Bumpy rides can be the norm when flying cross-country. But passengers aboard one westbound United Airlines flight from Dulles Tuesday reported feeling their plane drop “thousands of feet” as it encountered severe turbulence over Kansas. In all, 25 people were hurt in the incident (mostly head, neck, and back injuries), and the plane diverted to Denver, never making it to Los Angeles, its final destination. Were the injuries the result of a freak weather pattern or a mechanical problem? The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
For those who aren’t turned off by the prospect of a bumpy flight, United has one of the best vacation deals around. The airline is offering fares as low as $243 each way between Dulles and Maui for flights leaving Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and some Saturdays between August 17 and November 17. Cruise lines, too, are getting in on the tropical fun. Rather than spending the holidays packed around a dinner table, why not spend them lounging aboard some of Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise’s classiest ships? During Thanksgiving and Christmas, both companies are offering seven-, eight-, and nine-night cruises to the Caribbean for $599. The best part of it all? Thanksgiving dinner, buffet-style.
Apple Vacations is offering a $599 weeklong trip to Mexico, including airfare to Cancun from BWI and seven nights at the Occidental Grand Xcaret, a beach-front resort. Snorkeling tours and trips through the local rainforest are available as well.
Closer to home, Prince Resort at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has a special deal for late-in-the-season beachgoers. From September 19 through October 7, one-bedroom condos are available for $45 a night. While you’re there, take in Myrtle Beach’s shopping mecca Broadway at the Beach, which features 19 restaurants and 100 stores. Get there with flights from Reagan starting at $199 roundtrip, or rent a car from Hotwire for about $30 per day.
