There are loads of money saving travel websites to choose from. I utilized an assortment of websites to get the best travel deals I can find. Here is a list of my 7 favorite travel discount sites right now.
- Travelocity is my go to. Obviously, I am a bit biased because I am a Travelocity ambassador, but I really love their deals. At times I am shocked at what a good deal I can get.
Expedia offers deals on a little bit of everything when it comes to travel. I have found some pretty great hotel deals on here over the years!
TripAdvisor now allows you to book hotels through their website. Which is nice, because most were already using this site to look at reviews of hotels anyway. Now you don’t have to click back and forth between sites.
- Travelzoo has deals on everything involving a vacation: lodging, airfare, activities, and more. I’m always booking something through them. If you sign up for their newsletter they will send you a list of Top 20 deals that week with some of them being directly for your general area.
Flight Network runs some pretty good deals at times. So, they are always worth checking out. You never know when their deal might be to your city.
- HipMunk is a newer website that I’ve been using a lot to check airfare prices. I love the way they display the choices. We found this site to be particularly helpful while we were in Europe.
- Hotel Tonight is a new travel app that can save you a load on hotels. They release a list of available hotels at noon each day. If you can tolerate not booking a hotel until the last minute, then this site will save you large amounts of money.
I have not had as much luck recently with Priceline. Priceline used to be one of my favorite sites for a long time. I had been successful bidding on many occasions and felt like I have saved a lot of money through their site over the years. I even wrote a short guide on how to bid on Priceline. Maybe you will have better luck than I’ve had lately.
Then of course I have to mention LivingSocial even though they are daily deal sites and not strictly travel sites. I’ve noticed a lot of great vacation deals on their pages, so it is always worth checking. You never know you might find a quick deal on a package that is better or cheaper than what you could have gotten separately.
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Five Tips for Finding Cheap Airline Tickets
In these lean economic times the cost of a flight can determine whether or not you can afford a vacation, especially when the flight represents the largest portion of your travel budget. Here are some tips to help you find cheap flights and discounted airfare.
Have Flexible Travel Dates
If your travel dates are flexible and you are willing to depart or return a few days earlier or later, you will usually pay less. The online site Travelocity is one of the most recommended for locating airfare for flexible travel dates. Experiment with various dates or try adjusting your travel plans by a few days or even a week. In most cases you’ll find it results in a considerable reduction in fare prices.
Make Your Reservation Early
Making a reservation as soon as you determine your travel dates will increase your chances of finding cheaper airfare. If you are going to fly during peak travel periods, such as during the summer or over Thanksgiving or Christmas, making last minute reservations can be expensive. Airlines offer a limited amount of seats at lower prices. When those seats are sold, the price for the remaining seats increases.
Fly In the Middle of the Week
Weekend flights are usually pricier than midweek flights. Flights departing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday offer the lowest fares. Consider booking your flight on Tuesday or Wednesday when most airlines launch fare sales. Discount fares are occasionally offered on Saturday flights, but it is generally more expensive to fly on a weekend than on a weekday.
Use a Neighboring Airport
If you live within a few hours of more than one airport, research the fares for all of the airports. In some cases you may find considerable savings if you are willing to drive to a nearby airport. Online fare search engines such as Kayak, Travelocity and Orbitz will automatically search neighboring airports and most others will ask if you are willing to depart or arrive in more than one city.
Consider a Low Cost Carrier
A low cost carrier is an airline which offers lower fares but less comforts. These budget airlines may lack traditional amenities such as food and priority boarding, but offer a substantial savings on ticket prices.
Low cost carriers are becoming more common and are frequently listed on online booking sites. Both Kayak and Expedia list fares for JetBlue. The site Low Cost Airlines will display a list of low cost carriers and their prices when you enter your departure and arrival information.
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