As we approach cooler weather, it seems that everyone is traveling a little bit more. Perhaps they’re moving toward cooler temperatures and a winter of hot chocolate and skiing. Perhaps they’re moving toward a warm beach and tropical drinks in the white sand. Either way, travel is increasing–which means money spent on travel is increasing. If you’ve had your eye on the skies and are hoping to sneak in a little travel–for business or for pleasure–don’t despair! There are a ton of sites designed to get you the best deal.

So what are they? We’re here to fill you in.

Booking your airfare

Airfare can be one of the most expensive parts of travel, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re willing to do a little bit of shopping around (don’t worry, it’s easy), you can save a lot of cash.

Airfare Watchdog

This site is perfect for last minute travelers looking for a deal. The site is run by people who employ folks to closely follow the sites of various airlines, searching for deals. This means that you get promotional codes, unadvertised sales, and impromptu deal alerts. You can also sign up for alerts based on where you’re traveling from or hope to travel to.

Kayak

Kayak is a great site because it combs through tons of online sources to bring you the least expensive fares out there. If you’ve got some flexibility in when you’re traveling or where you’re traveling from, you can usually find some great deals. There’s a cool “Explore” tool that lets you view fares in your price range, so it you’re feeling adventurous, you can take an interesting vacation that is well within your budget.

Bing Travel

The great thing about Bing Travel is that is contains a price predictor, which can help you make the decision about whether or not to buy your ticket today. The site will recommend that you either buy or wait, and the advice is generally pretty accurate. The site will tell you how confident it is in the prediction and, while it isn’t perfect, it is certainly better than nothing.

Web Flyer

If you, like Jason Hartman, travel frequently, you should probably spend some time looking at Web Flyer. This handy site tells you how exactly your miles convert between airline programs, documents changes in mileage programs, and gives recommendations for making the most of your miles. It’s a great way to use your milage in the best way possible–plus, it is relatively easy.

Home sweet home

Finding a place to stay can be difficult if you’re not familiar with the area in which you’re staying. It can also be an incredible expense. To save a few bucks, check out these great resources!

Priceline

Priceline is an excellent site if you’re willing to be flexible in your hotel choice. In addition to offering a basic, discounted, hotel search, you can elect to bid on a hotel that falls within your star range, though you won’t know exactly which hotel until your bid is accepted. There is some risk involved, but you can get excellent deals–especially on last minute bookings.

Airbnb

If you’re open to the idea of staying somewhere a little more nontraditional, check out this site. People list their spaces on Airbnb, which range from a bedroom in someone’s family home to a guest house in back. There are a huge range of spaces and prices available, but you can count on a nice place with a more homey feel. You’ll save money in the process, and likely meet some great people who are generally happy to give you advice on the area.

Trip Adviser

This site offers a ton of great hotel reviews to help you make your lodging choice. You can look at traditional hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, etc, which gives you a pretty complete picture of where you’ll be staying. While you can’t book directly through Trip Adviser, you can check out your options. Remember to focus on reviews that aren’t extreme–they’re most likely to offer the most helpful advice.

The in-between

There are a few ways to save money that don’t quite fall into larger categories, but we think they’re worth mentioning anyway.

Hotwire

If you’re going to need a car while you travel, Hotwire might just be the best way to find a deal. It looks at eight different car rental companies and compiles your rates for easy viewing. Similar to Priceline, you can select a car with a “hot rate” though you won’t know from which company you’re getting it. Luckily, a compact car is a compact car, no matter the company.

Rail Europe

If you’ve elected for public transportation in lieu of car rental, get familiar with Rail Europe. The site allows you to look at schedules and prices for trains in Europe. The site is American-run and in English–though you may get better deals if you can navigate rail sites directly.

Seat Guru

This site is kind of a fun one and may just be one of our favorites. You can look up seating for different planes and airlines and find out how much the seat you want will cost you. You can also find out the leg room measurements and seat recline, making your experience the best possible.

Deal Base

Finally, check out Deal Base if you’re hoping to acquire a deal that combines multiple aspects of your travel. Deal Base provides a deal analyzer that looks at possible package deals and let’s you know how good of a value they are. You don’t book directly through the site, but it directs you to the site offering the package.

It is easy to travel in luxury no matter the budget  if you are on the lookout for the best deal–the best way to spend your hard earned money. Whether you’re traveling for business or for pleasure, it is easy to make the most of your dollars with a few simple clicks around the great and wonderful internet.

photo credit: Train Chartering & Private Rail Cars via photopin cc

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The Jetsetter Team

Tags: Airfare, Jason Hartman, Jetsetter, luxury travel, technology