By Tom Bolotow
I have used many of the popular travel sites and have found that when comparing prices they have all given me the same price for airfare inquires. However, hotel prices have varied noticeably from site to site. While airfare seems to be relatively fixed for any given day and time, hotel prices can change based on days and length of stay.
Any travel site should allow you to price different departure and return days and times with a variety of hotels too chose from, but the better travel sites allow you to save itineraries to your account without obligation to purchase. It is frustrating to research a trip on a travel site only to lose it because the page timed out or you accidentally closed a browser window.
All travel sites offer convenience, that's the what using the internet is about. But trusting the site you've researched on and put together your next vacation not to over charge with hidden fees or last-minute price changes, means being able to reach them by more than just a contact us link or email address.
After every booking I recommend calling the booking website and confirming your recent purchase. Therefore, make sure your site of choice has a legitimate phone number. There have been times when calling the number on the site has saved me money.
Recently, I needed to change a return flight on my vacation. The booking site gave me a direct number to the airline and the airline reduced my changing fee. Now, you can purchase airline tickets at a price were the change fee would be waived if you had to make a change, it is more money and may pay off if you are flying multiple segments or will travel to more than one destination during your trip.
Purchasing the hotel separate from the airfare can save you money if you can take advantage of last-minute deals. Though it is comforting to know that your whole trip is covered from the start with one purchase, waiting to book and purchase your hotel weeks before your trip can often save you money. However, the down side is you may not get to stay in the hotel you want. Still, separately purchasing the hotel allows you the ability to change where you are staying and leaves the airfare untouched.
The purpose of online travel sites are to make planning and purchasing your next trip easy and affordable. When it gets to hard; you can't find the travel dates you want. Or, it's no longer affordable; all the low price seats are booked. Try again later, people change their mind and online booking is a good way to take advantage of that.
Tom Bolotow resides in Portland, Oregon and writes articles based on experiences and topics of interest. Tom's website www.finditandmore.com
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