Who are they? The big ones are Priceline.com, Hotwire.com, LuxuryLink.com and Travelocity just came out with Top Secret Hotels. According to on-line analysis, Priceline.com is definitely the cheapest of the cheap.
How do they work? Travel providers look to unload inventory on the cheap. But, they mask the identity of those travel companies so as not to scare away full-price customers. To make the blind process less blind, the sites post (incomplete) lists of participating travel suppliers.
TIPS:
- Car rentals are a safe bet with Hotwire and Priceline.com because only major brands participate.
- Airline bookings are more of a gamble with hidden fees and lesser-known carriers.
- Priceline.com also offers the option to bid on travel deals. One good strategy is to check out prices on Hotwire and then trim 10 or 20% off the best price to make a bid. Or check out BetterBidding.com for tips.
- Don't use these sites if you might need to change your travel plans. All sales are final.
- Plan to pay booking fees. These charges are usually more than offset by savings.
- Print a copy of your receipt or confirmation as proof of purchase and take it with you just in case.
- Go to aggregator sites like Kayak.com and the sits of travel providers to check rates before you book on discount sites.
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