Finding The Best Travel Deals

I’ve always been a just a little skeptical of “travel deals” on websites like Groupon. Maybe it has something to do with the fine print. You think that you are getting this spectacular deal and you whisk off to Italy to bask in the sun in Capri. However when you get to the bottom of the advertisement and you read the details; your fantasy of sipping fruity cocktails on sandy beaches becomes a dream vacation you probably won’t be taking unless you’re willing to give up a body part. If you’re traveling alone like me (hold the shade please) these type of deals really don’t seem like deals at all.  Of course the price advertised is based on double occupancy which means that the deal is contingent on another person spending an equal amount leaving both individuals splitting the cost of the hotel stay and the expense of a round trip ticket to the departure city. Add in an exorbitant amount to the original price as penance for being single plus more fees and before you know it, your vacation rivals your mortgage payment. So it’s only natural that I have a bit of skepticism when it comes to booking travel deals through discount sites, but I know people who swear by these sites and believe in the deals. I’ve been encouraged to invest in these deals even as a solo traveler.  I don’t personally believe it’s beneficial for me to book a deal through Groupon as the savings wouldn’t be greater than booking through any other site.  I decided to test this out myself. For this comparison we’re going to use a travel deal on Groupon, Travelocity, and Orbitz versus self booking.

 

Groupon

On Groupon, I was able to find a vacation package to Iceland with hotel and airfare included for $599. For this price you get round-trip airfare from New York to Reykjavik, 5 nights of hotel stay (there’s 6 nights if you count the overnight flight) and breakfast. Someone traveling alone, however, will have to add the extra $600 fee for traveling solo.

Additionally, the original price of the deal does not include airfare to New York City from your home town (unless you already live in New York), so round trip airfare from Sacramento – for example – to New York City is an additional $482. So this vacation comes to a total of $1,681. A huge difference from the original $599 advertised.

 

Travelocity

I decided to look and see if I could find something similar on a different 

website, so I went on Travelocity and took the steps to find the same trip. The package deal is exclusive to Groupon but Travelocity, like many other travel sites, allow for you to book your flight and hotel together, which makes things convenient. Additionally, you can book cruises, car rentals, and other package deals. I was able to book a flight and hotel with the same dates, November 25th through December 2nd, making for a 6 night vacation for $1,364.61. Booking with Travelocity there is a savings of $316.39.

 

Orbitz

This is a no-brainer, who wouldn’t want to save over $300 on their vacation. I wanted to check one more travel site before trying to book on my own, so I went to Orbitz. Orbitz has a similar setup where you can book your flight and hotel together. So searching for the same flight with the same dates and booking the same hotel;  I was able to book with Orbitz for $1,220.35, an additional $144.26 in savings. The caveat to booking with Orbitz is I could not find an option to book the trip as a Solo Traveler (on the web version). Right up to the moment of inputting my personal info, the price for the trip reflected two bookings, requiring me to pay the entire $2,440.70. This is still cheaper, however, than two bookings through Groupon which is a little over $2700.00.

 

Self-Booking

Finally, I booked the trip independent of any travel site making reservations for the flight and the hotel separate. I found the flight on Google flights and booked the same flight, dates, and even the same airline (we fly Delta). The flight came to a total of $918 which isn’t bad for an international flight. Then I went and found the original hotel that was offered in the Groupon deal. Booking at the Hotel Cabin in Reykjavik for 6 nights through Hotels.com costs $760 including the upgraded room, the same one offered in the other three deals. This brings the total to 1678.38, a mere $2.69 cheaper than the Groupon deal.

 

The Take Away

Perhaps what can be gained by this is just putting in the work and doing the research before buying into a vacation package. Regardless of traveling solo or with a companion, you may be able to find a cheaper option by visiting a different site. A colleague referred me to her travel agent and while I’ve never used one, I’m not opposed to it. In the meantime, I’ll stick with Travel sites and attempting to compare the best price. With so many sites to choose from, I’m bound to find the best deal. Groupon deals has its benefits but may not always work out for some, especially those traveling solo. Using alternative travel sites and putting together your own packages may be the better option.