I've been shopping for vacations online since 1999. It really isn't that tough. You just have to get over the myth that buying online isn't trustworthy. You can most definitely find fantastic deals online, especially if you're flexible.Some of my favorite websites for travel shopping are:
It really does pay to comparison shop online - search it out a few different ways. Try typing "fare sale, discount fares to Salt Lake City" for example, and see what comes up.
It can also pay to find 'coupons.' These are codes for online shopping that you can type in when you are checking out your 'cart' and finalizing your purchase. Search 'orbitz coupons' or 'discount coupon codes for orbitz,' etc. You'll find that sometimes you can save tens to hundreds this way (in addition to your already decent deals). Or you can do online rebates through www.ebates.com. I have received several rebate checks from them, so I know they are reputable and legit!
Sometimes the best deals are packages - buy air and hotel all at once and it comes out cheaper (usually, but not always). Search 'discount vacation packages to...' and see what comes up. It always pays to search a little before settling on any particular site. To search, you can just type those words into the address bar at the top of your computer, or go to a formal search engine site such as www.google.com.
Happy Vacation Planning (and feel free to take me along)!
Sarah
