A few tips on saving on accommodation and travel.
Hotels change room prices all the time. If the price lowers you can often rebook at a lower rate, or upgrade. Sites like Tingo recheck prices every hour and arrange refunds or advise on upgrades. Orbitz offers other advantages with hotel rebooking.
Airlines also change prices over time. We are all aware of this trend, but it’s very hard to know all the details, or be sure whether to wait or not. We can sometime get a cheap flight at the last minute, but not if the flight is booked out. It depends if you have a tight of flexible schedule, or are more interested in saving money or waiting time. Yapta can find cheap prices and advise on price drops, but it doesn’t apply to all airlines; and changes often incur a fee. Occasionally an airline will issue a travel voucher in lieu of a refund should your seat price be reduced.
Credit cards have all sorts of fight privileges. Every company and every card offered is different, which can be confusing, but it also means there are different options to benefit different people. Frequent flyer points are quite common; some are for travel, some are for accommodation. Accumulated points will get you discounts. Other privileges include airport lounge access, which may include buffet meals. Sometime access is part of the card, other times it depends on the accumulated frequent flyer points. The credit cards will incur annual fees, but those who travel more than once a month can actually do well out of the various offers. Card that include travel insurance are recommended for frequent travellers.
Coupons are nothing new. Airlines and travel agent have mailing lists, and periodically send out coupons. Fir the right situation these are a great saving, though you probably cannot use them in combination with another offer.
Hotels have frequent stay programs. Sometimes you can get benefits just for signing up, even if you only stay one or twice. It’s a great advantage if you are constantly going to the same destination on business; it’s still an advantage if you go once and get a free room upgrade.
There are always deals that combine hotel accommodation with airline flights; sometime these are less than the airfare alone! If you find the right deal for your destination you save a lot, the only limitation is you have to take exactly what the deal offers.
Some hotels have shuttles to the airport. A few are complimentary, but Sydney airport hotel shuttles always prove convenient.