Save on a summer trip to New York City

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — After price hikes for flights and hotels in the spring and early summer months, costs are softening to some destinations in July and August, including New York City.

To maximize your savings potential on a trip to New York, keep these tips in mind:

• Mid-week flights are often priced lower, so consider a Thursday through Tuesday trip to save.
• Overnight flights (red-eyes) will almost always cost less. A midnight flight from Phoenix will get you to New York around 7:00 a.m. While your hotel likely won’t let you check in until the afternoon, staff will hold your luggage for free while you go walk around.
• As always, in addition to checking airline websites, check the travel websites (Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc.). They’ll often find lower prices by splitting your trip between two different airlines.
• Check flight + hotel vacation package deals on both your airline’s website and the other travel websites. You’ll almost always save by bundling the airfare and hotel.
• Don’t be turned off by flights to Newark, NJ (EWR). It’s easy to get into Manhattan from Newark!
• Hotels are lower-priced in lower Manhattan (in the Financial District). Just keep in mind: that area is farther from the touristy areas that you might be interested in — like Times Square, the Theater District and Central Park.

While it can be daunting for a first-time visitor, you’ll adjust quickly and find plenty of things to do in New York City. Plus, you can always escape the hustle and bustle of the “concrete jungle” by taking a day trip to Governors Island, which is one of my favorite places to go for a city skyline view!

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