Whether it's a snowy vacation in Colorado or a beach getaway on Maui, getting out of town can be almost as simple as turning on your laptop. In the years since we've moved from travel agents to internet-based purchasing, online travel websites have made it easier for would-be nomads to book flights, hotels, and entire vacation packages for destinations domestically and abroad. And the best part — besides tracking down deals that suit your particular lifestyle and needs? You can do all of this from the comfort of your own home.
While airlines and hotels offer booking options on their websites, you'll almost always find better deals by booking through one of the following travel websites. In addition to displaying pages of competitive deals, they also offer nifty features like price alerts and discounted package deals. And don't forget to search sites for their own discounts. On Boxing Day (of all days), Travelocity offered 10% off flight and hotel bookings.
Up, up, and away
Travel websites such as Orbitz, Travelocity, and Priceline are some of the biggest names in online booking. While each has its own distinct personality — William Shatner's Priceline Negotiator vs. Travelocity's red-hatted gnome, for instance — they all share an ease of use and straightforward process. Simply enter your departure city, destination city, travel dates, and number of passengers, and hit the search button. Each site offers a multitude of sort options for your results, arranged by price, departure time, or even shortest travel time. They also scout price differentials for children and seniors.
Of course, each site also offers its own specialized features. For example, on Priceline, you can name your own price in case there are lower-cost options that might not be advertised. Keep in mind, though, that you won't be able to choose your flight times, which can mean leaving at the crack of dawn or catching a late-night or overnight flight. Travelocity offers a price guarantee, so if you book your flight on the site but find a cheaper fare somewhere else, Travelocity will match that price and give you $50, to boot. You can also check Orbitz for the upcoming weekend's cheap flights or round trip fares under $200.
Newer websites such as Kayak offer options that allow you to set your own budget and find deals that match.
If you need to book a hotel as well, be sure to check the "flight and hotel" option. These are where you can find even better deals, as travel sites can provide even greater savings than if you booked the two separately.
A home away from home
Speaking of hotels, you can book a hotel, B&B, or home exchange separately on websites such as Hotels.com, BedandBreakfast.com, and HomeExchange.com. All three have been listed as money-savers by Kiplinger, and they each come with options to tailor the experience to your needs. As with airfare sites, enter where and when you'd like to go, how many people (adults and children) will be staying, and click search.
Hotels.com searches from more than 145,000 hotels worldwide, offers a deal of the day worth 50% off the regular price, and even has a rewards program. BedandBreakfast.com lets you search among notable inns at home and abroad. For $119 per year, HomeExchange.com offers an international directory, if you're up for swapping digs with another traveler.
The complete package
Sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Priceline also offer deals on vacation packages and cruises. Some searches are arranged by top destinations, last-minute deals, or current promotions. These usually include flight and hotel, or flight, hotel, and car rental. The newest addition to travel sites is the activities option, which offers deals on popular attractions such as Walt Disney World, Warner Bros. Studio tours, or theater tickets. You can enter either a city and date, or click directly on the attraction you'd like to see.
If you're ready to book or just doing a bit of online exploring, be sure to check out a variety of websites to compare deals. If you prefer to browse on your smartphone, Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, and Kayak also offer apps for your iPhones or Android.
[Image credits: Kevin Dooley, Vox Efx]
This article was written by Laura Clark and originally appeared on Tecca
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