I used to travel quite a bit in the ā70s and ā80s 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 ā80s using the āeaasy SABREā system. It began a new era for travelersāa new kind of convenience: self-service.
Travelocity began in 1996, offering travelers online travel servicesānot just flights, but hotels and car rentals too. Then came the competition with Orbitz, Expedia, and Priceline. These online āagentsā bought reservations in bulk at significantly reduced rates and passed much of the savings on to the travelers. Priceline patented their ābiddingā process, enabling travelers to āname their own priceā 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 āhave your cake and eat it too.ā 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 āmatchā the price. A colleague of mine gave me the best advice: āWhen you bid online, donāt be shyābid low.ā He stays at 4-star hotels for $75 per night! For those who donāt plan ahead, there are ālast minuteā deals. Thatās where you can take advantage of the unused reservations the online travel agencies purchased but didnāt use. Whether you plan ahead or just take a last minute getaway, donāt pay full fare. Thereās a ādealā just waiting for you.
Next issue: New autoābuy or lease? I want to make sure the topics in the Frugal Forum are hitting the mark. I would really like to hear from you. Send me your questions or ideas that you would like to share. Mail to: The Frugal Forum, P.O. Box 693, Huntley, IL 60142 or Email: thefrugalforum@gmail.com.
