Got Your Tax Refund? Get a Passport! - Expedited Passports

Are you getting a refund this year? Why not use the money to go out and see the world, or at least part of it? Travel blog Jaunted suggests a trip to the Bahamas, but that’s definitely not your only option. To help you make the most of your tax refund, here are 4 travel deals worth investigating:

• 3 Nights in Columbia for $999 : Offered by LivingSocial, this package gets you and someone else four days and three nights in Bogota, Columbia from Mantaraya Travel. While you’ll need to make your own flight arrangements, the package does include accommodations, breakfast, airport transfers and coffee. Also included is a tour of the city and the Museo del Oro, or you can pay a little more and get a whitewater rafting trip for a total price of $1,100.
• 4 Nights in Mexico for $1630: This LivingSocial escape takes you to Flamingos Beach on Mexico’s Banderas Bay, where you’ll stay at the luxe Villa La Estancia Beach Resort and Spa. Lodging for two and all meals are included, as is one bottle of wine to share and unlimited massages for both of you. Nice! You will need to arrange your own airfare.
• 3 Day Iceland Package, $599 per person: This package from IcelandAir includes roundtrip airfare from your choice of Boston or New York, 2 nights at the Hotel Loftleidir and a “Golden Circle” tour of some of Iceland’s many natural and geological wonders.
• If you’re really making bank from Uncle Sam this year, why not take off to Tahiti? These packages start at $1459 per person and include air from Los Angeles, lodging and some meals.

Of course, if you want to leave the country, you’ll need to get a passport first. Make sure to allow enough time to do so – it normally takes about 6 weeks for the State Department to process your application, while requesting expedited service for an extra $60 will get your passport in 3 weeks. For faster service, the most convenient option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. We hand-deliver your application to the Department of State for processing in as little as 24 hours.

Need to get a passport? Let us help!

I know it seems impossible, with the Midwest being pummeled by snow like it is at the moment, but spring is just around the corner. That means that it’s time to start making Spring Break plans, booking rooms and buying tickets.  One item to think about: Will you be staying in the US this Spring Break, or traveling outside of the country? If you have the resources, there are actually quite a few great last-minute deals on trips available at the moment. Here are 5 worth rushing your passport for:

Kids Stay Free at Club Med

Book by February 28th, and you can take a family vacation at one of 32 Club Med resorts around the world. For each adult reservation you make, one kid can stay free.

Fly to the Bahamas for as Low as $198 Round-Trip

Via Orbitz, Airtran is having a sale that can get you from Houston, Texas to Nassau, Bahamas for $198 round-trip. Book now to stake out your place in the sun!

Fly to Europe or Iceland for $219 One Way

Iceland Air will fly you to London or Copenhagen for $219 each way, as long as you don’t mind being routed through Iceland. Of course, if you’re not sick to death of snow, you could just go to Iceland and bask in the warmth of their hot springs.

Four Nights in the Bahamas for $299, Including Air

CheapCaribbean.com has a 4-night vacation package in the Bahamas up for grabs for $299 including air.

Paris in the Spring for $699 Including Air

If beach vacations aren’t your thing, Virgin Vacations has a 6-night vacation in Paris for $699 per person, including round-trip air, hotel and breakfast.

Ideally, if you plan to leave the country for Spring Break, you’ve already applied for your passport. If you don’t expedite the application, it takes at least 6 weeks to process. Even if you do pay the Department of State an additional $60 for expedited service, you should still allow at least three weeks.

For faster service, in most cases the easiest way to rush your passport is with a private expediting service like RushMyPassport. We offer processing times as low as 24 hours with no need to make an appointment at a passport agency office or travel out of your way to get there.

Need to rush a passport? Talk to us today!

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.

Renew your passport 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…)