Online Flights, Hotels And Holidays Booking In India - Tips And Tricks To Beat Travel Portal Price
Keywords: makemytrip, cleartrip, travelguru, travelchacha, travel portal, flights, hotels, holidays, online,
It is raining travel portals in India and more and more Indian consumers are booking their flights, hotels and holidays online than ever before. There are about a dozen travel sites that are in fierce competition with one another to increase market share cashing on the huge consumer boom triggered by salary hikes and more disposable income of Indian middle class. Some of the leading names catering the Indian market are makemytrip, cleartrip, yatra, ezeego1, travelguru, arzoo, travelchacha, travelmasti and indiatimes travel.
As more choices are present before the Indian consumers it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to pick up the right one where they will not only get a good deal but good services as well. My personal experience is that most of these portals have very little price differentiation but the customer service, usability and transparency makes them different from one another.
Regarding airfares I think cleartrip scores above the rest as they have a no nonsense intuitive interface and also give the real fare unlike makemytrip and others who try to hide the airport tax part till the last checkout page. So when you are comparing the fares don’t be lured by the low list prices because you have to shell out much more than what you see as fare.
Another important advice is that unless you are very much sure about your itineraries look out for cancellation and modification charges which could take a toll on your budget. Cheap tickets always come with some inflexibility and there may be some cases where the journey date is not at all changeable. So read the fine print before committing as otherwise your good deal could turn out to be a costly affair.
It is not only the charges that hurts but sometimes a poor customer service can give you a lot of pain specially when you try to make a last minute change. I experienced once such nightmare with makemytrip about 6 months back when their servers failed to send the e-ticket and I had to try for almost 2 hours to get to speak to a customer service representative to get my PNR number. I have left makemytrip since then and I am not sure whether their customer help desk have improved by this time but this could be a major area for worry for any customer who needs help.
So do your own research if you are trying out a new travel portal for the first time and don’t just get swayed by advertisements. There are reviews in product review websites which are the best sources of unbiased information about service and overall experience and they are usually written by real customers. Blogs are also sources for such information which can actually provide insights about the deals or raw deals that a customer gets from the ever growing online travel booking business.
For hotel prices I will tell you a trick that has worked for me many a times. I have always booked hotels and even 4 star and heritage hotels well below the lowest prices as published in these portals. What a smart consumer can do is get the reference price from the travel portals and then directly negotiate with the hotel for an even better price or some freebies (like free airport transfer) and I will tell you that it can save you up to 25%.
Another common mistake that many travelers do is that they forget about the airlines that fly them and think only about the travel portals. Don’t forget to look into the airlines website especially if you are planning to take a low cost carrier. There is a chance that you can get a better deal there and then why not grab it.
If you can afford to fly last minute chances are that you get killer deals directly from the airlines and so if you have the time don’t be in a hurry to book in advance. Instead wait for weekdays or weekend deals offered last moment and be ready to grab them as it comes. If you are flying main routes like Delhi Mumbai or Mumbai Calcutta chances are they you get discount prices in full service carriers in last minute as the airlines would be desperate to sell off the available seats.
Lastly for flight and hotel deals airlines sites are a must visit as they regularly have good deals. Indian which may be not so fashionable like Jet or Kingfisher always have great pan India holiday deals thought out the seasons and many people don’t actually know about them. Nowadays budget airlines like Spice Jet are also offering flight and hotel deals but you need to compare with other offers before buying.
So it is not only the portals that you offer you the best deal and there is no compelling reason to be loyal to only one portal. Spend some time on research and pick up the best deal whoever offers it to you.
But don’t fall into the cash back trap which is offered by most portals with some credit card or the other. Take them only when you are sure that you can pay off the full bill as otherwise you will end up paying more in interest than what you save. As the portals themselves are finding it hard to strike good deals with airlines and hotels the cash back is the only easy option for them to make their prices appear attractive to consumers.
Jaydeep Bhattacharjee writes on consumer issues concerning the Indian consumers. He is the founder of www.admanya.com - India’s leading C2C Portal. Admanya is free and it completely depends on consumer participation for its content. Join Admanya and be an empowered consumer.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Luxury At The Burj Al Arab Hotel (1)
Al Muntaha is situated 200 metres above the Arabian Gulf, offering Mediterranean cuisine and an unmatched view of The Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands. Alternatively, there is a private dining menu which is served in your suite available 24 hours a day.
