The point of a mystery auction is that you don’t necessarily know what’s in that box or envelope. When it comes to travel, that means you don’t necessarily know where you’re staying, or even necessarily which country!
Priceline and Hotwire have long followed the opaque model, in which you name your price and the name of the hotel, airline, or car rental company is revealed after you pay.
The online auction site LuxuryLink.com has two mystery auctions per week. The only hints are something like “three nights with meals and massages in Africa.” Bids start at $1 and increase in dollar increments.
Its sister site, FamilyGetaway.com, has a similar promotion for family travel.
And here’s resource you may not have considered: eBay also auctions off vacation packages. There’s a little more transparency here, so if you’re not feeling overly flexible, this can be the way to go.
The real caution here? Read the fine print to make sure you’re clear on what taxes and fees you may be expected to pay in addition to the auction price. After all, there’s no such thing as a free ride.
Find more ways to save in our Budget Travel section.
