Numerous travel deals lurk within the internet’s virtual alleyways, the trick is how to find them, because the sources for finding travel bargains are as varied as the bargains themselves.
There are amazing deals through websites, email alerts, newsletters and listserves.
To make your life easier consider subscribing to the following sites, www.smartertravel.com , www.travelzoo.com and www.johnnyjet.com to receive weekly dispatches which include compilations of top airline discount fares, vacation packages and travel tips.
My current favorite search engines for finding the cheapest fares are www.skyscanner.net and http://matrix.itasoftware.com. Even though you can’t buy tickets from these sites, they are great resources to find deals. If you use the matrix one be sure to click on their “calendar spreadsheet” feature to see the fare rates over several months. After finding a fare you like then you simply go that airline’s website to buy your ticket. Recently, I found a $430 dollar ticket from Oakland to Kona, Hawaii 10 days before my departure and found a $640 ticket from San Francisco to Paris
I also like the following “fare alert” sites because I can enter in my favorite routes and they send me an email alert when good deals for those routes pop up.
-www.skyscanner.net, www.Airfarewatchdog.com, www.farechaser.com
Other sites to consider are:
www.cheapoair.com
www.hotwire.com,
www.kayak.com,
www.orbitz.com,
www.travelocity.com,
www.expedia.com,
www.lastminutetravel.com.
www.11thhourvacations.com,
www.studentuniverse.com (is geared toward student travelers)
www.thomascookairlines.com
www.norwegian.com/us
My ongoing favorite for securing Around the World Tickets & Multi Destination International Flights is www.airtreks.com.
Most of the major airlines have deeply discounted last minute getaway fares . You can subscribe through the individual airlines’ websites and they will send you notices of last minute discount weekend getaway deals.
If push comes to shove, consider taking the train. It can be a relaxing and affordable way to travel. Amtrak offers reduced internet rates. (www.amtrak.com)
WWW.priceline.com used to be my favorite place to rent cars when i used their bidding feature. Now the exorbitant taxes and fees often offset the good rate you get for a car. My new fav is economybookings.com.
Consider driving someone’s car across country who doesn’t want to drive. http://www.autodriveaway.com/
www.gateguru.com – Fire up “gate guru” in the airport and the app will tell you what’s nearby and how traveler’s rate them. (eateries, services, stores)