It’s been frustrating this summer trying to find affordable tickets to southeast Asia. We were so spoiled last year with abundant rates in the $600′s to tropical cities such as Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh and Bangkok. We even found $588 to Manila from San Francisco.

Gone are those days. In 2010 you’re lucky if you can fly to southeast Asia for under $1,000. So when we see prices under $900, we have to mention them.

Below is Los Angeles to Bangkok for $877 on China Southern Airlines for travel next March. Try dates from September through March to Thailand (from the West Coast), before the temperatures in Siam start sizzling.

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Is one night in a Moscow hotel more expensive than a round-trip flight to Moscow from the US? It’s close. A just released report by the Hogg Robinson Group details that for the 6th consecutive year, Moscow hotels cost an average of $400.65/night. In the meantime, Aeroflot is offering fares from Washington DC to Moscow for only $486.

Whenever I see hotel prices this disproportionately high compared to the flight, I immediately think of home exchanging as an alternative. When I first heard about HomeExchange.com at the Los Angeles Travel Convention in 2006, I was somewhat skeptical. However, after speaking with their CEO in person I was put at ease and the system made sense. I signed up and browsed all the cities and homes. In my opinion, the key to having success and drawing people with nice properties to your property, is to build a quality profile page with nice pictures and descriptions. Something to consider. Also, Couch Surfing and hostels are low cost alternatives.

East Coast to Moscow:

• $486: Washington DC (below)
• $556: New York
• $656: Newark
• $695: Chicago

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*Image (Red Square) provided by Punxsutawneyphil in accordance with Creative Commons.

Reykjavik-based Iceland Express is igniting a price war for US to Europe travel. Read more.

We found this $432 fare (below) for travel from Newark to Reykjavik next summer.

In addition, Island Express is flying passengers cheaply to other European cities, including Barcelona, Basel, Frankfurt, Krakow, Luxembourg, Milan, Oslo, and Paris, via their Reykjavik hub. They just announced that they’ll be flying four times a week to London from Newark.

These budget prices will hopefully force the legacy carries to lower their prices to Europe in the coming months.

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*Photo by o palsson in accordance with CC license.

Fly non-stop from Los Angeles to Moscow for only $668 next May on Aeroflot.

Flights from San Francisco and Seattle are in the low $700′s.

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Photo by Neiljs and displayed in accordance with CC.

If you watched Brazil solidly spank the USA last night in a soccer friendly, then maybe you thought about visiting the 2014 host of the World Cup? Or, even visiting this year?

Well, $693 from Boston to Rio de Janeiro (below with US Airways found on Cheapoair) is a deal you want to score. And, from New York and Los Angeles, fares are in the $700′s for travel through November. From Miami, in the $600′s.

Just like Neymar went “instant legend” last night by scoring a goal in his first ever game for “A Selecao” (Brasil National Team), you could experience a similar joyous thrill upon touching down in Brazil (the entire cabin tends to cheer and clap).

Just as the exceptional dribbling and passing skills of the Brazilian forwards make the ball seemingly disappear and then reappear, like magic, so can these low prices! Make your play quickly!

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Remember Leaving Las Vegas? Well, what about Leaving Moscow? Leaving Moscow is a blog entry about the equally insane prospect of taking the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Russia in the dead of winter. Read more.

Fly on Aeroflot from New York to Moscow for only $573 round-trip, non-stop.

These $573 fares are available for travel from September through April.

Za vashe zdarov’e!

Fly New York to “Publin” for only $468 in early October before the weather gets too chilly. This fare is available on Delta for travel through March, at which point it then spirals into the $700s.

These prices beat the Aer Lingus $199 sale which is actually $575 after round-trip and taxes.

Find the $468 fare on Delta.com for travel from October through March.

In Dublin, make sure to visit O’Donoghues on Merrion Row and take in some live Irish music (pictured above)! These guys even let my buddy Boram sit in on guitar for “Dicey Riley”.

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This is fare to Manila that won’t leave you feeling gouged.

Need fun activities while in The Philippines? How about surfing in Siargao or snorkeling in Donsol.

Need a cheap flight to Manila? There are multiple $830 fares for travel from September through early November. We found this $838 fare (below) on Vayama.

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Don’t miss this. The travel downturn in Dubai is an opportunity to save a sultan’s sum on travel to this region.

Hotels, which in the past, could easily cost you $300-500/night, are now a lot more affordable.

Rememeber, make your reservations for after the summer heat begins to subside and Ramadan ends (September 9).

For travel in September through Spring 2011 there are many itineraries to Dubai for under $800. We found this $726 (below) fare from New York to Dubai on Aeroflot. It was cheaper on Orbitz than Aeroflot’s site.

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With a just released Associated Press report detailing that domestic airfares in Q1 are up 5% over last year, it is only a matter of time until the same is reported about international airfares. Read more.

With that said, it’s been harder to find cheap rates to Asia these days. In 2009 it was commonplace to see prices in the $500′s to Japan, Philippines and Vietnam. However, that’s nearly impossible this year.

Flights to Seoul on China Air are in the low-800′s for November and mid-$800′s for October travel. It’s pretty wide open. We actually found the cheapest fare on Vayama. Air China’s website was slightly more expensive.

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