Fortunately, if you know where to look, there are actually plenty of vacation packages under $500 available that include food, drinks, hotel, and even flights. Follow these tips to find an ultra-cheap vacation deal. 

Book Early (Or Last-Minute)

When it comes to booking an all-inclusive vacation package, you’ll find the best deals if you either book early or at the last-minute. Many resorts will offer early booking bonuses to entice vacationers into locking in plans. Flights will also be cheaper the earlier in advance you book.

At the other end of the spectrum, all-inclusive resorts will generally slash rates in an effort to fill unsold rooms the closer it gets to an arrival date. If you can be flexible, you can find some amazing last-minute deals a week or two before departure. 

The Best Sites for Finding All-Inclusive Vacation Packages With Airfare Under $500

There are a number of all-inclusive vacation websites that have sections showcasing deals under $500, making them a great place to start your search. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Expedia Vacations Under $500
• Cheap Caribbean Vacation Deals Under $599 (You can set your price range on this page to be under $500, and the site frequently offers promo codes for up to $199 off.)
• Orbitz Vacation Packages Under $499

Don’t forget to check out our round-up of the best all-inclusive vacation packages with airfare under $500 here as well. 

Check Discount Travel Sites

Sign up for emails from Groupon and Travelzoo (or just check their websites weekly), as both discount sites frequently feature all-inclusive vacation packages with airfare for under $500.

Groupon has an air-inclusive trips section on its site that, at the time of writing, promoted “a mystery vacation” to Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii, or other destinations for $199.

Likewise, Travelzoo’s Top 20 weekly deals recently featured a $499 Punta Cana vacation deal that included meals, drinks, and flights.

Search in Popular All-Inclusive Destinations

Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America are usually the cheapest destinations for all-inclusive packages and a good starting point for your search.

These destinations usually have inexpensive airfare from the United States (especially if you live in the South) and reasonably priced all-inclusive resorts.

Sign Up for Emails From All-Inclusive Resorts

Most all-inclusive resort chains frequently run sales throughout the year. You’ll often see discounted vacation packages for under $500, or even deals which throw in the airfare for free. 

The best way to stay on top of these discounts is to sign up for emails—or follow the brands on social media—from the resort chains. 

Some of the best all-inclusive resort brands to start with are:

• Club Med
• Sandals
• Beaches
• Sunscape
• Zoetry
• Couples Resorts

Google Explore

Sometimes, putting together an all-inclusive vacation on your own can be cheaper than buying a package deal. Use Google Explore to find inexpensive flights from your home airport to anywhere in the world. You can filter by interests such as “beaches” or “museums” along with price, flight time, and number of stops.

Travel in the Off-Season

You’ll have the best luck finding all-inclusive vacation packages with airfare for under $500 if you can travel off-peak. This means avoiding the spring break period at all costs and traveling in May through November if you’re headed to popular destinations in Central America.

The post How to Find All-Inclusive Vacation Packages With Airfare for Under $500 appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Editor’s Note: Airfare and nightly rate estimates are accurate as of time of publication.

San José, Costa Rica

The rainy season in Costa Rica lasts from May to December with peak months in September and October. Traveling during this time can be a gamble, but the rewards are worth the risk. The extra precipitation allows for lush jungle scenery you’ll miss in the dry season, and these months are a prime time to see wildlife.

Getting There: You can find rates to San José for as low as $228 in the fall. Flights to Liberia are slightly more expensive, with most rates around $300 round-trip.

Where to Stay: Put a pop of color in your vacation at Hotel Fleur De Lys, a colorful and warmly welcoming hotel in the cultural district of San José. The property brings the natural beauty of Costa Rica into its design, with each room named after a local flower and several atriums for guests to explore. Standard rooms are available for less than $60/night.

Things to Do: There are plenty of activities in Costa Rica that are actually improved by the rainy season. Book a white water rafting tour or explore local waterfalls while the water is flowing. If you’re an animal lover, plan your trip further west of San José to visit the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge and see the arribadas, or large-scale arrivals, of nesting sea turtles in September and October.

Porto, Portugal

Travelers willing to contend with higher chances of rain during the fall months in Porto will be rewarded with mild temperatures, fewer crowds, and city parks and gardens bathed in unforgettable autumn colors.

Getting There: Flights to Porto can be found for around $400-$450 round-trip depending on your departure airport.

Where to Stay: Moov Hotel Porto Centro, a centrally located art deco hotel, has rooms for as low as $126 per night.

Things to Do: There’s no shortage of things to do in Porto in any season, from catching a can’t-miss fado show to visiting the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal for incredible scenery to sampling a delicious francesinha, a savory sandwich invented in the city.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Not all fall travelers are chasing pumpkin spice and cooler weather. To extend the summer vibes, book a trip to Las Vegas in September and October, where daytime temperatures hover in the low to mid-80s and cool off significantly at night.

Getting There: West Coast travelers will find unbelievably cheap fall fares to Las Vegas, with round-trip tickets under $50. East Coasters will have to fly for longer, but they can still find flights on budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit for under $100.

Where to Stay: The Rio Hotel & Casino is just one block off the Strip and has nightly rates for under $200 in the fall.

Things to Do: All the traditional Las Vegas activities are available in the autumn, from catching a show to taking in the atmosphere at one of the city’s many casinos. For a seasonal event, check out the upcoming harvest show at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, a free-to-enter display of floral sculptures and dazzling gardens. For families, there are several trunk-or-treat events throughout October with either free entry or a small registration fee.

Cancún, Mexico

If you’re a risk-taker (that is, you don’t mind the possibility of rain or even hurricanes), Cancún in the rainy season of August to October could lead to some good deals on this classic, white sand Mexican beach destination on the Yucatán Peninsula. 

Getting There: You can find roundtrip fares to Cancún this fall in the $200-$300 range.

Where to Stay: Where you stay in Cancún depends on how you want to spend your days, from all-inclusive resorts to simple haciendas. To bring a spring break vibe to your autumn getaway, check out Krystal Cancun, where October rates start in the $200 range.

Things to Do: Swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, and scuba diving all top the list of activities in Cancún. Beyond the sea, book a package to visit historic sites like the Chichén Itzá Ruins or take a street food tour to try tacos and mezcal.

New Orleans

New Orleans is bustling with activity this upcoming fall season, from the delicious Beignet Fest to the citywide NOLAxNOLA concert series. Explore the city at the tail end of its off-season with nice (less humid) fall weather, including temperate days and cooler evenings.

Getting There: This coming fall, roundtrip airfare to New Orleans from several major hubs will be under $100, with Google Flights showing most fares hovering in the $100-$250 range.

Where to Stay: The Aloft New Orleans Downtown places you in the heart of the city, within walking distance of iconic areas like the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. Fall rates start at around $200 per night.

Things to Do: Listening to jazz and live music is a must while in the Big Easy, as is feasting at Cajun and Creole restaurants like Commander’s Palace. To experience a bit of nature beyond New Orleans’ beautiful architecture, take a bayou boat tour and try to spot gators.

Rome, Italy

The off-season in Rome officially begins in mid-November, but tourist traffic starts lightening up in October. This makes the later fall months a great time to visit the city before tourism picks back up for the holidays. Hotels are cheaper this time of year, and temperatures range in the low-60s to mid-70s.

Getting There: Travelers can find flights from major US cities in the $400 to $600 range, significantly more affordable than the summer months when similar flight itineraries can cost up to and above $1,000 roundtrip. If you’re willing to have a layover on your way to Italy, you can find fares for under $400.

Where to Stay: Hotel Trastevere is located in the heart of the neighborhood of Trastevere, a historical region of the city full of cafes, wine bars, pizzerias, open-air markets, and historic architecture. The hotel itself is just a 20-minute tram ride to attractions like the Pantheon, Colosseum, and Trevi Fountain. Fall prices average around $250 per night.

Things to Do: Many of the city’s ancient sites are free to explore, with an admission fee only required if you want to enter certain areas or take a guided tour. Dozens of stunning parks and piazzas are also free to wander, including the stunning Piazzale Garibaldi, where you can get 360 degree views of the city.

Washington DC

While many travelers aim to see the stunning display of cherry blossoms in the spring, Washington, D.C., in autumn shouldn’t be overlooked. With dozens of free attractions around the city, savvy travelers can create a jam-packed itinerary while still saving money.

Getting There: Even from Los Angeles, round-trip flights to Washington, D.C. can cost as low as $100 in the fall. The city is also easily accessible by train and bus from a number of East Coast cities.

Where to Stay: The Generator Hotel offers nice accommodations at a surprisingly affordable price of around $180 per night.

