Even with the economy in disarray, Minnesotans will be trading parkas for flip-flops this winter. Travelers aren't giving up their warm-weather getaways; they're just finding ways to make them more affordable, according to Steve Loucks, vice president of communications for Traveleaders, formerly Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates. "They might opt for a property that is less expensive than what they used last year," he said. "Or they might give up a day or two. But they won't give up their trips."
While the travel industry's concerns about a potentially weak winter travel season have spurred a number of fare sales and lodging discounts, there's another option that has long been used by budget-conscious globetrotters: charters. Unlike regularly scheduled flights on commercial airlines, charter companies lease entire planes or purchase large chunks of seats on commercial flights. The discounts they get from buying in bulk are often passed along to the customer. When bundled with package deals for lodging, the costs can be substantially lower than if you put the entire trip together yourself.
The major tradeoff with charter travel is flexibility; many flights operate only once a week, which can make a long weekend impossible. A mechanical difficulty on a chartered plane can also prove disastrous since the charter company can't redirect passengers on regularly scheduled flights to the same destination.
As a result, passengers have been stranded in paradise's airports for more than 24 hours. Changes in the way charter companies serving the Twin Cities operate have lessened those potential liabilities.
The Twin Cities is served by several well-known charter companies. Northwest subsidiary MLT Vacations is the dominant player, operating charters under the Worry-Free Vacations brand. They offer direct flights to Montego Bay in Jamaica and several cities in Mexico, including a new route to Riviera Nayarit on Mexico's Pacific coast.
Funjet flies nonstop to Cancun, Cozumel, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, with connections to several other Caribbean destinations. Apple Vacations flies nonstop to Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, with connections to islands including St. Thomas, Aruba and St. Lucia.
Plane changes
While charter destinations are basically the same as last year, passengers will notice a major change in the way they travel. Many of the charter flights out of the Twin Cities were operated on St. Paul-based Champion Air, which went out of business in May. As a result, Worry-Free Vacations now operates its flights on planes leased from AeroMexico and buys seats on regularly scheduled Northwest flights. Worry-Free travelers flying on Northwest will now be able to earn frequent flyer miles -- but they'll also be subject to the airline's baggage fees. If an AeroMexico or Northwest flight is canceled or has mechanical difficulties, there will be more options to get airborne.
Funjet passengers will travel on regularly scheduled Sun Country Airlines flights, but do not earn Ufly Rewards. Apple Vacations leases entire planes and crew from Sun Country. Apple says that if Sun Country, which has filed for bankruptcy, should stop operating, they will lease from another company or reroute customers on scheduled flights. That measure seems unlikely since last week Sun Country received a substantial loan from a subsidiary of Petters Aviation.
How to choose
Because there are so many potential deals out there for winter travel, it's hard to know if a charter will actually save you money. Travel expert Terry Trippler said packages always offer the best value. He suggests finding a charter vacation that appeals to you and then comparing it with package options offered by Sun Country Vacations and NWA WorldVacations.
If you're not sure you want to travel this year, you can certainly wait and see if still better deals are offered later in the season. But if you absolutely need to feel the sand between your toes, compare your options and book now. There's another option to help you keep your costs down: Take a shorter vacation. While most charters require a seven-night stay, MLT offers three- and four-night options in Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
Elizabeth Larsen • 612-673-7110
