Winter vacation deals from Delta, United

Two press releases of note crossed my desk (or inbox, to be more precise) this afternoon: The vacation wings of Delta and United are offering discounts on winter packages that bundle airfare and hotel together.

First up,

United Vacations

, which is offering a $100 per person discount on Disney World packages—sort of. The press release says you can save $100, but this isn't a cash-back situation. Instead, each person on the itinerary gets a "free" three-day "Magic Your Way" Park Hopper ticket. Not bad, obviously, but not great when you consider that the offer is only good for travel between April 15 and June 2, after peak season. Book by calling 888-328-6877 on or before February 18 if you're interested.

The better deal is from

Delta Vacations

, which has a "Companion Flies Free" promo for more than 200 resorts spanning 22 destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico. You need to book by January 29 and travel by July 31 to take advantage of the offer. The big advantage here is that the deal encompasses the peak season for tropical travel (that is, January through March). Call Delta Vacations at 800-872-7786 to book.

But first, a word of caution: Don't automatically assume that you'll be getting the best price by going with one of these offers. Shop around and make sure that you're not paying more for one part of the trip to make up for the "free" part of it.