Things to Do: Explore the museums of the National Mall, all free to the public, along with the city’s many monuments and memorials. Catch the fall colors, at their peak in the region in mid-October, at the U.S. National Arboretum or see a discounted show at this year’s Theatre Week (September 26 through October 13).

Chicago, Illinois

Visiting Chicago in the fall will allow you to see the Windy City in a whole new light. Admire the famous Cloud Gate amid the gorgeous foliage in Millennium Park, or take an architecture cruise to see famous buildings surrounded by autumn colors. 

Getting There: Budget airlines Spirit and Frontier offer nonstop flights from a number of major cities to Chicago, with round-trip prices under $100.

Where to Stay: Find a room at the Silversmith Hotel in Chicago’s popular Magnificant Mile neighborhood for around $250 per night.

Things to Do: Plan your trip for the last weekend in September to attend Chicago’s Oktoberfest and get a little taste of adventuring abroad in your domestic travels. Closer to Halloween, check out Arts in the Dark, an evening of visual and performing arts in Washington Park with a spooky seasonal twist.

Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.

The post 8 Incredibly Affordable Fall Vacations appeared first on SmarterTravel.

To qualify for consideration for our cheapest Caribbean islands list, the destination must also be ranked in the top half of the Price of Travel’s index of the cheapest Caribbean islands. This index measures the relative affordability of Caribbean islands by comparing hotel rates and airfare in high season.

These are the nine cheapest Caribbean islands to visit.

Cozumel

This small island off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is known for its white sand beaches, colorful marine life, and the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio. While you can fly directly to Cozumel from numerous U.S. airports, including Houston, Denver, Chicago, and New York, you can often save hundreds of dollars by flying to Cancún instead and then taking a ferry to Cozumel from nearby Playa del Carmen. The ferry ride takes approximately 45 minutes and costs around $28 for a round-trip ticket.

Flights to Cancún from most major U.S. airports can be found in the $300-$400 range regularly throughout the year, with many fares falling below the $300 mark.

You’ll likely find cheaper hotel nightly rates between August and November. (Note that this falls within Caribbean hurricane season.)

Where to Stay: The Westin Cozumel, a four-star luxury hotel with a prime beachfront location, has all-inclusive rates in ocean-view rooms starting at $280 per person.  

BOOK NOW!

Jamaica

Eco-adventurers will find plenty to do in Jamaica, from swimming in waterfalls to zip-lining through the rainforest. Only-in-Jamaica spots to visit include the Bob Marley Museum and the Rastafari Indigenous Village. And, of course, there are plenty of beaches to relax on between excursions.

With three main tourist areas—Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril—you can price-shop for the best rates for your Caribbean vacation. Again, travel between May and October may offer lower rates because of hurricane season.

Many US hubs, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, New York, and Philadelphia, offer direct flights to Jamaica. Keep an eye out for good deals, as you can often find cheap flights to Jamaica for $300 or less.
Where to Stay: For an affordable adults-only Caribbean escape, check out the Ocean Eden Bay, which offers all-inclusive rates starting at around $319 per night.

BOOK NOW!

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, you can split your vacation between the lush El Yunque Rainforest, the island’s wide sandy beaches, and the vibrant streets of Old San Juan. A boat trip into one of the island’s bioluminescent bays is another must-do.

Fares from major East Coast airports to San Juan are consistently low, with many round-trip options costing less than $200. Fares from departure airports further west remain reasonable, with options below $300. Budget airline Fronteir serves San Juan and often has sales offering tickets for as low as $100 round-trip.

It’s easy to budget for expenses in Puerto Rico, as the local currency is the U.S. dollar. Bonus: You don’t need to pay for a passport to get there. And with a variety of hotel options all over the island, it’s not hard to find one in your price range.

Where to Stay: The four-star Abitta Boutique Hotel is conveniently located across from the ferry terminal and offers rates under $200 per night.

BOOK NOW!

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is probably the cheapest Caribbean island to visit if you’re looking for affordable, all-inclusive deals. You’ll find dozens of packages in Punta Cana on CheapCaribbean.com, with prices as low as $640 per person for air and three nights’ accommodations. Activities in the area include snorkeling, zip-lining, and off-road ATV tours through the jungle. 

There are plenty of popular resort areas in the Dominican Republic where you can focus your hotel search, including La Romana, Puerto Plata, and Samana.

Where to Stay: If you prefer to explore the island and skip the all-inclusive, the four-star Dominican Fiesta Hotel has room rates starting at $84 per night.

BOOK NOW!

Curaçao

You can’t go wrong with a visit to the “C” of the ABC Islands, especially during the spring or fall shoulder season, when you’ll find even more savings. And since Curaçao falls outside the hurricane belt, you can book a trip here without worrying too much about the weather. Whether you visit for the numerous festivals or the pleasant beach weather year-round, on a Caribbean visit to Curaçao you’ll fall in love with the local food trucks, colorful Dutch architecture, unparalleled snorkel spots, and secret beaches.

With nonstop flight options from major U.S. cities like Newark, New York’s JFK, and Miami, Curaçao is highly accessible from the East Coast.

Where to stay: The island has plenty of hotel inventory with competitive nightly rates. Check out ACOYA Curaçao Resort, Villas, & Spa in downtown Willemstad, which starts around $114 per night.

BOOK NOW!

Or try The Rif at Mangrove Beach, which has all-inclusive rates for under $300 per night.

BOOK NOW!

Martinique

This French overseas region attracts a sophisticated crowd, particularly travelers from Canada and Europe looking for a cosmopolitan Caribbean experience.

If you’re not the type of traveler who likes to lounge on the beach for your whole vacation, Martinique is the right island for you, as the mountainous landscape offers plenty of hiking opportunities. Culinary enthusiasts will delight in the island’s gastronomic scene, which fuses French techniques with Caribbean flavors and local ingredients.

The island’s international appeal is evident in its air connections, with direct flights from North American cities like Miami, Montreal, and Toronto, as well as European hubs such as Paris, Frankfurt, and Rome. 

If you’re willing to be flexible with your dates, you can often find flights from the US for around $400-$500.
Where to stay: There are plenty of small, rustic bed and breakfasts in Martinique that offer rooms for under $100 per night, but if you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, Hotel Diamant Les Bains is a highly-rated four-star hotel with affordable nightly rates of around $170.

BOOK NOW!

Grenada

Grenada’s nickname, “The Spice Island,” is well-earned. The air is perfumed with the subtle aroma of nutmeg, a testament to the island’s rich agricultural heritage. But spices are just the beginning—Grenada’s appeal lies in its unspoiled nature, secluded beaches, and relaxed pace. 

Accommodations range from comfortable mid-range resorts to exclusive luxury retreats catering to various budgets and preferences. You can find direct flights to Grenada from Miami, New York City, and Charlotte, but expect to pay a premium for the convenience. If you’re willing to have a layover, you can find great airfare deals for as low as $300. 

Where to stay: The Radisson Grenada overlooks the world-famous Grand Anse Beach and has two beautiful outdoor swimming pools. You can find rooms at this four-star resort for under $200 per night. 

BOOK NOW!

Barbados

JetBlue and American Airlines have recently expanded their service to Barbados to meet increased travel demand, which has helped drive down the airfare prices to this eastern Caribbean gem. If you’re willing to travel in the off-season, you can find flights for as low as $200 round-trip.

The island draws scuba divers and snorkelers because of its reputation as a great diving destination. But Barbados is far more than just its stunning coastline. While the beaches rightfully claim fame with their powdery sands and crystal-clear waters, the island is also home to Bridgetown, a Unesco World Heritage-listed capital city.

Where to stay: There’s a wide range of accommodations in Barbados, where you’ll find $104 per night properties right next door to $2,000 per night resorts. Crystal Cove occupies an excellent middle ground, with all-inclusive rates for as low as $350 per night. 

BOOK NOW!

Antigua

Known for its breathtaking beauty, Antigua boasts an impressive 365 beaches—one for every day of the year. These pristine stretches of sand, lapped by crystal-clear turquoise waters, range from secluded coves to lively party beaches. 

Surprisingly affordable flights make Antigua one of the more budget-friendly options among the smaller Caribbean islands. If you want to spend those airfare savings on a hotel, there are plenty of splurge-worthy luxury resorts that will cater to your every whim and desire. However, you can stick to a budget here as well, with four-star resorts available for as low as $99 per night. 

Where to stay: If you’re in the mood for a romantic all-inclusive vacation, Cocos Hotel is an adults-only resort that caters to couples. Rates start at around $450 per night.

BOOK NOW!

For a cheaper hotel option, the Antigua Yacht Club Marina & Resort has rooms for as low as $99 per night.

BOOK NOW!

Tips for Saving Money on Caribbean Trips

No matter which Caribbean island paradise you choose, following a few simple tips can help you save money on your vacation.

