Everyone wants to take a break from school, work or their home, but traveling has become very expensive. Here are some sites, agencies and tips for getting the best travel discounts.
Top-rated travel websites for the best discounts include Priceline.com, Expedia.com and Booking.com. These sites help users find the best deals on hotels, cars, flights, vacation packages, cruises and more with an easy-to-use interface.
A quick tip for booking a hotel through a travel site: Call the hotel after viewing the price online. Sometimes hotels can give you a better deal over the phone. Also, booking an apartment or home through websites such as Airbnb.com may be cheaper than reserving a hotel room.
Although many people generally use travel websites to book their vacations today, travel agencies still have the ability to find hotels, flights and vacation packages for discounted rates without all of the confusion. With a travel agent, the customer does not have to lift a finger to search for the deals, because the agent is able to search for them. Blue Ribbon Travel has locations in both Levittown and Port Washington, and offers constant deals on their website and through their travel agents.
“Usually, when you want to get the best deals, you should book your vacation two to three months in advance,” said Debbie Falco of Blue Ribbon Travel. “If you go through a travel agency, we have the means of going to different vendors and companies to get a cheaper rate. Always book in advance, especially during holiday season and definitely book them as soon as you know, even possibly a year before.”
If you’re thinking of taking a trip to the Bahamas to lay in the sand, Blue Ribbon Travel says the best time to go is during September through November. However, the weather can be unpredictable, so you just have to be careful.
“Usually the most expensive time to go to Europe is the summer months from May to September,” said Falco. “The off-season is usually the best time to go because it’s cooler and less crowded.”
Airfare is usually the most expensive part of a vacation. The cheapest times to travel are the first two weeks of December (between the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush), the last three weeks in January and early February. Most of spring and fall are considered travel dead zones with the exception of the “spring break” weeks in both March and April.
There is also a time to buy cheaper plane tickets. For domestic flight tickets, one should buy tickets four months before the departure date for the cheapest tickets. For international flights, one should purchase tickets either five-and-a-half or one-and-a-half months before the departure. Peak travel season occurs in June, July, August, and December. If you need to travel during these months, a ticket should be purchased two months prior to the departure date.
It’s time to take advantage of the travel websites and agencies, get discounts, and take that well-deserved vacation.
Visit www.travelblueribbon.com for more information about vacation deals through Blue Ribbon Travel.
