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Save Dollars While You Travel with These Cost Cutting Tips
Airfare Tips
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Try booking by September for Thanksgiving and winter holidays, before fares spike.
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Consider booking during the two-week travel period following Thanksgiving, as bargains can usually be found around the country across all modes of transportation.
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Shop alternate airports as opposed to a city’s primary airport. It also can pay to book alternate routes, especially when shopping for cities within the United States.
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Utilize fare tracker services such as Travelocity’s FareWatcherSM system, which allows travelers to input their favorite destinations and receive e-mail notifications when those routes drop in price.
Rental Car Tips
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Car rental suppliers have sophisticated revenue management systems and know very quickly when competitors have closed off their inventory, often resulting in immediate rate increases. Therefore, the earlier travelers book, the better.
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Consider renting at off-airport locations, as there are sometimes fewer taxes and fees and may serve as a good alternative if airport locations are sold out.
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Generally, the best time of day to rent a car to get the best rate is after noon on Thursdays with a Saturday night stay.
Cruise Tips
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Top months to find cruise deals are: January, February, September and October.
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For shoulder season deals to Alaska, Bermuda and Europe, try to set sail in May and September.
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Take advantage of “repositioning” cruises (which is when ships move to seasonal destinations from transatlantic to pacific coastal cruises) to catch a good bargain.
Hotel Tips
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Competition on the Web has made pricing very competitive, so be sure to buy a low price guaranteed hotel whenever possible.
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Buying a non-refundable room may get a better rate, but beware. Non-refundable means you can't cancel for any reason.
For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's blog, The Window Seat, or her monthly column, Travel Trends & Advice from A to Z. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.
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