• Be flexible with your dates—most airlines do not operate daily flights to the Caribbean, so you can find better schedules and deals by being open to traveling on any day of the week
• Travel during the Caribbean’s off-season, June through November. However, be aware that this is hurricane season, and purchase travel insurance to protect your trip.
• Sign up for airfare alerts on our sister site, Airfarewatchdog, which will let you know when ticket prices fall.
• Search for flight and package deals at all-inclusive resorts. Cheap Caribbean, JetBlue Vacations, and Travelzoo are all good places to look.
• Sign up for emails from resorts you’re interested in, as they often send out promotions or sales.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story.

The post The Cheapest Caribbean Islands to Visit appeared first on SmarterTravel.

This recently renovated hotel offers a low-key coastal retreat in the charming town of West Harwich, Massachusetts. Leave the highway behind, turn down quiet Earle Street, and just before the street dead-ends at the beach, you’ll find Pelham on Earle. The property consists of 27 ground-level hotel rooms facing out into a lush courtyard bursting with hydrangeas. You’ll find a pool, lawn games, and plenty of places to lounge out here.   

The Location

Set on a quiet residential street less than a block from Earle Road Beach, Pelham on Earle enjoys a serene location. If you want to experience a quintessential Cape Cod beach town on your vacation, the livelier village of Harwich Port is less than a five-minute drive away, where you’ll find plenty of small shops and eateries to explore. 

The hotel is a short bike ride to the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a 25-mile off-street paved path that’s a delight to cycle in the summer. 

Dining

Pelham on Earle has one restaurant, Tides Kitchen & Bar, that is open daily for lunch and dinner. This intimate, airy eatery serves a tightly curated Mexican-inspired menu of tacos, nachos, and quesadillas, along with classic Cape Cod staples such as lobster rolls and local oysters. 

The drinks are innovative and refreshing. Standout favorites included the Shipwrecked Margarita, made with tequila, Bauchant, fresh lime, and agave and topped with a Grand Marnier floater, and the Hydrangea Nectar, crafted with Gray Whale gin, lemon juice, and butterfly pea flower simple syrup.

Guests can also take the hotel’s free shuttle to Pelham House Resort and dine at The Rooftop or Pool House. Be sure to make an advance reservation to snag a table at The Rooftop, a beautiful glass-enclosed, heated deck popular with tourists and locals alike for its stunning ocean views. Come for dinner at sunset, where you’ll enjoy gorgeous scenery against a backdrop of live music.

The Pool House is a great spot for lunch. It is located next to the heated, saltwater pool overlooking the ocean, and you can dine next to the water while in the pool (or relaxing next to it). 

The Rooms

Pelham on Earle’s rooms are all on the ground level, with walkout access to the pool and restaurant. Each room has an Adirondack-style loveseat for guests to enjoy some private space outside.

I stayed in a Pelham King Room with Fireplace, a spacious room with cathedral ceilings. Air conditioning and a ceiling fan kept the room cool despite the summer heat, but there’s also a gas fireplace to make things cozy if nights get chilly. The room was fully stocked with a microwave, minifridge, and Keurig coffee maker. 

Amenities

Earle Road Beach is just steps away from the property and offers plenty of space to sunbathe or frolic in the waves. As a thoughtful touch, all rooms at Pelham on Earle are stocked with a wagon filled with beach essentials, including chairs and towels.

If you’d prefer a quieter beach, guests of Pelham on Earle can take a free shuttle to the larger Pelham House Resort (located a few minutes’ drive away) and utilize the private beach there from 11 am Sundays through 3 pm on Fridays.  

Other amenities include:

• Free Wi-Fi
• Complimentary coffee and tea each morning
• Free yoga classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings
• Nightly beach bonfires Sundays through Thursdays
• Free parking

Price and How to Book

Editor’s Note: Pelham on Earle hosted the author of this story. 

The post SmarterTravel Spotlight: Pelham on Earle Review appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Bedbugs can be found in hotels and vacation rentals worldwide, plaguing both luxury hotels and budget motels, regardless of cleanliness. But where are bedbugs most likely to be found in the United States? 

Pest control company Orkin has released its annual list of the worst cities in America for bedbugs. Orkin ranked the cities based on where the company performed the most bedbug treatments from December 1, 2022 through November 30, 2023. 

When booking a hotel in any of these cities (or anywhere, really) you might want to search the Bedbug Registry first to see if the place you’re considering has been reported for bedbugs. Also, consider searching TripAdvisor and other hotel review sites for the words “bedbugs” and “bites.”

To avoid bedbugs when traveling, place your luggage on a tile surface (such as inside the bathtub) as soon as you check into a hotel room or vacation rental. Then, thoroughly inspect the mattress, box spring, and headboard of your bed for signs of bedbug infestations, such as actual bugs or spots of blood. Read our full guide to spotting bedbugs in your hotel here.

If you spot evidence of bedbugs, immediately alert the front desk and ask to be moved to a room on another floor. When you return home, isolate your luggage outside or in a sealed bag, and wash and dry all your clothing at hot temperatures to eliminate any potential stowaways. 

The Worst Cities in America for Bedbugs 

According to Orkin, these are the cities with the most bed bugs.

1. Chicago, IL
2. New York, NY
3. Philadelphia, PA
4. Cleveland-Akron, OH
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Detroit, MI
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Indianapolis, IN
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Champaign, IL
11. Columbus, OH
12. Cincinnati, OH
13. Atlanta, GA
14. Grand Rapids, MI
15. Denver, CO
16. Baltimore, MD
17. Richmond, VA 
18. Greensboro, NC
19. St. Louis, MO
20. Youngstown, OH
21. Pittsburgh, PA
22. Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
23. Flint, MI
24. Raleigh-Durham, NC
25. Milwaukee, WI
26. Charleston, WV
27. Greenville, SC
28. Norfolk, VA
29. Davenport, IA
30. Nashville, TN
31. Tampa, FL
32. Toledo, OH
33. Dayton, OH
34. Knoxville, TN
35. Las Vegas, NV
36. Omaha, NE
37. South Bend, IN
38. Houston, TX
39. Cedar Rapids, IA
40. Ft. Wayne, IN
41. San Francisco, CA
42. Buffalo, NY 
43. Harrisburg, PA
44. Seattle, WA
45. Miami, FL
46. Orlando, FL
47. Minneapolis, MN
48. Oklahoma City, OK
49. Louisville, KY
50. Lexington, KY 

The post America’s 50 Worst Cities for Bedbugs appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The Best Hotel Booking Sites for Comparing Prices

For most travel planning, the best overall strategy is to compare prices from multiple sources including the hotel’s own website, as it will sometimes offer deals not shared with third-party sites, or offer the same rates as third-party sites minus pesky booking fees. Hotels sites will also offer package deals—bundled amenity inclusions and the like—that aren’t shared with third-party sites.

Bottom line: Whether you search with a hotel site on this list or a preferred hotel search engine of your own, always check the hotel’s actual website as well, or call its reservations line, to make sure you really are getting the best hotel deal. Don’t forget to check the cancellation policy as the best hotel booking site is one that has a flexible policy in case your plans change.

If you’re trying to figure out how best to search for cheap hotels: First, scan this quick list of the best hotel search sites, in no particular order. Then, scroll down to read in-depth summaries of each or click to jump to a particular site.

• Booking.com
• Kayak
• Priceline
• BookingBuddy
• Hotels.com
• HotelsCombined
• Expedia (which owns Travelocity and Orbitz)
• Agoda
• Tripadvisor
• Trivago
• Google
• Hotwire
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith

No list of the best hotel booking sites is exhaustive, but these 14 represent a combination of great crowd favorites mixed with some newer, similarly performing hotel search options that you might not know about.

All of them fared well in tests: Prices for the same dates and destinations were fairly consistent from site to site, but the volatility of results may vary based on your destination, how far in advance you’re looking for the best hotel deals, and the time of year you visit (i.e., high season vs. low).

With that in mind, here are the best hotel booking sites to compare prices with for your next trip, plus the best feature of each one.

Booking.com

• Insofar as keeping your options open goes, Booking.com returns the most eclectic search results by far, with a healthy mix of hotels, motels, b&bs, apartments, and hostels. But whether this is a good or bad thing depends entirely on your preferences. If you’re not a fan of hostels, for example, hotel search results like this mean that you have to filter them out, creating an extra step that other hotel booking sites don’t require. That said, Booking.com offers something for everyone. 
• Its handy hotel search engine displays the total cost up front (except taxes) which is helpful when comparing cheap hotel rates; being able to see the total hotel cost up front helps you quickly determine which hotels actually fit into your budget.
• Its filtering options are extensive, from price, cancellation policy, sustainability, specific neighborhood for that city, fun things to do nearby, amenities, room accessibility and much, much more. With this filter feature, you will be able to find exactly the kind of accommodations you want. 

