Travel e-Scapes: February 20, 2018

DESTINATION & DEAL OF THE DAY: Barbados

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$336 Barbados, or $127 south, $209 north
A 21-day advance purchase required
Valid daily on American via Miami
No availability south in July; June-Aug north
Finish trips on or before October 31

TRAVEL TIPS & TIDBITS

WalletHub's Best Frequent Flyer Programs
With U.S. airlines expected to carry more than 600 million passengers on domestic flights this year and credit card debt levels exploding, WalletHub expects airfare savings to be increasingly important in the months ahead.
To help travelers make the best decisions for their wallets, the personal-finance website recently released its report on 2018's Best Frequent Flyer Programs, which ranks the 10 largest domestic airlines based on 23 key metrics, ranging from the value of a point/mile to blackout dates for rewards flights. WalletHub's report also features a custom calculator that allows users to personalize the results based on their own budgets.
Here's the highlight of those results: Delta SkyMiles is the best frequent flyer program for the third straight year.
Hawaiian Airlines offers the most rewards value to frequent flyers ($19.95 per $100 spent), with Alaska Airlines coming in a close second ($19.87 per $100 spent).
Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways are the only two major airlines whose miles do not expire because of inactivity.
Four of the 10 largest airlines are offering more rewards in 2018 than in 2017, sweetening the pot by an average of 20%.
The average airline rewards program gives frequent flyers 12% off their airline spending. And they're all free to join.
For the full report, including the custom calculator, visit WalletHub .

Road Trip!
If the rat race is beginning to catch up with you, you don't have to drop thousands on a vacation. Just hopping in a car and going for a weekend drive is enough to recharge. Here are a few ideas to consider for a weekend drive:
San Francisco to Big Sur: Travel from the city to Big Sur and you will feel a world away. Driving along Highway 1 south of the city is one of the most iconic road trips in the world. Half Moon Bay's stunning beaches are a must-stop as is a stroll along Santa Cruz's legendary boardwalk. Then travel to Monterey Bay, stopping to see its historic Cannery Row and aquarium. Finish up in Big Sur but not before taking in the breathtaking views along the coast as well as an obligatory pause at the Bixby Bridge for a photo.
New York City to the Catskills: Take a break from the city with a drive to the Catskills. Traveling along the wooded Palisades and Taconic parkways, stop to stroll through charming Hudson Valley villages such as Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck, hit up the eclectic artist town of Woodstock, swing by the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site or get your shop on at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets on your way home. Pack hiking boots for a stop at Overlook Mountain Wild Forest.
Phoenix to Williams, Arizona: From Phoenix, it's a short jaunt to Williams and the Grand Canyon. Travel on the famous Route 66 for part of the journey and leave your car behind, swapping it out for a historic ride on the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim of the national park. On the way back, take a Pink Jeep Tour through the red rock desert in Sedona.
Miami to the Florida Keys: The Keys are just a short drive away from the busy beaches of Miami and a stop in at a roadside seafood shack or a glimpse of one of the many souvenir shops is enough to make road trippers feel they are miles away from real life. Take a break in Key Largo, scuba dive in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, check-in to the Jules Undersea Lodge or visit the Dolphin Research Center along the way.
Check out the 15 Best Weekend Trips from Atlanta at Local Adventurer.
Enterprise is making it easy and cheap to take a road trip with weekend rates as low as $12.99 per day. The offer is good through May 22 and valid for rentals of an economy- or compact-class cars that begin on a Friday and end on the following Monday, and including 100 miles per day.

SPECIAL DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL OFFERS

Airfare offers – ones with a ticket-by date – and deals with our suggestion to HURRY!  can expire at any time.   Heed Clark's advice: Buy that great airfare deal – and then figure out a reason to go there! Eventually, you'll see the world at a fraction of the normal price!

