13 smarter ways to book your next holiday
How many times have you felt as though you’ve covered all the bases in your holiday planning, only to arrive at your destination and bump into someone who managed to book the same trip for half price?
The good news is the trick to getting the best price is no secret, more a matter of knowing where to look (and sometimes when).
Use these top tips to make planning your next holiday even easier.
1. Clear your browser history and cookies
The internet is a marvelous invention – but it’s also a way that companies can track your every move. Clear your browser history and cookies and websites won’t know what you’ve searched before, so they’ll give you brand new deals. Otherwise, you may find that you only see higher prices targeted at you.
2. Go direct to the hotel
Third party booking sites (like Expedia or Hotels Combined) always claim to have the cheapest prices. But you may be surprised to find that going direct to the hotel – either online or by phone – can actually get you the best deal. Be old fashioned and give it a try.
3. Sign up for flight alerts
You can’t possibly monitor all the websites and their constantly changing prices when trying to book a flight. Sign up for alerts, either through Google or direct through the sites themselves, and let them do the hardwork for you. They will let you know when a price drops or a new deal becomes available for your chosen route.
4. Try mystery hotel deals
If you’re prepared to have a little faith in a booking engine, you can end up checking in to a gorgeous hotel that was well outside your budget. The site will guarantee the location and standards, then you’ll just wait to be pleasantly surprised.
5. Get the right app
Your mobile phone is a travel booking whizz. You can sign up for apps that will monitor flight prices, book your hotel room, help you plan activities or keep your whole itinerary organised digitally.
6. Book flights for solo travellers
You don’t have to travel solo, but it can be better to book that way. If a flight only has one discounted ticket left but you want to book for two (or more), all passengers will pay the higher price. Book one at a time and get the last seats at the lower prices.
7. Sign up for coupons
Put yourself on the mailing list for hotel groups or car hire companies and keep an eye on your inbox. Many will periodically send through discount coupons or special offers to members that you won’t find anywhere else.
8. Put all your points together
It’s amazing how many different reward programs we join and then forget about it. Go through them all, transfer or pool all your points to the one account and then use them for some real purchasing power.
9. Be creative with your flights
A simple roundtrip flight from your home to your destination might not be the best way to go. You could save money by booking two cheap one way flights (one there, one back), choose a connecting flight or land at an alternate airport close by. You could save big.
10. Book with a bot
Those (sometimes annoying) little chat bots that pop up in the corner of booking sites could actually be your new best friend. The simple interface will be able to give you streamlined information and are trained to find the best options at the right price.
11. Get more out of a stopover
Don’t think of a stopover as a waste of time or an annoying pause before your ‘real holiday’ begins. Most airlines will let you stay for a couple of days for no extra charge, so now is the time to add in a new destination you might never have thought of.
12. Take advantage of bonus credit card offers
Most banks offer great bonus deals when you sign up to a new credit card, with as much as 100,000 frequent flyer points on offer – which can get you a long way. Do some research, sign up and get the points, then just cancel the card before you get into debt.
13. Try before you buy with VR
The glossy travel brochure has been superseded by the latest in interactive technology – virtual reality. Many travel agents, cruise companies and tourist boards have creates special VR films that you can view and immerse yourself in before you book, so you know exactly what’s in store.