Kayak

• Like its flight search, Kayak‘s hotel search offers a clean, easy-to-use interface with many available filters.
• Shows other hotel booking sites’ rates so you can compare them all in one place. But the first hotel price result is often higher than better rates farther down the list, unless you specifically filter by price. Kayak’s hotel search results are automatically sorted by the vague factor of what’s “Recommended,” which is true of many hotel booking sites. Often, higher rates populate first while scrolling results, and sometimes that lead price is much higher than other comparable hotel options. Be sure to change sorting to price, so you can find the best deal. 
• It’s search calendar is color coded to show you cheap, average, and high prices, which comes in handy if price is your number one priority when booking a hotel. 
• If you are someone who likes to book by ratings, each hotel page on Kayak has the rating in a large box just next to the hotel pictures. It’s easy to find, and may help you to make your decision quickly. 

Priceline

• Priceline has one of the more visually appealing design layouts of the major hotel search engines, and is definitely among the easiest hotel sites to navigate. None of these hotel search sites is dramatically different from the others in terms of rates or price comparison, so usability can go a long way toward improving the experience of searching for the best hotel prices.
• Unsurprisingly, Priceline’s prices are on par with the other online travel agencies (OTAs), and its results are largely focused on downtowns and tourist-friendly areas. A big draw of Priceline is their “Express Deal” option: a flash deal that hides the name of the hotel until after you book. While somewhat gimmicky, this hotel search option can offer significant savings.
• The handy map that is featured on each hotel page, which will show you other hotels in the area and the prices. This is particularly useful if you want to stay in the city center, by a specific landmark, or are visiting friends or family and want to be nearby where they live. 

BookingBuddy

Editor’s note: BookingBuddy is owned by SmarterTravel Media, SmarterTravel.com’s parent company.

• Compare multiple hotel booking sites with one click to find the cheapest hotel stays on BookingBuddy. This site lets you quickly compare prices of as many other search sites (like VRBO or Trivago) as you want, without having to do a bunch of different searches. Simply select which hotel/vacation rental search sites you want to compare, and BookingBuddy opens up a new tab with your selected hotel stay dates and destination already filled in.
• You can sign up for an alert for when prices drop. If you are in no rush to book, you just may find a super deal if you sign up for an alert! 
• Like other sites on this list, BookingBuddy pulls in and displays the best deals from various booking sites and OTAs on their own search results page. However, BookingBuddy also lets travelers directly compare entire search result pages across multiple sites, allowing them to toggle between the pages from a lefthand navigation menu.

Hotels.com

• Hotels.com helps you find the best hotel deals via tons of filters that let you narrow down your search. Its initial results tend to show a healthy balance of lower- and upper-end hotels, mostly in or around city centers. That’s what most travelers want in a hotel search engine: a robust, easily refined list of well-located options. Prices were on par with other OTAs.
• Like many cheap hotel websites these days, Hotels.com includes lots of non-hotel properties too, including condo hotels, guesthouses, and bed and breakfasts.

HotelsCombined

• HotelsCombined is a meta search tool that searches a wide range of sources to find the best hotel deals, including OTAs, as well as the hotels’ own sites. 
• You can also toggle between nightly base price, nightly price plus taxes/fees, or total stay plus taxes/fees. There is no option to display the total price of the stay without taxes/fees.
• Easily see if your travel dates are during peak travel times with their color coded calendar showing you if your dates have “Cheaper, Average,” or “Higher” prices. 

Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz

• Short of the color scheme and fonts, you’d be hard pressed to find much difference between these three legacy hotel booking sites. Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz are all owned by Expedia Inc., and all three use the same layout, with a few minor tweaks. Interestingly, the hotel search results do vary slightly. 
• The top hotel result for each test search was the same on Orbitz and Travelocity, but the order of the list of hotels below it varied. Interestingly the top search result on Expedia frequently differed, although the top result from the other two sites was typically still high on the list. Prices, of course, were the same, since they’re all powered by Expedia. These perfectly fine hotel search engines are not all that different from Hotels.com.
• Keep an eye on these hotel sites’ deals and limited-time offers, which is when any of these three hotel search engines are more likely to substantially beat their competition.
• With these sites, you can easily add a flight or car rentals to your accommodation booking, making for easy one-stop-shopping. 

Agoda

• Originating as a hotel booking site with a focus on Asia and later expanding to offer U.S. properties, Agoda delivers a hotel search experience that matches some of the best hotel sites on this list. 
• There are even instances when Agoda had better hotel deals than its competition, including one hotel search result in which the total booking cost was more than $200 less than the same hotel on Priceline (with a coupon code). Don’t expect that sort of result every time, but it shows that Agoda, like all the rest of these hotel booking sites, is well worth checking for the best hotel deals.

Tripadvisor

• Like HotelsCombined, Tripadvisor‘s hotel search displays some of the very best hotel deals from a range of sites. The tool is built right into Tripadvisor’s general search function, letting you browse the site’s vast library of reviews, then begin your hotel booking seamlessly. The initial list of hotel search results is sorted by “best value” and shows the source of the given price, so that you know where (off Tripadvisor) your hotel booking is going to happen. 
• Tripadvisor searches most of the major hotel booking sites, as well as some lesser-known ones; when applicable, it also includes the hotel’s own website. You can also book directly with Tripadvisor.
• Sort your search by traveler ranking, so you can see the hotels travelers just like you prefer. Guest reviews often include pictures of hotel rooms taken by the guests themselves, not clouded over by staging, so you can see what the rooms actually look like before you book. 

Trivago 

• Another aggregate hotel booking site, Trivago did surface that low price coupon found on Agoda. However, it did not lead with that price, choosing instead to prominently display a higher price from Booking.com in large, green text. Odd. The lower-priced Agoda deal was listed second in the hotel search results, displayed in small gray text along with several others. In fact, Trivago found multiple hotel deals lower than that Booking.com price, but none received top billing for some reason. This happened in several other cases too, where the lead price ended up higher than best hotel prices that Trivago could find.
•  The good thing about conducting a hotel search on Trivago is that Trivago searches several lesser-known hotel booking sites, including Agoda, in addition to the usual suspects like Expedia, Priceline, and Booking.com. But travelers should take a close look at Trivago’s hotel search results to make sure that Trivago isn’t hiding a better deal farther down the list.

Google

• Google’s hotel search engine works by simply entering “hotels in (insert city here)” right on Google.com. (You can also go straight to the Google Hotels page.) This feature is integrated into Google Maps, which makes it very different from any of the other hotel booking sites listed above. On Google, hotel locations are marked by prices on a map, rather than by name or any other identifying characteristic. 
• From there, Google’s hotel search tool is fairly price-forward, which is what metasearch should be. Clicking on a price displays the hotel’s name, features, and booking options. Overall, it’s no surprise that Google offers a powerful, no-frills hotel search engine for travelers who don’t want all the hard-sell aspects of cheap hotel sites and more commercial hotel search engines. (And yes, Google did surface that low-with-coupon hotel deal from Agoda.)

Hotwire

• One of the best hotel booking sites for last minute deals and “Hot Rates,” which hide the hotel name in order to give you a better rate (similar to Priceline’s Express Deals), Hotwire is a great option if you don’t mind a limited-details final booking; and you probably don’t if it’s short notice. 
• Hotwire’s Hot Rates descriptions feature so many details about the property, as well as a pretty narrow location radius, that you can sometimes figure out the hotel you’ll be booked in, although it’s still somewhat of a gamble. Hotwire is also partnered with reliable global hotel brands like Kimpton and Hyatt, so you can be more confident that you won’t end up with a ramshackle property.
• The savings vary depending on the destination, but Hot Rates are consistently much more competitive than the standard Hotwire rates, which aren’t always the best price compared to other hotel booking sites. The main qualm that most customers have with Hotwire is their “24/7 support,” which apparently can be pretty unhelpful despite always being available to you.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

• Their price match feature goes above and beyond the usual. If you find a lower price elsewhere, they will not only match it, but you will also receive a $50 voucher. 
• You must become a member to book through Mr. & Mrs. Smith, however, entry-level membership is free. Members receive “Smith Extras” upon arrival to their hotel—anything from a bottle of champagne to a spa service! 
• Hotels must be invited to join this website, as they are carefully vetted by “undercover tastemakers” before being added to the site. 

Which Hotel Booking Site Is Best for Me?  

