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Booking & Planning Guide
Frequently Asked Questions: Travel and Booking Help Online Booking Websites Begin your research for domestic and international airfares at these websites. All are simple to use and most offer email notifications of price reductions on routes you specify.
SideStep - Start here! This "meta-site" searches all the airline and online booking sites listed below, and displays all fares that meet your search criteria. When you find a fare you like, you get taken directly to the supplier to finish your booking. This helps avoid booking fees and allows you to use/accumulate bonus points and frequent flyer miles.
More online booking resources: BiddingforTravel - Tips for effective bidding on Priceline Seatguru.com - Find out the best and worst seats on any given airplane! JohnnyJet - Lists the toll-free numbers for all airlines
Having trouble finding that great deal Clark mentioned? All fares reported by Clark (or published on the Travel Deals page) are valid and active at the time of publication. However, sometimes the deals don't appear on the Online Booking sites. Why is this, and what can you do about it?
First, be aware of the listed restrictions and blackout dates.
The lowest fares are often only offered on a select number of seats. If you see a fare that seems too good to be true, we suggest calling an travel agent immediately. Travel agents have access to a professional database called Worldspan (which is where we find our deals), but often the limited number of sale seats sell out before they're published on the online booking sites -- or even the airline's own website. (In fact, calling the airline can sometimes be the least effective way to get the deal! It's not in their interest to make these specials easy to find, and they're often not even visible to the airline agents.)
Airline Codes: Some deals must be booked directly on the website of the offering airline, and you'll sometimes see a "Reference Code" alongside the deal. These airline codes provide information about advance purchase, minimum stay and other rules. If a fare code is provided, you can give this code to the airline or travel agent to help them locate the deal. However, they are useless for Internet bookings. Clark wants you to compare prices at several travel websites first to make sure you're getting the best deal. If it is the best deal, go ahead and call the airline or agency and provide the fare code.
Be Flexible for the Best Deals
When you have firm travel plans, start gathering airfare quotes several weeks in advance, but resist making a purchase until you know the fare patterns between two cities, or until a too-hard-to-pass-up deal comes along.
Purchase airline tickets to a city when it's priced far below regular sale fare levels - or at a rock bottom rate. Then, figure out why you want to go there. Eventually you'll see the world at a fraction of the normal price!
Visit foreign cities during off-season when airfares are at their lowest. There aren't half as many tourists and hotels are often deeply discounted with various specials.
You will pay significantly more for your travel if you insist on traveling to a specific destination, on a specific outbound and return date, and/or at specific times of the day. Creating this 'box' will leave you few opportunities to take advantage of sale airfares.
Many of the best deals must be booked online at the site of the offering airline. If a fare basis "Code" is provided, phone orders can be placed to the airline or a travel agent. But Clark suggest you always try to book via the Internet. That way you'll have a paper copy of your booking. Also, compare prices at several travel Web sites before making a purchase.
Tips on Internet bookings Booking an airline ticket on the Internet, or at an individual airline site can be time consuming and frustrating! It's a complete guessing game as to what dates and times discount seats are available. There is no good advice to pass on to eliminate this problem. It's as if the airlines want you in this vulnerable position. But let's say you're searching for a special fare between Atlanta and City B. You have a good idea of what the price should be, but the system returns a much higher airfare. You may even try again and again with the same results. Here's a couple of ideas why:
Taxes and fees are not included in advertised airfares. These junk charges can add up to 20 percent on domestic tickets nearly $250 on international ticket purchases. Look carefully at your quote. Does it include all fees?
Special fares may be buried and you may simply have to try every time of the day, or days within a week pre- or post of your desired travel date to find the deal. For example, if you are specific on pull-down menus for a 1:00PM departure and a 5:00PM return, you may receive a higher fare quote. Discount seats may still be available for an early morning departure and a mid-day return. Again, there's no way to know this until you modify your time and date preferences - several times.
Revisit various web sites a couple of times a week for rate changes, or...
Sign up at various sites to receive e-mail promotions, notifications of sales, or reductions for your desired city pair. This search will give you a pattern of prices for comparison.
Read all the fine print at the web site you finally book with. Be sure that you are totally comfortable about policies, terms and pre-and-post customer service. What if you have a problem to solve? Does the web site have a real phone number and address? Can you live with a purchase that doesn't permit refunds or changes? Are you willing to pay fees for processing/handling/delivery fees?
We like SideStep - a program that automatically detects when you are searching airline or travel web sites for airline tickets, hotels and auto rentals. The program pops up on a small portion of your screen while searching the best of web deals from hundreds of sites. Direct links will take you directly to the company or airline for booking.
Whenever possible, make your general airfare search 'flexible' - don't fill in dates or times - just city pairs. Travelocity offers this option at its Home page. This way you will see calendar dates where cheap seats are offered.
No guarantees
If you do not see a "purchase by" date associated with a particular sale mentioned on Clark's Travel Deals page, treat the offer as a one-day sale and purchase tickets as quickly as possible. Those deals typically expire before 11pm, and calling the airline or booking online may not always work. If you're unlucky with one format - try the other! Don't forget that travel agents are a reliable source of airfare updates and current specials.
Is my hometown on sale? How do I search out sales to cities in Asia or Europe or Caribbean Islands? Clark's Travel Deals page is full of ongoing and HOT deals to many worldwide destinations. But what if you want to cut to the chase and search for deals to your favorite city? Here's a tip. Once you click onto the Travel Tips page, click the Control key and "F" key together to create your own search. Enter a desired city and you'll see details of available sales.
