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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

What is an online travel agency, and what are the best sites and apps to use to search for hotels and flights we break it all down for you..

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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

There’s a lot to navigate when researching and booking travel online.

Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

My first travel adventure was to Venezuela. I booked the ticket with a travel agent over a pay phone. The agent searched a dozen flight itineraries over a few days, all so I could save $15.

Times have changed. Today, flight searches start online , often on your mobile device. Passengers book either directly with the airline or hotel or with online travel agencies. Rarely do we get on the phone. In fact, American Airlines and United Airlines charge $25 to make a domestic flight booking by phone. And pay phones hardly exist anymore.

So, what is the best way to book online? Here is our complete guide to online travel agencies, search tools, and the variety of booking options available on both mobile devices and desktops.

What is an OTA?

An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or mobile app that allows users to search for and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities. The booking is made directly with the online travel agency but confirmed by the service provider, such as an airline or a hotel. As a customer, your relationship is with the OTA.

What are the main OTAs?

Many online travel agencies nowadays are owned by two main companies: Expedia and Priceline. The Expedia Group is the largest online travel agency in the United States with 70 percent market share, according to travel data firm Phocuswright. Expedia Group operates Expedia.com , Orbitz, Hotels.com , Trivago, CheapTickets , Hotwire , Vrbo , and Travelocity .

Priceline is a major competitor to Expedia, with global revenues larger than the Expedia Group. The company owns Priceline.com, Booking.com, Cheapflights, Momondo, and Kayak—the latter two being metasearch engines (more on that below).

There are also independent newcomers such as Hopper (a mobile-only booking tool) and Kiwi.com (which allows you to book flights on air carriers that don’t normally have a commercial relationship).

Are OTA fares lower than booking directly?

Generally, no. The fares that are displayed by an OTA will be similar if not slightly more expensive when compared to an airline’s website. They’re usually only a few dollars higher or lower. The OTAs charge a booking fee to the airlines, and often that fee is passed directly to consumers. For example, Lufthansa tacks on an additional $18 to any booking made through an OTA for Lufthansa flights. The same flights are exactly $18 cheaper on the airline’s website.

Where you can score a good travel deal through an OTA is when booking a last-minute hotel and flight package. Many OTAs have cut agreements with airlines allowing last-minute travelers to access lower rates than are typically available when passengers book a flight alone.

Are all airlines available to be booked through OTAs?

No. Many OTAs do not display flights from some of the low-fare leaders. For example, Southwest and Allegiant flights are not available through OTAs; the same goes for Ryanair in Europe. And, earlier this year United Airlines threatened to pull out of Expedia altogether, only recently signing a multi-year agreement to stay in. The airlines would rather not lose any margin to online travel agencies in an already low-margin industry and would rather maintain a direct relationship with the customer.

Are smaller OTAs safe to use?

Expedia and Priceline are the two largest players in the online booking space, but there are dozens of independent OTAs, such as CheapOAir, OneTravel, JustFly, and SmartFares. Confusingly, you might actually stumble on ads for these OTAs while using Expedia or Priceline sites. That’s because the larger OTAs earn revenue through advertising, sending passengers to smaller OTAs and charging those OTAs for the favor.

Buyer beware: some of these lesser-known OTAs are masters at hidden fees. For example, a flight search on JetBlue allows for free seat selection in many instances. If you perform the same search on FlightNetwork, an independent OTA, and select a seat, you will be charged an additional $25—despite the fact that JetBlue doesn’t charge a seat selection fee if you book directly.

What if you need to change your itinerary?

Itinerary changes are often a pain. If your plans change, it won’t matter whether you’ve booked directly with an airline or with an OTA—you’re going to pay fees for the privilege, if you can even change your ticket at all.

For example, CheapTickets.com, which is part of the Expedia Group, charges $25 to change or cancel a ticket if that change is requested after 24 hours of making the booking—it is free if you do so within 24 hours of booking. However, the fees go up from there. JustFly, an independent OTA, charges a $75 fee for changes to domestic flights in addition to airline change fees, plus the difference in fare, for tickets that can be changed. For an international trip, the fee rises to $200. That means to change an international flight with Delta (which charges a $100 change fee) booked through JustFly, you’ll be assessed $300 in fees, plus the difference in fare. At that rate, you may as well book a new flight. FlightNetwork indicates in its terms of service that changes may incur a change fee but doesn’t specify what those fees are. That hardly makes the few dollars you saved by booking with the OTA in the first place worth it.

