Why online travel booking is the way to go

Extended travel running into days is nowadays inevitable. And with it comes the need for safe and comfortable accommodation away from home at a reasonable price.

The old methods of booking flight and accommodation are becoming outdated, thanks to the march of technology.

The days when one had to visit the local travel agency to reserve a flight or book a hotel are becoming fewer.

If you have a credit card, or a mobile money service, and access to the Internet, you can finalise your travel plans in minutes.

You will have a vast array of flights and hotels to choose from when you book online, besides getting the best possible deals.

Online booking will provide you with a wide selection of flights, which will vary depending on your destination, the airport, airline and departure time. You will, therefore, be able to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel. Besides convenience, online reservations save both time and money.

When hunting for accommodation, TripAdvisor.com is one of the reputable websites to consult. Since February 2000, they’ve helped travellers avoid bedbugs, food poisoning and bad neighbourhoods with their massive collection of independent, accurate, user-generated reviews on restaurants and hotels.

Making a reservation over the phone, or at a travel agency, doesn’t allow you to check out what past customers have thought of certain hotel chains and airlines. Being able to see these customer reviews is a huge relief, especially when you are planning to travel to a place you have not been to before.

What makes TripAdvisor hugely popular is the integrity of its reviews. This site has become the go-to service where one can make a reservation based on the experiences of other people.

Online services also allow prospective travellers to browse through the hotel deal package. You will be able to explore pictures of the hotel rooms, dining hall, swimming pool and other features.

RESERVE ROOM ONLINE

Other commonly used sites for hotel bargains include Hotel.com, Secretespcapes.com, Google and Booking.com. The difference between Booking.com and other sites is that it lets you reserve your room online, but pay upon arrival. This is handy for those who prefer to use cash over cards.

More travellers are also choosing to book places to stay through alternative lodging websites like Airbnb.com and HomeAway.com. Internet reservations are also not constrained by time — you can do it any time of the day or night, at home or the office.

You can also shop around when making online reservations, compare prices and choose the best one. Many hotel and airline websites boast of having the lowest prices and even offer Internet-only offers to travellers which are deeply discounted.

But buyer beware: Most fares found by these flight search engines don’t include the baggage fees charged by some low-cost airlines. You need to check carefully, otherwise you could be disappointed when you get to the airport and you have to pay more for a check-in bag.

There are also other factors to consider. Booking through a third party can mean that if you want to make changes to your flight while at the airport, for example, the airline will tell you to call Expedia.com or any other booking site you may have used.

In addition, hotel cancellation policies can be less strict when you do direct booking than from online travel agents.

Something else to consider: More and more airlines and hotels are offering loyalty packages and resort credits not found on third-party sites. Therefore, do your homework.

Wambugu is an informatics specialist. [email protected] @samwambugu2