I want to go to Puerto Rico in December 2009 and have approximately 20 people. What is the best way to find hotel and airfare for this group - located in disparate states across USA (but primarily NY/NJ)? Should I go through a travel agent (minimal work)? Should I call hotels directly (lots of work). I tried websites but they don't do groups. I'm looking for best price and don't mind working for it if I have to. Ideas??
Last edited by CantWait2Retire; Aug 14, 09 at 6:56 am.
Reason: Added location - Puerto Rico
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Well...if you want to go cheap... you can try to priceline/hotwire hotels... but you may not get everyone in the same hotel... and the rates are nonrefundable.
Airfare will be tough since people are all over the country.... hotel could be negotiated.
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You can likely set up a group booking code through an airline that would offer up a few % savings and let folks book from their local gateway to the destination. That will require you calling/arranging with the airline and then the other folks actually completing the bookings.
The hotels thing you'll likely need to negotiate directly with the hotels.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CantWait2Retire
sbm12- does creating a booking code with an airline require some sort of deposit to "hold" it?
It depends. The discounts are usually pretty small - 3-5% off of the current published fares - but it is better than nothing.
With a large number of your crew starting in NYC I'd look at either Continental or jetBlue as a starting point. Continental requires 20 or more people to get the discount (MeetingWorks). On jetBlue you'd be looking at their Leisure Groups program. They do require a deposit but you can set up the scheme and get the pricing and get two weeks to hold the numbers and consider them before putting down a deposit since you are more than 75 days out from travel.
Best way to price group air/hotel pkg.