What is an OTA price match policy?

To assure travelers that they are getting the lowest fare possible, many OTAs have a price match policy. The rules vary and so do the benefits.

For example, if you book with Orbitz and find a less expensive flight, car rental, or activity on any U.S.-based website within 24 hours of your booking, Orbitz will refund you the difference you paid. And it works: I have personally found a flight in the same class, on the same airline, for the same origin and destination cities, and requested Orbitz to refund the difference of around $35. Within a few weeks, I received a check in the mail. A similar program applies for CheapOAir, but there’s a catch—the price difference must be found on a major OTA such as Expedia or Travelocity.

Expedia has a particularly good price match policy, but you have to pay extra for it at the time of booking. Expedia offers the price match option as an add-on that costs between $5 and $30 when you book. With the price match applied, if the airfare on Expedia drops between 120 days of the flight and up to six hours before the flight, Expedia will automatically refund you the difference in fare. Unfortunately, fares generally do not drop substantially as the travel date approaches, so while this might give you peace of mind, it’s probably not worth the expense.

How do Google Flights and other travel metasearch engines work?

Frequent fliers are likely familiar with websites such as Google Flights, Kayak, Momondo, or Skyscanner. On these websites, passengers search on the site but are redirected to the service provider to complete the booking, such as an airline, rental car company, or hotel.

Metasearch started with a product called ITA Matrix, which is a tool for searching airfares online but not for actually booking online. ITA Matrix allows for multi-city searching, such as setting two different departure or arrival airports, and for offering a calendar view of fares for easier comparison. That company was acquired by Google in 2011, and savvy travelers swear by it to help find the least expensive fares online. Most consumers are more familiar with Google Flights, which has gained traction more recently not least because it has the benefit of being displayed first in search results on Google.

Metasearch engines receive distribution fees from the airlines for sending traffic to the supplier websites. There are no additional hidden fees for using a metasearch engine because you’re booking directly with the airline or hotel.

A major benefit of the metasearch engines is their price tracking tool, which lets users know whether the displayed fares are low, average, or high for the flight, allowing travelers to make a more informed decision on whether to book a flight or not . Google Flights and Kayak, for instance, both have price tracking tools.

Why not just book directly?

The airlines would definitely much rather you book directly with them. Over the past five years, they have gotten much better at marketing and selling their product directly to consumers online and through mobile sites and apps. But in the past, they weren’t so good at it. In fact, Delta, Northwest, United, American, and Continental got together to invest $145 million to launch Orbitz in 1999 to counter the threat from Expedia. Now Orbitz is owned by Expedia.

The airlines also try to encourage customers to book directly so that they can maintain a closer relationship with them. It allows carriers to connect bookings with loyalty programs and create special offers and discounts catered to individual passengers.

There is another benefit to booking directly. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty, so long as the booking is made at least seven days before travel. The law applies, however, only to U.S. and foreign air carriers that have websites marketed to U.S. consumers. This means that, in theory, an online travel agency does not have to offer such a policy, although most OTAs do.

What are the options for booking on your mobile device?

Airlines and the major OTAs all have apps to help you book and manage your trip on your mobile device, but their functionality is lacking compared to these websites’ desktop editions. For example, Expedia’s app doesn’t allow you to view flights on a month-view calendar. Kayak has an app with more bells and whistles and a better user interface, including a month-view calendar with color-coded pricing. It also has a handy “augmented reality” function to help you see if your carry-on bag will fit in the overhead bin (a feature originally developed by KLM). Point your phone’s camera at the luggage, and it’ll give you the dimensions.

While apps are improving and gaining in popularity, you still might find it easier to locate the best deals on flights and hotels by using your desktop, where you can have multiple tabs open and have all the available search tools at your disposal. Apps are fine for booking directly with an airline once you know which flights you want to book.

If you’re determined to use your mobile device, you may want to look into Hopper. Hopper is a mobile-first flight booking tool that has a solid price prediction tool. You can research travel options and book directly on the app. Another benefit of Hopper: Of its team of 300 employees, nearly half are dedicated to customer support and are based in Canada versus some OTAs and airlines that outsource much of their customer service further afield.

The bottom line?

