Top Travel Sites for Discounted Bookings: Insider Tips and Recommendations

[Kitchen Diva]

Hi!

A while back- I want to say about 2 months ago, someone started a thread about Travelocity or something like that, and you guys also posted great travel sites that you use when booking travel. I think the thread was about the best travel site to get the best hotel and flight prices.

Anyway, in my new job, I will be handling the travel arrangments for the 5 sales people at the company and would love to be able to get some deals for them. Normally their budget is high, but if I can save them money, then my bonus will be higher!

I wrote them all down and emailed them to my husband that used that info in his line of work, but I sent it to him at his work email, and now that he's unemployed, he obviously does not have access to it, and I never saved the email.

Would you guys post where you go for travel discounts? There were about 6 that I had never heard of before and would like to get that info again.

THANKS!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Okay, I can't help you one the thread, but my email automatically saves my sent emails. Can you do a search of your email to see if it saved itself.

 

[hollye44]

kayak.com will search the major airlines all at once and then let you dynamically change your preferences so you don't have to go back and forth checking different options a bajillion times. They do hotels, cars, etc. as well.

southwest.com is really cheap for flights in cities where they fly. They are my favorite airline by far.

 

[pampchefsarah]

Kasey, is this the thread you were talking about?

How was the first day on the job?

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Okay, I can't help you one the thread, but my email automatically saves my sent emails. Can you do a search of your email to see if it saved itself.

I will try, never knew about that one! Wow, I learned SOOO many new and cool things today!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Kasey, is this the thread you were talking about?

How was the first day on the job?

No that's not the one, but thanks soooo much for looking for me!

The first day of the job was really good. You can read about it here if you want. I think my string of posts/replies starts on page 3 or 4... http://www.chefsuccess.com/f18/hi-ho-hi-ho-its-off-work-i-go-38613/

Thanks again for looking for me and thanks for asking how work was! How was your day?

 

[pamperedalf]

I use sidestep.com for travel search for airlines, hotels.

 

[smspamperedchef]

Check out travelzoo.com. It usually gives a list of cheapest fares

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Thanks guys! I think I just need a few more (I remember a couple with strange names) so I may bump this for a spell until everyone has a chance to chime in!

 

[katie0128]

Just remember with these sites, you typically have to pay when you book the tickets, so you'll need a credit card. Sounds like these guys might have one, but I know some of the companies I've worked for are really funny about who gets to use the card.

The hospital system I'm with doesn't allow corporate cards and all travel is to be made with AAA. But I have found they do a pretty good job of finding me what I need at a price I like. And considering they can do it all soooo quickly, the fee they charge is worth it because I don't have to spend time researching anything. I typically call them, put the agenct on speakerphone and use the time they are searching to catch up on filing or other mindless tasks... you know - 2 birds, 1 stone...

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I've got the credit card thing taken care of!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

bumping just to see if there are any other's out there...thanks!

 

[PampMomof3]

I also use sidestep.com
expedia
hotwire
orbitz
cheapflights.com
Hmm, trying to think of more.

hotels.com

 

[janetupnorth]

