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The 10 best online travel agencies in 2024

The top 10 online travel agencies.

• Booking.com
• Lastminute.com

Best online travel agencies for business travel

1. travelperk.

Main offerings and features:

• Industry-leading travel inventory
• Flexible booking with FlexiPerk
• Safety alerts with TravelCare
• Integrated travel policy & approval flows
• Centralized invoicing
• Easy & real-time expense reports
• Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
• 24/7 fast customer support in target 15s
• VAT reclaim
• Integration with 3rd party tools , such as expense management or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

Save time and money on your business travel with TravelPerk

2. sap concur.

• Works with some of the biggest brands
• Easy tracking and reporting of expenses for expense reports
• Many connected apps, such as Uber and Airbnb for cars and hotels
• One solution for a variety of business travel spending

Click below to compare both platforms’ features and benefits

• Ample integrations
• Award-winning mobile app
• Employee-centric travel management

Click below for a more detailed comparison between both platforms:

Best online travel agencies for leisure travel, 1. booking.com.

• Intuitive booking tool and website
• Flight + Hotel booking for easily planning trips with no cross-referencing travel websites
• Simple car rental options and taxi hire
• Available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries
• You can book experiences in your destination city to entertain you on your travels
• Genius rewards program

• Simple interface and booking tool
• Deals when making more than one booking
• 38 different languages and offers a 24-hour, multilingual customer support service
• Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking
• Millions of reviews to help make your decision

3. Lastminute.com

• Filter hotels according to budgets, star ratings, guest ratings, board types, and more
• ATOL protection on flight + hotel bundles
• Flash sales for last-minute deals
• Payment plans to spread out the cost of travel
• Extra entertainment booking for your trips, like theatrical productions and day trips
• Gift cards for gifting travel

• Expedia rewards for hotels, cars, and more
• Experienced support
• Compare cruise lines
• Big savings when booking flights, hotels, and car rentals
• Operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages
• Luxury travel options

• Book hotels, flights, cars, and bundles
• 24/7 support
• Lower prices on the app
• Great last-minute deals for spontaneous travel

6. Bookmundi

Best online travel agencies for flights

1. skyscanner.

• Super flexible booking filters
• Cheaper flights and hotels than other OTAs
• Price alerts for travel routes of interest
• Easy-to-use booking tool and UI
• Hundreds of location and currency options
• One-way, return, and multi-city travel options

2. Kiwi.com

• Simple flight booking tool
• Partnerships with Booking.com and Rentalcars.com
• Discover deals anywhere with the option to open up your search
• Easy-to-use app

How do online travel agencies work?

What are the advantages of booking through an online travel agency.

• Access to comparison tools
• Peer reviews to help you with your decisions
• Flexible cancellation policies
• All your travel in one place
• Local flights and deals

Rewards programs

Comparison tools, peer reviews, flexible cancellation.

Flexiperk: Cancel anytime, anywhere. Get a minimum of 80% of your money back.

One account for all of your travel needs, a local approach to global travel, wrapping up.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

Speak to a travel expert

10 Most impactful travel technology companies in 2024

5 best corporate travel management apps

The 8 best business travel management companies in Europe

• Business Travel Management
• Offset Carbon Footprint
• Flexible travel
• Travelperk Sustainability Policy
• Corporate Travel Resources
• Corporate Travel Glossary
• For Travel Managers
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• Thoughts from TravelPerk
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• Supplier Code of Conduct

Best online travel sites 2022

Use the best online travel sites to plan your trip ahead of time so you can enjoy your time away.

• Buying advice
• Testing process

The best online travel sites are wonderful not only plan your next trip for peace of mind, they're also a fun way to get excited ahead of your next adventure. You can simply go to one site and plan most of your trip's main parts from flights and hotels to rental cars and excursions. If what you're after is just hotel bookings, check out our list of the best hotel booking sites .

While what many of these sites offer is similar, it's the way in which they do it which is important. The last thing you need is a stress-inducing website when planning to go away to relax and unwind. So we've reviewed the best sites based on their price, of course, but also on the way they work, with the ease of use and clarity as important features. We also checked to make sure you won't suffer any extra charges added on top at the last minute. Plus, we took rewards schemes into account, which could help you save money upfront or in the longer term if you use some sites more than once.

With all that in mind, these are the very best online travel sites out there right now.

The best online travel sites

1. expedia.com: best online travel site overall .

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Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Expedia is a big name in online travel sites and hotel booking services and owns many popular sites like Hotels.com and Hotwire.com. We're fans of the original, though, thanks to its clean and straightforward to use interface. Hit the packages section of the site, and you can add up to five connecting flights, choose to add accommodation for all of or only part of your trip, and tag on car rentals too. 

It's all suitably well laid out, and it only takes a few seconds to start putting together your itinerary. However, we do wish there were a few more options for filtering out accessibility issues. Still, for most people, Expedia.com has everything they'll need, and there's even the option of a cruise too if you fancy it. It's as aspirational to look at as it is useful to, well, use and there are extra discounts for booking multiple parts of your vacation with the site. A Things To Do section rounds off the site's bid to help you plan your entire trip in one place.

2. Booking.com: Best for ease of use

Booking.com

Booking.com is a giant in the world of holiday bookings and not only offers over half a million properties in more than 207 countries but also offers flights and car rental services too. As such you can do it all from this one spot which makes it a very easy-to-use option. That said, there is a lot going on, and the user interface can be a little overwhelming at times. 

But with a superb rewards program, it is a great option that encourages you to keep coming back, making it easier to use as you become accustomed. You can even sort your taxi hire from this site meaning there is very little to think about when you get traveling as it's all been planned ahead of time. You also don't have to pay a booking fee on lots of hotels, allowing you to remain flexible – ideal if you're traveling about a lot on your journey.

3. CheapTickets.com: Best for finding things to do 

CheapTickets.com

CheapTickets is another site acquired by Expedia, but it does things a little differently. You can easily add on flight, hotel, and car or any combination of the three for package deals, although multiple flights are under a different option. So far, so Expedia (if less intuitive), but you can also clearly purchase event tickets from the site, which is far more useful if you want a one-stop-shop place to buy your trip. It's something other sites provide, but CheapTickets is that bit keener to entice you into the process, even if the site itself is a little cheesier looking than others. 

There's also the site's Vacation Value Finder, which lets you tweak how much you're willing to spend and what you're looking for from a vacation before making some fun suggestions. It's perfect for finding a last-minute deal if you don't have your heart set on one place. Students will also appreciate a section dedicated to them with extra discounts once you verify you're a student. All in all, it's a great varied site for numerous different needs. 

4. Priceline.com: Best for user reviews 

Priceline.com

Priceline is a big deal in the online travel site world for a good reason. It's effortless to use with options available for flights, cars, hotels, or any combination of the three. It's mildly annoying that Priceline's super cheap Pricebreaker deals don't extend to bundles, so you won't get an incredible bargain like you would if you booked separately. However, combining the set is still a worthwhile deal with discounts offered for the more you bundle together. 

One thing we really appreciated is that every hotel we looked at had dozens of reviews, and they're all from verified customers. It takes seconds to gain a reasonably accurate picture of what to expect from wherever you're considering booking. That's the perfect peace of mind when you're booking online, and you can't be sure of what you're getting without user reviews backing hotel statements up. Clearly laid out, you can focus on enjoying rather than worrying. Finally, Priceline is keen to make its VIP scheme easily accessible with straightforward discounts offered to you over time -- something that not all sites so clearly highlight. 

5. Kayak.com: Best for aggregated results 

If you're short on time, Kayak is pretty useful. That's because you simply enter where you want to go, and it aggregates results from multiple different sources. While it means you never book directly with Kayak, it does mean you get results quickly and without having to search around yourself, even if you will feel a bit overwhelmed with adverts while you search. 

The site itself looks a little basic, but under the hood is a surprising number of different filters (although no accessibility ones to speak of) and all the critical information you could require, although obviously you'll be sent to another site for the full details. The site also has a deals section, which has some great bargains for things you can do once you reach your destination, along with cheap car rental deals. It might not be pretty, but if you simply don't want to do the groundwork yourself, Kayak has you covered. It can be a real time-saver, and we reckon it's particularly useful if you're mostly researching possible trips in the future and want rough price estimates. Just watch out for the fact you can’t bundle in car rental deals. 

6. Hotwire.com: Best for renting properties 

Hotwire keeps things straightforward. All you need to do is enter what you're looking for, and a somewhat dated interface tells you what's available. It's not as pretty as some sites, but we really liked the extensive property type filters available. Want to stay on a houseboat or in a chalet at your destination? Hit the relevant filter, and you can find out if that's an option in the locale. That might not matter if your heart is set on a hotel, but it's a nice bonus even amongst the awkward site layout. 

Elsewhere, it's mostly business as usual, but that's no bad thing. Well laid out discounts are available to compare reasonably quickly, and most locations have plenty of reviews. If you feel like tracking down specific deals, you can do that too, with the site keen to offer up discounts to central locations if you're not quite sure where you'd like to visit next. It feels like the site needs updating when you compare it to its rivals, but it works well and speedily enough.

7. Agoda: Best for private home rental in Asia 

Agoda is a great option if you want to look for accommodation that isn't a hotel as this specializes in offering apartments and private rentals. In fact, there are dedicated market managers that work on finding properties, especially in Asia. As such you can find unique destination rentals at decent rates and should you change your mind there is a helpful 24-hour free cancellation policy in place. 

Everything is very easy to use and if you want to make more than one booking you can make great savings. Customer support is also a plus, as there is a 24-hour multilingual customer support service available when booking. With millions of reviews, Agoda makes finding a property very easy with a feeling of trust that can offer great peace of mind.

What to look for in an online travel site

Booking Travel Packages Travel packages can let you combine flights, hotel reservations and car rentals together for a better deal than booking separately. Some companies, like Priceline, pick hotels and flights for you, to get you to your destination for the lowest price. Other companies let you mix and match flights, hotels and car rentals to fit your schedule.

Booking Airfare One of the biggest reasons for searching on a travel site is to find cheap airfare. While there are dozens of airfare-specific websites, travel sites also give you the option to add hotel stays and car rentals. The best travel sites combine flight information from over nine different airlines and let you sort flights by price, number of stops, duration and flight class.

