We’re living in a leap year, which means one extra day to factor into upcoming vacation plans. With a little planning, you can put that day to use and still save money, thanks to a host of late winter and early spring sales now in full effect. Through President’s Day, leap day, and beyond, you’ll find last-minute flight deals, once-in-a-lifetime tour itineraries, and all sorts of sunny destinations to escape to while we wait out winter.
If you’re craving a beachside getaway, you can lock in a free night at Portugal’s new luxury Reserve hotel, or 29 percent off your stay at a Readers’ Choice Award–winning Key Largo property. If you’d prefer a classic Napa Valley experience, extend your weekend trip at no extra cost thanks to The Meritage’s leap day special. Out on the water you’ve got options, too: discounted solo travel with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and $4,000 off Hurtigruten Expeditions only scratch the surface. Planes, trains, boats, or automobiles, there’s a winter travel deal for you.
All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Courtesy Oliver Roesler Oor
Flight deals
College students save big on Lufthansa flights and baggage fees
Verify your student status with Lufthansa and immediately reap the rewards, unlocking a host of discounted economy flights between the United States and Europe, India, Africa, or the Middle East. Students also earn one free piece of checked baggage and the option to get a refund without fees. The program only applies to students in college who are over the age of 16.
Cut costs big time with Frontier Airlines’ shockingly cheap one-way flight sales
Winter sales are in full swing at Frontier Airlines, where travelers can currently snag one-way flights as cheap as $19 between select locations on select dates. This option works best if you’re flexible with dates and destinations—you won’t have a lot of wiggle room with these deals. If you’re feeling restless, on a budget, or are eager to get out of town, consider Frontier for an affordable start to your getaway.
Save up to 30 percent on vacation packages with Spirit Airlines
The budget airline is making it a cinch to save big not just on airfare, but hotels and more with its vacation packages, which are currently up to 30 percent off when travelers book a combination of flights, hotels, or rental cars together. Several of the top deals offer trips to Las Vegas and Cancun from cities like Chicago, Houston, and Atlanta, starting at surprisingly low prices that include flights and a hotel.
Save up to 40 percent on hotel stays with Etihad Airways’ Stopover Package
Stopover packages are a great way to add another destination to your journey without spending too much extra cash. Travelers who want to experience Abu Dhabi can take advantage of Etihad Airways’ discounted Stopover Packages, which currently include 40 percent off two- or four-night hotel stays in top properties, or a free stay in select three- or four-star hotels. The offer also comes with discounts on restaurants and other experiences, as well as amenities like 24-hour check-in and buffet breakfast. Travelers must make bookings at least three days in advance before arriving in Abu Dhabi.
Train deals
Ride out Amtrak’s range of ongoing sales
Amtrak is always offering some good longer-lasting deals. Students aged 17–24 can enjoy up to 15 percent in savings on train rides booked at least a day in advance, trimming costs on a variety of routes that range from coast to coast with no change fees. Plus, on most journeys, seniors save 10 percent on ticket costs—that means travelers 65 and over for qualifying domestic trips and ages 60 and up on cross-border expeditions. And, Amtrak has sweetened the savings on its children’s discount, so little ones between two and 12 years old may travel for 50 percent off with an accompanying adult.
Service members save $100 on 2024 train tours through Colorado and Utah
On all of Rocky Mountaineer’s Rockies to the Red Rocks train tour bookings, military service members can save $100 with proof of service. Since it’s an ongoing deal, the discount can be combined with any additional limited-time offers that pop up in the coming year, so keep an eye out for new promotions if you’re not ready to commit to a date just yet.
Tour deals
Meet new friends on a Contiki tour for up to 25 percent off
If you’ve got a passion for travel but no one to vacation with, Contiki Tours may just be your knight in shining armor. Travelers ages 18–35 can expect savings of up to 25 percent off on trips like the European Explorer, a massive endeavor that will take you to 16 different countries over the course of 35 days, or 15 percent off the Sea, Safari, and South Africa tour where you’ll explore wildlife and nature. There’s also an opportunity to save 15 percent off hopping through the islands of Thailand or 20 percent off a good old-fashioned USA road trip. Book by February 29 to lock in discounts on tours running now through 2025.
Plan a large group outing and earn the seventh spot free
Looking to take your next family reunion to a new level? Get the ol’ college friends back together? Go on a quadruple date? Whatever the occasion, EF Go Ahead Tours’ Group Travel Program caters to large groups, allowing you to handcraft your next experience and save some money along the way. For every six people who sign up, you’ll get a seventh tour spot for free. You can view this as buy six tickets, get one free; or buy 12, get two free; or buy 18, get three free—you get the point. There’s no cap to the number of free spots you can earn. Why not go all out?
