I used to travel quite a bit in the â70s and â80s and would rely heavily on travel agencies to schedule and book my airline, limo, hotel, and rental car arrangements. As a business traveler, I had a frequent traveler profile with my travel agency. They knew my travel preferences: favorite airlines, hotels, and car rentals. The convenience was wonderful. The travel agency was instructed to use the lowest cost providers among several carriers and hotels. I remember when American Airlines started to let customers schedule their own flights in the â80s using the âeaasy SABREâ system. It began a new era for travelersâa new kind of convenience: self-service.
Travelocity began in 1996, offering travelers online travel servicesânot just flights, but hotels and car rentals too. Then came the competition with Orbitz, Expedia, and Priceline. These online âagentsâ bought reservations in bulk at significantly reduced rates and passed much of the savings on to the travelers. Priceline patented their âbiddingâ process, enabling travelers to âname their own priceâ to reap significant discounts on travel and lodging. The airlines responded with travel awards and VIP treatment to coax travelers to book their travel directly with them. Now you can âhave your cake and eat it too.â Book your travel through Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz, or another online travel agency and provide them your frequent traveler number with your favorite airline or hotel. It is getting tougher to catch great deals on airlines. Some travelers will compare hotel rates online and then call the hotel to see if they will âmatchâ the price. A colleague of mine gave me the best advice: âWhen you bid online, donât be shyâbid low.â He stays at 4-star hotels for $75 per night! For those who donât plan ahead, there are âlast minuteâ deals. Thatâs where you can take advantage of the unused reservations the online travel agencies purchased but didnât use. Whether you plan ahead or just take a last minute getaway, donât pay full fare. Thereâs a âdealâ just waiting for you.
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