Booking International Travel Finding airfare for international travel is the easiest part of booking an overseas trip. AirGorilla helps you find accommodations and rent GPS units with your rental car, so you can find your way around. Often, sites will recommend hotels that are far from your actual destination or event. Searching for reservations on a site that gives accommodation recommendations will help you schedule an international trip with less stress.

How we tested the best online travel sites

We looked at how easy each site is to use during our testing, such as how quickly the site loaded and how easy it was to find what we were looking for. We considered whether the site felt cluttered with adverts or seemed like a dated interface. We also looked at how easy it was to find Contact Us pages, price guarantee information, and any kind of special deals section. 

We also considered how easily bundle deals could be arranged and how extensive they were and any potential discounts tied to them. We checked filter options to see how flexible and easy it was to look up different needs along the way.

We looked at trips between Los Angeles and Miami, Paris to Lisbon, and New York City to Los Angeles during testing. We also looked at lesser-known routes to see if they were also catered for appropriately.

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Jennifer has been freelancing for over 10 years. In the past, she's written about all things tech and gaming wise for outlets as varied as The Independent, Playboy, Eurogamer, and TechRadar. In her spare time, she spends far too much time watching films, attempting to train her pet guinea pigs, and mastering making the perfect burrito.  She's a full time freelancer, but a regular tech news contributor to Top Ten Reviews.

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Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

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Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

• Best Overall: Booking.com
• Best Budget: Skyscanner
• Best Price Predictor: Hopper
• Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
• Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
• Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
• Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
• Our Top Picks
• Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

• See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

What is an online travel agency, and what are the best sites and apps to use to search for hotels and flights we break it all down for you..

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There’s a lot to navigate when researching and booking travel online.

Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

My first travel adventure was to Venezuela. I booked the ticket with a travel agent over a pay phone. The agent searched a dozen flight itineraries over a few days, all so I could save $15.

Times have changed. Today, flight searches start online , often on your mobile device. Passengers book either directly with the airline or hotel or with online travel agencies. Rarely do we get on the phone. In fact, American Airlines and United Airlines charge $25 to make a domestic flight booking by phone. And pay phones hardly exist anymore.

So, what is the best way to book online? Here is our complete guide to online travel agencies, search tools, and the variety of booking options available on both mobile devices and desktops.

What is an OTA?

An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or mobile app that allows users to search for and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities. The booking is made directly with the online travel agency but confirmed by the service provider, such as an airline or a hotel. As a customer, your relationship is with the OTA.

What are the main OTAs?

Many online travel agencies nowadays are owned by two main companies: Expedia and Priceline. The Expedia Group is the largest online travel agency in the United States with 70 percent market share, according to travel data firm Phocuswright. Expedia Group operates Expedia.com , Orbitz, Hotels.com , Trivago, CheapTickets , Hotwire , Vrbo , and Travelocity .

Priceline is a major competitor to Expedia, with global revenues larger than the Expedia Group. The company owns Priceline.com, Booking.com, Cheapflights, Momondo, and Kayak—the latter two being metasearch engines (more on that below).

There are also independent newcomers such as Hopper (a mobile-only booking tool) and Kiwi.com (which allows you to book flights on air carriers that don’t normally have a commercial relationship).

Are OTA fares lower than booking directly?

Generally, no. The fares that are displayed by an OTA will be similar if not slightly more expensive when compared to an airline’s website. They’re usually only a few dollars higher or lower. The OTAs charge a booking fee to the airlines, and often that fee is passed directly to consumers. For example, Lufthansa tacks on an additional $18 to any booking made through an OTA for Lufthansa flights. The same flights are exactly $18 cheaper on the airline’s website.

Where you can score a good travel deal through an OTA is when booking a last-minute hotel and flight package. Many OTAs have cut agreements with airlines allowing last-minute travelers to access lower rates than are typically available when passengers book a flight alone.

Are all airlines available to be booked through OTAs?

No. Many OTAs do not display flights from some of the low-fare leaders. For example, Southwest and Allegiant flights are not available through OTAs; the same goes for Ryanair in Europe. And, earlier this year United Airlines threatened to pull out of Expedia altogether, only recently signing a multi-year agreement to stay in. The airlines would rather not lose any margin to online travel agencies in an already low-margin industry and would rather maintain a direct relationship with the customer.

Are smaller OTAs safe to use?

Expedia and Priceline are the two largest players in the online booking space, but there are dozens of independent OTAs, such as CheapOAir, OneTravel, JustFly, and SmartFares. Confusingly, you might actually stumble on ads for these OTAs while using Expedia or Priceline sites. That’s because the larger OTAs earn revenue through advertising, sending passengers to smaller OTAs and charging those OTAs for the favor.

Buyer beware: some of these lesser-known OTAs are masters at hidden fees. For example, a flight search on JetBlue allows for free seat selection in many instances. If you perform the same search on FlightNetwork, an independent OTA, and select a seat, you will be charged an additional $25—despite the fact that JetBlue doesn’t charge a seat selection fee if you book directly.

What if you need to change your itinerary?

Itinerary changes are often a pain. If your plans change, it won’t matter whether you’ve booked directly with an airline or with an OTA—you’re going to pay fees for the privilege, if you can even change your ticket at all.

For example, CheapTickets.com, which is part of the Expedia Group, charges $25 to change or cancel a ticket if that change is requested after 24 hours of making the booking—it is free if you do so within 24 hours of booking. However, the fees go up from there. JustFly, an independent OTA, charges a $75 fee for changes to domestic flights in addition to airline change fees, plus the difference in fare, for tickets that can be changed. For an international trip, the fee rises to $200. That means to change an international flight with Delta (which charges a $100 change fee) booked through JustFly, you’ll be assessed $300 in fees, plus the difference in fare. At that rate, you may as well book a new flight. FlightNetwork indicates in its terms of service that changes may incur a change fee but doesn’t specify what those fees are. That hardly makes the few dollars you saved by booking with the OTA in the first place worth it.

What is an OTA price match policy?

To assure travelers that they are getting the lowest fare possible, many OTAs have a price match policy. The rules vary and so do the benefits.

For example, if you book with Orbitz and find a less expensive flight, car rental, or activity on any U.S.-based website within 24 hours of your booking, Orbitz will refund you the difference you paid. And it works: I have personally found a flight in the same class, on the same airline, for the same origin and destination cities, and requested Orbitz to refund the difference of around $35. Within a few weeks, I received a check in the mail. A similar program applies for CheapOAir, but there’s a catch—the price difference must be found on a major OTA such as Expedia or Travelocity.

Expedia has a particularly good price match policy, but you have to pay extra for it at the time of booking. Expedia offers the price match option as an add-on that costs between $5 and $30 when you book. With the price match applied, if the airfare on Expedia drops between 120 days of the flight and up to six hours before the flight, Expedia will automatically refund you the difference in fare. Unfortunately, fares generally do not drop substantially as the travel date approaches, so while this might give you peace of mind, it’s probably not worth the expense.

How do Google Flights and other travel metasearch engines work?

Frequent fliers are likely familiar with websites such as Google Flights, Kayak, Momondo, or Skyscanner. On these websites, passengers search on the site but are redirected to the service provider to complete the booking, such as an airline, rental car company, or hotel.

Metasearch started with a product called ITA Matrix, which is a tool for searching airfares online but not for actually booking online. ITA Matrix allows for multi-city searching, such as setting two different departure or arrival airports, and for offering a calendar view of fares for easier comparison. That company was acquired by Google in 2011, and savvy travelers swear by it to help find the least expensive fares online. Most consumers are more familiar with Google Flights, which has gained traction more recently not least because it has the benefit of being displayed first in search results on Google.

Metasearch engines receive distribution fees from the airlines for sending traffic to the supplier websites. There are no additional hidden fees for using a metasearch engine because you’re booking directly with the airline or hotel.

A major benefit of the metasearch engines is their price tracking tool, which lets users know whether the displayed fares are low, average, or high for the flight, allowing travelers to make a more informed decision on whether to book a flight or not . Google Flights and Kayak, for instance, both have price tracking tools.

Why not just book directly?

The airlines would definitely much rather you book directly with them. Over the past five years, they have gotten much better at marketing and selling their product directly to consumers online and through mobile sites and apps. But in the past, they weren’t so good at it. In fact, Delta, Northwest, United, American, and Continental got together to invest $145 million to launch Orbitz in 1999 to counter the threat from Expedia. Now Orbitz is owned by Expedia.

The airlines also try to encourage customers to book directly so that they can maintain a closer relationship with them. It allows carriers to connect bookings with loyalty programs and create special offers and discounts catered to individual passengers.

There is another benefit to booking directly. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty, so long as the booking is made at least seven days before travel. The law applies, however, only to U.S. and foreign air carriers that have websites marketed to U.S. consumers. This means that, in theory, an online travel agency does not have to offer such a policy, although most OTAs do.

What are the options for booking on your mobile device?

Airlines and the major OTAs all have apps to help you book and manage your trip on your mobile device, but their functionality is lacking compared to these websites’ desktop editions. For example, Expedia’s app doesn’t allow you to view flights on a month-view calendar. Kayak has an app with more bells and whistles and a better user interface, including a month-view calendar with color-coded pricing. It also has a handy “augmented reality” function to help you see if your carry-on bag will fit in the overhead bin (a feature originally developed by KLM). Point your phone’s camera at the luggage, and it’ll give you the dimensions.

While apps are improving and gaining in popularity, you still might find it easier to locate the best deals on flights and hotels by using your desktop, where you can have multiple tabs open and have all the available search tools at your disposal. Apps are fine for booking directly with an airline once you know which flights you want to book.

If you’re determined to use your mobile device, you may want to look into Hopper. Hopper is a mobile-first flight booking tool that has a solid price prediction tool. You can research travel options and book directly on the app. Another benefit of Hopper: Of its team of 300 employees, nearly half are dedicated to customer support and are based in Canada versus some OTAs and airlines that outsource much of their customer service further afield.

The bottom line?

Like many travelers, I enjoy a flight deal as much as the next person, but I also don’t like any added hassle. I typically start my travel searches using the ITA Matrix or Google Flights to get a general sense of the fares. It helps to know what is a good deal and what is expensive for a particular route. I do my research, typically on a desktop computer. When I’m ready to book, I’ll book directly with the airline. I’ve found that customer service is better when booking directly with the service provider. But I’ve also saved money by using OTAs and have booked with them, too. Whichever way you choose to book, you can be safe in the knowledge that finding and purchasing travel online is a lot easier today than searching for a deal with a travel agent on a pay phone.

