While common sense suggests that one of the few things thatwould beat cheap traveloptions, such as cheap airplanetickets, discounthotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, wouldbe free travel offers; you should think twice before accepting and makecertain that what is being offered is really free.
There are countless free travel deals being offered thesedays including free airline tickets, free checked bags, and kids eat freedeals. Unfortunately once you read thefine print of such offers you will find that almost nothing is free.
Hotel offers of free wireless Internet often comes with abasic, slower Internet connection where frequently guests are offered anupgrade to premium Wi-Fi at an additional charge.
There are three types of free offers:
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Reallyfree is when you get something with no preconditions such as food samples at agrocery store.
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Freewith purchase is when you are given something (like a drink voucher) on thecondition that you agree to rent a room or buy a meal at the establishmentmaking the free offer. Such offers tryto build an affinity with paying customers.
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Freewith strings is when you have to spend money in order to qualify for the freeitem. Free miles for signing up for acredit card usually requires a minimum purchase within the first three monthsof signing up for a card. A free checked bag privilege usually requiressigning up for an airlines credit card and then paying an annual fee after thefirst year of use.
All-inclusive resorts often offer their food for free butfrequently charge for drinks, sometimes even soda.
Airlines like to refer to tickets issued through theirloyalty programs as free but over the long term they may be more expensivethan paying for a ticket with cash, particularly for travelers who over timepay a little more in order to fly with a single airline.
There is no such thing as a free airline ticket. In order to earn such a ticket you eitherhave to fly many miles with one or more affiliated airlines or spendsignificant money with a specific credit card that awards points or miles. Often today frequent fliers find out whenthey go to redeem their free tickets they find that they still owe taxes orother fees for their award tickets.
To determine if something is free consider the following:
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Whatdoes the fine print says? If there is anasterisk next to, or below the offer, chances are that there are stringsattached, making it not really free.
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Doesanyone qualify? If you have to be amember of a club or a paying customer, then what is being offered is not free,unless membership is free. Hotel loyaltyprograms tend to be free, and often awards nice side benefits, but staying attheir rooms is not.
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What isrequired of you? If nothing then youprobably are looking at a real deal. Ifsitting through a timeshare presentation or offering personal data is required,then it is not really free. Oftenpromises of free airline tickets after sitting through presentations turn outto only be distributed (if ever) after a variety of undisclosed (up front thatis) fees have been paid.
www.cheapfares.com