How does SkyAuction work?

[MinnieMom]

I just read a bit about Skyauction on a few threads, but didn't see a full description of how this site works. I popped over to the site just to check it out and there are weeklong vacations only going for $20-some dollars and the auction ends in a day . . . how is that possible?

What am I missing?

 

[LAS2AMS]

It's like eBay -- much of the bidding comes late.

If you're considering SkyAuction, be sure to add up the TOTAL cost -- the package price (often & usually per person) + all taxes & fees + add-ons (air, etc.) if applicable. I've yet to see ANYTHING on SkyAuction that I've perceived as a great deal (some decent deals, but nothing to tempt me) and many offers are POOR deals.

For example, you can bid on the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista starting at $10. Don't forget the $32 nightly taxes & service fees. The hotel sells direct for $59+tax, and usually throws in some freebies (10-15% discount for extended stays, free upgrades to hot breakfast, etc.) and hotel has a $39 rate on TravelZoo.

 

[lawgs]

the weekly "auctions" will usually have fees and processing that you have to add to you bid...

for example ....your bid 50$, fees and processing 215$, your total cost would be 265$

however, you have to read the terms of the auction very carefully since sometimes, especially for auction including airfare and accomodations, the fees are PER person, not per Auction...

any auction for 7 days on skyauction that go for the 1$ bids, still cost 216$ total....but still not bad

the per night auctions as noted above adds 32 per night to the amount that you bid.....thus 7 nights with one of those auction could cost you much more....eg your bid 45$ plus 32$ per night x no of nights + processing fee of 20$ would be 559$

a lot of the inventory that shows up as seven night stays in a resort are usually come from the RCI exchange company...

 

[spiceycat]

RCI claims it is excess inventory. (lots of time it is not - but that is another story)

so yes the prices are that good.

I have gotten a couple at $211 (fee was $15 now it is $20) myself.

believe me it is a great deal.

but again be careful. read the ad carefully, get all the details.

a couple of people here didn't read the ads and got stuck.

so be careful!!!

RCI is an exchange company that works with timeshares. None of the inventory is RCI - so they don't care if they made anything or not. Now some of the resorts do care - you won't see many Orange Lake (and they use to have a bunch of skyauction) or Hilton Grand Vacation Club.

but most don't have enough power to tell RCI not to put their timeshares on skyauction.

come ask before you bid.

there are some great bargins - but also places that have problems. You want a bargin not a problem.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

If you're considering SkyAuction, be sure to add up the TOTAL cost -- the package price (often & usually per person) + all taxes & fees + add-ons (air, etc.) if applicable. I've yet to see ANYTHING on SkyAuction that I've perceived as a great deal (some decent deals, but nothing to tempt me) and many offers are POOR deals.

Wow, I really don't agree. Mind you, I never bid on "per night" auctions and I don't bid on anything with air, but lots and lots of people on this board have won great places on the "7 night Orlando" auctions.

Here's what we've gotten:

7 nights Cypress Pointe Grand Villas 2 bedroom.......$220 including everything

7 nights Cypress Pointe Grand Villas 2 bedroom.......$290 including everything

7 nights Sheraton's Vistana Resort 2 bedroom.........$271 including everything

7 nights Sheraton's Vistana Resort 2 bedroom.........$301 including everything

These are very, very nice places. We loved the Vistana especially. It had seven pools and slept 8 people.

 

[shoney]

I also "won" a 1 bedroom for 7 nights at Summer Bay last August. I believe it went for $151 + the processing fee, but no other fees. They were running a special whereby the 195 a week was waived. I already had a 2 bedroom there for the same week through RCI. At check in Summer bay was nice enough to put the two together giving us a three bedroom! It was perfect and for about $166 I thought I got the bargain of the century!!!!

Good Luck and read the fine print carefully!

 

[spiceycat]

It's like eBay -- much of the bidding comes late.

If you're considering SkyAuction, be sure to add up the TOTAL cost -- the package price (often & usually per person) + all taxes & fees + add-ons (air, etc.) if applicable. I've yet to see ANYTHING on SkyAuction that I've perceived as a great deal (some decent deals, but nothing to tempt me) and many offers are POOR deals.

yes, some of the skyauction works that way - this generally include air plane tickets. airplane tickets don't do me any good. they are only for certain airport and even then have extra charges.

but the timeshares that are available without tickets are still a good value.