>> Next: How to Get the Best Last-Minute Travel Deals

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9 of the best travel websites

Take the hassle out of holiday planning with our guide to the websites that do the hard work for you.

T he first place most of us look when planning a trip is online — but where should you start? If you have a preferred travel agent with a high level of customer service, they will likely handle the details for you. But when you’re arranging the trip yourself, you can spend hours browsing online and end up more confused than when you started.

If you’d like destination inspiration, take a look at Times Travel . But if you want to piece the trip together yourself, these websites are our favourites for everything from flights to passenger rights and books for the beach.

Main photo: karst mountains in China (Getty Images)

1. FlightConnections

Best for flight planning Have an idea of where you want to go, but flexible on which airports you could use? Or maybe you just want to see which routes operate non-stop from your nearest airport. No other website makes a map of the world’s international routing options as clear and easy to understand as FlightConnections.

If you’re in Birmingham and you don’t fancy schlepping to a London airport, for example, you can see at a glance that there are non-stop flights from BHX to Cancun, Egypt, the Canaries and Dubai. Or maybe you want to go to Valencia in Spain, but you can’t find any flights from BHX. With FlightConnections, you might see that non-stop flights are available from Nottingham East Midlands (EMA) — a much closer journey than London.

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Click on your preferred route, and it’ll also show you which dates the route operates non-stop, so you know which dates to search for.

Best for flight price comparison The top four players — Google Flights , Kayak , Momondo and Skyscanner — are all excellent flight-comparison websites.

But Kayak has the edge. Its search results pages are clear and have the best range of useful filters. You can see instantly how much premium economy on the same route would cost, for example, instead of having to do another search from scratch. You can add a cabin bag or hold bag, easily remove the results from airports you don’t want to have your layover in, and even narrow your search to the type of aircraft you’d prefer to fly with.

Best for hotel bookings A lot of people think Booking.com, Hotels.com and Expedia are hotel-comparison sites. They aren’t — they’re booking sites. Yes, you can book thousands of hotels with them, but they will only show you their own negotiated prices for each particular hotel.

That’s why your first port of call for any hotel research should be Trivago. It takes prices from all of the major hotel-booking sites, including the three mentioned above, plus hundreds more booking sites and online travel agencies.

4. Booking.com

Best for hotel reviews The reviews on TripAdvisor can be written by anyone, whether they’ve stayed at the hotel or not. And multiple investigations have shown how many fake reviews flood the site.

That’s why our go-to site for hotel reviews is Booking.com. Only people who have paid for a booking via Booking.com can write a review. This means its reviews are much more reliable. It’s not 100 per cent foolproof, but it is much more reliable than most alternative review sites. You can find reviews for most of the world’s hotels — and you don’t have to book with them to read the reviews. Just browse, then check out Trivago.co.uk to find the cheapest deal on your preferred hotel.

5. Seat61.com

Best for train advice Thinking of switching plane for train — or riding the rails on a scenic journey at your destination? The first port of call for any train lover should be Seat61.com. What started as a hobby site more than 15 years ago is now the UK’s best site for train advice — for routes all over the world. It covers the best train-booking sites in different destinations, plus how to get the best deals, which seats to choose on many routes, and more.

6. HomeExchange

Best for house swaps What’s cheaper — and arguably better — than the likes of Airbnb and Vrbo? A free home swap — mi casa es su casa. Unlike Airbnb, no money changes hands between homeowners. You’ll pay a fee to join the site, but during your membership period, on most sites, you are allowed to make as many free home exchanges as you can negotiate with other homeowners.

Each site has its pros and cons, but the world’s largest site HomeExchange, which costs $175 (£140)/year to join, wins by virtue of the fact that it lists more than 450,000 homes all over the world. Home-swapping is, ultimately, a numbers game. You’ll massively increase your chances of finding someone suitable to swap with in Sydney if there are more than 100 potential homes in Sydney for you to contact about the arrangement.

7. Zest Car Rental

Best for car hire You can do a car-hire search on the major flight-comparison websites, plus with car-rental comparison specialists, such as Rhino . But there’s a reason Zest Car Rental consistently ranks in the top table of customer surveys and is the choice of Which? as recommended car hire broker.

The game for car-hire companies is to appear at the top of the comparison sites, which means they hide the real cost of the “extras” that are often essential, such as excess-reducing insurance or a full-to-full fuel policy. (With full-to-empty fuel policies, you usually end up paying for fuel you didn’t use when you return the car with a quarter of a tank or more.)

With Zest Car Rental, in most cases, excess-reducing insurance is included in the price you see, and in many cases, the second driver is also included in the rate. Zest only works with providers who have a “fair fuel” policy, and customer services is fast to respond to any questions or problems.

8. TripFiction

Best for literary escapes Whether your travels are strictly armchair this year or you’re heading off on holiday, reading a novel set in your destination can really put you in the mood. The best place to look for your travel reads is TripFiction. Despite the name, it’s not entirely fiction, with biographies, travelogues, history and recipe books sneaking into their listings.

Choose your preferred country or region and browse all titles — or narrow it down by genre, such as crime or fantasy. A list of books appears, with summaries for you to find out more before deciding whether to buy.

9. Civil Aviation Authority

Best for passenger rights At a loss for what to do if your flight gets cancelled, your luggage gets lost or you get stuck in queues at security and miss a flight ? You’ll find all of your passenger rights on the Civil Aviation Authority website.

It’s worth taking a look before your trip, too, so you can be sure you have suitable travel insurance to help with the increasingly common problems that the law doesn’t provide enough coverage for, such as delays at airport security.

• 8 amazing carry-on bags: the best hand luggage revealed • Will travel insurance cover flight cancellation? Everything you need to know • Where can I travel without a vaccine?

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What’s The Best Travel Website In 2024? Travelocity vs Expedia vs Priceline vs Orbitz vs Kayak vs Hotwire & More

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Here’s how it works .

Thanks to booking aggregators, you can find a travel deal in seconds. Punch in your approximate dates and desired destination, and let the websites spit out results that help you find the best fit for your needs, destination, and preferences.

Table of Contents

What Are The Best Travel Websites?

There are many options for planning and booking a trip, so we’ve reviewed the best travel sites to help you find the right one for you.

We evaluate each site based on our research and personal experiences and give you a detailed summary of our findings along with the pros and cons of each. Most companies we reviewed also have smartphone apps to book on the go. Read on to learn the best ways to book the adventures that await you.

Best Site For Travel Deals: Expedia

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Expedia wins overall for best travel deals because, in addition to great everyday low prices, it is an excellent resource for finding last-minute bargains at shockingly-deep discounts, including cruises and bundles that include flights plus hotels and car rentals.

Expedia is easy to navigate and offers the most comprehensive way to search for any trip. Create an account, and once logged in, you can save your search history to your “Scratch Pad” and get alerts for pricing updates on your desired itinerary. Then, review your booked itineraries at any time, which is extremely helpful no matter how often you travel.

Another unique feature is the Expedia Rewards program (it’s free) which gives you incentives, special offers, and rewards the more you book through Expedia.

Best Site To Book Hotels: Hotels.com

As the name suggests, Hotels.com is the go-to place if all you want is to book a hotel in your destination city. A great feature of Hotels.com is the Hotels.com Rewards program that gives you a free night stay for every ten nights you book.

The site is user-friendly and allows you to choose a city, then narrow your search by specific neighborhood or suburb, landmark, type of hotel (Bed and Breakfast, Resort, etc.), amenities, accessibility features, and trip purpose (business or leisure).

Hotels.com has a price match guarantee, allowing you to pay a lower price or cancel without penalty if you find the same hotel room cheaper elsewhere.

Best To Book Flights: Priceline Review

Priceline acts as an aggregate, showing you available flights at various airlines: United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. This allows you to compare flights without going directly to each airline’s website.

It also has Express Deals, where the price is shown, as well as a rough itinerary. Until the transaction is complete, you won’t know the exact airline, flight time, layover time, or extra costs for seat selection and checked bags. The company claims to negotiate rates up to 50 percent off for travelers.

Priceline also offers deals on hotels, cars, cruises, experiences, and bundles.

What Is The Best Price Guarantee?

Priceline’s Best Price Guarantee policy is for Priceline VIP members, which is free to join. You’ll be refunded the price difference if you see a better deal within 24 hours of booking. If you find a better price on an Express Deal ® up to midnight before you travel, they’ll refund you up to 200% of the difference. The Best Price Guarantee applies to:

• Rental Cars
• Air Tickets
• Cruises 

What Is Pricebreakers?

Priceline’s website offers Pricebreakers, where travelers can view three similar hotels listed under a single low price, up to half off published rates you can find elsewhere. This website-only feature allows you to get a deep discount on one of the three highly-rated hotels, but you won’t know which hotel you get until you book. Travelers are guaranteed to secure a room at one of the locations at the price presented, and the winning hotel is revealed immediately after purchase.

What About Hotel Tonight, Hotwire, Orbitz, Kayak, Travelocity, TravelZoo & Trivago?

Although those are our top choices, we also reviewed a handful of other popular booking engines.

Note that some travel sites (like Priceline and Hotwire) use an opaque sales model for hotel booking—meaning that customers do not know where they are staying until they have paid for it. This arrangement is requested by the hotels to protect the integrity of their brand but gives them the option to get rid of unused inventory and pass along savings to customers.

We wanted to point out that Southwest Airlines is not included in the reviewed companies’ results as they do not list their fares on third-party company websites.

Jump to the website you wish to learn more about by clicking on the name below or read on to view them all.

Hotel Tonight | Hotwire | Orbitz | Kayak | Travelocity | TravelZoo |  Trivago

HotelTonight Review

HotelTonight, launched in 2010, is an app for iPhone, Android, and Windows devices that provides a curated list of discounted hotels for that day (or up to 100 days before your check-in date) . In 2019, they were acquired by Airbnb, the peer-to-peer home booking service to offer an end-to-end experience for all travelers.

Once you download the app to your phone, HotelTonight can geo-locate your area, or you can type the city you are looking for a room in. It will pull up a list of available hotels, your discounted price (vs. the regular price), photos, rating, and amenities.