Hotel deals
Get up to 20 percent off at Ace Hotels when you pay early
Ace Hotel’s Greetings From the Future deal rewards guests who book—and pay—at least two weeks in advance by trimming up to 20 percent off the reservation price. The discount, cleverly branded as “paying it forward for future you,” applies at multiple Ace locations and can be secured by booking through the deal webpage.
Book a suite with Loews Hotels and get extra on-site perks
Loews Hotels is sweetening its suite experience by giving travelers up to $125 daily for food and drink—the credit amount varies by location—plus free Premium Plus Wi-Fi. Currently, the hotels offering the largest dining credits are Loews Miami Beach and Loews Regency New York, but other properties still put up a good fight. Check out the offer page to find out what you can expect at your dream Loews destination.
Bundle flights with an Atlantis Bahamas resort stay and save up to $300
Now through January 7, 2025 (yes, really!), guests can save up to $300 when booking flights and rooms at the same time through Atlantis Paradise Islands’ website. All five of Atlantis’ Bahamas resorts are honoring the special, and the only conditions are that guests stay a minimum of two nights at the resort and pay the flight and hotel costs in full at the time of booking.
Get one night free at a new five-star Portugal hotel
Savoy Signature’s stunning luxury hotel, The Reserve, opened in January 2024 and occupies a 40-room wing of the already existing Savoy Palace Hotel on the coast of Portugal’s Madeira island region. In celebration of The Reserve’s grand opening, guests get their fourth night free on all stays booked directly through the hotel’s website between now and March 31, making the travel time well worth your while.
Celebrate leap day with 29 percent off a Florida Keys resort
Twenty-nine is the theme of the season at the sophisticated Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo, Florida, where a limited-time leap day special means 29 percent off a minimum three-night stay. To qualify for the deal you must book between February 27 and March 1, and your travel dates will need to fall between July and September 2024. Aside from a few blackout dates, there’s not much more to it—an elevated Florida Keys experience awaits you.
Enjoy 35 percent off a four-night stay at Antigua’s luxury Curtain Bluff resort
If you’ve been looking for an all-inclusive Caribbean resort where you can soak up the sun before summer rolls around, the newly renovated Curtain Bluff property in Antigua will gladly take you in. For four-night stays between February 23 and April 10, you’ll get 35 percent off the reservation with no strings attached. If you want to stay more than four nights, there are other offers available, too: 25 percent off stays between five and nine nights, and 30 percent off stays 10 nights or longer. Who said you can’t get a tan in the winter?
Get a sweet, suite deal at Mondrian Los Angeles
Level up your LA vacay with discounted suites at Mondrian Los Angeles—they’re currently 20 percent off and also come with a $25 daily in-room dining credit and guaranteed late check out of 1 p.m. (early check-in is based upon availability; the deal also is subject to availability, and blackout dates may apply). The suites offer travelers a spiffy home base right in the heart of West Hollywood, and the property’s dreamy rooftop pool is a perfect way to wind down after a day of sightseeing and celeb spotting.
Head to the beach with Sandals Resorts for savings of up to $1500 on air credit
Escape the winter blues with the “Winter Blues” sale where guests can save up to $1,500 on air credit when booking at select Sandals Resorts like the Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines which is expected to open at the end of March 2024. You can also head to Curacao or Jamaica. Plus, you’ll receive a $150 resort credit on stays of seven nights or longer when you book between now and March 3 for travel through the end of January 2025. Simply use the promo code WBRC2024 at check out.
Save 15 percent or more on spontaneous bookings with Booking.com
Booking.com loves a getaway deal, which comes in handy if you’re still not sure where you’re staying for that last-second trip you’re trying to pull together. The site promises at least—not “up to”—15 percent off qualifying hotels of all price ranges, which are sorted by destination on the site to help guide you to a decision.
Use the extra day in 2024 to explore Napa Valley with a free night at The Meritage
The Meritage Resort & Spa has an idea for how to spend the extra day leap year has given us, and it involves a free third night tacked on all two-night reservations from May 20 through September 8. In the name of leap weekend, as we’ll call it, the promo only applies if you make the booking between February 29 and March 3, 2024, so don’t wait too long if you want rolling hills and sunny vineyards on the horizon.
Secure up to $500 on air credit and $150 on resort credit with Beaches Resorts
Leave winter behind and make some amazing memories when you head to your dream island vacation courtesy of Beaches Resorts. Travelers can receive $500 in air credit and $150 in resort credit when they book a stay of seven nights or longer. Enjoy a multi-generational family reunion on the beach when booking one of the Firesky Reserve Villas or Eventide Penthouse Suites at Beaches Negril, or lounge around the Turks and Caicos while soaking up the sun.