Consider what type of trip you are taking. If you are open to the type of place you want to stay at, then consider a site with more diverse options. If you are torn between a hotel or vacation rental, BookingBuddy is the site for you, as it will search for both to help you make your decision. If you rely heavily on peer reviews, then go with TripAdvisor. Check our best features of each site above to decide which site is best for you to make your hotel reservation. For 

What is the Difference Between an Online Travel Agency (OTA) and Metasearch Engine? 

An OTA allows you to book directly through them, and does not send you outside of their site to make your booking. a Metasearch Engine (also known as an aggregator) searches multiple sites including OTA’s, and will send you to a site outside of the aggregator to finalize your booking. 

Is It Cheaper to Book Directly with a Hotel or With a Hotel Booking Site?

It might be cheaper to book directly with a hotel, but this option really only makes sense if you already have a hotel you love and you want to book. Otherwise, the fastest, cheapest way to book a hotel is going to be by using one of the hotel booking websites. You will waste a lot of time calling hotels to see if you can get a better deal, and who has time for that these days?! 

When Should I Book My Hotel?

This really depends on your flexibility. If all you want is the best deal, and you aren’t picky about where the hotel is, waiting until the last minute (one to two days before you travel) could probably get you the best deal on your hotel. But, you might not want to risk that—I know I wouldn’t when planning a vacation! If you are booking for travel during peak times, book early so you don’t end up far away from where all of the action is, as hotels can book up quickly, especially during school vacation times. 

Bottom Line

What is the Best Hotel Booking Website?

These days, we are inundated with choices, including the number of accommodation booking websites there are out there. These sites should all make your booking easier, but some will make it even easier. Our clear winner is HotelsCombined.com. It’s easy to read, you can choose from hotels and rentals, and its ability to search hotel sites gives it the edge over other sites. Booking.com is solid runner-up, as they appear to have the other sites beat as far as the volume of hotels goes. 

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2016. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The post The 13 Best Hotel Booking Sites appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The 6 Best Flight-Price Trackers

Several options generally rise to the top of most evaluations. Here are the top five, in no particular order, plus what makes each one stand out, followed up by some broader flight-tracking options:

• KAYAK
• Skyscanner
• Hopper
• Airfarewatchdog
• Google Flights
• Going

KAYAK

KAYAK (part of the Booking.com empire) is a robust flight price tracker. You can tailor the tracking filters as tightly as you want: by destination, class of service, number of stops, and more. KAYAK can also track hotel prices. Both are possible by selecting the “Track Prices” switch on the left side of the results page once you’ve searched for your specific dates.

Pros of Kayak: It shows Southwest if it is an option for the route you are searching, but does not show you the price is, have to click through to the southwest website. 

Cons of Kayak: Does not offer a loyalty program, so if you book through them there is no incentive for points. 

Skyscanner

Skyscanner, a London-based metasearch system, operates in much the same way as KAYAK. The “Get Price Alerts” button on the search results page enters your trip(s) into the system, and you can manage your account for details. 

As with KAYAK, this flight price tracker doesn’t include Southwest fares. And although it can search hotels, it does not offer a tracking function for them. Skyscanner’s “Get Price Alerts” option on the left side of the results page allows you to choose from email, Facebook, and Google to create an alerts account and start getting emails easily—all you have to do is enter an email address for them to be forwarded to.

Pros of Skyscanner: Real time fare comparison is like no other site, advanced search options. 

Cons of Skyscanner: Displaying of ghost fares that are no longer valid. 

Hopper

According to SaleCycle, the majority of travelers browse for flights on their phones but book them on their computers. Hopper may change that as a mobile app for iOS and Android phones, perfect for those glued to their phones. When the price of a fare drops, you will receive a notification directly on your phone, which you can click on to review the fare. There are no emails to check; just click on the alert. 

They have a great prediction model that tells you if the fare is high and when they think it will drop, so you know when to be on the lookout for those alerts and get ready to book. 

Pros of Hopper: Best tracking when using your phone to book airfare. 

Cons of Hopper: Filters are not as extensive as other sites. 

Airfarewatchdog

Airfarewatchdog, SmarterTravel’s sister site, will send you an alert the instant a price goes down so you can snag it before it is gone. Choose from a specific route or all deals from a specific departure city. 

Adding cities and routes is straightforward and simple, even after you have signed up- you can easily update your alerts without having to dig around. You can choose how often you want to get alerts, either up to seven times a week, three times a week or once a week.

Pros of Airfarewatchdog: Their Do-Not-Send Airlines option. Hate Spirit? Have a disdain for American? You can easily add the airlines you don’t want alerts from under your account settings.

Cons of Airfarewatchdog: Some fares you get alerts for are hard to find on the site.

Google Flights

Lastly: Not a website so much as a broader platform built into the internet giant Google, Google Flights provides an outstanding range of choices for tracking flight prices. For any trip of interest, you can enter an origin/destination, travel dates, how many tickets you want, and class of service, plus screening for the number of stops and other variables to track as many individual flights as you want. notifies you if the fare goes below the value when you first entered the search. It covers most airlines except for Southwest, which does not provide its fares to any metasearch systems. It notifies you by email on as many specific searches as you set it to. Google Flights does not include hotels. As an added bonus, Google Flights will also tell you the cheapest time to fly to a given destination, or the cheapest place to fly in a given time period, if you’re unsure of where and when to travel.

Pros of Google Flights: You can choose if you want to get alerts for specific dates or just for the route you are searching for in general, no matter the date – you just want the best price. 

Cons of Google Flights: They don’t always display the lowest price available. 

Going

Going, (previously Scott’s Cheap Flights) is a membership-based model. You can choose from three tiers: free, premium, and elite. The higher your status, the more deals you will be sent, and the more likely you will get the best deal for the routes/cities you choose. The paid memberships only make sense for people who travel a lot, otherwise, if you are just looking for a good deal, there is no need to pay for a membership. 

Going is by far the most aesthetically pleasing airfare site out of all the ones we have mentioned. Each deal is accompanied by a photo of the destination (or of an airplane) and has a generic price range listed, making fares seem cheaper than they might be but making the user feel like they are getting a deal. 

Pros of Going: Easy step-by-step alert sign-up. 

Cons of Going: They make it seem like you need a paid membership to continue, but you don’t. A Skip button is in the upper right-hand corner of all the sign-up pages as you set up your account. 

For premium fares (premium economy, business, and first-class), you can use any ITA Matrix-based site, which covers all fare classes. Those who want more detailed information on first—and business-class deals, however, can subscribe to several paid sources like First Class Flyer and Notiflyer, starting at $99 per year. Read more about where to find deals on premium airfare here.

Additional Tips for Finding Cheap Flights

• Be flexible with your travel dates and times. Weekdays and off-peak hours are generally cheaper than weekends and holidays.
• Consider flying into budget-friendly airports or nearby regional airports.
• Sign up for email newsletters from airlines you prefer to receive updates on promotions and sales.

Following these tips and leveraging flight price trackers can significantly increase your chances of scoring the best deals on your next airfare purchase.

The post Flight Price Trackers: 6 Sites That Will Find the Cheapest Airfare for You appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Editor’s Note: The airfares, hotel rates, and vacation package prices in this story are sample prices only, and may vary depending on your specific travel dates.

The Best Destinations for All-Inclusive Vacations Under $500

All-inclusive resorts and packages allow guests to take care of all food and lodging expenses upfront, meaning they can relax on vacation without fear of unexpected costs cropping up during their trip. These four destinations offer travelers a chance to book an all-inclusive vacation and roundtrip airfare for under $500.

The Dominican Republic

The beaches of the Dominican Republic are as beautiful as any in the Caribbean, and round-trip flights to the island can cost as little as $180 from Chicago or Miami. Choice Hotels’ Ascend collection includes two all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic with incredibly low nightly rates: Travel during the off seasons—spring and fall—and you can nab a stay at Emotions by Hodelpa Juan Dolio for as little as $100 per night, or at Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata from $97 per night.

Both are beachfront properties with a variety of restaurants, as well as outdoor pools, in-room fridges, microwaves, an on-site fitness center, and a location that’s within easy distance from the airport and major attractions. Members of the Choice Privileges Rewards Program also earn points by staying at either resort.

Pick the right dates, book a few nights, and do the math, and you’ll have gotten yourself a Caribbean vacation that includes airfare, hotel, food, and beverages (yes, even the alcoholic kind) for under $500.

Jamaica

For travelers willing to travel in the off-season—between mid-April and mid-December—a four night stay at the beachfront Royal Decameron, an all-inclusive property on Montego Bay’s lively strip, and roundtrip airfare can cost as little $474 when booked as a package through CheapCaribbean.com.

The Royal Decameron is within easy walking distance of the city’s best hot spots, shops, and restaurants, though all your food is already taken care of on-site. To stick to your budget, you can also stick to admission-free attractions in Jamaica—including Negril Cliffs and Castleton Gardens—and use local buses and taxis instead of renting a car.