After you book your room, you will be connected with a HotelTonight travel concierge who can help request any special needs and answer your questions.

Hotwire Review

Hotwire allows travelers to bid on hotel accommodations by choosing a general area in the destination city, star rating, and price. The website then brings up results with the necessary information and exact prices.

This site uses an opaque sales model (see above), so customers do not know what hotel they are booking until their credit card is charged. Hotwire claims to have only brand-name partners, so its clients can expect a general standard of quality and service for all products purchased, regardless of the name brand. Customers can also shop for car rentals, flights, or cruises.

Hot Wire also offers deals on activities and attractions. Hotwire is the same, if not better than Priceline if you’re up for a gamble to save a few bucks.

Orbitz Review

Orbitz is one of the leading online travel companies and one of the oldest. Founded in 1999 by six major airlines, Orbitz works very similarly to Expedia, and their site is almost identical (because they are part of the same parent company).

Travelers can look up pricing and book flights, hotels, cars, activities, cruises, and more. You might find many of the same search results here as you will on other sites, and some third-party sites like Kayak and Hipmunk will show you Orbitz pricing in their results and take you to Orbitz to book.

We feel you are better off starting your search elsewhere and booking through Orbitz when it’s time to purchase . You can also join their Orbitz reward program to earn points on your booking and instantly redeem them.

Kayak Review

We love using Kayak specifically for hotel stays. Give Kayak your dates and number of guests, and it uses algorithms to find the best deal based on the highest-rated hotel, then book directly from the hotel chain or other deal sites (like Expedia).

Kayak allows you to sort by type (trendy, luxury, boutique, budget, family-friendly, etc.) or by whatever criteria is important to you (price, location). One great feature is the ability to display results on a map, complete with a color overlay that shows where popular bars, attractions, and restaurants are around (and public transportation, if applicable, in the city you’re traveling to).

If you want to book more than just a hotel, Kayak provides all-inclusive travel deals, including flights, car packages, and more. You can also sign up for travel alerts for notifications when your trip has a sale and see a price history chart for any route.

Creating an account allows you to share your trips with friends and get flight status alerts via email or SMS.

Travelocity Review

Travelocity is one of the largest online sites with a long business history. Like Orbitz, it’s an Expedia company, so it looks similar to Orbitz and Expedia (along with the same great deals).

Travelocity gives travelers search options that allow them to select only transportation, activities, hotels, cruises, or a package combination. Travelers can also choose a destination and find out what is on sale at that time in their desired location, adding spontaneity to the travel planning process.

Travelocity’s Price Guarantee will match any price offered by another company.

TravelZoo Review

Visit We b site

TravelZoo is unique from other travel booking sites in that it promotes and shares travel experiences from across the web versus searching for a particular destination and date (not limited to travel but also experiences, food, and service discounts). Its “Top 20” showcases a weekly list of the best travel, entertainment, and local deals from more than 2,000 companies worldwide. They even use your location to show you deals unique to the closest airport.

While Travel Zoo has many great travel ideas on how to score a great price on a vacation, they are more limited in searching and booking than other sites.

The Trivago app compares hotel prices from over 180 booking sites for over two million hotels worldwide. Enter the destination and desired travel dates, and you’ll be served up several options in seconds.

You can also specify your search and filter results by price, distance (e.g., from the beach), star category, facilities, and more. When you find a hotel you like, click on the “view deal” button, and you will be forwarded to a booking site where you can book your room.

TripIt Booking App

Once you have booked your trip, we recommend using TripIt, an easy-to-use app, to manage and organize your travel plans.

Create a free account, and they automatically put all your travel bookings from your email into one easy-to-read itinerary—complete with confirmation numbers, phone numbers, and seat details.

You can share your saved itinerary with travel mates, family, and friends and use their app to check arrival gate information on the go.

The pro version provides gate change information and estimated flight arrival updates (often faster than the actual airlines do).

Travel Sites: A Matter Of Preference

When it comes to booking travel online, every person has different preferences. For some, an airline or brand name makes a big difference in loyalty programs, and the price isn’t a significant consideration. Still, for others, it doesn’t matter what airline or chain as long as it’s the most affordable price or best schedule. You might be looking for a one-stop-shop package or prefer to shop a la carte.

After deciding what is most important to you, shop around at two or three travel sites based on the above summaries and compare as prices fluctuate over time.

Looking For More Inspiration?

If you’re more adventurous (or have a bigger group), staying in a rental property might be a better fit for you. And if you’d like a seasoned professional traveler to organize your itinerary for you (and you enjoy making new friends on your travels), check out our best adventure travel companies comparison . No matter where you go, happy trails to you!

What’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to? Let us know in the comments !

Sadie Cornelius

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• Wyndham Garden Cancun Downtown $80+
• Flight Dallas - Cancún (DFW - CUN) $178+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Cancún (FLL - CUN) $181+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (HOU - CUN) $181+

United States

• Flight Newark - Fort Lauderdale (EWR - FLL) $40+
• Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $40+
• Flight New York - Chicago (LGA - ORD) $46+
• Kauai Palms Hotel $189+
• Tip Top Motel Cafe & Bakery $194+
• Kauai Inn $252+
• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $213+
• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $248+
• Flight San Diego - Hawaii (SAN - USHI) $258+
• Super 8 by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle $94+
• California Suites Hotel $99+
• Best Western Seven Seas $105+
• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $38+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $40+
• Flight Sacramento - San Diego (SMF - SAN) $48+
• Shared Living Not A Hotel $39+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Phoenix West $54+
• HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof Phoenix West $59+
• Flight Los Angeles - Phoenix (LAX - PHX) $41+
• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $42+
• Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $43+

Los Angeles

• Boutique Hostel $34+
• Freehand Los Angeles $43+
• City Center Hotel $104+
• Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport $112+
• Rotex Western Inn $115+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites LAX $117+
• The Dixie Hollywood $122+
• Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $35+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Los Angeles (SLC - LAX) $38+
• Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $38+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $61+
• Flight Seattle - Los Angeles (SEA - LAX) $65+
• Flight San Jose - Los Angeles (SJC - LAX) $66+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (HOU - LAX) $71+
• Selina Gold Dust $59+
• Motel 6 Miami. Fl $78+
• La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Miami Airport North $78+
• Miami Gardens Inn & Suites $87+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Miami Airport East $92+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Miami International Airport $94+
• Holiday Inn Miami West - Airport Area $102+
• The Palms Inn & Suites Miami, Kendall, Fl $108+
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami-Kendall $108+
• Radisson Red Miami Airport $113+
• Courtyard by Marriott Miami West/FL Turnpike $113+
• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $39+
• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $39+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $39+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $40+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (ORD - MIA) $40+
• Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $43+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $43+
• Flight Charlotte - Miami (CLT - MIA) $48+
• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $54+
• Flight New York - Miami (LGA - MIA) $56+
• Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Denver - Glendale/Cherry Creek $59+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Denver Stapleton $93+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites By Wyndham Denver Airport Dia $105+
• Quality Inn & Suites Denver International Airport $108+
• Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver International Airport $109+
• Baymont by Wyndham Denver International Airport $111+
• Hyatt Place Pena Station Denver Airport $112+
• Flight Chicago - Denver (ORD - DEN) $57+
• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $58+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $61+
• Flight Austin - Denver (AUS - DEN) $62+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $84+
• Flight Baltimore - Denver (BWI - DEN) $86+
• Flight Cincinnati - Denver (CVG - DEN) $88+
• Hi Boston Hostel $67+
• Found Hotel Boston Common $92+
• DoubleTree by Hilton Boston Bayside $175+
• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $40+
• Flight Newark - Boston (EWR - BOS) $47+
• Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $48+
• Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Atlanta Airport $58+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Atlanta Airport North $98+
• Sonesta Atlanta Airport North $102+
• Flight Orlando - Atlanta (MCO - ATL) $24+
• Flight Baltimore - Atlanta (BWI - ATL) $33+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $33+
• Generator Madrid $31+
• C&h Aravaca Garden $40+
• Toc Hostel Madrid $41+
• Flight New York - Rome (JFK - FCO) $317+
• Flight Newark - Barcelona (EWR - BCN) $354+
• Flight New York - Paris (JFK - CDG) $357+
• Rodeway Inn Fairgrounds-Casino $67+
• Tampa Inn Near Busch Gardens $68+
• Econo Lodge Airport at RJ Stadium $69+
• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $38+
• Flight Baltimore - Florida (BWI - USFL) $40+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $40+
• Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $38+
• Flight Raleigh - Tampa (RDU - TPA) $38+
• Flight Baltimore - Tampa (BWI - TPA) $46+

New Orleans

• Ramada by Wyndham New Orleans $66+
• Maison Saint Charles by Hotel RL $95+
• Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans Canal St. French Quarter $96+
• Flight Dallas - New Orleans (DFW - MSY) $38+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New Orleans (FLL - MSY) $40+
• Flight Atlanta - New Orleans (ATL - MSY) $45+

Frequently asked questions about KAYAK

How do i find travel deals on kayak.

Simply use one of our travel search engines to scan for prices gathered from hundreds of travel sites. KAYAK’s search results pages have loads of filter options to help you find deals, discover exactly what you’re looking for and make booking seamless. Plus, there’s no extra fee from KAYAK.

What makes KAYAK a great travel app?

On the KAYAK app for iOS and Android you’ll find all the great travel offers found on the website and much more. There are special mobile rates and app only deals that allow you to save even more money. Plus, you can get notifications straight to your phone letting you know when prices for your next trip have dropped. But the KAYAK app is much more than just a travel app. Use the Trips function to manage your travel itinerary and get up to date status alerts on flights, check-in changes and to store your boarding pass. Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere on your travels, you can still access your travel notes via Trips, as no internet connection is required.

How can I use KAYAK to manage my travel bookings?

KAYAK Trips creates a travel itinerary for you that will give you flight status alerts, can be shared with friends and more. Simply forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] or use the KAYAK app and sync your email account to keep all your travel plans organized in one app, even if you didn’t book with KAYAK. You can share your holiday plans with friends and family and also check out your travel stats for past vacations, like how far you’ve traveled, your most popular cities and how many times you’ve traveled around the world. Even if you don’t have signal, don’t worry, as you can access Trips to check out your itineraries whilst on the road. Your data is safe and secure with us and you won’t have to re-enter credit card info when booking future trips. If you want to make changes or cancel bookings, then you should contact the travel provider, which is provided on the booking confirmation.

