Welcome to Travel School
written by Sally Black
General Travel Tips
Here are some simple, general rules for saving money and getting more from your travel dollars:
- Ask and You Shall Receive!
Whether you're renting a
car, checking into your hotel or visiting a theme park...Ask what sort of
discounts are available. You'd be surprised how much money you can save
just by asking. Often reservationists and clerks are trained to take your
money and make the reservation. By simply asking questions like “what type
of discounts do you offer?” or “do you have any special rates that might
help us?” you can sometimes save a bundle.
Not only does this apply
to cash discounts but also to upgrades and amenities. When checking into a
hotel, ask to be put in their best available room or ask specifically for
the best view. You'd be surprised at the results. Also ask what services
and amenities they offer. Speak up and be heard. Remember, you are their
guest and you are also a paying customer.
- Comments and Compliments Are Important
Travel is a service industry. This means to be profitable, airlines, hotels, resorts
and cruise lines need to make their customers happy. If something goes
wrong, within reason, most reputable companies want to make it right.
Also, if they do something exceptionally wonderful, they want to hear
about it too. Writing letters and sending emails can often yield you free
travel or discounts on future trips. It's not a guarantee, but it's often
an overlooked opportunity to get additional travel benefits. Use the
internet or call customer service to get the contact information for local
managers, corporate big shots or even the president of the company.
- Off Season Benefits
“High Season” means this is the time of year that everybody wants to go. Because it's a popular time,
travelers can expect to pay a higher price or premium. Obviously some
destinations, events or types of vacation are very dependent on the
weather, season or calendar. Yet travelers can often save 50% or more by
visiting during “low season”. Besides saving a bundle, there is also the
benefit of less crowds. You can also expect to see terms like “mid-season” or
“shoulder season”. This is the the time of year between high and low
season. Usually rates fall somewhere between the high and low season
prices.
The holiday season is another time of year when you can expect
to pay more. Again, higher demand means higher prices. When planning and
pricing your trip, you may see small print that says something about
“black out dates may apply”. Simply translated, it means expect to pay
higher prices on specific dates.
- Days of the Week and Departure Times Make a Difference
People like to use their days off to their
advantage. Most like to travel on the weekends. Again, when something is
in demand, you'll pay a premium for it. If you can travel mid week, you
will usually save money. With flights, the time of day your flight departs
also is worth comparing. It all depends on what cities are your departure and
arrival cities. For example, sometimes you'll save a bundle flying in the
evening. If you're visiting the relatives, this may work to your benefit.
If you're paying for an extra night in a hotel, you'll need to weigh and
measure the value.
- Being Flexible Pays Off
Check out the possibilities when doing your comparison shopping. Sometimes, driving a bit further to a
larger hub airport instead of flying from your local airport may save you
money. In other cases, the exact opposite can be the case. Being flexible
and open to other options and possibilities can help your budget. Much
depends on your circumstances. If you are traveling with infants or small
children, convenience might be worth every penny.
- Shop the Restrictions
Unless you're a millionaire, comparing prices when you're planning a trip is a must. When doing so, it
is extremely important to read and understand the fine print. Often price
is determined by restrictions. Usually the lower the price, the more
restrictions are attached. For example, you might be searching for a
flight between New York and San Francisco. You might find that there are
seats available on the same flight in coach class but one costs
significantly more. If you read the fine print, you'll find that the
higher price ticket is “unrestricted”. This means you are completely
flexible to change your plans if you change your mind. The cheaper fare is
probably restricted. This means, if you want to change your flight
arrangements, you will pay a fee or lose out entirely.
Depending
on your particular circumstance, you need to take restrictions into
careful consideration. It's great to save a bunch on discount tickets or
vacation packages but if your plans change, it could end up costing you
more in the long run. Restricted fares can save you upwards of 70% off
regular airfares. By all means, use them to your advantage...just make
intelligent choices and above all, understand the fine print.
- Plan Ahead or Be Spontaneous
This sounds a bit schizoid but it is something to consider. It used to be that the farther
ahead you made your reservations, the lower the price you paid. Airlines
charged different rates for reservations made 21, 14 or less than 7 days
from your departure date. Times are good for airlines and hotels right
now. Lots of people are traveling and it's hard to sometimes get
availability. This is a good reason to shop around, get your best price
and plan ahead.
Even in the best of times there are empty seats, cruise
cabins and hotel rooms. If you are spontaneous and can be flexible with
time away from school or work, you can find some fantastic deals and
bargains by making last minute reservations. Again, use your head. I
would not depend on a last minute fare if I were best man in my brother's
wedding!
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