Like many travelers, I enjoy a flight deal as much as the next person, but I also don’t like any added hassle. I typically start my travel searches using the ITA Matrix or Google Flights to get a general sense of the fares. It helps to know what is a good deal and what is expensive for a particular route. I do my research, typically on a desktop computer. When I’m ready to book, I’ll book directly with the airline. I’ve found that customer service is better when booking directly with the service provider. But I’ve also saved money by using OTAs and have booked with them, too. Whichever way you choose to book, you can be safe in the knowledge that finding and purchasing travel online is a lot easier today than searching for a deal with a travel agent on a pay phone.

>> Next: How to Get the Best Last-Minute Travel Deals

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How to Find the Right Travel Agent

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Ed Hewitt started traveling with his family at the age of 10 and has since visited dozens of countries on six continents. He wrote for IndependentTraveler.com for more than 20 years, producing hundreds of columns on travel and offering his expertise on radio and television. He is now a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.

An avid surfer and rower, Ed has written about and photographed rowing competitions around the world, including the last five Olympic Games.

He's passing his love of travel on to the next generation; his 10-year-old son has flown some 200,000 miles already.

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Back before I became a diehard fan of travel agents, I was a diehard fan of doing it myself. But a few bad trips, many of which I’ve written about in this column, resulted in numerous comments from travel agents that they could have saved me some agony, not to mention quite possibly some money. Here’s the story of my quest to find the perfect travel advisor.

What Makes a Good Travel Agent?

Full disclosure: I’m in the market for a holiday trip to a popular destination (a Hawaiian island) for a friend’s wedding. I figured I’d mix business and pleasure, and turn this article into a quest for affordable airfare.

As a result, I had three agendas:

1) To find a “Good Travel Agent.” What is this elusive creature? 2) To experience this creature’s purported magic first-hand. 3) To (somehow!) find a great airfare in a sold-out market.

A Monday afternoon’s calls to some local travel agents went thusly:

First call: No answer, left message, no returned call within 48 hours, still haven’t heard from them.

Second call: Spoke to an agent, gave her my itinerary, then had this exchange:

“We’ll see what we can do, and give you a call.” I had to ask when that call might come.

“Hopefully by the end of the week.” (Remember, this was on Monday.)

Third call: Receptionist answers, asks my name, then tells me (and I swear these were his exact words): “All our agents are currently busy with other customers. Please call back in 15 to 20 minutes.”

Aside from the fact that he sounded like a computer-generated on-hold operator, he made no offer to take my name or my number to have someone call me. Call us, we won’t call you….

Fourth call: The folks at the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) are always trumpeting their agents, so I chose an agent who sported the ASTA logo in his Yellow Pages ad. Pay dirt.

Gene was funny, happily swapped war stories with me, called back promptly after investigating my itinerary, and explored other options at length when I wasn’t entirely happy with prices or the airline. In short order, by using some alternative airports, he found a fare that was $200 cheaper than what I had seen online.

He placed the reservation but asked if I could wait until the morning, as he was going to a party that night with some colleagues, and wanted to see if he could find anything interesting.

At 9:15 a.m., Gene called with some news: He had found a package deal with a three-night “throwaway hotel” (when you don’t even have to show up if you don’t want to) for almost $2,000 less than either of us could find anywhere else. He had nailed down our preferred dates of travel, if not our preferred airline, but beggars can’t be choosers, as the saying goes. As I said before: pay dirt.

Finding a Good Travel Agent

Needless to say, I’m sold that a good travel agent can do some things no search engine will ever do. (I’ll still use online booking sites, nonetheless, for speed and convenience, but will call my new travel agent much more frequently.)

A few guidelines for choosing your travel agent:

1) I have to trumpet the ASTA connection; go with an ASTA agency. ASTA has a code of conduct, a Consumer Affairs Department where you can register complaints against members, and a reputation to uphold. You can search for ASTA-affiliated agents on the organization’s consumer site, TravelSense.org .

(Note that, on further inspection, I discovered that at least one of the agencies I didn’t use was an ASTA shop. ASTA affiliation isn’t a guarantee, but it’s a good start.)

2) Does the agent tell you everything you need to know? When you don’t like a certain airline, departure times or dates, or connection, does he shift gears immediately to find alternatives or try to force the issue? If your agent responds well in these situations, stick by him.

