TIPS

Travel Trips

Whether you're a business traveler or planning a family vacation, here are some travel tips to save you some money and headaches. The lowest and the cheapest travel deals sometimes are not the best deals. Today, travelers could be overwhelmed by the amount travel deals being offered. Additionally, you should shop and compare deals until you run out of options I usually start with Expedia.com or Orbitz.com to select the hotel and destination and to get an idea of how the place I am going looks like, since they have plenty of pictures and information.

• Book your trip directly if you can. Travel agents usually charge a lot more (get rid of the middle man!).
• Booking for a vacation package usually is the best choice for some destinations, since you get discounts from online travel agencies for booking together.
• Compare prices online for the best deal. There are websites like sidestep.com and kayak.com that help travelers to shop and compare. Some also provide travel tips and guidelines.
• If you don't have kids or have to travel in a particular season you need to play with that too. Some travel destinations are cheapest at certain times or season of the year. Booking for an off-peak season also would give you a better deal.
• Be flexible with travel dates and times. Some airlines and hotels offer great discounts if you book one or two days earlier.
• Smaller airlines often have lesser fees. Additionally, small airlines don't necessarily mean smaller airplanes.
• Plan ahead. The earlier you book, the better deal you will have.
• You could buy trip insurance (I never do), but I would recommend it. If you end up being sick in foreign country, your insurance back home might not cover it.
• once you had a hotel and your destination in mind is a good idea to check on tripadvisor.com and see what others say about your hotel and destination. After you do all your research Call the hotel directly and check if they can give you a better price.
• Sign up for hotel and airline awards programs. Chain hotels usually have award programs; take advantage of it especially if you are a frequent business traveler.

Finally, never stop bargaining, always explore the possibility of lower airfare, lower hotel rates. However, it is important to weigh and compare all options since not all cheap travel deals will give you the travel value you deserved. Travel will be more enjoyable if you get the most of your hard earn vacation budget.