12 Great Vacation Destinations on Sale

We asked industry insiders and travel Web site editors for their favorite value destinations, both in the U.S. and abroad. Here are 12 picks:

Istanbul. Turkish Airlines is expanding feverishly, putting downward pressure on fares. Fall is a good time to go: Airfare between Istanbul and Washington, D.C., decreases by about $150 between late August and mid September, according to Hotwire.

Las Vegas. Spirit Airlines connects to about a dozen airports from Las Vegas. All that activity pressures other airlines to slash fares to stay competitive. Las Vegas was the most popular destination for air travel last year, and Kayak reports that it was also the fifth-cheapest.

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Dominican Republic. JetBlue is increasing flights to the D.R., and new resorts are enticing luxury travelers. We found flights from Boston to Punta Cana starting at $365 round-trip.

Alaska. Prices have thawed on Alaskan cruises. Recently, a ten-day September cruise on Gate1Travel.com started at $939 per person, including hotel but not airfare.

Caribbean. Cruise.com recently advertised a seven-day November cruise starting at $499 per person.

Mediterranean. We found a ten-day cruise on FareCompare.comon luxury line Oceania in November. It starts at $2,249 per person (for an inside cabin), including airfare and $500 in onboard credit.

Spain. European tourists who typically flock to Spain are tightening their belts and staying home, leaving hotels vacant. A four-star hotel in Madrid recently offered a late-summer rate of $103 per night on Travelzoo.

Vancouver. The 2010 Olympics left this city with a surplus of hotel rooms. Groupon Getaways recently offered a three-star room at a boutique North Vancouver hotel for $109 per night. Two kids stay free.

Chicago. Once the conventioneers clear out, Chicago’s hotels start wooing tourists. We found a fall deal on a four-star Michigan Avenue hotel for $99 per night on Travelzoo.

Colorado. Cash in on Colorado’s off-season. Groupon Getaways recently featured a three-night stay at the Majestic Dude Ranch in the San Juan Mountains until mid October, including meals, for $495 per person.

Thailand. Gate1Travel.com has a nine-night trip to Thailand with departures in September, October and November starting at $1,469 per person, including food, hotels and round-trip airfare from Los Angeles.

India. Spend nine days in the Golden Triangle from $1,849 per person. Gate 1 Travel offers a deal between September and the end of the year that includes airfare from New York City, meals and hotels.