Iowans who can afford a pair of tickets to this weekend’s Super Bowl probably don’t care so much about the cost of airfare or hotels, but if you’re trying to make the trip on the cheap, well, it won’t be.
AAA spokesman Nick Chabarria says depending on when you arrive in New Orleans and how long you plan to stay, you could shave several hundred dollars off the price.
“Most people want to go down Friday and stay until Monday or Tuesday and that’s when the tickets are in highest demand, and we see airline tickets being most expensive,” Chabarria says. “But even if you extend your travel by a few days or leave a little bit earlier, say you go Wednesday to Wednesday, that could result in savings of hundreds of dollars.”
If you can be flexible in where you’ll stay before and after the big game, Chabarria says that could also be a major cost savings.
“Close to the Superdome, hotels are going for more than $1,000 per night before taxes over the weekend of the Super Bowl,” he says. “However, if you want to stay a little bit farther out or if you have some flexibility, you can get rooms for as cheap as $350, which, of course, over Super Bowl weekend is fairly affordable.”
Reports say ticket prices for the Super Bowl, depending on seat location and which website you use, range from around $3,800 to more than $7,000.
Chabarria says another thing to consider is travel insurance, which can help cover unexpected events like trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and lost luggage. With everything you may buy online, he says to be watchful for scams.