When it comes to booking a trip, most people head to the same place to get started, which is Google.
Within seconds, dozens of travel sites are listed, and after a few clicks you can book a vacation to anywhere in the world.
I have been asked to find the best online deal for a family of four -- two adults, and two kids -- travelling out of Ottawa. Nearly everything was sold out during the March break, so we modified our search for a week in early May.
“When it comes to this time of year, and clients want to book for March break, I’m just here rolling my eyes,” laughs Karol Chareza, a travel advisor with TripCentral.ca. “I know, I’m sorry, but these are peak travel dates and people think, ‘Oh, there will be a sell-off’, but no, these hotels sell out. We’re fighting the world for these rooms.”
Cheraza adds that Expedia.ca found her the best deal for a seven-day all inclusive vacation to the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana for $8,051.10, as she was booking online. This included Air Canada one-stop roundtrip flights out of Ottawa with one checked bag per person.
Chareza found the same accommodations with Sunwing Vacations for $9,138.48. Chareza also found much cheaper deal with return flights out of Montreal and says many clients choose this option.
When booking a seven-day stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, in Waikiki, Travelocity.ca found the best online booking at $9,571.05. This trip also includes a midsized car rental for the week, with pick-up and drop off at the airport.
Chareza found the same accommodations for $9,033.32, and notes this trip has an overnight layover on the way to Hawaii.
“We’re basically losing a day, so it was really a six-night package in Honolulu with one overnight in Calgary,” explains Chareza, citing the added local fees for many U.S. hotels. “Keep in mind for Hawaii, all these hotels charge local resort fees usually on average $50 USD per room per night. Plus, if you’re renting a car, parking and in-and-out privilege, on average was up to $20 to $30US per day.”
For a week in early May, you can only book the High Noon Beach Resort directly with the hotel, in Fort Lauderdale. There was only one room available for a family of four at $3,960.65. When you add a non-stop flight, checked bags, and a car rental, the price increases by $2,548.33 for an overall cost of $6,508.98.
Chareza found a similar non-stop flight and a car rental for an added $3,106.35, but noted that travel agent fees are added to flight-only bookings. Agent fees aren’t applied to vacation packages.
It will cost you more to book a vacation online when you choose the exact flight, seats, or even the room you. It took me about four-and-a-half hours to book all of this on my own. Chareza found all of these trips in about 30 minutes, and offered money saving tips and travel recommendations.
“If you know you want to travel during one of the peak periods, and you know the quality that you want, and what you’re willing to pay… book early. Get exactly what you want and don’t even bother looking back at the price. That’s the best way that I’ve noticed really works out for clients,” says Chareza.