What are KAYAK Price Alerts?

Instead of manually checking back in on the price of your next flight or stay, let KAYAK do the hard work for you with KAYAK Price Alerts. Once you’ve saved your search, our data will determine how the price will rise or fluctuate over the coming days. You’ll then get a push notification letting you know when’s the perfect time to book.

Search flights , hotels , rental cars , travel guides and more with KAYAK. KAYAK searches hundreds of other travel sites at once to get you the information you need to make the right decisions.

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As Travel Site Critics, our editors take a critical look at 5 aspects of each travel site that we review.

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How travelers can get better customer service

During the pandemic, travelers enjoyed some of the best customer service in years. Hotels welcomed returning guests with rock-bottom room rates. Airlines eliminated customer-unfriendly fees. Rental cars were cleaner than ever. But now, amid labor shortages and high inflation, the industry is returning to its old ways.

The latest Airline Quality Rating underscores the airline industry’s shortcomings. “Fewer planes arrived on time, airlines mishandled more baggage, and more passengers with tickets were denied boarding,” says Brent Bowen, the report’s co-author. “And we’re seeing this lack of customer service across all segments of the travel industry: employee shortages, supply chain delays and a lack of management planning.”

So what can you do to get better customer service? Travelers and travel experts say you have to double down on proven strategies such as persistence, politeness and patience. But amid the pandemic, some things have changed.

For starters, staffing shortages related to the Great Resignation have gutted many customer service departments. If you have a problem, chances are you’ll be talking to a bot — if you can even get through to one. User-generated reviews can help customers identify companies whose customer service has taken a hit. But there are other ways.

“Travelers should look for companies that offer round-the-clock assistance and a way to reach key information, even when human support agents might not be available,” says Sourabh Gupta, co-founder and chief executive of Skit.ai , a developer of artificial-intelligence-driven voice technology. You can tell your travel company has this by looking for a “contact us” feature on its site that offers 24/7 phone, chat and email support.

Because there are fewer agents available to help, it’s important that you reach out to the right person. Lorena Kurtjian Hernandez, a senior director at Medallia , a developer of customer feedback management software, says calling a company’s main service line is a mistake. Chances are you’ll just end up in phone tree limbo.

“Instead, carefully review the travel company’s website to find contact information for the specific issue you need assistance with,” Hernandez says. “You are much more likely to get help from the right person at the right department if you’re very specific about the type of assistance you need.”

There are lots of ways to communicate with a company, and it pays to be conversant with them all. When you’re traveling, experts say, you have to think outside the complaint box. Consider what happened to Chris Michaels, a website editor who lives outside Chicago, when he stayed at a DoubleTree near Houston recently. When his family ordered breakfast at the hotel restaurant, it took more than an hour to arrive, and it was cold. The server “barely” apologized, he said, then handed him a $60 check.

“We walked past the front desk several times to discuss the experience, but there was a long line every time,” he says. So he contacted the hotel through the Hilton app . “That evening, the hotel manager texted me, called my room and called my mobile phone to apologize and remove the charge from my bill,” Michaels says.

It’s always helpful to be friendly. This has been a long and stressful summer for travel, and your good manners will take you a long way when you’re trying to get better customer service. “I recommend that both customers and service representatives be as friendly as possible,” says Dan Skilken, president of TripInsurance.com . “The more positive that experience is, the better the outcome.”

He’s right. I’ve seen that in my own consumer advocacy practice, too. Threatening emails that say, “I’ll never do business with you again,” or, “I’m going to sue you,” are far likelier to be ignored. But friendly requests for help receive almost immediate attention. Don’t be overly informal, by which I mean go easy on the emoji. But a little niceness can take you a long way — especially now.

Companies know that customer service is going to be a challenge as travel returns to pre-pandemic levels. How they meet that challenge may determine their success or failure. Consider what furnished apartment rental company Blueground did to ramp up for summer. Blueground has always provided a fully digitized experience, communicating with guests through its app, which allows customers to quickly get in touch during their stays. But the company was cautious about over-automating, so now it makes sure a human, not a bot, answers every contact.

“We also empowered our support teams to make quick decisions,” says Nessy Ismet, Blueground’s director of client experience. “That enabled a human-to-human experience for every guest.”

The situation isn’t hopeless. Suzanne Hodes, a retired small-business owner from Weston, Fla., recently visited Rome with her husband. She says the city is still in “welcome back mode.”

“Few restaurants are including service fees or gratuities,” she says. “They are leaving it up to the guest to do the right thing.” Her takeaway? Maybe — just maybe — the hospitality industry sees its happy customers and wants them to stay that way.

PLEASE NOTE

Potential travelers should take local and national public health directives regarding the pandemic into consideration before planning any trips. Travel health notice information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s interactive map showing travel recommendations by destination and the CDC’s travel health notice webpage .

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24 Best Travel Websites to Find Deals and Save You Money

Use our guide to the best travel websites and find discounts and deals so you can vacation without breaking the bank.

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Whether you’re looking for a cheap last-minute vacation or planning to go home for the holidays, you’ll want to know the best travel websites to use. And if you’re tired of wondering which sites are best for each part of your trip planning, we’ve got you covered. 

Here are some of the best travel sites we’ve found to help you bag bargains on airfares, lodging, car rentals and all your other travel needs. Best of all, almost all of the travel websites are free to use. Bon voyage! 

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Best websites to save on airfare

Keeping up with airfare prices has gotten easier thanks to sites like Google Flights and Kayak . To use them, just type in your home and destination airport, pick the flights that work best for you and then set an alert to track the price. For example, Google Flights will send you an e-mail showing if your tracked flight went up or down in price. Both sites also let you see which days are cheaper to fly in that month. Airfarewatchdog also lets you search flight deals.

If you haven’t decided on where exactly you want to go,  sign up for Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights.) Their newsletter comes straight to your inbox with deals on domestic and international locations. Or you can follow Twitter handles such as @TheFlightDeal for flights, too.

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Best websites for flight information

Once your flight is booked, you’ll want to keep tabs on gate changes, layover information and more. FlightStats.com can help you plan a smooth trip by advising you on the best time of day to fly from a specific airport and which terminals to avoid when connecting flights. You can also view live updates of flight delays and sign up for free e-mail and phone alerts. Flightaware.com also tracks and predicts flight delays.

If you’re delayed by weather or some unforeseen event, it pays to act quickly. The TripIt Pro smartphone app ($49/year) will send you alerts about cancellations, delays or gate changes, sometimes even ahead of an airline announcement. Use it to locate alternate flights, find out when better seats are available, get fare refund notifications, track your rewards program points, and more.

Best websites to save on hotels

Hotels.com lets you search just one site for accommodations at hundreds of thousands of properties. Plus, its rewards program is simple: For every ten nights you spend at any combination of the program’s 500,000 member properties, you’ll earn a free night’s stay. As a member, you also unlock an average discount of 15% on select hotels. 

Similarly, HotelTonight is an app that lets users book hotels at low last-minute rates. Priceline Express Deals helps you find the best bargains, but there’s a catch. Priceline doesn’t tell you which hotel you’re booking until after you pay.

And try TripAdvisor.com for a detailed list of rated hotels (and excursions) that are close to your destination. The site links you to partner sites, such as Expedia and Travelocity for fulfillment. Click on the "check rates" button and select the site or sites you’d like to try — a new window with results will open for each partner.

Best websites to save on vacation rentals

Vacation rentals are an especially good value for groups because they generally offer more space and amenities for prices similar to or less than hotel rates, particularly if you look at it on a per-bed basis. Check out VRBO and Airbnb to find the perfect experience. For Marriott loyalists, Marriott Bonvoy lets you browse its 30-brand portfolio — which includes more than 2,000 private homes.

At the other end of the scale, if you don’t mind college-dorm-level amenities, check out Hostelworld.com , as a way to save money on vacation rental properties . The site lists 36,000 properties in 178 countries around the globe and includes reviews.

Best websites for cruises and vacation packages

At CruiseCompete.com , more than 500 travel agencies vie to give you the lowest prices for dates, ports and ships you specify, whether you’re booking well in advance or at the eleventh hour. You set up a CruiseCompete account, and they send you their best offers without ever seeing your personal information.

Kayak.com and Tripadvisor.com will also knit together vacation packages for you. Just type in your destination and travel dates to get the best prices.

Best websites to save on rental cars

Hotwire often offers the best-published deals on cars by collecting rates from its eight rental car company partners, including Alamo, Enterprise and Hertz. The site also offers "hot rates" from rental companies that aren't identified until after you’ve paid.

And while Hotwire does offer some good prepaid rental car deals, in certain international cities for the best overseas auto deals you should check out AutoEurope . It offers rentals at more than 20,000 locations worldwide, and customer service is available 24/7.

AutoSlash is also a good site to find rental deals, as it will apply the best coupons and discount codes to your rental and re-book your reservation if the system finds a better deal.

Best websites to save on international train tickets

Trains are often the fastest and cheapest way to travel within and between European countries. Our favorite for checking timetables and booking tickets on European train lines is RailEurope . But you might be able to catch better deals directly from European railways’ sites if you don’t get lost in translation — and make sure you have what you need to travel to Europe as an American!

Best websites for travel insurance

You never know when an emergency situation will spoil your travel plans. That's what travel insurance is for. But don't just go for the default options from agencies and travel providers. At Squaremouth , you can compare plans and prices from multiple insurance providers with just one search and narrow your search results by specifying the kind of coverage you need. Another option is InsureMyTrip.com .

Rivan joined Kiplinger on Leap Day 2016 as a reporter for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. A Michigan native, she graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 and from there freelanced as a local copy editor and proofreader, and served as a research assistant to a local Detroit journalist. Her work has been featured in the Ann Arbor Observer and Sage Business Researcher . She is currently assistant editor, personal finance at The Washington Post.

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Table of contents

How to provide great customer service in the travel and hospitality industry.

The travel and hospitality industry has undergone a massive upheaval over the last year and a half. The major boom that the industry saw towards the start of the previous decade was hugely overturned by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Data from the US Travel Association found that in 2020, the travel sector lost $492 billion compared to 2019. That’s a 42% annual decline! Further, international travel spending fell 76%, and corporate travel spending fell 70%.

