The cost of gas is hitting your wallet hard, but you need to get away. You want to save money by finding cheap vacation packages to popular locations. It’s not difficult to find cheap travel vacation packages if you know where to look and how to go about making cheap travel and vacation plans. I’m going to give you the best places to find and book cheap travel vacation packages, but first you need to know how to play the game when looking for deals on travel vacation packages.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Find a Deal First
Clark Howard, a syndicated television and radio consumer and travel advisor based in Atlanta, has repeated a rule of thumb for so many years that it now echoes in my head. When you have the itch to travel first find a cheap travel or vacation package, then find a reason to go there.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Book a Cheap Deal Fast
Pour through your resources, like the ones you find in this article. When you find a deal on a travel package take it. Cheap travel and vacation deals don’t last forever. They are listed because they are the remaining of a few unbooked rooms or unused resources, and it makes more sense for hotels, airlines, and resorts to fill those few empty spots at a discount than to leave them empty.
People who like to travel are constantly scanning the internet for deals. When they find one remotely interesting or delightfully cheap they will jump on it. You have to do the same, and then apply the first rule: Find the deal, and then find a reason to go there.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Be Prepared to Pay Up-Front
When you book discount travel you usually have to pay upfront, at least a deposit, and there are no refunds or reschedule dates. Don’t even begin your search for vacation deals until you are ready to pay because you can’t book until you pay. Don’t let that discourage you from scouring for cheap vacation travel deals.
You can find, book, and pay for different portions of your vacation package at different times. On a recent trip to Orlando I found a hotel deal on Orbitz.com. I had to book the hotel right away and had several options for theme parks and Orlando activities. I took the room and one theme park package right away. It was too sweet a travel deal to pass up. Later, when I had a little more money saved, I went back to the web and pieced together the rest of our trip looking for cheap vacation packages without accommodations. It worked like a charm and six of us traveled to Orlando at less than half the average cost.
The nice thing about pre-payment is that it makes for a worry free vacation once travel time arrives.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Be Flexible
The proviso for finding and taking advantage of cheap travel vacation packages is flexible scheduling. Most employee schedules are not wide open for travel. If you are fortunate enough to have that kind of schedule, then you are all set to book vacation deals and go anytime.
However, for those who don’t have the ultimate flexible schedule speak to your employer before you begin searching for cheap travel packages. Find out all of your options for travel dates. Start your search with two or three available vacation travel dates, more if possible. This will give you more options when booking cheap deals.
Even if you have one available date, or week, be as flexible as possible with departure and arrival times. If you can find four days in your preferred travel destination, add another day nearby, or on the way if you are traveling by car, train, or bus.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Ask for Perks
Once you find a cheap deal and book your travel vacation package contact the hotel and other stops on the itinerary. First, confirm that the booking service made your reservations correctly. Second, ask for additional discounts or perks. The worst that can happen is you hear the word “no.”
Sometimes when you book through a discount agency no additional discounts are available, but don’t take that for granted. When you book a hotel, regardless of how you made your reservation and payment the front desk and management view you as a customer. If you are unable to secure a no smoking room or room with a view in your vacation package deal, call the hotel and they will usually make those arrangements for you.
When you book a theme park, activity, tour, or other adventure with your vacation travel deal call the park directly to ask for discounts for seniors, children, or students. Military personnel, government employees, union employees and others are often entitled to additional or preferred discounts with appropriate I.D.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Shop Around
Just because Orbitz has cool commercials doesn’t mean they are the only reliable place to find cheap deals on travel vacations. My friends and I have used the following companies without any glitches: Orbitz, Hotels.com, Bookit.com, Travelocity, Expedia, Kayak, and Priceline. Also check Clark Howard’s website for daily and weekly deals that you may not find anywhere else.
Don’t linger too long over your travel decision if you want to lock in at the cheap package deal you find, but do take enough time to browse around for similar deals. Comparison shopping among discount dealers can sometimes save you hundreds of dollars.
How to Find Cheap Deals on Travel Vacation Packages: Read Reviews
When you find a good deal, you have to book it as quickly as possible. However, don’t be in such a hurry that you don’t read customer reviews. People love to tell about their experiences, especially if they were particularly good or excruciatingly bad. Frequent travelers will review hotels, attractions, and agencies fairly with a broad perspective.
Take a few minutes before you book the super cheap vacation package to read reviews of the different components of the package. Look for clues that a reviewer is overly picky and critical, or easily overlooks things that would drive you crazy.
Once you’ve done a little research book your vacation package with confidence from the reliable sources above.
