Save hundreds of dollars by spending five minutes using the best tools on the internet to save money on travel.
Bookmark this page because it is always updated as the internet travel deal situation changes.
Currently, here’s the scoop on the best travel deals on the net…
Flights
This is how I fly to Fort Lauderdale for $150 round-trip, for example.
See my notes about “Flexible Dates” and “Nearby Airports” below.
Hotels
I’ve paid as little as $35 a night at the Hyatt at O-Hare in Chicago.
Yes, this works for international hotels too. We’ve used priceline to get great deals on hotel rooms in London, Paris, and Barcelona, as well as all over the United States.
Car Rental
I’m so spoiled, I don’t want to pay more than the $13 a day I’ve often been able to get in Florida.
See my important notes about “Checking Directly with the Car Rental Company Sites” below.
Cruises
At about $50 a day total, including all port fees, taxes, etc., we can’t afford to stay home! That’s less than a Motel 6 and a Burger King lunch!
- skyauction.com (set your alarm clock and don’t begin bidding until 30 minutes before the auction closes, and be sure to add up all the charges to see what the total cost is going to be before bidding!)
Other Important Tips
Don’t Use Priceline for Flights
I do NOT recommend priceline for flights because you have little or no control over what time your flight will depart/arrive. That’s why I recommend priceline for hotels and car rental only — not flights.
Updates Worth Signing up For
Sign up for the “Last Minute Airfares” newsletter at smartertravel.com
Use Flexible Dates Search
When looking for air fares, always Search the screen for the words “Flexible Dates”. If they have a “Flexible Dates” Search feature, you’re often able to enter a custom date range that would work for you, and you can save a bundle FAST — without spending hours searching every possible date/flight possibility manually! Some of the sites that currently offer a “Flexible Dates” Search feature include: Hotwire, Yahoo Travel, Travelocity, Delta, American, Orbitz, etc.
Check Nearby Airports on Both Ends
Each site is a bit different in how it works, but figure out how to check for other nearby airports on both your departure, and your arrival cities. Some sites allow you to select all nearby airports on both ends by checkboxes on the left window pane (i.e. sidestep.com), others allow you to re-try your search by selecting another nearby airport from drop-down lists on the left pane — trying them one by one — changing the departure airport one at a time, then changing the arrival airport one at a time (i.e. expedia.com). In any case, you may well find that you can cut your fare in half by simply going to a different airport. And sometimes it might even be CLOSER to where you’re headed anyway!
Check Directly with Companies’ Own Web Sites
Occasionally, you can get about the same deal directly from one of the major car rental company’s web sites as you can on priceline, so sometimes I’ll elect to do that instead for one reason: If you do that, you have a reservation, but you don’t have to pay for it until you arrive. This means that in case your plans change, you’re not locked in… You haven’t paid in advance for a non-refundable deal.
Also, in the case of airfare, if you find the same price directly from the airline, booking it through the airline’s web site directly often allows you to earn frequent flier mileage points (something you cannot do through most other sites).
Plus, call me crazy… But I think they treat you better. Often they have some way of SEEING that you purchased your flight, or hotel, through priceline… And I think they SOMETIMES treat you better if you purchased it directly through them. They somehow consider you a “real” customer. And sometimes, that translates into putting you onto another airline when weather has caused delays and such. Sometimes the “priceline customer” may get no such little perks, or gets the lowest class of service, or the room next to the elevator… (This could all just be my imagination, but I don’t think so.)
Check Frommers Destinations for the Best and Coolest
Frommers Travel Guides are travel books that review all the best, coolest, hotels, restaurants, and other attractions, in cities all over the planet. One thing they do NOT do is list the major chains. You never see a review of a Hyatt or a TGIFridays in Frommers. They review and list ONLY small independently owned places — those places that are so so cool, but you’d probably never hear about them otherwise.
One of the coolest things about Frommers is that you don’t even have to go to the bookstore and buy their books. (Although, I certainly recommend that you do, of course.) They seem to publish all the same information on their free web site. Just go to Frommers.com and click on Destinations tab. You’ll discover loads of awesome restaurants, unique cool hotels, and tons of sights and things to see and do.
Awesomeness You Never Knew was In your Own Backyard
And here’s a really cool tip: Check Frommers.com for the city you live in! Go to Destinations, then search for your own city (for example, this is the page for Nashville). Print out the page of local restaurants — which you can easily sort by Price, or by Neighborhood, and keep it in the car or your purse. You’ll discover some awesome new favorite places in your own backyard that you had no idea were there.
And be sure to also print out the Attractions list and use it as a checklist. Most people neglect to see the best of their own home town. Only tourists get to see the best things to see. Why is that? Well, even if you don’t use it as your own personal checklist of things you’ve got to see… At least you’ll have a list of places to take your friends when they come to town!
Updates and Corrections
Please email me with updates or corrections to this information, or add your comments below.
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Bruce Wagner
http://brucewagner.com
bruce@brucewagner.com
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