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Got Codes? Save On Travel Expenses Using Promotional Codes

by Beth Simmons

The web is now everyone’s personal shopping mall. From the comfort of our homes we can surf countless websites selling clothes, books, plane tickets, rental cars, etc. An added bargain to this shopping can’t hurt either.

For extra travel savings look for an opportunity to enter what is called a promotional code before checking out. This can also be called a “discount code," "reward code,” or "key code," and essentially they're all coupons. Lots of times these go unnoticed by customers, but you may be missing out on savings without them! If you don't have them, don't worry. There are places you can find them.

So, before you finish booking your next trip, take a couple of minutes and check for codes and promotions online! You don’t need to know the right people, you just need to know the right websites! Two excellent sources are the sister websites, Dealhunting.com and CurrentCodes.com.

Internet coupons typically reduce the cost of shipping or give some sort of discount off your purchase. This savings works hand-in-hand with promotional packages, often common among lodging accommodations. Everyone has that friend of a friend who went on vacation for an impressively low price, and this is often made possible by these package deals.

Barry Boone of Iowa began these websites in 2000. Their inspiration came when he started building a family with his wife and like many other young couples, tried to find savings wherever they could.

Boone explains, “The websites came from when my wife was pregnant with our first child. We looked online for coupons for ourselves, I added these to my homepage, and people found us. It just hit me I should put these into a website. It was a hobby that wasn’t intended to be a business."

Founder and owner of Dealhunting.com and CurrentCodes.com, Barry Boone.

How does this work? Over the years of establishing his business, Boone has done his homework and lots of networking. Now, he's on a lot of email lists with companies offering promotional coupons. Loyal customers also pass on their personal savings discoveries to Boone. What is created from this shared communication is the large databases of coupons on both Dealhunting and CurrentCodes.

So there you have it! Dealhunting came into existence before CurrentCodes; however they have the same objective, to provide their users with savings.

“Dealhunting is more for the browser,” Boone says. It’s a great starting point for gift ideas and familiarizing yourself with what’s available. CurrentCodes on the other hand, is for the person who knows what they want. It’s a one-stop for someone who’s already done their research and looking to check out."

What kinds of savings can you expect on travel expenses? Boone says, “A wide variety. The more things you're planning to do, or the bigger the picture is, the more savings you can find.”

There is an overwhelming amount of potential savings on these sites, so take advantage of narrowing your search by topic, or doing a general search query on each website. This may take effort; however, the benefits outweigh the investment of your time.

Great Deals via Dealhunting.com and CurrentCodes.com:

Beau Rivage:
Stay at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississpi
"Sweetheart Package" Rates from $134/nt Code: SWEETHEART Exp. 12/25/10
Enjoy a night with your sweetheart starting at $134 and includes: Oceanview Room, Breakfast in Bed, Welcome Beverage, Turndown Service, and Guaranteed 1pm Late Check-Out.

Use the Boston Explorer Pass at Boston's Museum of Science.

Boston Explorer Pass
6% off six Explorer Pass Code: EXPLORESIX Exp. 10/05/10
Limit 1 Coupon/Order; Not Valid for Custom Explorer Passes.
Attractions include: Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, New England Aquarium, Old State House Museum, Paul Revere House, Whale Watch Excursion at the New England Aquarium, Prudential Center Skywalk Observatory, Boston Duck Afternoon / Evening Tour and more!

New York Pass:
Admission to over 45 of New York City`s top attractions, starting at $75 per day
Attractions include: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Museum of Modern Art, American Museum of Natural History, The Guggenheim, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, NBC Studio Tour, Circleline Sightseeing, Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour, The
United Nations Tour, Madison Square Garden
All Access Tour, and many others.

Monte Carlo Resort Las Vegas, NV
Rates from $56.05/night Code: XMCWEB Exp. 12/30/10
Enjoy up to 20% off Strip View room types Sunday through Thursday when you reserve your stay on their website.

Find cheap hotel rates in Las Vegas.

OneTravel.com
Save $22 instantly on Senior travel. Save $10 Instantly on Senior Airfares and get Additional $12 off with coupon code Code: SRC12

Orbitz.com
$200 off a qualifying Mexico, Caribbean, or Hawaii flight + hotel package
Code: 200entertain Exp. 12/31/10

Sandals Resorts:
Companion Flies Free to The Bahamas Sandals Emerald Bay
Code: EXU10 Exp. 10/13/10
Guests who book a minimum 4-night stay by October 13th, 2010 will receive free companion airfare from continental US gateways! See site for more details.

Travelocity.com:
$100 off 3-Night Vacation Packages in Montana
Code: MONTANA100 Exp. 11/01/10

Couponsaver.org
15,000+ coupons and promotional codes

 

For more information, visit Dealhunting.com and CurrentCodes.com

 

Beth Simmons is an editorial assistant with GoNOMAD and attends the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts. She writes the Travel Reader Blog.