Gordon Ramsay Cooks Up A Storm In Dubai (2)
An outing to Verre while on your package holiday tour in Dubai is perfect whatever the occasion from a romantic meal for two to a unique night out with a group of friends.
What Is There In Sacramento (3)
We have custom internaries available to dazzle your clients or loved ones. Discover Sacramento's secret hot spots and the best Napa Limo. Visit our award winning website at www.luxxlimo.com.
Water Sport Activities In Phuket (4)
Further, the bay's shoreline are amazing, with superb limestone formations as well as soaring rock formations. Popular water sport activity in Phuket also includes water skiing. Situated near the Loch Palm Golf Course, Hat Patong is considered a haven for water skiing in Phuket.
Finding A Cruise That Meets Your Needs (5)
But if you have the money to spare, you can consider splurging on a suite for more room space. If you are traveling with older children or teenagers you can opt to reserve two cabins with connecting doors.
Heli-Skiing In Whistler (6)
Whistler provides opportunities for the visitors to enjoy a variety of winter as well as summer activities. With its unbelievable mountains such as Whistler Mountain and the Blackcomb Mountain, the winter in Whistler is simply amazing with facilities for such recreational activities as cross country skiing, ice-skating, sleigh riding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, spring skiing, and dog sledding.
Sacramento- A City For All Seasons (7)
We have custom internaries available to dazzle your clients or loved ones. Discover Sacramento's secret hot spots and the best Napa Limo. Visit our award winning website at www.luxxlimo.com.
Snow Problems For Andorra Ski Holidays (8)
As well as being a top European ski destination, Andorra is a tax haven with no income tax. Buying a property in Andorra is often seen as a route to residency, which entitles people to live in Andorra and benefit from her tax haven status.
Sailing In The Andaman Sea (9)
It should be worth the one or two or rare vacations we spend with our family to be very much enjoyable. At this stage, it is better to lean on an expert touring agent or any kind of vacation planning sites.
What To See And Do When You're In Mumbai (10)
There are always plenty of people in the Gateway of India taking part in the various activities. It is a very fun and active place to spend your time.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Gary Rhodes Cooks In Grenada (1)
He visits the hotel regularly and is involved in all aspects of the kitchen and restaurant. He is so determined to male Rhodes Restaurant one of the top places to eat in Grenada that one of his chefs, David Marshal is based there to oversee quality control.
South India Wildlife Sanctuary (2)
The upper deck is best for wildlife viewing and it is recommended that you turn up half an hour early in order to get the best seats. If you prefer, you can even rent your own boat and explore at your own leisure.
Guide To South India (3)
The food at the hotel was of a very good standard and there were a large amount of dishes available at the buffet so there was always something available that we liked.
2007 Tourists Numbers Up For Malta (4)
If successful the extra tourists for Malta in her off-peak months will be a welcome boost for the island's hotels and holiday trade, coming off the back of a summer that could see the ten per cent rise in arrivals compared to last year achieved, building on the seven per cent already reported for the first three months of 2007.
Spain Beats Off 2007 Eastern Tourist Competition (5)
If holidaymakers take heed Spain might also see a drop in visitors from Germany, Scandanavia and other European countries. Holiday and hotel information for Mallorca can be found at www.yourmajorca.net
Maine Vacation Rivaled By That Of Prince Edward Island (6)
A quick flight over PEI reveals just how much golf there is to be played on the gentle island. From above, thanks to gorgeous rolling greens interrupted only by the sand, water and woodlands, it looks like one giant golf course.
Tourism Season In Full Bloom On Prince Edward Island (7)
Once on this island, it is not only the food and the golf that will capture your attention during this high tourism season, it is also its rustic nature. A rich maritime and farming history come together to provide a sensibility that is at once sage and weathered, yet eternally optimistic.
Finding Homes In Paradise (8)
Fans of dance music can rejoice because Ibiza is the home of the Balearic Beat. This is a genre of music which uses a number of stringed instruments to create the mood for the party.
Thailand Can Be A Retirees Paradise (9)
With no cold weather to worry even in winter, about what more could you possibly ask for? Visit www.retirementviews.com for the latest on retirement including saving for retirement and choosing a place to retire.
A Visit To The Guggenheim Museum Delights Students And Teachers (10)
A large rotunda, for example, was to be accompanied by a small rotunda and a tower and a small rotunda (or monitor building, as Wright called it) was intended to house apartments but became offices and miscellaneous storage space.