3) Do the agent’s fares and itineraries stack up well against the online booking services? Even when I call the airlines directly, I check an online reservations site to investigate my options ahead of time; I do the same with travel agents. The more information you have as a consumer of any product, the more likely you are to find what you really want.

When to Use a Travel Agent

Strongly consider using a travel agent instead of doing it yourself in the following cases:

Group trips/sales. Getting 25 people on the same plane with seats together at an affordable price is no job for a dilettante. Call a travel agent immediately when traveling with a large group. Be firm and clear in your instructions on your budget, time and date restrictions, and other requirements.

Family travel. I consider family travel just a smaller subset of a group trip — we want sensible flight times, the fewest connections and shortest overall travel time possible, seats together throughout, hotel rooms with enough sleeping space, a car that can accept a child’s seat, etc. A good travel agent understands all of this intuitively, and can save you the headaches of sorting through all of this yourself.

When looking for a package deal. There are so many package deals out there, at hotels you’ve never heard of, with itineraries so vague you’re not sure what country you’re visiting, that you probably need some assistance. (See Are Vacation Packages a Good Deal? for more help.)

When you fly frequently. When you fly frequently, and especially when it’s SEM (Someone Else’s Money), having a good travel agent can be essential. No hours on hold, no endless Web surfing, no hassles; just a quick phone call, and your e-tickets arrive in your inbox.

When traveling to an exotic locale or new “resort” area. I once took a trip to a new resort that hadn’t completed its plumbing installation, overlooked a beach at an oil drilling site and was plagued with thefts. I rented a car and disappeared for the rest of the trip, swallowing the cost of the hotel.

A good travel agent has an ear to the ground and will know whether a new hotel in an exotic location is safe and ready to welcome travelers. Many travel agents routinely visit hot new locations (often on the tab of the resort — see Potential Conflicts of Interest below).

Additionally, if any components of your itinerary collapse, your travel agent is accountable to help try to set things right. If you made all your reservations yourself, you’re up the creek without the proverbial paddle.

When you don’t have time. You might save a few dollars in fees, while you lose two hours in research. What is your time worth? Travel agents earn their keep by doing work you don’t have time to do.

When you have all the time in the world. If you have a relationship with your travel agent, you can ask them to keep an eye out for good deals to your favorite locations. Sure, email notification services can do the same, but your travel agent might catch something a “bot” might not.

When you have the itinerary from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks. If you have a particularly sticky itinerary — one with stopovers, rented cars in every city, several hotels and the like — you might want to get a pro on the job.

When you have a great travel agent. If you’ve found the world’s best travel agent right in your neighborhood, throw her all your business. You won’t do better anywhere else. She can see everything the booking engines can see, and sometimes more. She’ll make a living, you’ll become a preferred customer and the world will be a better place. (Well, maybe not, but we can try.)

When to Do It Yourself

I do believe there are times when you can just make your bookings yourself:

Routine travel. If you’re booking a simple roundtrip flight, you can probably do it yourself online with your preferred airline. This way, there’s no third party to consult if you have to make quick, simple decisions about departure times, prices or other factors. You make a few clicks and it’s done. No travel agent is going to make this process simpler or likely even cheaper.

When you’re working on word of mouth, or with Mom and Pop operations. Many small hotels, B&B’s, local car rental joints or similar outfits don’t register on the average travel agent’s radar screen. When a friend tells you about this great and affordable little cabin that you can get by calling the local bait shop, make the call yourself.

What to Ask a Travel Agent

A good travel agent will answer the following questions honestly and without resistance.

Do you apply a surcharge to my purchase? How big is it? I think it is unfortunate that travel agents have been forced to apply a surcharge to get paid for the valuable work they do. And usually they’re worth the small fee. I have no sympathy, however, for agents and agencies that institute a surcharge and don’t tell their customers until after the fact.

Does the price quote include all taxes and other charges? The odd travel agent will quote you the base price on a flight or hotel stay; then when you try to pay, it’s much higher. Even online booking engines quote final prices; expect your travel agent to do so as well.

What about incentive programs? Are agents getting paid to steer you to a specific airline, cruise company, hotel or car rental agency? You want to know.

Are there airlines that do not appear in their computers? Some airlines are more equal than others. Some airlines, such as Southwest and other smaller discounters, may not participate in the central reservations system. Good agents will know to check those airlines’ sites when appropriate.

