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Know when to book last minute

March 16, 2004 |

Last-minute travel deals are a huge bargain. But for March break? Only on Fantasy Island. Expect to pay a premium - assuming there are still packages available.

Mike Pachucki considers himself the poster boy for last-minute travel deals. And for good reason. The 32-year-old Toronto manager and his 30-year-old wife have snagged awesome holiday bargains seven times in as many years.

And, oh, what fun-in-the-sun deals they’ve enjoyed. To wit: a one-week stay at a three-star Acapulco hotel for $500 each; a one-week all-inclusive holiday in the Dominican Republic for $340; and a two-week, all-inclusive retreat in Cuba for just $650 a person. Better yet, every vacation was a wonderful experience—no fleabag shockers, no 10K-hike-to-the-beach surprises.

Mr. Pachucki’s secret? He has two. He tends to book his trips at online travel sites such as itravel2000.com within 48 to 72 hours of departure; he notes that the closer to departure date, “the better the deal gets.” And the couple tends to holiday in January and early February—the weeks after the Christmas/New Year’s getaway rush and before March break madness.

Get the full story at National Post

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