout the year, with prices differing markedly from season to season. Their standard London Jaunt, for example, includes four days and three nights in London, round-trip airfare from the U.S., airport transfers in England, accommodations and breakfast daily. The cost, with tax, through Oct. 31 is $712 per person. On Nov. 1 it drops to $524. Seniors can save more by traveling in Britain via a BritRail senior pass, which costs $50--$135 less than the comparable adult passes.