Being the worst-hit industry since the crisis, sadly, many travel and hospitality businesses had to shut down their operations. The ones that did survive are at long last seeing some hope of recovery owing to the global vaccine rollout.

A study by Tripadvisor found that more than 77% of global travelers are likely to travel internationally, and 86% of them are likely to travel domestically if they receive the vaccine.

But, consumers are extremely apprehensive about safety and cleanliness. There is a 10.2% increase in negative reviews in the hospitality industry. So, companies need to go out of their way to reassure them with their honesty, transparency, and impeccable customer service . It is important that they focus on customer engagement and building trust.

In this post, we’ll help you understand why excellent customer service is so important in the travel and hospitality industry, and what it takes to deliver the same, especially during such turbulent times.

Table of Contents

Why great customer service is important for a successful travel and hospitality business today.

Modern travelers are tech-savvy, demanding, and empowered . They want to be able to book their travel with incredible ease. Research suggests that 57% of them want a single app for all their planning, booking, and travel needs. 

Naturally, when it comes to customer service too, travelers want to use channels of their choice to get their issues resolved quickly, fairly, and with minimal hassle. Travel agencies that are able to meet these expectations are the ones that will likely increase their customer satisfaction and earn themselves a loyal customer base. Utilizing services like Visa Fly can streamline the travel planning process, ensuring a smooth experience for customers.

According to a study published in Harvard Business Journal , airlines that responded to a customer’s Tweet in five minutes or less were likely to earn $20 more from that customer on a future airline ticket. 

Another study by Think with Google found that great customer service is the most compelling factor of consideration for high-value travelers. 60% of them say that when choosing a brand to travel with, their customer service matters most to them. 

For 50% of those high-value travelers, online reviews and word-of-mouth matter. Brands that offer travelers great experiences are most likely to earn stellar online reviews.

Travelers love sharing their experiences with travel companies, publicly. In fact, research from Stackla found that:

Today’s traveler isn’t one to take things at face value. They will do their own research, and compare options before making a well-thought-out and calculated choice for the right travel partner. Now, more than ever, customers are willing to do business only with travel companies that they can trust.

And that’s why providing personal and meaningful customer service has become critical for travel businesses today.

Some customer service best practices for the travel and hospitality industry

To say that the travel and hospitality industry has experienced a shift in recent times would be an understatement. If your travel company wants to stay ahead of the curve, you need to rethink your old ways. You need to adopt a customer-focused approach to culture and strategy. 

The travel and hospitality industry might see another boom soon enough. But, to be able to handle that well and make the most of it, companies must not only ensure they have their basics covered, but also offer customers what their competitors don’t.

Good customer service can be a that big differentiator.

Keeping that in mind, we’ve listed down five essential best practices for companies that want to deliver quality service in the travel and hospitality industry:

1. Save customers their time, and make the booking process simple

One of the most important aspects for customers when deciding on a travel and hospitality partner (apart from price, of course) is the time you can help them save on planning, researching, and booking their travel.

Many travelers, especially those traveling on business, appreciate a swift and simple booking process. In fact, they’re happy to pay more for such an excellent customer service experience.

Research suggests that 62% of consumers are willing to pay a higher sum for a simple experience, and 61% would recommend a brand if it has a clear proposition that saves them time.

Hilton’s ‘Stop Clicking Around’ campaign is a great example of the above. Through the campaign, the brand encouraged its customers to “stop clicking” through numerous websites and waste hours of their time. Instead, they asked them to book directly through Hilton’s website and enjoy the best price.

The result? The hotel earned 4.5 million bookings worldwide attributed to the campaign. That’s the value they received for valuing their customers’ time.

2. Be proactive with your communication, and swift with your resolutions

Traveling and accommodation have always been very anxiety-inducing for many people. With the pandemic having wreaked havoc, hotel guests are now more concerned about their safety than they’ve ever been before.

According to a recent research study from PwC , 85% of travelers said their travel decisions will depend on communications they receive from hotels and airlines about safety. Further, 40% of them said they’re unsatisfied with the current communication they’re receiving from travel companies about safety protocols.

That’s why proactive data-driven communication about safety protocols, cleanliness, and sanitization should be a critical part of hotel management today. It’s hugely important that airlines and travel companies also proactively communicate important updates including travel advisories, delays, cancellations, etc.

Further, when customers reach out for help, tour operators must make it a practice to resolve their problems as quickly and satisfactorily as possible. According to Hiver’s Customer Service Benchmark Report , almost 50% of companies promise their customers a resolution time of below 6 hours.

Investing in an intuitive help desk solution is a sure-shot way to ensure a such fast resolution.

Let’s take the vacation rental company Vacasa’s case study as an example. The company was earlier using Google Groups to handle all customer service emails. Communication within the team was restricted to sending back-and-forth emails. As a result, it was slowing down their query resolution process.

By implementing Hiver, a Gmail-based customer support software , the team was able to define clear accountability for every member. What’s more, they were also able to have contextual discussions about every customer query using Hiver Notes – all without the hassle of CCs and forwards. 

As a result, the team saw an 80% improvement in their average resolution time. You can check out their entire story here .

3. Be present wherever your customers are

Today, customers use multiple devices and channels at once to connect with brands. And, they expect those brands to seamlessly communicate with them across each of those devices and channels. 

For example, if a customer enquires about a specific holiday package on your travel company’s social media, they expect a consistent response and experience when they reach out to you about the same query on chat or email.

Travel companies need to therefore invest in systems that allow them to integrate all of their key channels where their customers are present. 

Brands also need to offer customers options to easily connect with them using devices of their choice. They can do this by adding click-to-call buttons on prominent parts of their website, tablet, and mobile applications.

Further, companies must ensure that at every touchpoint, they update customers with the relevant and latest information about their travel. They can proactively communicate these updates via text, email, voice, etc.

KLM Airlines takes this proactive communication approach to the next level with its ‘ Family Updates ’ service. Apart from sending real-time WhatsApp updates to travelers about their trip, the airline also updates travelers’ families and friends about their departure, arrivals, delays, cancellations, etc. What a simple yet thoughtful way to delight customers!

4. Offer deep personalization

21% of travelers are more likely to leave a review after a negative experience at a hotel than a positive one. And, 35% of travelers would think twice before booking if they find more negative reviews than positive ones.

No surprises then that the travel companies that stand out are the ones that deliver experiences beyond what most others in the market are offering.

A study by American Express reported that 83% of millennials are okay with travel brands tracking their digital patterns if they get to enjoy a more personalized experience in return. The same study found that 85% of respondents across all age groups prefer customized itineraries over general, mass-market offerings. 

Investing in a good CRM solution is thus critical for travel companies as it offers a safe and organized repository of important customer information that they can use to personalize travel arrangements. This not only includes customers’ names, birthdays, anniversaries, addresses, and work profiles but also their interactions across a brand’s website or app and also  travel website development . 

Customer conversations are another useful source of relevant customer data. The past interactions customers have had with your customer care team can give you important cues into their travel preferences. This data can in turn help you craft unique, tailored, and memorable travel experiences for your customers.

Some travel companies are also leveraging technology to deeply personalize customer experiences.

For example, with British Airways’ ’Know Me’ program, customer service agents can easily identify who are their frequent flyers, high-profile flyers, and even first-timer flyers. Accordingly, this information helps them deliver personalized offers and services to customers – right from the time they book a flight to the time they land. 

Similarly, the implementation of the SG Arrival Card system enhances the travel experience by streamlining the entry process into Singapore, demonstrating the importance of efficient and user-friendly digital solutions in modern travel and hospitality services.

United Airlines’ ‘Collect, Detect, Act’ system uses artificial intelligence to analyze 150 variables in customers’ profiles. This data helps them determine travelers’ unique preferences, and craft tailored offers for them. 

This system has helped increase United Airlines’ revenues by over 15% year on year.

5. Ensure your agents are well-trained and motivated

So far into this article, we’ve seen how important leveraging technology is in order to give customers the kind of experiences they want.

But technology, no matter how cutting-edge or expensive, is nothing without the human touch .

Unless you have a team of skilled, adept, and motivated agents and hotel staff to execute your customer service strategy, the guest experience is bound to suffer.

Hiring the right people is only the beginning. The travel and hotel industries are hugely dynamic. You need to make sure that your staff members are up-to-date with the changing nature of customer expectations and the increasing importance of customer service.

It’s the only way your brand can deliver meaningful customer experiences, consistently.

Ensure all your staff members undergo industry-specific customer service training programs. Apart from this basic training on customer service skills, you should also provide brand and product training. This will help them successfully tailor your brand’s offerings to suit customers’ needs, and even upsell and cross-sell at the right opportunity.

You could even provide your customer service team with incentives to upskill, voluntarily. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) offers some really good courses that you can encourage your agents to take up.

It’s also important to note that the travel and hospitality industry is rife with demanding customers and high-pressure situations. Empathizing with customers becomes the key to providing great customer service. Also, make sure you equip your agents with the right tools and skills to handle the same.

Wrapping up

The travel and hospitality industry might still be stumbling its way back to normalcy right now. However, one thing is for certain – it’s bound to bounce back in a bigger and better way.

Even if the demand isn’t the same as it was pre-pandemic, travel companies should prepare for the major surge in bookings that experts have predicted in the near future.

Now is the best time for brands to focus on fixing what’s broken in their customer service strategy. 

A good way to start is by creating a customer journey map . It’ll help you identify how customers interact with your brand at every touchpoint, and what you need to do better to improve their experiences across their journey.

Your journey map, for example, may help you understand that your customers have an inconsistent experience across the pre-purchase and purchase stage. It might then make sense for you to focus on breaking down silos between your marketing and sales departments.

At the end of the day, customer service shouldn’t just be a function but an org-wide mission. Travel and hospitality brands that understand that, and adapt their overall strategy accordingly, are ones that will thrive in these times.

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11 Airlines With The Best Customer Service, According To Passengers

It's safe to say that flying is not what it used to be. Prices are rising, and so are the number of complaints, particularly from those with mobility issues and other specialized needs. Airlines are increasingly looking to institute cost-cutting measures and efficiency improvements, and the pandemic years have only served as an impetus for rapid, transformative change throughout the industry. Labor issues are persistent in all areas of the air travel space, including in the control towers that provide critical guidance to vessels both in the sky and on the ground. But, even amid this turbulent moment in air travel, plenty of airlines are showcasing how to do the job with grace and customer-focused attention.

