Bargains for Fliers and Skiers

Stiff competition in the travel industry is paying off in big benefits for senior travelers. Here is a sampling of current offerings:

* USAir is expanding its Golden Opportunities coupon-book program to the Canadian cities of Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Coupons are available in books of four ($596) or eight ($1,032), and are valid for travel anywhere in the United States and Canada served by USAir. Each coupon is good for a one-way trip. Coupons may be purchased by those 62 and older from travel agents or USAir airport or city ticket offices.

* Amtrak has liberalized its senior fares: They are now valid every day of the week. A 15% discount is available for anyone 62 and over. Thus, the lowest round-trip coach fare between Los Angeles and San Francisco is reduced from $82 to $70; between Los Angeles and Chicago, the regular fare of $178 is reduced to $152. For more information, call (800) USA-RAIL or contact any travel agent.

* Skiers over 65 get a break of more than 30% on lift tickets at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort. A full-day ticket, usually $45, is $30 for seniors. An afternoon pass is reduced from $33 to $21. Discounts also apply for consecutive days in any one-week period. For brochures and information, contact Deer Valley Resort, P.O. Box 3149, Park City, Utah 84060; tel. (800) 424-3337.

* Here’s an even better deal for senior skiers: At Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort in Utah, adults 65 and over ski free. (Regular price for full-day lift tickets is $28.) Sundance has 6,000 acres of wilderness and 450 acres of ski trails suitable for both novices and experts. For brochures and information, call (800) 892-1600.

* Backroads, which bills itself as the “world’s No. 1 active travel company,” is packaging a wide range of walking and bicycling trips through 1995. Several are specifically designed for seniors, including walks in Costa Rica, Baja California and the Indonesian island of Bali. In addition, Backroads has scheduled nine “Prime Time” bicycling trips this year for travelers over 55. For a free catalogue, call (800) 462-2848.

* The Evergreen Travel Club, which caters to travelers over 50, is in its 12th year of arranging home-stays throughout the United States and Canada. A nominal $15-per-couple “host gratuity” is levied for each night’s stay, which includes room accommodations and breakfasts. Members who prefer not to host guests in their own homes pay $18 per day for singles, $24 for couples. Evergreen membership is $50 per couple or $40 for singles for a one-year period. For information and enrollment, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Evergreen, 404 N. Galena Ave, No. L-20, Dixon, Ill. 61021.

* A similar group, the Affordable Travel Club, is open to travelers 40 and over. Members pay $15 (single) or $20 (double) per night for accommodations in private homes, including breakfast. For non-members, the fee is $25 single, $30 double. Membership is $40 if you list your home as a host, $50 if you don’t. For a brochure and membership application, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Affordable Travel, 6556 Snug Harbor Lane, Gig Harbor, Wash. 98335.