These eight great ways to find travel deals will save you money, time, and stress on your next and every trip.
- Twitter. Follow the Twitter accounts of individual airlines, hotels and hotel chains, rental car companies, cruise lines, and other travel companies. Journalists, travel industry experts, and other Twitter users also tweet travel deals. TIP: I created a Twitter list, and frequently check it for travel deal news.
- Facebook. Airlines, hotels and hotel chains, rental car companies, cruise lines, and other travel companies can have more creative sweepstakes, surveys, and other promotional methods on Facebook.
- Email. Register for email notifications from airlines, hotels and hotel chains, rental car companies, cruise lines, and other travel companies and let then tell you when they are having a sale.
- Travelzoo. The Travelzoo Top 20 travel deals list is released around noon Eastern US time every Wednesday. It is full of air, lodging, cruise, vacation package, and car rental travel deals. TIP: Register to have an email automatically delivered when the travel deal list is published.
- Research. You can go the do-it-yourself route and find your own travel deals. After all, who knows what you are looking for better than you. McCool Travel helps the DIY travel consumer save money, time, and stress. Here are a few articles about finding cheaper flights, cheaper lodging, and cheaper rental cars and cruises.
- FlyerTalk. As a DIY travel deal researcher, my favorite source for learning about travel deals is FlyerTalk. Specifically, I like to peruse the FT forums called Mileage Run Deals and Hotel Deals. FTers are the most knowledgeable and active frequent travelers—TIP: and often find and announce travel deals before any other source.
- Ask. That’s right. Just simply ask for cheaper hotel room, cheaper rental car rate, or lower package vacation price. I often end up with some unpublished rate (not available online or by telephone), a newer car, or better hotel room–just by asking. You may be pleasantly surprised with a much better travel deal. If not, you may learn something (I always do).
- Travel Agents. Who spends all day, every day, looking at travel deals? Travel agents! Let them know what you want and they will find you a travel deal–saving you time and stress (along with money).
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