While many airlines are introducing new fees to the chagrin of passengers (like budget carrier Ryanair's in-person check in fees), others continue to prove that quality service while flying can be achieved. Comfortable air travel has seemingly become a luxury that many people consider part of a bygone era of flight. But the reality is that great customer service can still be found in the sky, as well as before departure. After reading through real reviews from passengers (and taking into account accolades from industry awards bodies), we've determined that the following airlines are the best in the business when it comes to customer service.

Lufthansa is a great starting point when considering airlines that really shine. The German airline's service record has been truly stellar throughout its 70 year history (it was formed in 1953 shortly after an early German airline going by the same name ceased operations). With its subsidiary airlines thrown into the mix, Lufthansa is the biggest in Europe in both the number of passengers who use the service and the size of the overall fleet. Lufthansa airplanes average an age of 13.1 years, and it is both the largest European owner of Airbus A380 models as well as the Boeing 747-8.

In terms of service, Lufthansa was a founding member of the Star Alliance group, bringing together multiple large airlines around the world for improved global services for passengers. In 2018, Lufthansa was named Europe's only five star airline by Skytrax, and in 2019, it was selected as the ratings body's best airline in Europe for the third year in a row. Flyers transiting through Lufthansa's hub in Frankfurt will also enjoy the largest network of flight destinations offered in any airport across the globe. Travelers who frequent the airline have praised the cleanliness of the airplanes, the seat comfort, the check-in and boarding processes, and the airline's attentive customer service representatives.

Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines offers over 5,000 flights per day with 325 destinations around the globe, making the American airline the second largest in the world. Delta is consistently ranked as a highly customer focused brand with excellent service. Skytrax surveyed more than 13 million customers between 2019 and 2021 based on things like staff friendliness, in-flight entertainment and food options, seat comfort, and ease of booking, and Delta came out on top as the best North American airline. The standards have remained high: In J.D. Power's 2023 North American airline satisfaction study, Delta ranked first in overall customer satisfaction in the premium economy segment and a close second in both first/business class and economy/basic economy.

Customers who fly with Delta frequently note that even with unassigned seats the airline won't typically split up families and other reservations made together, which is a relief for those traveling with children. Passengers have given Delta high marks for seat comfort and legroom, its stress free check-in and boarding process, and its customer service personnel, who do their best for every flyer. This airline is a fantastic option for those looking to be treated well while on the move. What's more, Delta has recently made a change to the cups it uses onboard, eliminating around 7 million pounds of single use plastic per year from its ecological footprint.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is one of the most luxurious airlines you can fly . The Middle Eastern airline offers long haul flights all across the globe, including one of the world's longest routes in Doha to Auckland, a journey of over 9000 miles. In 2023, it won the Skytrax award for world's best business class for the tenth time. "Qatar Airways is delighted to win the world's best business class award at this year's Skytrax World Airline Awards," Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said in a statement . "This is testimony to the collective endeavor in the airline that enables us to deliver an unsurpassed customer experience." Qatar also scooped the awards for best airline in the Middle East, world's best business class lounge, and world's best business class lounge dining.

Customers have raved about the cabin crew on flight routes across the world and seat comfort is often noted in glowing terms. Qatar's airplanes provide some of the most spacious seats of any airline, allowing passengers to truly relax while flying. Qatar Airways is also renowned for its great meals, friendly staff, and a comfortable travel experience no matter how long your flight might be. What's more, Qatar planes include onboard Wi-Fi and easily accessible charging ports so that you can work or play on mobile devices throughout your transit. The airline also provides roughly 4,000 unique entertainment options including movies, TV shows, and games.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines currently boasts the world's longest flight route, the 9585-mile journey from New York to Singapore. With a flight time of almost 19 hours, it's a good job that this airline is renowned for its comfort and service. The professional cabin crew and the wide array of entertainment options are among the highlights often noted by satisfied passengers. It's one of just seven world class airlines according to The Airline Passenger Experience Association, and the carrier was named number one airline in the world by Skytrax in 2023, inching out Qatar Airways for the top spot.

Singapore offers numerous long haul flights, and it provides short hop flights within its backyard as well. No matter where you're flying to on Singapore Airlines, great baggage allowances, a sterling safety record, and flight attendants that are committed to providing the best experience possible for travelers combine for a fantastic journey. Over 15,000 people have rated the airline as excellent on TripAdvisor , with the legroom, the in-flight entertainment, the food, and the staff all scoring top marks from passengers. "Amazing cabin crew that was attached to the economy class seats," one satisfied customer wrote. "They went above and beyond to help me find a lost earbud."

The Dubai-based airline Emirates has a four-star rating from Skytrax and is among the world's safest carriers. Travelers are given a pretty generous baggage allowance — even with basic economy fares you'll be able to bring a 50 lb (23 kg) checked bag on board with no added cost. Many passengers flying with the airline have singled out the check-in and boarding processes, the inflight entertainment, and the customer service for praise. On TripAdvisor (where the airline has won the travelers' choice award four times), Emirates has been rated excellent by over 36,000 satisfied customers.

In 2023, Emirates was named fourth-best airline in the world by Skytrax. While this was a slight dip (it claimed the third place the year before), it still goes to show just how highly this airline is rated by passengers and industry professionals alike. Emirates connects travelers to 133 destinations across virtually the entire planet. Dubai is a wonderful stopover point for anyone traveling around the world, and it's hard to outdo the country's premium airline when it comes to customer service, comfort on board, and itinerary options. "Food, legroom, toilets, couldn't be faulted," one TripAdvisor user said. "Would highly recommend for a pleasant long haul trip."

Japan Airlines

Skytrax named Japan Airlines as the fifth-best airline worldwide in 2023, and the outfit has been named the best economy class airline by Skytrax on three separate occasions. It offers ample legroom, beating out its competitors in this regard, along with excellent in-flight entertainment and great food on any route within Japan or internationally. Japan Airlines was also named on APEX's list of World Class airlines in 2022, with specific mention given to the carrier for its hospitality and service. "Japan Airlines shares with the rest of the industry a huge responsibility in making air travel both safe and sustainable," the airline's president Yuji Akasaka said following the award. "We will continue to strive towards creating a safe and secure society, and a future that is sustainable."

The little things go a long way on a Japan Airlines plane. Not only do the seats offer great legroom, thanks to a slim design, but each passenger's seating space is also augmented with small touches like power outlets and a water bottle holder. In addition, travelers have access to in-flight Wi-Fi and a fantastic entertainment system housed within a 10.6-inch touchscreen. Travelers often speak highly of the airline's comfort, but they also rave about the check-in process, the food and beverage service, and the customer service experience. The pilots have also come in for praise on TripAdvisor , with one customer writing, "Take off and ascent to cruising altitude was smooth, no sharp turns, and the pilot didn't full throttle to 10,000ft."

JetBlue is a consistent favorite among travelers in North America, particularly on the United States' East Coast: The airline offers connections through multiple airports Florida, New York, and Massachusetts. JetBlue also flies to several airports in California, as well as a smattering of Caribbean and South American destinations and a few European cities. JetBlue was ranked as the best North American airline for customer service (first and business class travel) by J.D. Power in 2023, and passengers appear to agree, ranking seat comfort and customer service highly in reviews. 

JetBlue routinely scores high marks for service in other areas, as well: The airline scooped travelers' choice awards in a four-year block from 2017 to 2020 on TripAdvisor. What's also great about JetBlue is that it has added a  family seating guarantee  to its policies. This means that reservations made together (of the same seating type) will be grouped together to ensure that children aren't separated from their parents while traveling. The airline is also known for its inclusion of free DirecTV, and JetBlue even offers free Wi-Fi across the cabin. Coupled with fantastic legroom for economy seats, JetBlue is a great option for many travelers venturing across the United States and Caribbean.

If being on time is important to you, then you'll love SAS (aka Scandinavian Airlines), which is routinely ranked as one of the most punctual airlines in the sky. SAS is a budget carrier and the national airline of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It operates primarily in Europe but also has routes to North America, East Asia, and North Africa. SAS is part of the Star Alliance airline group, so it throws its lot in with industry giants like Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, and Turkish Airlines, to name but a few.

SAS is consistently rated highly for boarding and check-in services, as well as cleanliness, in-flight entertainment, seat comfort, and amenities. The carrier provides some nice additions for travelers, too, like complementary coffee and tea while in the air, and magazine and newspaper options included in the SAS app. Also, if you're traveling with children, SAS offers great discounts on flight prices. The airline is staffed by true professionals who appear to genuinely care for the travelers they are flying with. Reviews of the airline's performance are largely glowing recommendations of the service and often note the friendliness of the flight attendants.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

If you're a history buff, you'll get a kick out of flying with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which is the oldest carrier in the world still using its original name. In an industry marked by rapid change, KLM has been a stalwart air travel provider for more than 100 years, having been founded in 1919. The airline brings passengers to 150 global destinations and is a SkyTeam member, making it part of a truly gigantic international network of airlines. It did itself proud during the pandemic, receiving a COVID-19 Airline Excellence award for its diligent service during one of the most trying times in aviation history.

Customers who have reviewed the airline have heaped praise on its onboard services, its cleanliness, its boarding and check-in processes, its customer service, and the onboard experience more broadly. The airline's professional yet laid back and approachable cabin crew make flying KLM a genuine pleasure. The crew is made up of more than 10,000 members that work across the airline's fleet, and they all take customer service and the personal touches seriously. A great flight experience capped off by the personalities of the flight attendants is something that KLM travelers have come to expect from every flight, no matter the distance traveled or the cabin section.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines was at the center of a shocking in January 2024 when flight 1282 suffered a door plug blowout and an outer section of the plane fell off, leading to an emergency landing in Oregon. As a result, the airline grounded its fleet of Boeing 737 Max 9 planes and Boeing itself added further quality inspections to the 737 Max. However, this shouldn't reflect badly on Alaska Airlines, a reliable airline that has grown into a high volume carrier serving destinations across the entire United States — it's now the fifth largest in the country and flies to over 115 destinations. 

