How to Book Travel With an Online Site

Anyone contemplating taking a vacation should consider how cheap it is to book the trip online. With the advent of the Internet, a number of virtual booking agencies have arisen to make travel as easy as the click of a button. Even so, there are tricks to this method that could save you even more cash if you follow this simple plan.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Determine where you’d like to go. An online agency may give you some advice on planning a trip, but expert guidance is the job of a travel agent, and their services cost more. Before you use any travel website, you should already know where it is you’d like to visit, since the website’s job is simply getting you there.

2. Check out some travel comparison engines first. These will check every major travel website for you in one sweep, and then tell you which competing site has the best deal for your money. In addition, the time you save is incredible.

3. Book well in advance and avoid holidays and weekends. Doing so will get you better fares because hotels and airlines will have more availability. If you wait to book until the last minute, your tickets could be twice as high or no longer available.

4. Consider a Dynamic Package. By combining your airfare, hotel, and rental car into one booking, you’ll receive an added discount on all components.

5. Add services and attractions, such as park passes and concert tickets to your initial reservation. This way, you will already have the tickets in hand when you arrive, thereby avoiding waiting in lengthy lines to get them or hearing the horrible announcement, “We’re all sold out.”

6. Protect your trip with insurance. If you have a family illness, if a hurricane occurs or if some other catastrophe ruins your travel plans, your money will be lost in most cases. It’s better to spend a little money up front than lose thousands in the end.

7. Print out your electronic tickets or watch the mail for your paper tickets. It’s getting rare these days to have paper tickets for a domestic flight, although they’re not uncommon for international trips. E-tickets are much more convenient, because you can print them out at home or even at the airport if you forget them.

8. Keep an eye on travel alerts to learn of delays and cancellations. Some online websites offer this as a free service, and it’s always wise to take advantage of it. Be sure to have the alerts sent to a mobile phone so you’ll receive notice of a cancellation even if you’re on the way to the airport.

9. Arrive at the airport at least 1 ½ hours before departure time for domestic flights and double that for international. Security checkpoints can be lengthy and you’ll want to give yourself enough time to pass through them without losing your cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Print everything and make sure you receive a confirmation number before assuming the transaction was completed. Computer errors do happen.
• Read the “Terms and Conditions” section of any travel website thoroughly before entering your credit card information and completing the transaction. Once you do, you will be bound by those terms.