The Bahamas

While not a classic all-inclusive resort vacation, you’ll certainly find everything you need on board a cruise ship to the Bahamas. And if you’re setting sail from Florida, you can, without too much effort, find a four-night cruise for about the cost of a single hotel night in any major American city.

A quick Expedia search brings up plenty of three- and four-night sailings from Florida that start under $300 per person, while Cruises.com offers a similar list. Cruise prices typically include all the food you can eat, live entertainment, and calls at ports such as Nassau, Freeport, and, often, private islands belonging to that cruise line. We even found a 4-night cruise departing from Miami going to the Bahamas for $169 per person! 

Cancún

Roundtrip flights to Cancún from southeastern airports like Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, and Miami can be found for as little as $183. You’ll find the best deals during off-season, mid-summer through autumn, and fares tend to be cheaper for travel on weekdays than weekends.

Riu Hotels & Resorts operates a series of all-inclusive resorts in Cancún, including the HOTEL RIU DUNAMAR 5* which has rooms available for as little as $137 per night. For those who would rather bundle their airfare and hotel, CheapCaribbean.com offers deals on several all-inclusive vacation packages with airfare that will get you to Cancún for under $500. This vacation package to Riviera Maya  includes three nights at the Bahia Principe Grand Coba, a 5-star hotel right by popular Playa Del Carmen complete with spa, casino, and beach access. 

Other Top Spots for a Budget Vacation

If all-inclusive resorts aren’t your style, there are still plenty of other cheap tropical vacation spots to explore.  While additional expenses like food and excursions won’t be covered, you can still find round-trip airfare and lodging for under $500 at these destinations.

Puerto Rico

You can often find round-trip flights from Miami to San Juan for around $100—with some weekday options as low as $75—and flights from other parts of the east coast are usually under $200 thanks to budget airlines like Spirit. 

Vacation rentals are the most affordable option for accommodations and you can find several cheap options that are right by the beach – like this two-bedroom condo that costs just $89 per night or this spacious studio with spa tub and patio for just $99 per night.

Stretch your budget even further by spending your days lounging on the gorgeous beaches around the island, all of which are free and open to the public, or seeking out fun free experiences in the capital city of San Juan, like the University of Puerto Rico’s Botanical Garden.

Oahu, Hawaii

Budget airlines like Southwest and Alaskan have made trips to Hawaii affordable. Several times a year, these airlines have sales that bring flights to Hawaii down to less than $300.  (Airfare sites such as Airfarewatchdog, SmarterTravel’s sister site, will alert you when fares drop.)

If you’re lucky enough to snag one of these low fares to Honolulu—or if you’re the lucky owner of a Southwest Companion Pass, which is actually fairly easy to get if you keep an eye out for associated credit card offers—Oahu has worthwhile low-budget lodgings that could help keep your tropical vacation total under $500. Vacation rentals will once again give you the best bang for your buck, with many highly rated options on Vrbo listed at less than $100 per night.

Once you’re there, Honolulu doesn’t have to be expensive since the city has plenty of cheap street food and affordable restaurants—Moose McGillycuddy’s is a favorite for low-cost breakfasts—and bus transportation is easy and much less expensive than renting a car. Plus, many of Oahu’s most worthwhile attractions are free or open for a nominal fee, including hiking up Diamond Head ($5 for entry, $10 to park a vehicle in the lot), paying tribute at Pearl Harbor’s USS Arizona (free), and sunbathing on Waikiki Beach (free).

Florida

Americans looking to keep their tropical vacations under $500 don’t actually have to leave the contiguous part of their continent to laze on the beach while shaded by palm trees. Orbitz’s list of vacation package deals under $499 usually offers some worthwhile all-inclusive deals to Orlando. Likewise, Travelocity has a dedicated Flight + Hotel Deals Under $400 page that includes various packages to Miami and Orlando, with stays at properties like the Westgate Vacation Villa Resort and the Boulan South Beach.

If you’d rather book airfare and lodging separately, check out Expedia’s round-trip fares to Orlando for less than $100. Couple that with affordable lodgings, like the family-friendly Coco Key Hotel and Waterpark Resort—just $132 for a room that sleeps four and only $19 more for a King Suite—and you’ve got yourself a memorable tropical trip with the kids that won’t break the bank.

Tips for Finding All-Inclusive Vacations with Airfare Under $500

Wherever you choose to book your affordable tropical vacation, one key strategy to keeping it under $500 is to understand what average prices look like for where you want to go—and to be ready to buy the minute you see fares that are listed well below that.

“If you’ve been watching for a good fare and you find one, don’t hesitate,” says Jeff Klee, the CEO of CheapAir. “When you go away for a few days or hours to consult with friends, or just continue to shop around, you may be surprised to find that the fare has disappeared while you mulled it over.”

One other tip for keeping vacations under $500, from Klee: “Flexibility is your friend. Unless your trip is for an event tied to a specific set of dates, often just shifting your search dates by a few days can offer big savings. Remember that mid-week flights—Tuesdays and Wednesdays—are usually a much better value than those on the weekend.”

All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The post The Best All-Inclusive Vacations Under $500, Including Airfare appeared first on SmarterTravel.

I tested more than a dozen vacation package sites to see which ones had the lowest prices and best user experience. I discovered that many of the best vacation package websites allow you to book any combination of flight, hotel, and rental car, while others are more limited (flight + hotel is often the default). Fortunately, some sites will let you add a car onto a hotel+flight package, even if a car isn’t listed on the initial booking page.

It’s also important to compare the price of a vacation booked as a bundle to that same trip booked a la carte as separate components. Booking a package isn’t always cheaper, and sometimes you’ll get  better flight options to choose from if you search for your airfare separately. In some searches, I discovered that the flight options included by default with my vacation package had ridiculously long layovers or undesirable departure times (4:30 a.m., anyone?).

Keep a sharp eye out for resort fees; many of the best vacation booking sites don’t count them in their initial per-person price estimate because they’re collected separately by the hotel, but they can drive up the final cost of your trip. Similarly, optional airline baggage fees can also increase your total bill, especially if you book a flight in basic economy, and some vacation package sites don’t disclose these fees as clearly as others.

Finally, it’s important to know that many of the best sites for vacation packages are owned by the same parent company, so you’ll often find similar inventory and prices from one to the next. Knowing which sites are mostly interchangeable can save you some research time.

The Best Travel Package Sites

We put them to the test to compare prices, inclusions, and more. The following are the best websites to book vacations, listed in no particular order. Scroll down for more in-depth analysis of each one.

• Expedia
• Expedia’s sister sites: Travelocity, Orbitz, and CheapTickets
• Priceline
• CheapCaribbean.com
• Kayak
• Funjet Vacations

Expedia

This well-known site is one of the best travel package sites for a reason. Expedia offers a full complement of bundle options (flight/hotel, flight/car, hotel/car, and flight/hotel/car) as well as trips to just about every corner of the globe. It’s reliable when it comes to pricing, too: Expedia offered the lowest price in two of my five tests, and was cheaper than average in all but one test booking.

That said, the amount the site said I was saving on a given package didn’t always match up to the actual price difference when I added up the cost of the trip’s individual elements. In one of my test cases, it was actually cheaper to book my flight, hotel, and car separately. So take those supposed savings with a grain of salt (or even better, price out the components separately on your own to be sure you’re getting the best deal).

Expedia has plenty of useful filters to help you find what you need. You can sort hotels by price, distance from a city’s downtown, guest rating, package discount, and property class, while flight options can be filtered by general departure and arrival times (for example, morning vs. evening), airline, whether carry-on bags are included, and more. You can also sort flight options by duration (longest or shortest), price (highest or lowest), departure time (earliest or latest), and arrival time (earliest or latest). There’s also a map view so you can check out the location of each hotel.

Best Feature: The breadth of choice and consistency of pricing make Expedia perhaps the best site for vacation packages. You may not always get the absolute lowest price here, but chances are you’ll pay a fair rate and have plenty of options to choose from.

Check out Expedia

Expedia’s Sister Sites: Travelocity, Orbitz, and CheapTickets

Many travelers don’t realize that Travelocity, Orbitz, and CheapTickets are all owned by Expedia Group, and typically have very similar inventory and pricing to Expedia. Each of these sites has similar layouts and filter options, too. Like Expedia, these three sites offer every possible vacation package combination involving a flight, hotel, and/or rental car.

It was rare for any of these sites to beat out Expedia’s prices in my tests; in general, the rates were identical (especially on Travelocity, where I didn’t find any deviations from Expedia) or a little bit higher. However, Orbitz and CheapTickets did offer slightly cheaper packages on one flight/car itinerary.