The airline was named Newsweek's airline for best customer service in 2023, the second year in a row it took the accolade. Passenger reviews paint the same picture, with the airline's onboard experience, seat comfort, and customer service processes all well thought of. Alaska Airlines is also highly regarded when it comes to rewards programs. "Alaska's Mileage Plus loyalty program is top-notch," reports NerdWallet . "Award tickets can be redeemed for as few as 5,000 miles, and miles are accumulated based on the distance you fly, not how much you spent on your ticket." It's also regarded as a very safe airline despite the headline-grabbing blowout — in fact, it was named the safest domestic airline by AirlineRatings.com in 2021.

United Airlines

United Airlines is one of the biggest carriers in the world, with more than 1,300 aircraft in its fleet. Historically it hasn't been able to compete with the cream of the crop, but it's been making strides in recent years. In 2023, United featured in Skytrax's top 100 airlines worldwide, coming in at 49 th  overall. This position might not turn heads, but the American airline jumped up from 60 th  place the year before. Another big leap occurred in AirHelp's rankings between 2018 and 2019, with United vaulting up more than 20 places to 16 th .

So why are people changing their minds about United Airlines all of a sudden? In two words: customer service. Travelers report that the Wi-Fi connection isn't always the most reliable, but they rate the customer service provided by the cabin crew as the airline's best feature. Passengers note specifically that they often find United staff friendly and helpful when facing travel difficulties. Plane cleanliness and the check-in and boarding processes have also been praised.

The reputation of United Airlines took a huge hit in 2017 when airport police violently removed a passenger so a staff member could take his seat. In response, United brass moved quickly to enact policy changes that would prevent similar incidents. "Our policies got in the way of our values," United CEO Oscar Munoz told NBC . United has continued to make changes to its service in an effort to strengthen passenger trust, and, in 2023, the airline announced that it will add an accessibility filter to its website to help travelers with disabilities be more informed.

Our methodology explained

The airlines discussed here are all highly rated by award-giving organizations like J.D. Power, Skytrax, and others. In addition to their prestige in the form of awards, each one of these airlines are consistently touted as providing great customer care by the people who use their services. Travelers often have glowing things to say about every one of these airlines, and for good reason. Each airline listed has worked for years to create a reputation for great service and reliable travel. Some of them have experienced hiccups in the past, but those that have made mistakes have also taken steps to solve broken internal decision making processes in order to improve. These airlines are some of the most comfortable, reliable, and service-driven in the industry according to reviews from real people on websites like TripAdvisor and Flight-Report.com.

Choosing the Best Cell Phone Company for Your International Adventures

Last Updated on April 29, 2024

When jet-setting across the globe, staying connected is crucial. Whether you’re uploading your latest travel pics or checking maps for the nearest café, the right cell phone company can make all the difference. This guide will walk you through selecting the best service provider based on coverage, cost, customer service, and roaming charges, ensuring your international escapades are seamless.

Why Coverage Matters Most

The Breadth of Service When considering a cell phone company for your travels, first and foremost, evaluate their global coverage. The last thing you want is spotty service as you trek through the Andes or sail the Greek islands. Research which companies provide extensive coverage in your target destinations. Some providers have partnerships with local carriers around the world, ensuring better connectivity. Additionally, check for the availability of satellite connectivity options that some providers might offer, ideal for adventurers heading to regions where traditional mobile service is unreliable.

Impact on Your Travel Experience Coverage isn’t just about making calls—it affects your ability to use maps , search for attractions, and even summon emergency services. A company that offers widespread global coverage can significantly enhance your travel experience by keeping you connected and safe. Enhanced coverage can also provide faster internet speeds, reducing the frustration of slow-loading maps or travel guides, crucial when you’re trying to navigate unfamiliar locations.

Cost Considerations

When planning for international travel, budgeting for communication costs is as important as planning for flights and accommodations. This section explains how to navigate the complex landscape of roaming charges and highlights strategies to find the most cost-effective solutions.

Understanding Roaming Charges Cost is a major factor when traveling abroad. Roaming charges can be exorbitant, so it’s crucial to understand how different companies structure these fees. Look for plans specifically designed for travelers, which might offer flat rates for data usage or reduced charges for calls and texts. Some cell phone companies also offer roaming packages that can be activated on the day you travel, which might include a set amount of data and calling minutes, making it easier to manage costs and avoid unexpected charges.

Finding the Best Deals Don’t just settle for the first plan you find. Compare costs among leading cell phone companies and consider prepaid international SIM cards as a budget-friendly alternative. These can often be a more economical choice, especially for longer trips or if you’re visiting multiple countries. Additionally, look into joining international calling plans that some cell phone companies provide, which could offer better rates and features tailored to frequent international travelers. This proactive approach can save substantial money, allowing you to spend more on your travels rather than on connectivity issues.

Prioritizing Customer Service

Effective customer service is crucial when you’re dealing with cell phone companies, especially for travelers who might encounter issues while abroad. This section focuses on the importance of having reliable and accessible support, and how it can significantly enhance your travel experience by providing peace of mind.

Accessibility and Support Abroad Imagine losing your phone in a foreign country or facing technical issues. You’ll want a provider with a robust customer service system that’s accessible internationally. Check if they offer 24/7 support and in multiple languages. Many top cell phone companies now utilize social media and chatbots to provide instant assistance, ensuring help is just a message away, no matter where you are in the world.

Real-World Assistance Good customer service also includes helping travelers understand their plans and manage their accounts remotely. The ability to adjust your plan on-the-go or troubleshoot issues without delay can make a significant difference, especially when you’re in different time zones. Some companies also offer dedicated travel assistance teams that can guide you through setting up international services or dealing with travel-specific challenges like lost or stolen phones.

Comparing International Plans

Choosing the right international plan requires a thoughtful approach as it must align with your travel habits and destinations. This section explains how to tailor plans to individual needs and utilize comparison tools to make informed decisions about which cell phone company to choose.

Tailoring Plans to Your Needs Each traveler’s needs are unique, so find a cell phone company that offers customizable international plans. Whether you need more data or fewer calls, there should be flexibility to adapt your plan to your travel style. Some providers also offer modular plans where you can pick and choose features like international texting or data packs, allowing for a more personalized approach that matches your specific travel itinerary.

Tools for Comparison Use online comparison tools to evaluate different international plans. These can help you visually breakdown what each company offers and at what cost, making it easier to decide which is best suited for your travel needs. Websites like WhistleOut or Wirefly offer detailed comparisons and user reviews, providing a comprehensive overview of plans from various cell phone companies, helping you pinpoint which offers the best value and coverage for your adventures abroad.

Choosing the right cell phone company for international travel involves careful consideration of coverage, cost, customer service, and the specifics of roaming charges. By prioritizing these factors and comparing available plans, you can ensure seamless connectivity on your adventures abroad, enhancing both your safety and enjoyment. Remember, the best choice is one that aligns closely with your travel habits and destination needs. Keep exploring, stay connected, and travel smart!

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More From Forbes

The best places to travel, according to a ranking of where people want to visit again.

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An amazing part of traveling is discovering a new place, but there’s something special about returning to a beloved destination—which also speaks volumes about what makes a place stand out as one of the best.

So what are the places travelers want to return to the most?

Travel insurance specialists InsureandGo recent issued a report ranking the places that travelers are most eager to revisit . To come up with this list, the researchers looked at almost 500 countries, cities and global tourist attractions, then analyzed thousands of comments on Reddit and numerous online reviews to uncover the places that hold the greatest allure for repeat visits.

“There’s no end to the experiences you can have while traveling, with so many different countries and cities around the globe just waiting to be explored,” Russell Wallace, travel insurance expert at InsureandGo, said in a release. “In some instances, however, traveling to the same place repeatedly can in fact, provide a richer experience. Bringing with it a deeper understanding of a destination, along with local insights and maybe even discovering some hidden gems.”

A spring view of Fujiyoshida and Mt. Fuji in Japan, the country that travelers want to visit most.

Topping the list of countries that travelers yearn to revisit is Japan, which is renowned for its rich culture and diverse offerings. With an impressive 324 mentions on Reddit discussions alone, Japan has clearly enchanted visitors with its captivating blend of tradition and modernity, from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the serene landscapes of Kyoto.

Following closely behind Japan are Italy and Spain, two perennial favorites among globetrotters. With 294 and 209 mentions respectively, these Mediterranean gems captivate visitors with their culinary delights, stunning coastlines and architectural wonders.

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When it comes to cities, London—with its iconic landmarks like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London—reigns supreme as the ultimate destination for repeat visits. Rounding out the top five on the list: Paris, Barcelona and New York City (a tie), then Rome.

When it comes to tourist attractions, Dollywood was named the place travelers want to return to most. Set in the heart of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, this theme park—partly owned by the legendary Dolly Parton—delights visitors with its unique blend of entertainment, nostalgia and Southern hospitality. Disneyland in California came in at number two. A number of locations tied for the fifth spot on the list, including Yosemite National Park, England’s Blenheim Palace and Tokyo Disneyland.

Read on for the lists of the places people want to return to; you can find more lists—including the top 50 tourist attractions in the full report .

Japan was named the country people want to return to most. Pictured here: the historic Higashiyama ... [+] district in Kyoto.

Top 10 Countries People Most Want To Return To

5. Thailand

10. Germany

Union Jacks on Oxford Street in London—the city travelers want to return to most.

Top 10 Cities People Most Want To Return To

1 . London, England

2 . Paris, France

3 . Barcelona, Spain (tie)

3 . New York City (tie)

5. Rome, Italy

6. Tokyo, Japan

7. Amsterdam, Netherlands

8. Berlin, Germany

9. Edinburgh, Scotland

10. Mexico City, Mexico

Dollywood sign near the entrance to the theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Top 10 Global Attractions People Most Want To Return To

1. Dollywood - Tennessee

2. Disneyland Park - California

3. Stone Mountain Park - Atlanta

4. Warner Bros Studio Tour - London

5. Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire, U.K. (tie)

5. Busch Gardens - Florida (tie)

5. Crazy Horse Memorial - South Dakota (tie)

5. Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona (tie)

5. Hampton Court Palace - London, U.K. (tie)

5. Tokyo Disneyland - Tokyo, Japan (tie)

5. Universal Studios Florida - Florida (tie)

5. Yosemite National Park - California (tie)

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