Do they routinely work with vacation package companies? The truly creative agent might not just offer you an airfare, but might find a vacation package that could even come in cheaper than the flight.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

An agent who is paid to find the best airfare, but is simultaneously paid by airlines to steer customers to their flights, encounters a clear conflict of interest. While most agents should be assumed honest, you want to know about these arrangements, as the agent is put in a tough position of saving you a few bucks or making a few more bucks for himself.

It’s a conflict of interest, a little like when a real estate agent represents both the buyer and the seller. Whose interests are they protecting? Besides their own, of course. Please understand that I’m not attacking travel agents’ right to make a living. But when an agent sells out the customer on the other end of the phone to the airline on the other end of an incentive program, we have a problem.

Familiarization Trips Often called “fam” trips, these are partly educational trips for travel agents and partly favors from travel companies, who often expect to be “paid back” with sales to that destination. Probably a necessary evil, but when someone recommends a new locale she’s just visited and loved, remember that she didn’t pay as much as you will to visit there. Again, ask the tough questions.

Overrides An “override” refers to an incentive program where agents are rewarded, in commission increase or other perks, when they sell a minimum number or dollar amount of reservations for a particular airline, hotel, car rental company, cruise line or the like. The temptation to steer passengers to that company can be overwhelming, even if it’s not entirely in the best interests of the traveler.

Overrides are primarily an issue at large companies; your average local company can’t get anywhere near the numbers required for most overrides.

I’m not slamming agents by highlighting these issues; remember, one just saved me $2,000. I’m merely reinforcing my eternal credo: Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). Do your homework to find that “Good Travel Agent,” and you won’t regret it.

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Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

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Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

  • Best Overall: Booking.com
  • Best Budget: Skyscanner
  • Best Price Predictor: Hopper
  • Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
  • Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
  • Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
  • Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
  • Our Top Picks
  • Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

  • See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

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Vacation Packages Ideas

Rome - Florence - Venice by Train

Rome - Florence - Venice by Train

7 nights from $449*

Our #1 Bestseller and the perfect introduction to Italy! . Visit these fascinating cities starting in: Rome (the Eternal City, with its stunning architecture like the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and delicious food) after that, travel north to Florence (capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture) and finally, to Venice (set on gorgeous canals, intimate Gondola rides will guide you past sumptuous palaces and under sculpted bridges). Travel between these cities by very convenient train rides which allow you an opportunity to observe the lovely country side. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 3 nights in Rome
  • Train from Rome to Florence
  • Hotel for 2 nights in Florence
  • Train from Florence to Venice
  • Hotel for 2 nights in Venice

Singapore and Bali by Air

Singapore and Bali by Air

7 nights from $479*

Embark on an exhilarating journey in South East Asia, where the vibrant souls of Singapore and Indonesia await your eager exploration!. Brace yourself for a whirlwind in Singapore City - a mesmerizing tapestry of cultures and traditions where you will marvel at an awe-inspiring skyline adorned with magnificent architectural wonders, each narrating a unique tale of innovation and elegance. And just when you think you've unearthed all the treasures this journey has to offer, prepare to experience spectacular Bali (an ethereal paradise known as 'the island of the gods'). Behold the sheer majesty adorned with a thousand temples, each exuding a spiritual mystique that transcends time and space). This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 4 nights in Singapore City
  • Flight from Singapore City City to Bali (Denpasar)
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Bali (Denpasar)

Medellin and Cartagena by Air

Medellin and Cartagena by Air

6 nights from $239*

Colombia Essentials! . Enjoy Colombia's second most important city; Medellin (the City of the Eternal Spring ; (known by its coffee plantations, flower farms, funny Botero's oversized statues, cultural encounters, the warmth of its people and the amazing views that are accompanied by clear blue skies and beautiful sunsets. Medellin is the city's enviable nightlife ) ; and after that, catch a flight to Cartagena (colonial city on the shores of the sea, and one of the most visited cities. The historic walled city remains alongside the ultramodern skyscraper-filled Bocagrande. Cartagena is famous for its castles, culture, history and colorful buildings as well as the iconic palenqueras –Afro-Colombian women in bright dresses selling fruit in Cartagena`s plazas-). This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 3 nights in Medellin
  • Flight from Medellin to Cartagena
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Cartagena

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Europe, middle east & africa destinations ›, asia & south pacific destinations ›, latin america and caribbean destinations ›, europe, middle east & africa destinations ›.

