Seahawks fans finding affordable travel, exorbitant tickets for Super Bowl
Dec 30, 2013, 1:14 PM | Updated: 6:09 pm
BY
KIRO Radio Reporter
Now that the Seahawks have clinched the top spot in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, many fans are thinking Super Bowl. And with the game in New York, travel options abound.
“The good news is New York has thousands of hotel rooms,” says KIRO Radio travel expert Steve Danishek. Danishek advises people to book a room now to reserve a spot, since most offer liberal cancellation policies in case the Seahawks fail to make it to the big game.
Unlike other cities, he says the abundance of rooms means hotels aren’t inflating their rates for Super Bowl weekend and are surprisingly affordable by New York standards.
“We’re finding nice hotels in the low-to-mid $300 range, and of course more if you want to get into fancier hotels or better accommodations,” says Danishek.
Between three New York area airports, travelers also have plenty of options for flying in. Flights to Newark were going for as low as $336 roundtrip as of Monday afternoon. And Danishek says even cheaper fares can often be had by flying to nearby Philadelphia, Baltimore or Washington, D.C. and taking the train to New York or the game. “You can save hundreds,” he says.
But getting a ticket to the Super Bowl is another matter. Fans can only buy them from approved resellers on the secondary market and even the cheapest seats will cost a small fortune.
“Just to get in the door, you can buy upper level seats in the end zone on Stub Hub right now for $3,199,” says Danishek.
Package deals including three nights hotel, transportation, and a ticket to the game are going for $4,900 and up.
Danishek recommends using the money and heading for a Super Bowl party somewhere else instead.
“For the same money, you can take a dozen of your friends to Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend. That’s where all the action is. In fact, more people will go to Vegas for the Super Bowl than the actual Super Bowl,” he says.
As for the veteran Seattle travel agent and expert, he’d prefer a week in Waikiki watching the game instead. And you can do it for a lot less.
The talk is all just a bit premature. The Seahawks will have to win two games. Tickets for the divisional-round game at CenturyLink Field will go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. The game will be played on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 1:35 p.m. against either Green Bay, New Orleans, or San Francisco.
