If you scratch beneath the travel industry’s shiny surface, you’ll find a world of surprising things you never knew to be true. From little-known ways to cut costs to the safest place to sit on a plane, we dig into the industry’s underbelly and reveal the secrets travel officials have been keeping from us.
1. You Can Choose The Price Of Your Own Hotel Room.
Travel discount site Priceline can help you save a mighty sum of cash on your next hotel. Most unique is its “Name Your Own Price” function, which allows you to state the money you’re willing to part with for a stay in a given hotel, and see if the property accepts it. The trick, says Money Saving Expert, is to start low and gradually raise your bid (you can do this once per day) until you bag the room.
2. You Should Favor Airbnb Ratings Over Reviews.
Airbnb is two-way street and, as a guest, you’ll have the chance to review your host and their property – but they’ll have the chance to share their thoughts on you too. This means many guests are unlikely to be wholly honest in the review of their stay for fear of being slapped with a bad review in return. However, since ratings offer more anonymity, guests are more likely to be honest in this part of the feedback.
3. You’ll Get A Better Price If You Clear Your Cookies.
It’s no secret that businesses know more about us than they ever have. Cookies gather information each time we visit a travel booking site and sources including The Times report that companies will hike up the price of a package trip, hotel room or flight if they see you’ve viewed the product before.
4. Travel Agents Work On Commission.
Travel agents typically earn between 10-18% commission on each sale they make so, in theory, the more you’re paying, the more your agent is earning. Of course, most agents have their clients’ best interests at heart and aren’t trying to rip you off – but it’s worth remembering that they’re not without their biases.
5. “Split Ticketing” Might Save You A Fortune.
Many savvy travelers will be au fait with “split ticketing” when it comes to train travel, but this approach can be applied to flying too. It could involve breaking up the journey to your final destination, or skipping on the return flight and booking it separately, or even from another convenient airport.
6. The Back Seats Are The Safest.
While it’s well-known that flying is one of the safest ways to get from A to B, plane crashes can be calamitous. According to a report commissioned by the Civil Aviation Authority, if things take a turn for the worst, the rear seats are where you want to be.