Paris and Prague by Air

Paris and Prague by Air

6 nights from $469*

Combine two of the most exciting countries in Europe: France and The Czech Republic with this vacation. Visit Paris (the romantic City of Lights; an enduring city, home to rich history - museums, architecture, shopping, fine food and wine) and Prague (known for its Old Town Square, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and its Medieval Astronomical Clock). This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 3 nights in Paris
  • Flight from Paris to Prague
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Prague

Lisbon and Porto by Train

Lisbon and Porto by Train

6 nights from $319*

Experience beautiful Portugal through two of its most popular destinations!. Begin your vacation in Lisbon (the dazzling capital with an ancient fortress at its heart with charming neighborhoods, local festivals, nightlife, and delectable food) and then, take a train to Porto (the former residence of the Royal Family; visit medieval cathedrals, concert halls, the national library and museums with breathtaking art treasures and porto wines!). This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Train from Lisbon to Porto
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Lisbon
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Porto

Prague - Vienna - Budapest by Train

Prague - Vienna - Budapest by Train

9 nights from $629*

Our most popular combo for Czech Republic , Austria and Hungary !. Visit Prague (`The City of a Hundred Spires` with 1,000 years of art and architecture), Vienna (City of music, cafes, waltzes, parks, pastries, and wine with stately streets and Baroque palaces) and Budapest (two cities in one: Buda built upon hills, Castle Hill and Gellert Hill and Pest, as flat as a pancake, the perfect contrast between the right and left banks, a vibrant city). Transportation between cities by train. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotels and activities.

  • Train from Prague to Vienna
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Vienna
  • Train from Vienna to Budapest
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Budapest

Asia & South Pacific Destinations ›

Oahu and Kauai by Air

Oahu and Kauai by Air

6 nights from $619*

Fantastic Hawaiian Duo for and unforgettable holiday!. Visit: The Gathering Place; Oahu (the third largest island and most visited of the Hawaiian chain. The Island is primarily defined by the state capital of Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, and the world-famous Waikiki Beach . This vibrant island offers the best of both worlds-tropical verdure and a lively night scene). Continue, flying to The Garden Island; Kauai (an island known for its natural beauty and its dramatic, beautiful sites; such as: The Waimea Canyon and The Coconut Coast . Gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, white sand beaches, sugarcane fields, and beachside cliffs you will find along the island). This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 3 nights in Oahu (Honolulu)
  • Flight from Oahu (Honolulu) to Kauai
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Kauai
  • Hotel Hawaii taxes

Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka by Train

Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka by Train

9 nights from $569*

Japan at its best!. Start your trip in Tokyo , the world`s most populous metropolis and recently awarded as the city with best Helpfulness of locals`, `Nightlife`, `Shopping` and Best Local Transportation. Then take the train to Kyoto , known as the City of the Ten Thousand Shrines for a reason! Since it holds about a quarter of Japan`s National Treasures and popular festivals. Last but not least go to Osaka , famous for its delicious traditional food along with its Castle and renowned Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, definitely a trip not to be missed!. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 3 nights in Tokyo
  • Train from Tokyo to Kyoto
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Kyoto
  • Train from Kyoto to Osaka
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Osaka

Bangkok and Phuket by Air

Bangkok and Phuket by Air

Explore Thailand's Beauty! . Discover Bangkok , the capital city, with its bustling mix of old and new; blending traditional culture and religion with all the luxury conveniences of a modern city. Continue this sensory experience with a flight to the idyllic Phuket , The Pearl of the South, a rain forested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, with some of Thailand's most popular beaches, mainly situated along the clear waters of the western shore. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 3 nights in Bangkok
  • Flight from Bangkok to Phuket
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Phuket

Lima - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cuzco

Lima - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cuzco

7 nights from $829*

Our Peru #1 Best-Seller! . Visit Lima for a chance to taste its colonial and cosmopolitan sites and its unique and world renowned peruvian cuisine. Next, fly to Cuzco airport and immediately continue to the Sacred Valley , a magical land where Indian Markets and Incan Constructions mix with Corn Fields, the Andes Mountains, Picturesque Towns, Salt Mines and a Legendary river. Proceed to Machu Picchu , the new Wonder of the World. Finally, visit Cuzco City to discover more Incan and Colonial sites and enjoy lots of shopping and endless nightlife. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 2 nights in Lima
  • Flight from Lima to Cuzco
  • Transfer from Airport in Cuzco City to Hotel in Sacred Valley
  • Hotel for 2 nights in Sacred Valley
  • Full day Machu Picchu tour including round-trip train ride, all transfers, guided tour and lunch.
  • Hotel for 1 night in Machu Picchu
  • Hotel for 2 nights in Cuzco
  • Transfer from Hotel in Cuzco to Airport

