|
The advent of the internet has changed the way we travel. Rather than go through a Travel Agent or individual airline, there are hundreds of discount travel websites offering deals that will give you the most for your money. But how will you know you’re getting the best deal out there? Save big by following these tips:
Find Your Favorites
There are a few different types and features of discount travel sites. Prices change all the time and it is a good idea to cross-check several different sites in order to find the best deal possible:
- Travelocity, Orbitz and Priceline are the most well-known discount travel websites. They offer hotel and airfare packages, flexible search dates, and many options for booking your travel. Check at least one of these to get a benchmark idea of prices.
- Comparison Search engines such as Kayak.com and Farecompare.com pull prices advertised on other websites so that you can compare competing prices for your flight.
- You can also book through an airline’s website. If you are flying into a hub-city for a certain airline, check their website to see if they are offering specials. Discount carriers like Southwest and Virgin Air also offer cheap flights through their sites.
- If your destination is international and expensive, try a google search using “cheap flights to” and your destination city. You’ll see some of the same websites come up, but you may find a carrier that specializes in your destination.
- Are you a frequent flier? TripAdvisor.com offers email alerts when fares between your chosen cities drop by $25 or more. If you make a yearly trek to visit friends or family back home, then email alerts could help ensure that your Christmas visit to Grandma’s comes at half the usual price.
Booking Packages
Major travel sites offer the convenience of booking your hotel and car rental along with your flight, but this service is almost always more expensive. A little extra footwork to find a cheaper alternative is worth it. Cars and hotels are usually cheaper to book through the business’s website than through the discount travel site.
Flexible is Best
If you have multiple airports near your destination, check all of your options. You’ll find that one is generally cheaper than the other, but if an exclusive carrier into the more expensive airport has a special offer, you’ll be glad you checked both. This is the same for departure cities—if you are within driving distance of two or three different airports check the prices for both before you book.
Many travel websites give you the option to search with flexible travel dates. This gives you the opportunity to search for the best fare within a three to five day window. If you have the option to be flexible in your travel dates, utilizing this feature could make a big difference in the price of your ticket.
Book Early
If you’re planning a trip several months in advance, book early. Airlines do offer last minute deals, but rarely to the city of your choice, so unless you don’t care whether you end up in Bucharest or Budapest, start checking prices about 4-6 months ahead of time.
|
