Expedited Passports

If you’ve been putting off a trip to Europe due to the expense and the unfavorable exchange rate, now might be a good time to pack your bags and say “Bon Voyage.”  According to this press release from Hotels.com, the euro is trading at its lowest rate since 2005. Not only will you lose less of your money if you travel overseas, but there are also a lot more great deals to be had on lodging, even in traditionally expensive cities like Paris, London and Cannes.

In the press release, Taylor L. Cole, APR, director of public relations for Hotels.com, explains why you shouldn’t put off that trip to Europe any longer:

“With the large selection of European hotels on hotels.com, and many offering summer promotions, this is an ideal time to travel abroad. The Euro is down and the dollar’s gaining, so Americans traveling to Europe can get more for their money. Additionally, we’re seeing an increase in online searches for travel to Europe which demonstrates that travelers are catching on to the bargains.”

Well, they would say that…but they also provide a list of sample room rates that look pretty tempting. A four-star room in Barcelona for $73 a night, anyone? How about a room in Capri for $84?

If you want to take advantage of these deals, now ’s the time to go. You’ll need to apply for a passport renewal if yours is expired, of course. As you plan your trip, remember to allow enough time for your passport renewal to be processed.  If you apply with normal processing, you’ll need about 6 weeks, while applying for expedited processing from the Department of State can cut processing time down to 3 weeks.

If you find a truly irresistable last-minute deal, you can also use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com to get your passport even more quickly. An expediting company can get your passport renewal application processed in as little as 24 hours, with no need to travel to a passport agency office.

Apply for your passport renewal today!

The holidays are over…have you recovered yet? There’s no doubt about it-the holiday season is fun, but it can also be quite stressful! If your “holiday” left you feeling like you need a vacation, why not snag a great last-minute travel deal and get going?

Jaunted.com has a post up that highlights some amazing last-minute deals on airfare. For example, if you’ve always wanted to visit the other side of the world, Cathay Pacific has flights to Hong Kong for $795 in February. Or, if you’d rather experience la dolce vita firsthand, AliItalia has awesome deals on flights to Italy-as low as 560.00 per person!  Since the best offers are for flights leaving in February, you’ll get to see the sights unencumbered by the crowds of tourists that flock there in the summer. If you’re dreaming about a ski vacation, check out Alaska Airlines for great February deals on flights to Vancouver. (more…)