Mexico City and Cancun by Air

Mexico City and Cancun by Air

6 nights from $419*

A favorite vacation package that allows you to experience the best of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Combine: Mexico City (high-altitude capital of Mexico, known for its historic sites such as Templo Mayor and more) and Cancun (best-known for its white sand beaches, near-perfect weather, and bright blue waters, is the Acapulco of Mexico's Gulf Coast). A flight connects these destinations. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Hotel for 2 nights in Mexico City
  • Flight from Mexico City to Cancun
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Cancun

Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio (Self Drive)

Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio (Self Drive)

6 nights from $529*

Our #1 Self Drive Itinerary in Costa Rica! . A fun route to experience Costa Rica. From San Jose Airport drive along the country visiting: Arenal Volcano (youngest and one of the most active stratovolcano in Costa Rica , near Lake Arena. Is a place that begs to be explored; rivers wind through bountiful rainforests, waterfalls crash amidst inspiring canyons, and hot springs gurgle up beneath the base of an impressive volcano) and after that, to Manuel Antonio (home to a namesake national Park in Quepos; Manuel Antonio is a magical combination of rainforest, beaches, hills, and coral reefs, making it one of the most biodiverse areas in the world and one of the most visited in Costa Rica). Drive back to San Jose Airport to catch your flight back home. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

  • Rental Car for for 7 days. Pick up and Drop off: San Jose City Airport
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Arenal Volcano
  • Hotel for 3 nights in Manuel Antonio-Quepos

Driving Time San Jose City Airport - Arenal Volcano: 2 hrs. 37 mins. approx. Arenal Volcano - Manuel Antonio-Quepos: 4 hrs. 50 mins. approx. Manuel Antonio-Quepos - San Jose City Airport: 2 hrs. 36 mins. approx.

Other Noteworthy Vacations

Reunion island - mahe island - praslin island by air.

6 nights from $1,129*

Emilia Romagna (Bologna - Rimini - Ravenna - Ferrara) and Venice by Train

12 nights from $599*

Zurich and Grindelwald (Self Drive)

7 nights from $1,199*

Anchorage and Fairbanks

6 nights from $569*

Iguazu Falls (Argentina) - Buenos Aires - Bariloche - Cordoba - El Calafate by Air

11 nights from $1,009*

Lamanai - Hopkins Beach

6 nights from $1,959*

Top - Sellers Vacation Packages' Reviews

Everything was great! Hotels had friendly staff and gave us maps of the city, the rooms were nice and in good locations. ...

Hawaii Big Island (Kona) and Oahu by Air

6 nights from $809*

The Hilton Waikola King's Club was fantastic. The property was beautiful, and everyone was welcoming and polite. Our roo ...

Arenal Volcano - Monteverde - Guanacaste Beaches

8 nights from $1,059*

Paradise Hot Springs was incredible. Beautiful setting below Arenal. Best room I've ever stayed in. Hot spring pools wer ...

In the Spotlight

All europe, middle east & africa trips, historic rome - florence - venice.

11 nights from $839*

The Best of Literary London - Edinburgh - Dublin

9 nights from $1,179*

Historic Cairo and Istanbul

8 nights from $809*

Nairobi and Zanzibar Island for Outdoor Enthusiasts

8 nights from $1,119*

The Best of Oslo - Copenhagen - Stockholm

9 nights from $1,609*

All Asia & South Pacific trips

Bangkok - chiang mai - phuket by air.

9 nights from $529*

The Best of Auckland and Queenstown plus Rotorua

8 nights from $1,359*

Relax in Fiji (Nadi and the Coral Coast)

6 nights from $749*

Maui and Kauai by Air

6 nights from $829*

All Latin America and Caribbean trips

Miami and puerto rico by air.

6 nights from $559*

Tulum and Merida via Chichen Itza

5 nights from $549*

Rio de Janeiro - Iguassu Falls (Brazil) - Buenos Aires

8 nights from $489*

Panama and Aruba by Air

6 nights from $779*

Vacation Destinations

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  • South Korea
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The 10 best online travel agencies in 2024

The top 10 online travel agencies.