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$98 Orlando, or $49 each way
Start travel on or after April 9
Finish trips on or before June 13
Valid Monday-Wednesday, Sunday south; Tuesday-Friday north
Rates are $53 each way on other travel days
Valid on Frontier, nonstop (daily service)

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$130 Islip, New York, or $65 each way
Valid Wednesday only
Rates are $150 round-trip, or $75 each way on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays
Start travel on or after April 9
Finish trips on or before June 13
Valid on Frontier, nonstop (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday service)

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$290 Ontario, California, or $145 each way
Valid Tuesday or Wednesday from March 13
Finish trips on or before April 19
Valid on American via Dallas

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$378 Reno-Tahoe, Nevada or $189 each way
A 21-day advance purchase required
Valid Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday through June 19
Blackout dates: May 24, 25; June 10, 17, 24
Valid on American via Chicago, Dallas or Phoenix

HURRY! Round-trip from Atlanta (one-way permitted):
$498 Kona, Hawaii, or $249 each way
A 14-day advance purchase required
Valid Monday-Thursday only
Depart April 13-June 7; August 12-November 15 or November 24-December 10
Return April 21-June 11; August 31-November 23 or December 1-11

HURRY! Summer Sale! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$702-$829 Budapest, Hungary
Depart May 2-August 12 or August 25-September 15
Return May 18-August 19
A Saturday night stay required
Valid on American/British Airways via Philadelphia and United/Lufthansa via Newark or Frankfurt

HURRY! Summer and Holiday Sale! Round-trip from Atlanta:
$767 Berlin, Germany
Depart March 23-May 1; August 13-24; September 16-October 27 or December 14-23
Return April 1-May 17; August 20-October 28 or January 1-7
A 7-night minimum stay required
Add $50 per direction for Thursday-Saturday departures; Saturday-Monday returns
Valid on Delta/Air France/KLM via Amsterdam or Paris

How do you find these great airfare deals? Visit Clark's Atlanta Travel Tips page for a step-by-step search and booking guide.

NOTE: Airline fees can and often do exceed the cost of your flight! Additional charges now apply to budget and sale rates on most airlines for a carry-on bag, checked baggage and advance seat assignments. The least expensive fees are charged when these options are purchased during the ticket booking process. Fees climb higher after flights are reserved and even higher when adding these options at airport check-in. Kayak offers the most up-to-date Fees Chart for all domestic and international airlines.

HOTELS, RESORTS & MORE

Long Island
Take a midweek retreat to Sound View , a seaside resort and cultural hub in Long Island's North Fork. Rates start from $75 on Sunday-Thursday arrivals through March 31. Refer to code FNFM.
This casual, resort-style hotel with a private beach is 2 miles from the boutique shops and restaurants of Greenport Village, 3 miles from Shelter Island, 29 miles from Mystic CT and a 45-minute drive east from Islip Airport.
Guest rooms and suites have beachfront decks, sat TV, minifridges and coffeemakers. Suites add private porches and/or kitchenettes. Room types range from Studio Suites to two-bedroom apartments.
Onsite is a seasonal outdoor pool, tennis and basketball courts, an exercise room and a sauna. There's also a restaurant and a cocktail lounge. Rental deck chairs and umbrellas are available.
Rates outside of this promotion start from $140 a night.

New in NYC
Who doesn't love a fresh and new hotel? A new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott has opened in downtown Manhattan and just steps from Ground Zero and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum . This Marriott brand hotel is located in the heart of the city's Financial District. The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center, free hot breakfast, and guest rooms with one king or two double beds. Advance purchase rates from $99.

Travel e-Scapes is brought to you by Clara Bosonetto, Team Clark Travel Editor. Follow Clara on  Twitter .

Looking for more deals?
View all current airfare offers at Clark's Atlanta Travel Deals page or the National Travel Deals page.

Get the first word on limited seat sales. Follow us on Social:

Like Clark Smart Travel on

Follow @Clark_Travel on

Related Articles from clark.com:

• Here's your 2018 estimated tax refund schedule Read More
• 7 things I learned while using my Instant Pot for 14 days straight Read More
• Buying this type of oil is better for your car Read More

Clark.com