Child(ish) Tips, Introduction

Let’s talk travel deals, shall we?

I have a few tried and trusted ways of booking travel.  If you’re like me and just want to see everything, I love using services like my favorite instagram account @escapeflights_sea because all they do is post flight deals from Seattle and Portland.  They just post low price flights to places near and far, and it has gotten me into a fair amount of (good) trouble. I booked flights to Tokyo, Japan for less than $400 (plus 59,000 skymiles) for two RT tickets, I booked a flight to Paris for $285 RT, $590 each for RT tickets to Tanzania, and I also managed to score one of Alaska Airlines two for one deals to SLC earlier this year.  If you’re looking for a specific destination, I use skyscanner.com to search out flights from either Seattle or a larger airport, like LAX because I can usually get a flight from SEA to LAX for less than $200, meaning a flight that might cost me $800+ to book directly from Seattle can be found for half that price if I’m willing to do a little extra leg work. I also use Delta Vacations, because I’m fiercely brand loyal, and the prices are just pretty kickass.  I booked a trip from Seattle to Las Vegas for two for $650 that included round trip flights and hotel for two nights at one of the hotel within a hotel concepts that seems to be gaining popularity.  

There are a couple travel do’s and don’t’s that I see floating around, and I honestly can’t say I agree or disagree with most of them, so if you find something that works for you, feel free to drop me a line and share.  What I do know from personal experience is that flying midweek is your best option for a few reasons. You usually pay less for your flights because airlines and airports still need to move their planes from one place to another even if those planes aren’t full, and the airports themselves do tend to be less crowded because most vacationers fly on weekends and business travel usually takes place monday-friday.  I also don’t often book tickets in upgraded classes but also don’t opt for basic economy because I don’t like the restrictions. I have had a tremendous amount of success with booking a main cabin seat and upgrading after the fact for less than the price of the actual higher class ticket. It’s always nice to fly first class.  

When it comes to the actual vacationing portion of a vacation, after we’ve gotten getting there out of the way, I also steer away from third party booking sites, because I’m skeptical about the “deal” actually being a deal, and I don’t like the surprise catch if I’m forced to change my plans.  I more often than not book with Hilton hotels, because I’m a Hilton Honors member, free to sign up, and that works very well for me, because as a frequent traveler, earning loyalty points toward future stays as well as the small perks like free wifi upgrades and bottled water upon arrival is just a nice touch.  For a lot of people, booking comes down to price, and you do often get a better price for those same rooms. My word of caution is that when booking with a third party vendor, you may not get the opportunity to upgrade your room and you do run the risk of being rebooked if the hotel is full. When a hotel is overbooked, one of the first things they look at when deciding to rebook a guest is are they, the guest, likely to book with them again in the future?  When you book through a third party vendor, you aren’t usually looking at brand loyalty when making the decision on where to stay. That’s totally ok. Price is an important part of vacation planning… But, when you make plans for a vacation and end up being rebooked into a different hotel at the last minute because of a full house, you might also end up having to make last minute adjustments to your plans based on proximity to the places you planned on enjoying during your stay.  Most of the time when I’m looking for a hotel, I look at price and amenities as serving a dual purpose. If the hotel is a little bit more expensive, but is within walking distance, that saves me time and money on transportation costs. Or it might offer a free breakfast which means I don’t have to eat out as often during my trip. The Hilton brand of hotels often offers both a breakfast at their mid-level hotels, think Hampton Inn style, and the higher end properties offer a cocktail hour with drinks and hors d’oeuvres.  Both are things worth considering. I also look at the type of vacation I’m planning on having. If it’s a go out and do kind of trip, my sleeping arrangements might matter less because I’m likely spending less time at the hotel, but if I’m looking forward to relaxing, staying in bed late, and maybe enjoying some pool or spa time, I want to make sure the hotel has me covered. One of the most enjoyable vacations I remember from my youth was going to Phoenix, Az to visit family. We went a handful of times and more often than not stayed at Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak.  They had a full blown water park inside their property, and for a preteen going to Phoenix during the height of summer, 110+ degrees and dry as a vir… well, you get the idea, having a lazy river right outside your room was the JAM! This was also when I learned that the drinks you get at the pool aren’t in fact free and those virgin daiquiris my sister and I enjoyed came with a price tag we are still trying to live down, 20 years later. The point I think I was trying to make during our ramble together down my memory lane is that cheap isn’t always the best factor when making your hotel choices.  Being able to rest and enjoy is something we don’t often get to take advantage of at home, so make sure you really relax it up on vacation.  

While on the subject of planning, I have found great success using the new millennial version of all inclusive.  Using a service like Costco Travel or Delta Vacations will help take care of the two biggest parts of the planning process.  By booking your flight and hotel together, they, the middle man, can offer a better price because just like buying Costco sized bottles of Irish Cream for $9 which is the price you were paying for your Trader Joe’s brand that was half the size, they offer deals in bulk and also do a fair portion of the vetting for you.  I personally use Delta Vacations to gauge the price, and if it seems like a good deal and will save me time, I might just book it. They also allow you to add frequent travel perks information, like Hilton Honors numbers, during your booking process so you aren’t losing out on the loyalty rewards. I know that some third party hotel and flight vendors offer the same option, but I’m still skeptical.  Such is life.