  • Booking.com
  • Lastminute.com

Best online travel agencies for business travel

1. travelperk.

Main offerings and features:

  • Industry-leading travel inventory
  • Flexible booking with FlexiPerk
  • Safety alerts with TravelCare
  • Integrated travel policy & approval flows
  • Centralized invoicing
  • Easy & real-time expense reports
  • Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
  • 24/7 fast customer support in target 15s
  • VAT reclaim
  • Integration with 3rd party tools , such as expense management or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

Save time and money on your business travel with TravelPerk

2. sap concur.

Sap Concur homepage

  • Works with some of the biggest brands
  • Easy tracking and reporting of expenses for expense reports
  • Many connected apps, such as Uber and Airbnb for cars and hotels
  • One solution for a variety of business travel spending

Click below to compare both platforms’ features and benefits

CWT homepage

  • Ample integrations
  • Award-winning mobile app
  • Employee-centric travel management

Click below for a more detailed comparison between both platforms:

Best online travel agencies for leisure travel, 1. booking.com.

Booking.com_homepage

  • Intuitive booking tool and website
  • Flight + Hotel booking for easily planning trips with no cross-referencing travel websites
  • Simple car rental options and taxi hire
  • Available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries
  • You can book experiences in your destination city to entertain you on your travels
  • Genius rewards program

Agoda_homepage

  • Simple interface and booking tool
  • Deals when making more than one booking
  • 38 different languages and offers a 24-hour, multilingual customer support service
  • Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking
  • Millions of reviews to help make your decision

3. Lastminute.com

Lastminute homepage

  • Filter hotels according to budgets, star ratings, guest ratings, board types, and more
  • ATOL protection on flight + hotel bundles
  • Flash sales for last-minute deals
  • Payment plans to spread out the cost of travel
  • Extra entertainment booking for your trips, like theatrical productions and day trips
  • Gift cards for gifting travel

Expedia homepage

  • Expedia rewards for hotels, cars, and more
  • Experienced support
  • Compare cruise lines
  • Big savings when booking flights, hotels, and car rentals
  • Operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages
  • Luxury travel options

Hotwire homepage

  • Book hotels, flights, cars, and bundles
  • 24/7 support
  • Lower prices on the app
  • Great last-minute deals for spontaneous travel

6. Bookmundi

Bookmundi homepage

Best online travel agencies for flights

1. skyscanner.

Skyscanner homepage

  • Super flexible booking filters
  • Cheaper flights and hotels than other OTAs
  • Price alerts for travel routes of interest
  • Easy-to-use booking tool and UI
  • Hundreds of location and currency options
  • One-way, return, and multi-city travel options

2. Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com homepage

  • Simple flight booking tool
  • Partnerships with Booking.com and Rentalcars.com
  • Discover deals anywhere with the option to open up your search
  • Easy-to-use app

How do online travel agencies work?

What are the advantages of booking through an online travel agency.

  • Access to comparison tools
  • Peer reviews to help you with your decisions
  • Flexible cancellation policies
  • All your travel in one place
  • Local flights and deals

Rewards programs

Comparison tools, peer reviews, flexible cancellation.

" "

Flexiperk: Cancel anytime, anywhere. Get a minimum of 80% of your money back.

One account for all of your travel needs, a local approach to global travel, wrapping up.

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    Zicasso is a travel company that creates personalized, life-enriching tours, vacations, and safaris. Since 2008, we have been curating trips of a lifetime with unsurpassed destination knowledge and local expertise. We create unique, exclusive experiences personalized to each traveler's interests and offer access to hidden gems and insider experiences in more than 100 countries worldwide ...

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  20. Аэролайн Map

    Аэролайн is a travel agency in Omsk Oblast. Аэролайн is situated nearby to Краеведческий музей and Музей изобразительных искусств имени Врубеля. Russia. Siberia. Western Siberia. Omsk Oblast ... map to travel:

  21. Велл Map

    Велл is a travel agency in Omsk Oblast, Western Siberia. Велл is situated nearby to the police station Управление уголовного розыска УМВД and the government office ФГУП Паспортно-визовый сервис .

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    Looking for cheap flights to Omsk (OMS)? Compare prices from all major travel agents and airlines to find the best deal.

  23. Cheap Flights to Omsk

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