The travel industry is complex and full of insider secrets. And never has the travel industry seen the challenges that it is seeing these days. With 911 ushering in terrorism scares left and right and the world’s fuel prices soaring, the travel industry has undergone its share of necessary changes. Unfortunately for passengers, they have been taking the brunt of the price hikes.
If you want to get the most of what the travel industry has to offer these days, you need to be aware of the different policies and procedures as well as their consequences. The savings will go to the educated and the persistent.
For example, you may see a nice discounted fare online, but it may not be the best choice. Check as many options as you could. There is such a thing as a volume discount fee – one of the many hidden fees travel websites stack on customers. An old-fashioned, but effective alternative would be your local newspaper’s travel section.
Believe it or not, you can still save flying as compared to driving, due to exorbitant gas prices. This is especially true if you’re flying a long distance – a similar car trip would cost more due to the costs of survival and lodging. Don’t make a decision without your pencil and calculator.
Another way to save would be through alternate airports. Most of the major cities in the world have at least two airports. And some of these airports can either be cheaper or more expensive to fly into and out of than the main airport. You may sometimes have to spend a little to drive to another city so you can fly out of their airport. This practice can save you hundreds of dollars. The smaller airports are usually more user friendly and offer cheaper or even free parking.
One classic tactic that might save you money is buying two round-trip tickets. Just use the respective leg that you need – one going and one coming back. This is called back to back ticketing and is frowned on by the airlines but is legal in most cases. Check the legality of this method before using and of course the cost savings.
Caveat emptor. Where you book and buy your hotel room could determine the quality and location of the room you get. A hotel determines the room you receive based on what you paid. If you got a deep discount you could be placed in a less desirable location such as near the ice machine or elevator. They would never admit this but to avoid the situation deal directly with the hotel’s website.
Save money by doing away with car rental insurance. Check before you travel to see if your present auto insurance has you covered. If you charge the rental to a credit card most companies cover you automatically. Don’t let yourself be covered twice – remember, car rental employees often earn commissions from this system.
Last minute deals on airlines and hotels can save you a bundle but you must be flexible. Both parties can benefit from something here, because an empty seat is a waste of money in itself. You can get information on these last minute deals by doing quick Internet searches or signing up for email updates.
Travel services today are rarely complimentary. If you are aware of the different options on how to save, you just might get lucky.
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