How do I use the airfare codes? To eliminate great confusion, airfare codes are no longer published. If you still want to know about them - they are useful only to an airline rep or a travel agent. Codes are a reference that provides information about advance purchase, minimum stay and other rules. They are useless for Internet bookings.
Vacation planning The Internet is a traveler's best tool for researching a holiday destination. Try this when looking for places to stay and what attractions are not to be missed: Pull up one of your favorite search engines, such as Google, Yahoo or others. Type in the name of the city you want to find out more about adding the key words - Tourism, or Sightseeing. Results will take you to official sites, or ones that don't want to sell you something. You'll find links to other recommended sites to book a hotel or to make other arrangements. Find out what your fellow travelers think about a destination at Trip Advisor.
Tips to Europe The sagging dollar isn't keeping travelers from heading to Europe! Steady demand means you will have to be strategic about finding decent discounts. Don't fall for paying full fares. Instead, consider traveling during an alternate season.
The lowest fares of the year are offered during 'low' season which runs from November 1-March 31. Slightly higher 'shoulder' season fares are for travel from April 1-May 31 and again for October travel. 'High' season runs from early to mid-June through early to mid-September.
The key to savings is flexibility! Don't box yourself into a set destination for specific travel dates. If you do you are play into those seasonal airfares and cannot take advantage of discounts. Another key is to wait, wait some more, and watch for discounting during the season you plan to travel.
Travel only during shoulder and winter months when airfares are dirt cheap! That may be a huge sacrifice, but you'll save huge dollars if you are flexible enough to visit cities ONLY when deep reductions are offered, such as when new service to a city is announced with introductory prices.
Does your school schedule prevent you from taking advantage of off-season specials? Teachers, students and other full-time students can find decent summer airfares and specials, with STA Travel.
How do I find a good travel agent? First, ask your friends, neighbors, co-workers or people that brag about their fabulous vacations to refer you to their agent. These references can be the most reliable and the best way to start. Working with and establishing a good relationship with a travel agent could aid you in your search for low airfares and with extensive trip planning. Yes, travel agents do charge fees that range from a percentage of airfare to a flat fee, but your ultimate savings could put you on the plus side. Find a travel agent at ASTA or a cruise professional CLIA.
How do I find hotel and car rental deals?
Nearly all name-brand hotel chains are pulling away from placing special rates from third-party travel Web sites and now ensure consumers of the absolute lowest rates when booking directly at specific brand sites. You should still shop several general travel Web sites and compare rates at at the general brand Web site.
If you don't care about staying at a specific hotel, consider a purchase at Hotwire or Priceline. Review the details on how hotels are 'rated' and terms of purchase before completing a non-refundable sale.
Shop car rental rates at many sites and then bid a bit lower at Priceline - after all, a car is a car... Auto rentals from Priceline will get you wheels from the brand names you trust.
Flying on a bankrupt airline? You should not experience any kind of change in flight services when traveling with an airline operating under bankruptcy protection. However, should the courts decide differently you could be left high and dry since ticket holders are considered 'unsecured creditors.' Normal cancellation policies are still enforced - but if a bankrupt airline suspends, interrupts or discontinues a route, you're entitled to a full refund. You can travel on that same ticket on other airline serving that route, without additional charge, within 60 days of the disruption but on a space available, first-come basis. Be sure to keep your passenger receipt or get yourself a paper ticket. One will be required by any other carrier if you must be reaccommodated. ---------- What about future ticket purchases? If you don't want to take chances, book away from any Chapter 11 airline - which currently includes Aloha, ATA, Delta, Northwest, United, and USAirways. Always purchase airline tickets with a credit card. Consumers have a 60-day chargeback right should an airline cease to operate. This gets complicated: The Fair Credit Billing Act requires that you make a chargeback request in writing no later than 60 days after receiving your statement showing the airline ticket charge. If you made a purchase more than 60 days in advance, and your airline ceases to operate, you may have no claim to a credit. Also, check with your credit card issuer to find out if they will permit these same chargeback rights if you purchase a ticket on an airline which has filed for bankruptcy - some issuers may not protect you should the airline cease operations. ---------- What about my SkyMiles or WorldPerk mileage? Redeem them now for flights or consider donating them. ---------- Should I get travel insurance? Travel insurance policies should always be purchased when you are taking a cruise, a tour or traveling on a trip that requires pre-payment of thousands of dollars. Policies are designed to protect consumers in the event of illness or to provide a refund in the case of company, tour operator or airline default. Policies cost about 5% of total cost of a trip, but it's worth it. Consumers should always purchase a policy independent of the cruise, tour or vacation planner. Never purchase the trip protection plan from the trip organizer. They are designed to protect only the company and not the consumer. Always pay deposits and final payments by a real credit card and never by debit card or check. For more on travel insurance, see Clark's guide. ---------- Review these FAQ pages from Northwest Airlines or Delta.
Get help at the Travel Message Board If you post a basic airfare inquiry about a specific city, it's likely that your fellow Travel Message Board readers won't have the answer either. Spend some time researching basic airfare questions at various web sites listed above. If you are seeking recommendations on a hotel in a particular city, it helps to define your low/high price point.
