How do you shop for air and hotel package discounts?

[DandyDon]

I find that with many destinations it pays to shop for air and hotel in a package, selecting dive operators separately, but while that certainly does not apply to all - it's a good idea to consider I think. This came up on the "August" thread and I almost reposted on General Travel, but I think the mini-study will be more beneficial here on the Coz forum.

For those that have booked already, or about to...where did you do your booking? Travel agent, online, airline vacation package?

Why did you pick where you are staying? Was it price, have you stayed there before, was it recommended by someone else, or just shoot in the dark and see how it's going to be?

We usually book our trips using three travel sites: bookit.com, applevacations.com and cheapcaribbean.com

I usually quote the exact same package with all three (and even switch up days looking for the best deal). Whichever is cheapest gets the book. This year the difference was over $200 between them when we booked.

Picked our hotel on a combination of price, amenities, and reviews. I think a lot of that is personal preference and it's a formula you have to come up with yourself.

But August can't get here quick enough...

It's our first time diving in Cozumel, although we have snorkled there before (before being dive certified). Cozumel sounds like an awesome place to dive, and the airfare from the U.S. is pretty attractive.

I really had hoped that Dweaver would ask again on a new thread for a bigger response, but good answer, nice approach. I tried a current date view comparison of how those three did for my Amarillo to Coz trip on Aug 21-28 compared to my usual approach - air & hotel packages, 2 travelers sharing room...

Bookit gave 20 hotel options with a lot of nice choices on extras, cheapest with Suites Colonial and Suites Bahia @ $420 each, Villablanca @ $460, Fiesta Americana @ $519 and others of course - but on further exploration those prices did not includes taxes. Adding $160.39 each to the Fiesta America = $680; I didn't go back to check the others; grr, hate it when they do that.

Apple failed me. Did not include Amarillo as an origin and with Lubbock did not offer Cozumel.

Cheapcarribean gave 12 options, cheapest with Fiesta Americana cheapest @ $630.56 plus applicable tax and fees and "MANDATORY FEES" - huh, the bellman and maid fees weren't included?! :shocked2: Trip Mate Hurricane and Weather Travel Protection Plan and some other extras are included but I think you can take those off; I do trip insurance, but I pick my own, and some don't do it at all - but it looks like you can take that cost off on the next page. Total with taxes and fees 1453.41 = $727 each. Nice try - next.

Sidestep: I like to start with them as they offer choices thru various booking sites including the above, including taxes and fees but I did wonder how they would hold up in this test? 25 choices starting with Bazar Colonial and Hotel Bahia @ $570/$470 after coupon*, Villablanca 2 $634/$534 after coupon*, Fiesta Americana @ $676/$576 after coupon* - as I watch closely for links to Orbitz where I can use the * 200entertain discount to take $200 off per room, actually working best with cheaper hotels and private rooms like we did. :cool2:

Orbitz search offered 24 properties starting with Bazar Colonial and Hotel Bahia @ $560/$460 after coupon*, Villablanca 2 $616/$516 after coupon*, Fiesta Americana @ $659/$569 after coupon* - the actual prices that Sidestep would have linked me to if I had expanded.​

Still a nice comparison exercise when shopping. I don't know how all of these would have compared for stays shorter or longer than 7 nights, but it'd be an interesting approach for any trip plan, and just because the Orbitz $200 discount usually works best, that will not always be the case! Always compare bottom lines right before they ask you to pay as some will try to sneak charges in when you're not watching. I almost always reject add-ons, like ground transportation which is usually 50% cheaper if you get it there, on the same vans and taxis, without having to keep up with coupons.

Hint: Comparing on side by side tabs is rather easy, but I know some members never read the book and some don't know how. Try this - key CTRL + T keys at same time and see what happens.​

 

[blue steal]

Don you are the guru of air/hotel packages. I got a good deal on sidestep for a LAX-CZM trip this October/November, (air only).
Had to be patient and wait for the right time for that airfare to drop.

 

[Mike]

I shop by star ratings.

Narrow down the choices by the quality of the accomodations I want.

View the pictures of the property to see if it looks like what I am looking for or not.

Check the rates and see if there is any swing in rates based on the time of year if we have flexibility.

Book the hotel.

Wait and watch air travel and book when it looks about right.

Will book a rental car 90% of the time no matter where we stay.

Not very scientific. I'm sure we could do this much cheaper but am too particular about the accomodations we want.

We often pay through the nose for beach side rooms.

To qualify us very easily you could say we go on vacations and dive, we don't do dive vacations.

 

[DandyDon]

Don you are the guru of air/hotel packages. I got a good deal on sidestep for a LAX-CZM trip this October/November, (air only).
Had to be patient and wait for the right time for that airfare to drop.

Yeah, if you stick with a hotel that does not cooperate in any of the air-hotel packages, that's the best you can do. Setup fare alerts and buy when it drops.

 

[redacted]

I (actually she) usually just go to Continentalvacations.com and look for something I can't resist. Most of the time I can resist.

 

[njones259]

Best thing to do before going to a site like Orbitz is to first check airfare using ITA software.When you go into the search engine look up in the right hand corner and check month long search.When you find the cheapest days to fly then go to Orbitz and plug in those dates.
If you are close to another airport don't be afraid to check them also.I saved over $200.00 dollars by flying out of BWI instead of Philadelphia for my trip to Coz next week.

 

[DandyDon]

Best thing to do before going to a site like Orbitz is to first check airfare using ITA software.When you go into the search engine look up in the right hand corner and check month long search.When you find the cheapest days to fly then go to Orbitz and plug in those dates.
If you are close to another airport don't be afraid to check them also.I saved over $200.00 dollars by flying out of BWI instead of Philadelphia for my trip to Coz next week.

You need special software for that, not a site?

 

[njones259]

Just google ITA software and you can go in as a guest and use the software.Also if you want to find great deals start looking at Flyertalk ,this morning they found a fare from PHL to Spain for Sept.and Oct. $375.00AI.

 

[robint]

Don - we have a completely different way of shopping for dive travel.
Back when Ron was still active duty AF, we had a tight budget and so we did look for cheapest deal for everything. Now that he is retired and making a real salary plus his mil retirement check we make our choices by what will be the best vacation, best value, not necessarily the cheapest. We are now able to do more than one trip per year, also.
Sure, I still do lots of research online, look at deals on all the major dive travel agency websites: Caradonna, Bay Adventures, Island Dreams, etc. but I also look at websites for specific resorts that meet our particular needs. Going to a resort that is $400pp cheaper than another does not hold the same meaning for us now - we evaluate the differences and decide. Price is not the determining factor.

robin

 

[blue steal]

I go thru this with my wife all the time. "You could have gotten a room for $20 cheaper", but I want that full ocean view and breakfast overlooking the ocean, and other amenities which I am willing to pay for. For me it's not all about the diving, but sitting on that balcony post dive with an ice cold beer watching the ocean.
Okay, till the next dive.
Oh njones259, I have used ITA for over 10 years, it is great software program.