That doesn't mean avoid agencies like Liberty Travel. It just means buy a trip the way you buy a TV: Shop around.
Frommer suggested scouring websites that aggregate information, such as Kayak.com, Momondo.com, and Sidestep .com. "Right now through the end of April, there are unprecedented lows," she said. "My suggestion is, if you're planning to travel before the end of April, book soon."
But where? London, for example, can be had for $350 round-trip on Virgin from Boston, if the timing is right. And the Caribbean is suddenly the Filene's Basement of warm-weather escapes.
For the most part, just focus on parts of the country or the world that are suffering the most. "Destinations that really need your business," she said.
So where would that be? Three top her list.
Las Vegas "Nobody wants to gamble," she said. Understandable, but before you write it off for exactly the same reason, remember that just because you go to Sin City, that doesn't mean you have to sin. You can drive to the Hoover Dam, some parts of the Grand Canyon, or Death Valley, and use Vegas as your home base.
Frommer said she has seen decent hotels just off the Vegas strip offering rooms for as little as $19 a night, a rate of $35 at Harrah's on the strip, and even $129 for Wynn Las Vegas; huge discounts all.
Hawaii The collapse of Aloha Airlines was bad for Hawaii, good for the rest of us. It caused a huge drop in flights into Hawaii and therefore, a huge need for travelers.
"Prices for hotels and condos have gone down," Frommer said. "Savvy travelers are now going to condos." On Maui, she said, there are more condos available than hotel rooms.
Her advice: Check out www.vrbo .com (vacation rentals by owner). "A lot of people bought condos in Hawaii to rent them out, and they're desperate now to deal with you," she said.
Iceland It's been the new "it" vacation spot for years now, but never more so than now. Its economy and currency are, forgive the pun, melting.
