AAA Western and Central New York says, 'Go Bulls!' 'Go Orange!'

AAA WCNY offers a variety of travel options for basketball fans

Guest Editorial by AAA of Western and Central New York

Basketball fans are thrilled that both University at Buffalo teams and Syracuse University have made it to the NCAA Tournament.

AAA Western and Central New York is saying “Go Bulls!” and “Go Orange!” and our travel consultants are ready and waiting to help get you to the games.

SU men’s team plays Baylor at 9:57 p.m. Thursday in Salt Lake City, Utah.

SU women’s team plays Fordham at 1 p.m. Saturday in Syracuse

UB men’s team plays the winner of St. John’s and Arizona State at 4 p.m. Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

UB women’s team plays Rutgers at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Storrs, Connecticut.

Your best bet, economically, to see the NCAA action (besides seeing SU women take on Fordham at home in Syracuse) is to head to the UB Bulls women’s game vs. Rutgers this Friday. Roundtrip flights just jumped up to more than $500 to Hartford, Connecticut, which is 30 minutes from Storrs. You can get roundtrip flights to Boston for about $200 and drive 90 minutes to Storrs, but then you’d have to rent a car, too. If you want to drive the six-and-a-half hours to Storrs, it will cost about $54 roundtrip for gas from Buffalo in an SUV like a Chevy Equinox. Learn more about Storrs in the AAA travel guide at https://www.aaa.com/travelguides/Storrs-CT.

Buffalo to Tulsa is 1,139 miles. In a 2018 Chevy Equinox, it would cost $155.43 roundtrip in gas. It would take 16 hours and 55 minutes to get there! Hotel rates in Tulsa start at $65/night, based on availability. If you’d rather fly, roundtrip flights from BUF to TUL are close to $800 and up. What is there to do in Tulsa? Check out the AAA travel guide at https://www.aaa.com/travelguides/tulsa-ok.

Flights from Syracuse or Rochester to Salt Lake City are more than $700 roundtrip for Thursday to Sunday. It’s a 30-plus hour drive, if fans really love road-tripping! Hotel rates start at about $50 in Salt Lake City. Here’s a look at the travel guide for that area: https://www.aaa.com/travelguides/Salt%20Lake%20City-UT.

AAA group packages will be available if the teams advance to the Final Four. For now, AAA travel consultants can arrange individual accommodations for fans looking to make the trip to Storrs, Tulsa or Salt Lake City.

AAA WCNY is cheering for both teams! Go Bulls! Go Orange!

Before setting out on a vacation, travelers can contact their local AAA office for the expert advice of a trusted travel adviser. Travelers can also download the free AAA mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app can be used to map a route, find the lowest gas prices, access exclusive member discounts, find more than 59,000 AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants, request roadside assistance and more. For additional information or to begin planning a trip, visit AAA.com/Travel.

As upstate New York’s largest member services organization, AAA Western and Central New York provides more than 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Visit AAA at www.AAA.com.