Pauline tells 7 On Your Side's Tappy Phillips travelers will never get more for less.
And the cheapest destination in the states? Vegas, baby. Vegas. Pauline says a 35 percent drop in convention traffic has caused prices to plummet.
"You can get a great room off the strip for as little as $19 a night. And this is not a flea bag motel," says Pauline. "These are nice places, on the strip, I have seen prices of $39 a night."
The reason? Las Vegas casinos are enticing you to hit the tables and gamble.
One place that's a sure thing is Hawaii. Pauline says until June, round-trip air fare is just $400. For the best deal? She says look for a condo in Maui.
"It's a great time to play 'let's make a deal' on a condo in Maui because these owners have to pay mortgages," she said. "A lot of them are losing these condos and they're desperate for business.
If Hawaii isn't your thing, how about a cruise to Alaska? Pauline says Princess Cruises is selling week-long cruises to the Land of the Midnight Sun for less than $500.
"Cruising is another one where you can save alot of money," she said. "But, like Vegas, you can pay more once you're on board, cause a lot of things are extra on cruises."
But possibly the best deal this summer? The Emerald Isle.
"We are seeing astounding package deals to Ireland," she said.
The week-long package deal is just $699 now. It goes up just $100 in the summer. And for that, you get a lot.
"For airfare, round trip from the New York area, a six-day car rental and 7-night stay," she said. "Your last night is in a Ritz Carlton."
But while travel is cheap, there's always a risk some travel companies could go out of business.
So Pauline advises buying travel insurance.
"You don't need it so much for ailines to hotel rooms, but if you're looking at a cruise, a tour, a condo rental, definitely get insurance," she said.
And when you buy travel insurance, always buy from a third-party company, never from the tour company itself. Because if it goes out of business, you're sunk.
Pauline says consumers in our area could be seeing air fares come down even more. She attributes it to something she calls the "Southwest Effect."
"As a New Yorker, I am so excited that Southwest (Airlines) is coming to New York City, because there is something called the Southwest Effect," she said. "Because Southwest initiates a fair war almost inevitably and usually their prices at least at the beginning are lower than the competition."
For Web extra interview footage of Pauling on the Southwest Effect, click the video at the top of this screen.
For more information on best travel deals, visit Frommers.com deals
For more information on Maui condos, visit Maui Condos
For more information on great deals on vacations packages to Ireland, visit Sceptre tours
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Story by: Tappy Phillips
Produced by: Steve Livingstone
