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Consumer Reports: Tips to Find the Best Travel Deals
Consumer Reports: Tips to find the best
travel deals
Need a vacay, like, right now? ShopSmart, the shopping magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports, suggests these sites that make last-minute travel cheap and easy to book. Each one of them meets ShopSmart’s requirements for contact info disclosure and customer service.
In addition, check out the last-minute travel sections of the Big Three sites (Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity). And try GetARoom.com (800-468-3578) for super-low unpublished room deals.
AIRBNB.COM
BEST FOR living like a local. Users can rent private rooms in people’s homes or entire homes. With more than half a million listings (including 600 castles) in 34,000 cities, it can save you from a bland hotel -- and save you money. ShopSmart found an entire three-bedroom house in the Riverdale section of New York City, just minutes north of Manhattan, for $150 per night. Safety tip: Opt for hosts with a Verified ID badge; they provide proof of identity.
BOOKING.COM
BEST FOR finding a hotel room. Get the best of both worlds: Search every hotel in a city and book your favorite (you don’t pay until you show up). The Best Price Guarantee means if you see a cheaper price, the site will match it. But discounts such as AAA’s aren’t covered.
GETGOING.COM.
BEST FOR nice surprises. Feeling adventurous? With GetGoing’s Pick Two, Get One program, you enter your preferred travel dates and the experience you want (say, a beach vacation or an outdoor adventure), and the website finds flights to different cities at up to 40 percent off. The site makes the final decision for you. After you enter your credit card info, you find out where you’re going on vacation.
TRAVEFY.COM.
BEST FOR group travel. These tools take the pain out of coordinating a group trip. You can all vote on a location, book flights and accommodations, agree on your itinerary and even split shared costs. Join the rewards program to earn points for everything you do. Points are redeemable for gift cards and more.
Need a vacay, like, right now? ShopSmart, the shopping magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports, suggests these sites that make last-minute travel cheap and easy to book. Each one of them meets ShopSmart’s requirements for contact info disclosure and customer service.
In addition, check out the last-minute travel sections of the Big Three sites (Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity). And try GetARoom.com (800-468-3578) for super-low unpublished room deals.
AIRBNB.COM
BEST FOR living like a local. Users can rent private rooms in people’s homes or entire homes. With more than half a million listings (including 600 castles) in 34,000 cities, it can save you from a bland hotel -- and save you money. ShopSmart found an entire three-bedroom house in the Riverdale section of New York City, just minutes north of Manhattan, for $150 per night. Safety tip: Opt for hosts with a Verified ID badge; they provide proof of identity.
BOOKING.COM
BEST FOR finding a hotel room. Get the best of both worlds: Search every hotel in a city and book your favorite (you don’t pay until you show up). The Best Price Guarantee means if you see a cheaper price, the site will match it. But discounts such as AAA’s aren’t covered.
GETGOING.COM.
BEST FOR nice surprises. Feeling adventurous? With GetGoing’s Pick Two, Get One program, you enter your preferred travel dates and the experience you want (say, a beach vacation or an outdoor adventure), and the website finds flights to different cities at up to 40 percent off. The site makes the final decision for you. After you enter your credit card info, you find out where you’re going on vacation.
TRAVEFY.COM.
BEST FOR group travel. These tools take the pain out of coordinating a group trip. You can all vote on a location, book flights and accommodations, agree on your itinerary and even split shared costs. Join the rewards program to earn points for everything you do. Points are redeemable for gift cards and more.
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