We all want that dream vacation, but unfortunately money and time are major factors that can rain on you plans to visit paradise. Tara Rhodes, our feature correspondent, works for an online travel company and has uncovered some really great ways to save on travel so that you can make that vacation a reality.

Be Flexible
Are you able to travel outside of peak times? The best travel deals are found when the majority of people are NOT travelling. If you don’t have to travel during holidays, then you’re already ahead of the game. If you are looking at flights, the best days to travel are always Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays – most airlines have seat sales for departures on these days.

Last-Minute Is Good for Travel
When searching for potential deals online, the best prices are usually found for last-minute offers, especially if you are looking at airfare or packaged vacations. A good idea is to book your vacation time in advance and then book your trip a few weeks (or week) before. Most major airlines have web specials online – for example, AA.com (American Airlines) has Net SAAver deals for this or next weekend.

Tour Guide vs. On Your Own
A lot of tour operators have amazing packages to Asia, Africa and South America. But they are often over-priced due to them packaging it for you. If you don’t mind booking all the airfare, hotels and tours on your own, then you will save a lot of money. Most tour inclusions are available online – but make sure that you find out if they are credible or not. Legitimate websites have accreditations and make sure the website is secure before booking online. If you are not sure, there are many sites, such as TripAdvisor.com, that have reviews on everything related to travel.

Online Travel Agencies
Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz (to name a few) are excellent resources to gauge how much it costs to go somewhere. For example, if you are looking for really great air deals, check out Travelocity’s ‘Flexible Fares Finder”. It gives a really good indication on when flights depart, what months the fares are on for, and what airline they are on. This tool is especially good to use when booking a flight that is not your typical destination. For example, when I booked a flight to Zambia, I used Travelocity to find out when the best flights were available, especially since I was travelling through the holiday season. I found out that if I left a week earlier, I could get a better deal (again, be flexible!). As well, this will help you out when booking with a travel agent, as sometimes they try to take advantage of you not knowing the in’s and out’s of the travel world.

Other Departure Cities
Sometimes you can save a lot of money if you drive to another airport. For example, if you live in Toronto, it’s sometimes beneficial to drive to Buffalo to take advantage of the cheaper air taxes in the US. If you are able to get to another departure city that has cheaper fares, or more frequent departures, you are more likely to save money.

Online Newsletters
If you are looking for travel deals, the internet is your best friend. Sign up for every newsletter under the sun – many hotels, airlines and tour operators pay for advertising through these channels, and come up with travel deals exclusively for their subscribers. Some of the best ones out there are Travelzoo (www.travelzoo.com), Frommer’s (www.frommers.com), and Fare Compare (www.farecompare.com).

The best way to find a travel deal is to stay flexible, and to not let a great deal pass you by. Chances are if you see an offer that is an amazing price, 24 hours from now it will be gone, so make sure you book as soon as you can. In travel, if it’s too good to be true, then you should book it!

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