We think booking sites like Kayak, Expedia and Agoda are some of the best ways to book travel. But much like the other great booking sites, there are many versions of each. There’s the UK version, US version, Dutch version – you get the idea. And which one you choose to book with may cost you extra – or save you a bunch of money. If savings easily over $50 would be handy for you, you’ll want to do a deep dive into this clever way to save money on travel.
Always Compare
Comparing all the best flight booking sites and best hotel booking sites, including booking direct with the airline or hotel is crucial. You’ll know for sure you’ve found the best price, which make you feel good. But don’t stop there, you can likely still do better. All you’ll need requires just a couple extra minutes of investigation and an extra click.
Different Results
Sites like Kayak are brilliant, because they show you results from over 300 other booking sites, and give you a link to go book the best deals. But if you’re using the US or any other version, you’ll see different booking sites than any other version offers. A Dutch version may take you to dutch booking sites that wouldn’t show up on the US version, and may have access to different prices. Comparing the different Kayak country sites will often net even better prices.
For Example
We just searched flights from London to Bangkok. Our first search on the UK (Kayak.co.uk) version of the Kayak site turned up results of £476. You could choose quite a few booking sites to actually book. £476 is $660. But when we searched again using the US version (Kayak.com), we got a grand total of $611 all in. That’s a total of £440, an instant savings of £36 or $49. Of course, for a different search the results could be the opposite.
Big Key
A big key to taking advantage of these (almost) guaranteed savings from comparison shopping is using a credit card, debit card or other payment method which will not add a surcharge for paying in another currency. Even with a 3% fee, you may still save, but you’ll save less. In the example above, paying with a card that charges 3% international transaction fee would shave £16 off the savings for a savings of £20 instead of £36. The same applies whichever currency you pay in.
Nothing To Lose
It’s all up to you! You’ve got absolutely nothing to lose, other than a few minutes of your day. With savings potentially in the hundreds or even thousands depending on what you’re booking – we think this is an excellent opportunity to save money, which can go towards hotels or maybe just a very welcomed cocktail upon arrival! Or maybe just paying off the trip! Either way, saving is good.