Because the pricing is so similar, it’s probably not worth searching all three of these sites in addition to Expedia unless a difference of a few dollars will make or break your travel budget.

Best Feature: Travelocity, Orbitz, and CheapTickets offer a checkbox on their main booking page to specify “I only need accommodations for part of my trip”—a feature that allows user to select a subset of their trip dates and search for travel packages only within that period. This feature is also reflected on Expedia’s search page.

Note: Expedia Group also owns Hotwire, which I didn’t find quite as reliable as the other three in my tests. For one itinerary, a nonstop flight that the other sites offered was not available when booking a Hotwire package (though it was available when booking a separate flight on Hotwire), and the pricing on some searches was a little higher than on the other sites.

Check out Expedia’s sister sites below:

Priceline

Like Expedia and its partners, Priceline also offers every possible combination of flight, hotel, and rental car. Its search results pages are easy to navigate, with plenty of filter and sort options, plus a map view for hotels. Priceline offers numerous hotel options in popular vacation destinations at every price point.

One quirk to prepare for: Priceline’s flight result page lists departure and return flights together as a pair rather than letting you choose each one separately. This cuts down on the number of screens you have to click through but could mean extra scrolling while you try to find the exact two flights you want. Not all flights that are available when booking airfare separately on Priceline seem to be accessible to those booking a package—so it’s worth checking both.

Priceline was in the middle of the pack as far as pricing was concerned. It won one of my tests but was the most expensive option in two others; overall, it offered cheaper-than-average prices 60 percent of the time. To help you save money, the site offers “Express Deals” for rental cars, an opaque option in which you don’t know which rental car brand you’ll get until after you’ve booked. If you’d rather choose which company you’re renting from, standard car rentals are also available.

Best feature: Once you’ve selected your flight and rental car preferences, the site will keep them the same as you click through alternate hotel possibilities—saving you the hassle of having to select them over and over again.

Check out Priceline

CheapCaribbean.com

As its name suggests, CheapCaribbean.com has a more limited scope than other sites on this list, but it’s worth checking if you’re planning a trip to the Caribbean, where package trips such as honeymoons are particularly popular. The site turned up cheaper-than-average prices for both of my Caribbean tests.

CheapCaribbean.com is one of the best vacation websites for all-inclusive packages. Once you’ve entered your trip information, you can also filter your results by “adults only,” “children’s amenities,” and “luxury.” Each hotel-specific page includes a list of active promotions, on-site activities, and the property’s Tripadvisor Traveler Rating.

In some ways CheapCaribbean.com isn’t quite as sophisticated as other travel package sites. There’s no map available to compare locations of the listed hotel options. Also annoying: not being able to group Houston’s two airports into a single search, though you can select “all airports” for New York City and Washington, D.C. But the affordable deals are worth a few snags, as long as you’re only looking for a flight/hotel package—there’s no option to add a car or create any other package combinations, though you can add travel insurance and transfers, at least for the destinations I checked.

Best Feature: The “Deals of Fortune,” or bookings where you know the destination but not the exact resort until about a week before the trip. This is a fun feature for value-conscious travelers who aren’t set on a particular island or property.

Check out Cheapcaribbean.com

Kayak

A popular meta-search site, Kayak saves travelers time by searching many of the best travel package sites with a single click. Unfortunately, you can’t specify which elements of your trip you’d like to bundle; it searches flight + hotel by default. You can add a car later on some of its partner sites, but if you’re looking for a flight/car package, you’ll have to go elsewhere.

Results list the cheapest available packages from sites such as Priceline (Kayak’s sister company), Expedia, and CheapCaribbean.com. There’s a map view available, and the results page shows both air- and hotel-related filters to make it easy to find nonstop flights, free breakfast, or a specific hotel.

I found that the prices listed on Kayak didn’t always match the price on the source site when I clicked over to find the deal—a fairly common problem with meta-search sites. But I also occasionally discovered that I got a different price after clicking from Kayak than I did when searching the same itinerary from the booking site’s home page. For example, a Las Vegas package was $819 per person on Priceline when I clicked over from Kayak, but just $783 when I booked the same package from the Priceline home page. Another test offered the opposite result, with the price being cheaper after clicking from Kayak than it was when booking directly on Priceline. The lesson: Test both options when using a meta-search site.

Best Feature: Being able to search some of the best vacation booking sites in a single place is a major time saver. Though Kayak doesn’t always find you the lowest possible price, it’s a good place to start your search and get an idea of what’s out there.

Check out Kayak

Funjet Vacations

The Funjet home page gives you a single package option: flight/hotel. However, you can work around this by adding a rental car on at the end of a flight/hotel or individual flight booking. There are plenty of sort options for your results, including price, hotel name, rating, points of interest, and location.

One annoyance: Similarly to CheapCarribbean.com, there is no option to select “all airports” for certain cities like Houston or Chicago. And Funjet’s prices aren’t the most consistent, ranking as the cheapest in one test and the most expensive in another. Still, the site is worth comparing to others when booking your vacation.

Best Feature: Rather than making you scour the web for coupons, Funjet automatically applies any relevant promo codes to your search.

Note: If you’re headed to the Caribbean, Central or South America, Hawaii, or Mexico, try your search on Funjet’s sister site, Apple Vacations. The destinations it covers are more limited than Funjet’s, but I found that the prices were often a little better. CheapCaribbean.com is also owned by the same parent company, Apple Leisure Group.

Check out Funjet

Book Your Stay With SmarterTravel Hotels

If you’re ready to book your next adventure but don’t want to commit to a prepackaged bundle, you can still save big by booking your hotel stay with SmarterTravel Hotels.

Book Now

All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

The post The 8 Best Travel Package Sites for Booking a Cheap Vacation appeared first on SmarterTravel.

In addition to the option of booking directly with your airline, there are dozens of flight booking websites, also known as online travel agencies (OTAs), to choose from. The uncomfortable truth is that no one flight search engine can guarantee the best price 100 percent of the time, but using a mix of the right resources can help ensure you’re not overpaying.

The Best Flight Booking Sites

One important thing to remember about booking sites/OTAs is that Southwest fares are not sold on them. Some other airlines have also pulled their fares from some booking sites, but most airlines do make their fares available.

Here’s why these 14 are the best flight booking sites and metasearch options out there, and the best defining feature of each. Since it’s impossible to know which site will provide the best price for your particular trip, you should always compare fares from a few sources before you book.

Best Flight Search Site for Comparing Flight Types: Travelocity

It should be noted that Expedia owns Travelocity, so this flight booking site basically gives you Expedia price results with a different color scheme and organizational preferences. Travelocity’s homepage is streamlined but doesn’t offer a flexible-dates search. On the results page, bag fees are revealed by a pop-up screen that activates when clicking each fare, which makes it a little difficult to compare fees (you will likely have to scroll a bit). Travelocity charges booking fees for some but not all flights.

Best Feature: Travelocity displays all fares for a selected flight in a convenient pop-out window, allowing you to compare fares on a given itinerary while still scrolling through options from the search results on the same screen.

Best Flight Search Site for Comparison Shopping: BookingBuddy

Editor’s note: BookingBuddy is owned by SmarterTravel Media, SmarterTravel.com’s parent company.

Compare multiple airfare sites with one click to find the best flight deals on BookingBuddy. This metasearch site lets you easily compare prices from other sites (like Priceline) without having to do a bunch of different searches. You can choose which flight search sites you want to compare, and BookingBuddy opens up a new tab with your selected flight dates and destinations already filled in.

Looking for a flight and hotel? BookingBuddy offers a combination flight and hotel search that can save you some decent money by bundling.

Best Feature: Sign up for a price drop alert, and BookingBuddy will email you when costs drop on your route.

Best Flight Search Site for Transparency: Expedia

As previously mentioned, Expedia is nearly identical to Travelocity, but fares did vary between the two sites on some of my searches. As with Travelocity (and to be fair, a number of other OTAs), Expedia will try to up-sell you on adding a hotel to your itinerary. This can save you money, but be sure to compare prices before you book. Expedia charges variable booking fees (and they are not always the same fees that Travelocity charges). When you select your fare from the list of options, there’s an interstitial step that displays what is and isn’t covered in the fare, including seat selection, cancellations, changes, and baggage rules.

Best Feature: Like its subsidiary Travelocity, Expedia basically double-checks that you understand what sort of fare you’re choosing before you click “select” again. It’s a helpful bit of transparency in today’s cluttered airfare landscape.