Save 10 percent at Omni Hotels on two-night stays
Omni’s Escape and Save offer is crystal clear: At the chain’s participating hotels and resorts, guests can now save 10 percent on bookings lasting two nights or longer. Book directly through the offer page and the deal is done, no effort required.
Cruise deals
Find major savings—and bring extra guests for free—with Princess’ new cruise sale
Princess Cruises’ 2024 wave season sale is bringing discounts on discounts to sailors with select itineraries in 2024, 2025, and 2026. If you book between now and February 29, 2024, you can get a triple-threat deal of up to 40 percent off cruise fares, free room upgrades, and a third and fourth guest totally free. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Fly to Europe for free with a 2024 river cruise
Avalon Waterways is enticing Americans to book a European river cruise by offering free round-trip economy airfare from several US cities, and giving passengers $250 off their cruise rate with select itineraries (they’re two separate but combinable offers). To get maximum savings, make sure you read the fine print and choose a qualifying 2024 itinerary—and be sure to book by March 2, even if you’re not traveling till later in the year, since that’s when the offer expires.
Get 20 percent off an all-inclusive Galapagos cruise plus round-trip airfare
Through February 29, travelers can enjoy an all-inclusive trip to the historic Galapagos Islands in Ecuador with major savings if they play their cards right: that means 20 percent off cruise fares with Celebrity Cruises, and free round-trip airfare if you book an offer package by calling the cruise line directly. By all-inclusive, Celebrity means it’ll cover flights, guided Galapagos National Park excursions, meals by a Michelin-star chef, unlimited drinks, and Wi-Fi costs aboard the ship. (See more of our favorite Galapagos cruises here.)
Kids cruise free in parties of three or four with Holland America Line
Family vacations with Holland America are extra affordable in 2024 with the cruise line’s limited-time Kids Cruise Free booking deal. The special offer provides free travel to destinations like Alaska, Europe, and the Caribbean for up to two kids, if they’re booked as the third and/or fourth guests in the party. As far as Holland America is concerned, anyone 18 and under qualifies as a kid, so you can bring your teens along for the journey just as well.
Sail the seas with savings of up to $4,000 on Hurtigruten Expeditions cruises
It’s wave season and you can expect deals on all of your favorite cruises to destinations around the world. For those that book their next Hurtigruten Expeditions trip between now and March 31, savings of up to $4,000 are in your future. You can expect to see these huge discounts on expeditions to Antarctica, Alaska, Greenland, the Galapagos Islands, and more.
See Greece in a new light with big savings on trips from Celestyal Cruises
For wave season this year Celestyal Cruises is taking you on the trip of a lifetime to Greece. Featuring savings of up to 70 percent off kids’ fares and 50 percent off Celestyal Plus+ Experiences, your wallet will certainly thank you. A seven-night Greece and Greek Island cruise will cost you just $1,519 per person, while you’ll find other Greek cruise fares for as low as $279 per person. Book before February 29 to secure all the great deals.
Solo travelers get a room to themselves for cheap with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Traveling alone is a freeing experience, but can come at a steep price if you wind up paying double to secure a room to yourself. Fortunately, solo travelers can now book two-person rooms on select Uniworld river cruises for the price of just one guest, aiming to break down the financial barriers that often deter independent explorers from planning their dream getaway. Current itineraries eligible for the discounted rate last anywhere from 8 to 16 days and span all over Europe—Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Lisbon—they’re all yours to see.
Take your family on a Disney cruise with a 30-percent-off special
Family-friendly Disney Cruise Line is offering between 20 and 30 percent savings on select cruises setting sail between now and March from Sydney, Australia; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Port Canaveral, Florida. The Caribbean cruises on offer include a Pixar-themed day, incorporating characters from films Toy Story, Up, Inside Out and Monsters, Inc. into the activities.
Even more travel deals
Get up to 35 percent off an Avis car rental when you pay ahead
Avis’ Winter Sale means drivers can get rewarded for paying up front when they book a car rental. Applying at participating locations between now and June 2024, travelers will get 35 percent off the time and mileage charges on their Avis bill. To redeem, just complete your booking on the offer page and watch the total price get slashed.
Save big on Escape Campervans rentals with a couple of limited-time deals
If you’re ready to hit the open road, you have multiple ways to save through Escape Campervans. For trips ending by March 3, travelers can use the promo code FEB30 to get 30 percent off the reservation’s daily rate. Or, if you make a seven-day booking by February 22 (also for travel ending before March 3), you can get two nights free plus a free bedding and kitchen kit with the 7FOR5 promo code. A little spontaneity never hurt anyone!
