10 Top Travel Deal Search Engines For Travelers
Travelers are becoming very savvy these days when it comes to booking flights, lodgings, car rentals and cruises. They don’t just call travel agents and have their itineraries taken care of, as was the norm even a few years ago. They use the latest travel-based search engines to dig out the best discount fares, last minute and fat package deals, and cheap hostel deals and so on. Here are the top 10 flight deal search engines for travelers.
1. RoomKey
Roomkey.com is a search engine formulated by 6 top hotel companies, including the Hilton Group, Marriot, and the Wyndham Group and so on. Travelers looking for accommodation can search for and book any property owned by one of the 6 founding hotel companies and their affiliates. The site is operational only in the US now. If you are looking for cheap accommodation, give this site a miss.
2. Kayak
This is a simple and easy to use site that helps you quickly scan airlines to find the best flight. You can also explore the world map and know the best travel fares to any destination at a quick glance. When you become a registered user, you can view information on worldwide destinations and also read reviews from fellow users. The site allows you to plan your flight using flexible travel dates, nearby airports and so on.
3. Orbitz
You can use Orbitz.com to plan your travel, research flight information and book everything from flights, accommodation, car rentals, cruises and more. By tying special deals using cheap hotels, no additional fees, special free hotel nights and deal promo codes, Orbitz has revolutionized travel. Every day, over a million flight and hotel searches take place on Orbitz.
4. Travbudddy
Travbuddy.com is an interactive travel information and deals site, which allows you not only to book deals and obtain information, but also to crate blogs, share experiences and form networks. You can add friends to your account as well, and share your passion about different countries with other travelers. Enriched with Google Maps integration, Travbuddy allows people to view satellite maps.
5. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor has been used by over 5 million people and has at least that many reviews! TripAdvisor integrates directly other travel information and booking portals such as Expedia.com, so you can see other fares and compare. Users are allowed to form communities and blog their travel experiences on TripAdvisor, which are displayed as summaries for quick reading.
6. Priceline
Priceline is a travel bidding site using which you can bid for a hotel stay, a trip or a travel deal. Priceline checks with its member hotels and airlines against your quoted price and displays results from which you can choose. The downside is that Priceline does not guarantee discounted flight or hotel rates. They only guarantee your reservation, but you won’t be able to cancel or get a refund under any circumstances.
7. Agoda
This site helps you get the best rates, if you’re shopping for discounted rates and hotel deals anywhere and especially in Asia. What makes Agoda different from other deal bookers is their Lowest Price Guarantee. This means that if you find a better deal than Agoda’s, within 48 hours of booking, Agoda will either match the price or get you a better deal. If you regularly use Agoda’s services, you can earn Agoda Reward Points which can then be redeemed for future discounts.
8. WikiTravel
WikiTravel.com presents a wide range of information to visitors about travel and travel destinations, complete with informative articles and guides. Users update this info and images are added to create unique pictures of different places. Since the site is user-driven, the content is kept up to date by travelers. That’s the main difference between WikiTravel and other travel-info sites.
9. VRBO
VRBO stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner; VRBO.com is a top ranked vacation home rental booking site that lists more than 57,000 places to stay. These places include apartments, vacation homes, bed and breakfasts, condos, cabins, vacation villa rentals and beach houses. The site allows you to rent your accommodation directly from the owners and save money on all the additional expenses of renting hotel rooms. You can get hold of the right rental for you, even last minute; enjoy discount travel and accommodation through this site.
10. Hostelbookers
You can use Hostelbookers to book guesthouses and hostels for your travel. Hostelbookers checks for really cheap accommodation, about 8.7 % cheaper than its immediate competitor, Hostelworld. Hostelbookers.com provides directions to your hostel along with clear maps, along with details of checking in and out and the hostel’s cancellation policy. The site covers thousands of lodgings in every major city in the world. The site does not charge booking fee apart from the standard 10% deposit. The site provides world travel news with destination guides, and a large number of travel articles to help travelers.
Author bio: Ashley writes for Adrenalin.com.au, Australia’s #1 gift website. Need a gift for your man on Valentine’s Day? Look through the gifts for men at Adrenalin.
