Discount Travel

Book Y-Up Fares: On paper, so-called Y-Up, Q-Up and Z-Up tickets are full-fare coach seats. The sneaky thing about them is that these tickets come with a guaranteed upgrade to first class -- a well-known trick of the business-travel trade.

If you were going to fly business class anyway, Y-Up and other auto-upgrade fares are a less-expensive option. But they're never a bargain, cautions George Hobica, publisher of Airfare Watchdog. "It is full-fare coach," he says. "Fares [on discount travel sites] are always cheaper." You can book Y-Up fares (exact code names vary by airline) directly through the airline or on major travel sites, but you'll often need to use advanced search options to dig them up. FareCompare.com offers a Y-Up search tool as well as a step-by-step guide to booking these fares through airline and travel sites.

Be Loyal: Airlines, hotels and car-rental agencies often treat repeat customers to complimentary upgrades and ample rewards. While the elite reward status achieved by many business travelers is out of reach for most leisure travelers, racking up miles in your rewards account can still result in some pretty nice perks. Airlines are often quicker to provide inexpensive upgrades when available at check-in, and loyalty pays off more quickly with car-rental agencies. Complete two rentals at Budget, for example, and you're automatically entitled to a 10% discount on all rentals over the next year.

Fly All-Business-Class Airlines: All-business-class airlines like Silverjet and Eos offer a whole plane full of roomier seats, enabling the traveler's schedule to take priority.

MSNBC reports on discount travel:

Enticed by visions of fun and adventure in exotic places, travelers often fail to read the fine print, or don't really understand what they find there. For example, many travel companies loudly proclaim "discount specials" but bury any mention of a host of costs associated with the trip. The information is there, but you have to hunt for it.

And then there is outright fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission, travel fraud is costing Americans $12 billion each year. And the Better Business Bureau says the travel industry consistently ranks among the top 25 businesses it monitors for fraud.

Here's some general advice on what to look for when you're considering joining a travel club — or considering any kind of "travel deal" for that matter.

Be wary of ads that have few details and promise a lot for little money. Remember, the better a vacation package sounds, the more thoroughly you need to verify the details.

Be cautious of firms that ask you to pay before confirming your reservations. Most reputable travel agents will confirm before payment.

Never pay by cash or by check — a big red flag missed by Grace Watson. Do not give out credit card numbers over the phone except to a person or company you know and trust.

Deal with an established firm. If a firm is unfamiliar to you, check with relatives, friends and colleagues. Or check with the Better Business Bureau. Grace Watson could have saved herself a lot of disappointment had she done a simple online business check of Travel To Go on the Better Business Bureau's Web site. According to the bureau's report, Travel To Go is not a member of the bureau and has had 42 consumer complaints in the last 36 months. (A Travel To Go representative I spoke with countered that this number of complaints is "miniscule" compared to the thousands of customers the company services.)

If you are unfamiliar with the agency, request written information on the total cost of the vacation that interests you, and ask that the costs be itemized. Understand that any transportation, lodging, meals or other items not specifically mentioned probably are not included.

Ask about your right to cancel. If you get sick or change plans you could end up paying for a trip you never take. Also inquire about the availability of cancellation insurance.

Be wary of vacation offers that are "good today only."

If you think you have fallen victim to a travel scam, call the authorities.

Here are some links about discount travel:

The World's Quirkiest Hotels

	Members Speak Out: The World's Best (and Worst!) Toilets

	Top 10 Books for Travelers

	Wonderful Web Cams

	College Towns 101

Europe -- By Plane or By Train?

Multi-City Flight Searches

Weekend Getaways Under $500

Traveling the Boston/New York City/Washington D.C. Route

	Members Speak Out: How to Fight Jet Lag

	Airport Security Q&A

	12 Tips from Independent Travelers

	Best Bets for Booking a Last-Minute Trip

	Seven Strategies for Surviving in New York City