Airline Pass Increases Options

Continental Airlines has given its yearly pass for mature travelers age 62 or older a face lift--a new name (from Golden Travel Passport to Freedom Passport), new features and options . . . and higher prices.

Considering the cost of air travel, though, the pass is a great deal for seniors who plan to do a lot of traveling within a year. But the buying process is not unlike choosing a new car.

You can buy the basic model for $1,599, which gives you a year’s worth of flights within the United States to more than 80 cities. Or you can make it the deluxe model, which gives you the same amount of travel in first-class seats rather than coach. This option costs $1,999.

Or you might go for the super-deluxe model called the Global Passport. It gives you all the domestic trips plus three round trips to Mexico, three more to the Caribbean, one round trip each to Hawaii, Central America and Europe (London or Paris) and still another to either Australia or New Zealand. All for $2,999.

The ultra-super-deluxe model, the Global First Class Passport, has the same amount of domestic and international travel. It costs $4,999.

You could choose just the basic $1,599 domestic passport and then select from several international trip options. These could be one to three trips to Mexico (choice of eight popular destinations) or the Caribbean (Aruba, Jamaica, St. Maarten or the Dominican Republic) for $150 per round trip, or one $150 round trip to either Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador or Belize. It’s $250 for each first-class round trip to the same destinations.

You could also select one round trip each to Hawaii (from $300; $450 first-class) or London or Paris ($400; $800 first-class).

All of the international options add up to $2,250 for coach travel. But because you can get all of the options included by buying the coach Global Passport for $2,999, buying them all separately as options doesn’t make good sense.

The same goes for first-class, where buying all options adds up to $3,900 for the 10 trips. But you can get them all as part of the $4,999 First Class Global Passport.

At face value, taking all 10 trips with the Global Passport can save $850 in coach and $900 in first-class over the cost of buying the domestic passports plus all optional round trips.

The Global Passports can be a terrific deal for those with the time, resources and stamina for that much travel in one year. But for others, it might be better to get the basic Domestic Passport and then buy the international options to suit individual travel plans.

There are other restrictions to remember. You can only take one one-way trip a week, which must include a Saturday night stay-over between trips. And though you have a choice of more than 80 cities on Continental’s routes, you cannot travel to any one city more than three times (not including your home city).

There are also 33 blackout dates for domestic travel and more than 40 for international trips. Most are centered around major holiday periods.

Travel must be between noon Monday and noon Thursday, plus all day Saturday. Further, there are only a limited number of these highly discounted passport seats available on each flight.

So passport travelers should be flexible in formulating travel plans--be prepared to travel during off-peak periods, and be ready at times to leave a day or two early or stay a day or two later.

Continental also allows you to buy a companion passport. The companion can be of any age, but can only travel at the same time as the passport holder.

There are additional benefits to passport holders--discounts on car rentals and hotels, and deals on cruises or tours. And if you buy any of the domestic or global Freedom Passes and decide that they aren’t for you, and you haven’t traveled on any flight, you can get a full refund within 90 days.

It would be wise to also check with your travel agent about the other travel plans available for seniors. The 10% senior discounts, offered through the four- and eight-coupon books by Delta, United, Northwest and other carriers, might be a better option for those who don’t figure to do a great deal of traveling within one year.

For more information on Continental’s Freedom Pass, call toll-free (800) 441-1135.