Booking Traps
- Waiting for lower flight costs? Flight ticket prices change very quickly, and even airlines cannot predict whether prices will rise or fall (it's all handled by complicated computers). So stay calm. When you see a price you can handle, buy the ticket and don't look back. But if you have to wait, use a service like Yapta that uses the difference in ticket prices.
- Will you be booking for miles or points? Ads and forums encourage you to focus on choosing a destination, hotel, or airline to collect the most points and miles. But these often do not benefit either you, the traveler, or the hotel or airline. Don't drown in it. Forget membership cards and take advantage of debit card offers that give you points or miles for every dollar you spend.
- Booked twice? Double whammy: You're booking online and your browser has stopped working, or so you think. The reservation process may still be ongoing and when you press the "confirm" button, you may have made the same reservation twice. Good news: You usually have 24 hours to cancel. Bad news? You may realize your double booking later than necessary. If your browser stops working during the reservation, please call the helpline and wait 24 hours before booking again.
- Are you lost between options? The “low price guarantee” often comes with a lot of annoying little details. Same goes for “bids” (many people overpay). And always browse everywhere - shops, online travel agencies (Orbitz, Expadia) - until you find the best price, and don't go all out.