The "big 3" are:Travelocity
Expedia
OrbitzI went directly to NWA when they were the only carrier out of Rhinelander.The top 13 according to Forbes in 2006 (excluding the 3 above) in alphabetical order are:1. Breezenet.comSome of the best domestic car-rental discounts on the Internet are available here. The site compiles pricing info from car-rental companies at major U.S. airports and links to special rates on other sites (like a recent Priceline.com sale for a $12-per-day rental car). Because it works with airport locations, Breezenet.com is most useful if you’re traveling via plane and want a car waiting for you when you land.For more information, visit http://www.breezenet.com. 2. Concierge.comThe online offshoot of Condé Nast Traveler, Concierge.com has all of the magazine’s content available on the Web, as well as unique travel articles and tips. You can search by destination, hotel or activity; the magazine’s famous lists (The Gold List, Hot List Hotels and Top Spas) are available for online perusal as well.For more information, visit Travel Guides, Hotel Reviews, Vacation Ideas, and Trip-Planning Tools at Concierge.com. 3. FlyerTalk.comFounded in 1998 by a frustrated frequent flier, FlyerTalk.com allows users to exchange information on how to get the most out of their frequent flier miles, credit card points and hotel points. There are separate discussion forums for every major commercial airline, and the site features a live chat for last-minute queries.For more information, visit http://www.flyertalk.com. 4. Gridskipper.comOwned by Internet empire Gawker Media, Gridskipper.com is a self-proclaimed "urban travel guide," pointing out the raunchier aspects of life in big cities across the globe. Recent posts, inspired by emails from international tipsters, include "Paris Riotblogging" and an interactive map of New York City bars in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. A searchable drop-down list of cities on the right-hand side of the screen allows readers to browse for their city of choice, although some of the most recent entries date back six months or more.For more information, visit http://www.gridskipper.com. 5. HotelChatter.comThis Web site is an uncensored compendium of hotel reviews from all over the world: The good, the bad and the disgusting get equal weight. Click on "Hotel Hell" for horror stories (avoid the Pembridge Palace Hotel in London, which has bed bugs, it says), "Hotel Heaven" (try the peach tea at the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, S.C.) and "Celebrity Scoops" for places your favorite stars have been spotted. Tips, news and deals are available as well. The one hitch is that it’s difficult to find information on a specific hotel.For more information, visit Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings || HotelChatter. 6. IgoUgo.comThis is the place to browse when your next holiday is in the prenatal stage and you are seeking inspiration. IgoUgo guides write detailed journals about recent trips, so specific information is available about everything from what to do with 24 hours in Reykjavik, Iceland, to the best hotels in Chicago. Best of all, anyone can sign up to write a travel journal, and writing earns you points that are redeemable for gift cards and frequent flier miles.For more information, visit Vacation and Hotel Reviews, Travel Photos and Pictures, Travel Deals - IgoUgo. 7. Kayak.comUnlike many of the major travel Web sites, Kayak.com includes flight listings from budget air carriers like Jet Blue and Spirit Airlines. It also has user-friendly features, like remembering your home airport, letting you search more than one airport simultaneously (for arrivals and departures) and a movable grid that lets you eliminate flights whose time specifications don’t match your itinerary.For more information, visit Cheap Flights, Airline Tickets, Cheap Airfare & Discount Travel Deals - Kayak.com. 8. MyTripJournal.comPersonal travel blogs have overtaken mass e-mails as the tool of choice for staying in touch with family and friends while on the road--and thank goodness. We like MyTripJournal.com for its colorful and easy-to-use features like "Find a Friend’s Web Site" and the customizable world map. Even if you aren’t currently traveling, browsing the site allows you to experience someone else’s vacation vicariously.For more information, visit Travel Journals | Travel Blogs | Travel Websites - MyTripJournal. 9. Priceline.comPriceline.com revolutionized the way consumers bought travel, allowing them to name their own prices for everything from hotels to flights to rental cars. Today, with the abundance of airline travel sites, most online travel veterans use Priceline.com for one thing: hotels. Try bidding $99 for a four-star hotel in pretty much any American city, and users say you’ll often end up staying in one of the city’s very nicest hotels. If $99 is too steep, bid $50 or $30--even these low prices may be accepted at top hotels, according to our sources.For more information, visit http://www.priceline.com. 10. SeatGuru.comListing more than 30 commercial airlines, SeatGuru.com provides seating maps and a helpful color-coded quality key (green is a good seat, yellow means be aware, and you don’t want red). Once you select your airline and aircraft, you’ll be able to see just where each seat falls on the floor plan, as well as which in-flight amenities (including video, AC power and Internet access) are available. The site is most useful when booking a ticket on an air carrier’s site.For more information, visit Airline Seating Charts, Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru. 11. Site59.comSite59.com’s niche is the last-minute weekend getaway: Bookings can be made up to three hours before departure. The site works with partner hotels, airlines and car-rental companies to garner deals on last-minute inventory or services that would otherwise go unsold, compiling packages in site-specific categories like "Under $250," "Romance," or "Vegas/Casino." Packages are available in flight/hotel, flight/car and hotel/car combinations, but users must use every component of the package.For more information, visit Redirect to lastminute.com. 12. TravelZoo.comIf you can be flexible with your dates and even destination, TravelZoo.com is more effective at offering cheap fares than any other Web site we’ve encountered. Examples include $88 round-trip tickets to the Caribbean--though be warned that very often they're only available on undesirable travel days, like Monday, and the deals can sell out quickly. Airfare, car rental, lodging and cruise specials are displayed right up front on the home page. There’s limited search capability (by destination only), so be prepared to be spontaneous!For more information, visit http://www.travelzoo.com. 13. Vijaydandapani.comVijay Dandapani, former chairman of the Hotel Association of New York, pens this eponymous blog, which documents the idiosyncrasies of the hospitality industry in New York and beyond. Though Dandapani is currently chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels, the site is far from a venue for shilling; Dandapani chronicles everything from the Registered Traveler’s Program proposed by the Transportation Security Administration to whether the shortage of New York City hotel rooms is real or illusory. This is a site for industry professionals--or those with an avid interest in the hospitality industry.For more information, visit New York Hospitality by Vijay Dandapani.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Um- can you say holy cow? WOW Janet, thanks for this! Thanks for all the help! You truly are awesome!

 

[katie0128]

O.k. - so Janet wins the award for doing the most extensive research...


*cough*nerd*cough*

 

[Kitchen Diva]

O.k. - so Janet wins the award for doing the most extensive research...


*cough*nerd*cough*

I heart nerds!

 

[janetupnorth]

So, I'm an overachiever sometimes...sorry! :blushing:

I'm just on a roll today! I was so excited that I solved a year old problem at work today! The company that did the hardware on our conveyor system has been going back and forth with their sister company that did the software saying something wasn't working right. Company A said Company B wasn't writing the right tags to the database. Company B said Company A wasn't reading or calculating what was there right.

Well, I figured out today Company C (us) weren't setting the threshold levels right!

Logically you can tell something to so >= and < or <= and > but never >= and <= in the same statement. It would cause a value to apply to both and not work.

So, after much work of trying to get someone who won't share "secrets" in the software...long, long story there...to FINALLY tell me what she was setting and explaining various way the above logic and having her coworker agree, she agreed to try my theory. I think the line "I dare you to prove me wrong swayed her". Well, we tested and I was right! So now they all know how to set it to do what we want and it's "fixed". They couldn't believe they were doing it wrong for 1 year!

Work has been busy, mundane and a drag lately so I was VERY excited to solve a major problem! So, I'm on an "overachieving" roll today.

So yeah, call me a nerd, but don't call me a geek... That's Ann's husband.