The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare on an Austrian Airlines carrier to Berlin, three nights at the 251-room Express by Holiday Inn Berlin City Centre, buffet breakfast daily, a ticket for a hop-on, hop-off city tour, a half-day excursion to Potsdam, a ticket for a Berlin bunker tour, fuel surcharges, and hotel taxes and service charges, from $1,059 per person—plus estimated taxes of $140.
When: Nov. 1–Dec. 10, 2009, Jan. 4–March 25, 2010.
Gateways: D.C., New York City; add $169 for Miami; $201 for Chicago; $269 for Houston; $285 for Denver, L.A., Phoenix; $289 for Seattle; additional gateways available.
The fine print: Taxes and fees are about an extra $140 per person. Airport-hotel transfers are not included but can be added for an additional $231 total for one to three passengers. Check here for other transfer options and costs. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $199. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: Austrian Airlines Vacation Center, 800/790-4682, austrianair-vacations.com.
Why it's a deal: According to a recent search on Kayak, the lowest round-trip fare between New York City and Berlin is $707 with taxes for travel in early November (Swiss).
For an additional $492, this Austrian Airlines Vacation Center package covers airfare, plus three nights' accommodations, breakfast daily, a hop-on, hop-off city tour ticket, a half-day excursion to Potsdam, admission to a Berlin bunker tour, fuel surcharges, and all taxes and fees.
More: Add a concert by the Berlin Palace Orchestra at Charlottenburg Palace for $84 per person (add $45 to tack on a three-course dinner). Additional nights at the Express by Holiday Inn City Centre are $70 per person for a double room. A stopover in Vienna is allowed at no additional cost.