Hello,
I have never traveled to the Caribbean in December. My husband and I just found out we have extra vacation time that must be used the week between Christmas and New Years this year! Is it too late to find accomodations, do you think? I know this is a very popular time to travel to the Caribbean.
Also, a quick search for airfare made my jaw drop! Can you travel to the Caribbean for less than $500 a ticket at this time of year??
Thanks!

That is the very highest of high season, and the fares are that steep because they know they can get it.

There will most definitely be availability, but the more popular places will be full or have limited availability.

To save $$$, look for the places with a lot of flights from where you will be flying out of.

If you have a major airline that has a hub near you, those are usually the best fares. Find out where they fly and make your decision based on those choices.

Something I do (which is not for the faint of heart) is wait until just 2 or 3 weeks before Christmas, and the airlines release sales fares and snatch up one of those.

Another possibility is Mexico. We spent Christmas/New Year's there about four years ago, and it was VERY inexpensive - even the top quality hotels because there are so many rooms in Cancun. We stayed in Akumal, Cancun and Playa del Carmen for like $100 to $125 per night.

Your best bet for cost savings will be a combination of somewhere with a lot of rooms and a lot of flights... maybe Punta Cana, Aruba, Bahamas, Cancun area, Jamaica.

You are asking about the absolute busiest week in the Caribbean. Most of the resorts and hotels are booked solid a year in advance for this period and you'll also find they charge their highest room rates for the year. That said, the Caribbean is a big place so you might be able to find accomodations somewhere especially if you are willing to lower your expectations and perhaps stay at in a condo, a smaller hotel or guest house that offers fewer amenities or is a bit removed from the main tourist areas. The only way to really know if a particular place is available is to contact them directly. A couple years ago my spouse and I decided in September to go away for Christmas week and after a few phone calls we found first class condo accomodations directly on Provo's Grace Bay.

As to air fare, a lot will depend on where you are traveling from and which island is your final destination. Simply saying that you'd like a fare for under $500 is meaningless unless one knows your departure city and intended destination. For instance, the fares from a major east coast hub like NYC or Miami to places that can be reached non-stop like Jamacia, San Juan, St. Martin and Aruba are often quite reasonable but if you have to take a connecting flight or two to reach your destination the fare can double. Here again, however, you are planning to travel during one of the busiest weeks of the year and chances are most of the bargin seats have already been booked. You may be able to find reasonable fares if you are somewhat flexible in your travel dates (i.e. fly out a few days earlier or later or even flying out and back on Christmas and New Year's day).

I am flying out of Washington, DC, not sure where we will try to go yet, guess that depends on what we can find. Maybe we will wait for a last minute sale fair.....

I highly doubt you'd get air fare for that week at $500 or less from DC (I live here). Booking that week at most resorts is peak dollars and sometimes they require 10-14 days to book or you don't get it. If I were you, I'd travel just before the high season starts (which is December 15) -- it's typically called "shoulder season" and you'll get much better pricing.

Lois

We have a few villas still available for New Year's Week in Jamaica/dates vary per villa but generally 26 Dec - 2 Jan is New Year's Week available for 3 of our Treasure Beach area villas and 28 Dec - 4 Jan for the Winston Churchill Drambuie Estate. Contact me via www.jamaicaescapes.com for details, rates, properties still available and dates. Airfare will run US$500-600 with few if any exceptions from D.C.