Picture this: you're lying on a beach with sand the color of champagne. The only thing you hear is the sound of gentle waves lapping the shore and palm trees swaying in the slight breeze.
What's more, it's winter, and everyone you know back home is shoveling snow, turning up the heat in their homes, and burying their bodies in layer upon layer of clothing. To cap off the scenario, you planned your whole vacation online, snagged the best cheap airfare, and saved hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
Millions have made this idyllic vision a reality by using the Net to plan the vacation of their dreams. Travelers booking their vacations online can take one of two approaches. Some book their entire vacation - airfare, lodging, and car rental - through an online booking engine.
Meanwhile, others book airfare on an online booking engine and take care of details like lodging and car rentals separately (and online, of course).
There are many online booking sites, and each one has its own unique qualities. The companies hosting these sites help consumers save money through one of several methods.
Many slash prices on airline and train seats, hotel and cruise ship rooms, and rental cars by acting as a wholesaler and purchasing large blocks of these commodities from suppliers.
In these arrangements, suppliers cannot sell those blocks of seats, rooms, or rental cars to anyone except for the customers of the booking company that purchased the items. The booking sites then offer these goodies at a discount to their customers.
Another method booking agencies use is to offer customers discounts on seats, rooms, and cars that have not been purchased or are sitting vacant.
If you are planning to use a booking site, it is important to be creative, and remain flexible. This does not mean a trip can't be booked within a specific time frame; however, it does mean that with a little research (examining alternative airports to fly into, traveling on different days, etc.), an incredible variety of options can become available to the average traveler.
Pricing is most likely the driving factor behind most people's decision to book online, but a website's ease of use and features are also important considerations in choosing an online booking company.
Each site differs depending on the user. For example, some sites offers attractive graphics. Visitors to the site can click on a variety of options, including flights, hotels, cars, cruises, packages, deals, and customer care (it also allows users to select an airline to fly with).
These more advanced sites contains some interesting features in which visitors can read about news in the travel world and get updated weather forecasts in any area of the United States.
They will even feature a Rewards section which is similar to a frequent-flier program, where travelers get points for each use of the site that can add up to future savings. They will even offer perks, such as movie certificates for customers who book a certain number of airline tickets or hotel rooms.
These sites will partner with charter companies such as airlines, hotels and car rental companies. They can also partner with search engines so they can access unsold inventory.
Then there are other sites which are designed for people who are more flexible about their travel plans. If you don't mind saving money by traveling off-season, comparison shopping for prices at different airports, or booking their flights fast, these are the sites for you.
These type of sites recommends travelers search in urban areas for hotels (where they will find more choices and lower prices) and remain open to accepting many different car models to increase the odds of saving money on car rentals.
Years ago, before the Internet revolution, travel agents booked flights on an industry database called Sabre. The advent of the online explosion allowed travel agencies to put their online reservation systems on top of this database.
Depending on the professionalism and reputation of the site, you will find that the best sites offer great features such as the Guides and Advice tab. This allows you to have a "virtual' travel expert offer vacation ideas based on your preferences for location, dining options, activities and more.
You will then be able to narrow the list of options you prefer and receive package prices for selected vacations. This is a really helpful option for the traveler who isn't sure where to go.
Guides and Advice has other helpful information. Type in your departure city, the dates or approximate date range you can travel in, and how much you want to spend. In an instant, you'll find out where your budget will take you at that time. There is also a currency converter and other travel tools that come in handy.
If you are looking to travel to Europe or elsewhere and you are strapped for cash, keep your eyes open to discounted flights. Extraordinarily low fares can be found on these sites. Buyers logging on to these sites should be aware that it is up to them to add in all the taxes and service fees to the quotes they receive.
Domestic airline tickets are always electronic (they can be picked up at the airport before or on the day of travel), while tickets booked to Europe and other parts of the world arrive in the customer's residential mailbox in paper ticket form.
Other sites available also allow the user can receive quotes on cruises, hotels, cars, tours, and airline tickets to places in the United States and other parts of the world. It contains tools to finding low airfares, including a form that can be filled out and sent to the company, which then sends back quotes from five live agents. Furthermore, you will also be able to access travel news, chats, and other features.
The only problem with sites such as these is that they are text heavy and contain barely any graphics. They are simply jam-packed with information for the traveler who wants to be thoroughly informed.
The sites are filled with links that answer commonly asked questions, and also include a cornucopia of travel goodies, such as world maps, distances, information on vaccinations, a world clock, and more. Online booking agencies are a great way to get cheap airfares and accommodations.
Most online booking engines have 800-numbers with real customer service personnel who will verify reservations and answer questions.
Booking a vacation online is an adventure in itself. It shows travelers the gazillions of options that are available to them, some they may not have even thought of before. It can open up a world of excitement, or a tranquil sanctuary, to anyone with a computer.