The savvy approach to nabbing amazing premium fares in their tracks, such as a recent example of Business Class to Brazil for $1,200 R/T.
Do you know the game of Whack-a-Mole?
It’s the arcade game where moles (not real ones) stick their heads through holes at random times and you have to whack them with a mallet before they disappear.
But we want to talk about the fun travel game of Whack-a-Fare--this time to a unique destination you haven’t considered going to—where amazing low fares stick their heads up and you have to grab them before they quickly disappear.
First: Why Play Whack-a-Fare?
Simply put, it's just another way to win at the upgrade game. And by “upgrade” we mean any way to travel better than your default way. So, “traveling better” might mean upgrading to the next cabin for not much more, or finding a great low fare, or making your miles stretch much farther, or any number of other ways found by being open-minded, if not flexible. We believe in Opportunity Travel and being prepared to maximize your opportunities, and believe me, great opportunities come up all the time.
BRAZIL EXAMPLE: Put the Whack to Work with ~$1,200 R/T Business Class Fares
How great are the opportunities? In November and December we found an incredible Business Class deal for New York to Rio de Janeiro for just $1,394 on Delta and American non-stop (matched by United, but with a connection in Houston). That fare came and went and then came back again in a matter of a day. Which means you had to be mallet ready to whack this fare.
Compare that to a typical economy fare starting at $1,034. That’s just $180 more each way to upgrade to Business Class from economy, or $18 per-flight hour.
But wait, you also earn a stack of award miles that lop the equivalent of another ~$200 off the fare, lowering it from$1,394 to ~$1,200.
Holy whack-a-moley!
Is Your Mallet Ready?
Spectacular low fares come and go all the time. It’s just a matter of freezing them long enough to act on. For as little as zero (American offers a 24-hour free lock reservation option, while Delta and many other airlines give you a 24-hour risk-free cancellation option), and not a lot more on many airlines (the cost varies from $10 to $20 per ticket), you can hold a great fleeting fare long enough to get yourself organized: take a breath, check the kids’ vacation dates, determine your workload and so on.
You could even book two or three different dates and just keep the one that works best for your schedule and bucket list dreams, and cancel the others before the hold expires.
We call it “Look, Lock, Book.”
- Look: Find the amazing fare
- Lock: Use a fare lock option
- Book: Book based on further research
Further research?!
Frank from Philly Is Frustrated:
“Whoa, FCF. That’s one heck of a deal. BUT I’ve never even thought of going to Rio.
“AND here’s the thing. I’m always so busy, I don’t have time to research and book a trip like this. And I don’t know enough about Rio to convince my spouse that we should even do it.
“I wish I had a travel agent who could do this in a snap of a finger. But reliable, trustworthy, knowledgeable ones who would know my preferences and know about Rio are hard to find.
“FCF, you have an unbelievably tempting fare—but that’s not enough!
Help!”
We hear you, Frank from Philly. We know you’re busy, but can you spare just seven minutes?
This month FCF is introducing a destination tool to help you find out enough about a place to rule it in or out in a fast, fun, and frictionless way.
So, when you see a great fare to someplace you weren’t thinking about, you can decide in a jiffy whether or not to grab that mallet!
FCF’s 7-Minute (Fun and Easy) Destination Planner In 7 to 12 clicks:
Know Rio’s highlights in minutes with links to share with loved ones (and decision makers / confirmers), so you can quickly pull the trigger or wait for the next deal with FCF's Rio Bookmarks below.
Rio, Brazil, and Regional Itinerary Ideas
Abercrombie & Kent (see the itinerary details tab), Scott Dunn, GAdventures, ProjectExpedition, LonelyPlanet.
Rio Tours & Highlights
Viator, Airbnb Experiences, Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide.
Rio Weather
Rio Hotels and Resorts
Marriott, Hilton, Trip Advisor, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, Airbnb, Andrew Harper Rated, LHW, Hyatt.
Rio Food!
Brazil’s traditional cuisine. Michelin rated restaurants in Rio. Andrew Harper (membership), Yelp.
Rio Top Wikipedia Searches
Copacabana Beach, Iguazu Falls, Christ the Redeemer (statue), Rio Carnival, Barra da Tijuca, Ipanema, Maracanã Stadium, Sugarloaf Mountain, Amazon rainforest, Favela.
Rio Events (Sports/Concerts/Shows)
Stubhub, Viator, Songkick, Viagogo, Bandsintown, Eventful.
Rio Adventure Travel and Extreme Experiences
Tourradar, Rio Adventures, Rio Xtreme, Urban Adventures, Viator, Brazil Adventure Tours, Daytours4u, Adventures Within Reach, Tripadvisor.
Not Sure About Rio, and Wondering What’s Nearby?
Spend 15 seconds here to see all the non-stops you can tack on to Rio in the blink of an eye, RIO (non-stops) where this deal is from and Rio (SDU non-stops) regional airport here.
Now you're ready to whack a hot Rio fare—or not—fast.
P.S. Have some links you'd like us to add to a destination widjet we're working on, please email us at info @ firstclassflyer.com