Expert: Stephen Tanenbaum - 4/15/2007

Question
I am disabled and on fixed income so I'm trying to stay on a tight budget. We (6 of us) are going to Cancun (from Knoxville, TN) for my wedding in September 2007. How can I get the cheapest flights and/or discounts?

Answer
Hi Tara:

Since my specialty is FREE travel and your timing seems OK you have a great shot at FREE RT tickets. Here is my newest newsletter (you will need to copy and paste):

www.CTNwinterspring2007.blogspot.com

A major article deals with Citibank's virtual give-a-way of tickets to almost any destination. For your purpose, assuming you qualify for the FREE Citibank cards you merely need to apply for any two cards that give you at least 30,000 FREE Bonus American Airline miles. Cards are FREE with the yearly fees WAIVED. These miles are good on flights to Hawaii, Central America AND MEXICO. Free cards, Free miles and FREE flights....it does not get better than that.

Assuming you are adults all six can get these FREE tickets just as Patty and I have. There are at least two other deals mentioned in the newsletter, one via US Airways that is not free and cost about $169 which gets you 40,000 miles also good for FREE tickets to Mexico assuming US Airways or their partner airlines fly there.

We have seriously been flying free for the past ten years or longer. We leave in two weeks for SF to Paris then later London and alos Barcelona (2 1/2 months) and all flights are FREE, some via these deals.

So sign up ASAP for TWO Citibank cards that together offer at least 35,000 miles needed for the also tickets. Often you get approved instantly. On receipt of the cards use each ONCE, like for gas or anything, and 6-8 weeks later you should have the usable miles to hopefully book your FREE flights. My Spring 2006 newsletter is also helpful....telling how to set up your free American Aadvantage (frequent flier) account AND how to get small business Visa/Mastercards even if you do not NOW have a small business.

Other than FREE I can only suggest diligent web research and also checking the Sunday NY or LA Times Travel sections including small broker or consolidator ads. Always be a good consumer and demand credentials before dealing with such smaller lesser known vendors.

Good luck on the trip and wedding!

Steve T.

PS: Call American at 1-800-882-8880 to confirm that the 30,000 miles will qualify for the FREE flight and ask them, even though you do not yet have the miles, if seats are availble when you will need them.