Best Flight Search Site for Nonstop Flights: CheapOair

Much like Travelocity and Expedia, flight search sites CheapOair and OneTravel (discussed later in this article) are versions of the same product, owned by Fareportal Inc. Though the sites are owned by the same company, the fare results are not always identical, so it’s worth checking both. CheapOair shows some “Super Saver Fares” for which you don’t find out the airline you’ll be flying until after you book—which means you also don’t find out what baggage fees apply until after you book. However, the savings might be worth it. CheapOair charges a service fee on air travel transactions, from $0 to $35 per ticket.

Best Feature: CheapOair prioritizes nonstop prices over itineraries with stops, organized in an easy-to-read chart that’s organized by airline.

Best Flight Search Site with Flight Reviews: Tripadvisor Flights

Tripadvisor is known for its hotel reviews, and now travelers can apply their ratings to airlines, plus search for airfare on Tripadvisor Flights. On testing this flight booking site it’s clear that Tripadvisor doesn’t always serve up the cheapest fares, but sometimes it did. It always, however, gives you the option to surface Expedia, Travelocity, and other flight booking sites’ results, so you can compare right away with one click. Tripadvisor Flights also has some helpful search options up front, like a checkbox for prioritizing nonstop flights.

Best Feature: Tripadvisor’s flight search tool is unique from others in that it offers review-based FlyScores of airlines alongside their fares, so you’re less likely to book with an obscure, poorly rated airline without realizing it.

Best Flight Booking Site for Environmentally-Conscious Flyers: Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a popular metasearch site that works with hundreds of other travel providers to find the best fares. You can specify nonstop-flights-only right from the homepage, and there’s also a handy “everywhere” option if you don’t have a particular destination in mind and want to see what’s available. Search results show the “best” option (based on a combination of price and speed) as well as the fastest and cheapest, and you can filter by airline, alliance, number of stops, and flight times. When you select a result, you’ll see a variety of places to book that particular flight. Skyscanner casts a wide net, so you’ll often see very cheap fares from booking sites you’ve never heard of; to help you figure out how trustworthy they are, Skyscanner shows user star ratings for each.

Best Feature: For flyers concerned about the environmental impact of their travel, Skyscanner has a unique “Greener flights” filter, which shows only itineraries with lower-than-average CO2 emissions based on your search. The site also highlights certain itineraries in your results as a “greener choice.”

Best Flight Booking Site for Flexible Travel: OneTravel

OneTravel has a similar interface to CheapOAir, with a convenient chart prioritizing the best nonstop flight options at the top of the results page. The search results automatically populate similar but cheaper flights on alternate dates close to the user’s original search date, which is great if there is flexibility in your plans. If you are committed to your arrival and departure dates, however, you can toggle off alternate dates in the filters section. One major drawback: OneTravel charges a steep service fee of up to $50 per ticket.

Best Feature: The search results page is subdivided into Recommended, Cheapest, Shortest, and Alternate Date tabs, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for at a high-level and continue to filter down from there.

Best Flight Booking Site for People on a Budget: Travelzoo

Travelzoo is quite different from the other sites listed here. Instead of booking specific itineraries, you can search broad timelines (this week, next month, this summer, etc.) for deals in your desired destination by either month or season. This makes Travelzoo a good fit for people with a budget and time frame, but no firm idea of when or even where they want to go. The downside is that if you do have specific plans in mind—for example, you need a flight to Omaha in March—Travelzoo is not likely to be helpful.

Best Feature: Travelzoo’s flexibility requirement can afford some great deals you won’t find elsewhere, like cheap business-class flights and multi-city itineraries that will make a dream trip a lot more affordable than you’d think.

Best For Where You Don’t Care Where You Go, You Just Want a Good Price: Google Flights

Google Flights is a powerful, simple metasearch site that comes free of ads and distractions. After you enter your departure and arrival airports, the calendar pre-populates with prices so you can target dates with lower fares. Once you have your results, you can track fares on your selected dates and receive updates by email. You can also view fares over various dates using the “Price Graph,” which shows you a bar graph that makes it easy to see when the lowest fares are available.

Best Feature: Instead of putting in a certain city as a destination, you can put in a larger region such as Europe or South Africa. You’ll then see fares to various cities within that region displayed all at once on a map. This can be helpful if you want to go to Europe in April, for example, but don’t have a particular destination in mind.

Best Flight Booking Site for Filtering: Kayak

Often imitated and frequently duplicated, Kayak was a game-changer when it launched back in the mid-2000s. And it’s still one of the most powerful metasearch tools available. You can also set up fares alerts to track prices over time. The interface is noisier than Google Flights thanks to a preponderance of ads, but still easy to use. Like Google, it has a flexible search feature that lets you search for good deals to a region like Europe or even simply put in “anywhere.” Another handy feature available on many itineraries: an “Our Advice” box that lets you know whether you should buy now or wait, depending on whether Kayak thinks fares will go up or down over the next seven days.

Best Feature: Its Hacker Fares claim to piece together separate one-way tickets, potentially saving you money compared to similar itineraries, and its wide range of filters, sorting options, and predictive technologies put a lot of tools at travelers’ disposal.

Best Flight Booking Site That Included Southwest: Momondo

Like Kayak, Momondo is a metasearch site that takes you to other sites to make your purchase. One plus: Momondo surfaces results from Southwest, including flight times and other details from the carrier … but no prices. Only by clicking through to Southwest could I see the fare. Still, it’s nice to have a reminder that Southwest is an unlisted option. Another plus: Momondo searches for fares from a ton of smaller OTAs, which could lead to a deal that other metasearch tools miss.

Best Feature: The mention of Southwest is unique to Momondo.

Best Flight Booking Site for Multi-Stop Itineraries: Nomad from Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is an OTA like many others; you book directly on the site (as you would on Expedia) rather than being linked off to a different site (as you would on Kayak or Momondo). But what sets it apart is its Nomad search engine, which lets you find cheap itineraries for multi-destination trips. You enter the starting and ending places of your journey as well as the cities where you want to stop along the way, including how many nights you want to spend in each place. Hit “find routes,” and the site will put together an itinerary that mixes and matches airlines and routes for the lowest possible price. (For example, I was quoted a route involving four flights—New York City to Rome to Moscow to Tokyo and back to New York—for a measly $1,031 round-trip.) You can filter your results to weed out routes with multiple layovers or flights that don’t include checked baggage.

Best Feature: This is by far the easiest tool I’ve used to research around-the-world and multi-stop itineraries.

Best Flight Booking Site for Fare Alerts: Airfarewatchdog

Full disclosure, airfarewatchdog is a sister site to SmarterTravel, so we are slightly biased with this one, but promise it is worth your while. Airfarewatchdog is the best for flexible travelers who are just looking for a great deal on airfare. Search fares from a city, to a city, or you can “choose an adventure,” which will show you fares from your city to various hotspots depending on what you are looking for – castles, caves, coffee, you name it, airfarewatchdog will point you in the right direction. Their blog features great travel tips, and one of the best features is the fare alerts you can sign up for. If you know you want to travel somewhere, but all you want is a cheap price, sign up for an alert, and you’ll find out as soon as the price dips so you can book it right away.

Best Feature: The fare alert—it allows you to stop searching daily for that perfect price! Let airfarewatchdog do the work for you.

Best Mobile-Friendly Flight Booking Site: Hopper

Hopper is primarily an app for your phone (although it can be used as a website) but it is worth putting on here just the same. Have you ever been scared to book a flight because it might go down, or afraid to not book it in case it goes up? One of the features of Hopper that makes it shine is its price predictor, which means you never have to worry about making the wrong booking decision. Another bonus is it shows you the price with all of the fees and taxes included, so there is no sticker shock when you finally go to book. After you search, if you aren’t ready to book, you can set up an alert to watch that trip, dates and all. 

Best Feature: Hands down the price predictor. 

Which Flight Booking Site is Best for Me?

In determining which of these sites are the best ones for you to compare prices with, it’s helpful to determine which sites meet your trip-booking needs. Do you want to clearly see bag fees up front? Do you want an easy “flexible dates” function, or are your dates firm? If your travel plans are loose, do you want to see prices for multiple destinations? Different flight booking sites have different capabilities.

Once you determine which site is worth your time depending on the trip, compare prices with a few to make sure you’re getting the best deal. And always check the airline’s own site: OTAs are good at displaying fees associated with an individual flight, but it’s trickier to compare fare options (classes like basic economy vs. economy) on that flight.

Lastly, it’s important to remember that this list can be separated into two main types: booking sites (also called OTAs) that you book directly with as a third party, and aggregators otherwise known as metasearch sites that’ll send you to a booking site to make your transaction. The latter are better if you want to use any frequent flyer programs you might belong to and acquire points.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Sarah Schlichter and Megan Johnson  contributed to this story. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The post The 14 Best Flight Search Sites for Booking Cheap Airfare appeared first on SmarterTravel.