10 Online Booking Hacks For Maximun Savings

Once upon a time in our lives, travel is considered a taboo for the people who belong to the middle and the lower classes of the society. It was a luxury which only the rich and famous could afford and a dream that was too illusive for the less privileged. But things took a drastic shift when the internet came into play. The web opened our eyes to possibilities we never have imagined. Suddenly, travel became mainstream and is now within reach to almost everyone. The internet became an avenue to find inspiration from ordinary travelers who only have amazing stories to tell. Not only was it a perfect place to read inspiring blogs but if you would actually play it smart, the internet could become your bestfriend in snagging some of the best travel deals there is. Allow me to share with you 10 effective online booking hacks which could save yourselves from disappointment and a few hundred bucks!

• Follow Local Airlines And Online Booking Websites In Social Media – There’s approximately 7.6 Billion people in the world and more than half is on social media. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, there is no doubt that social media have taken over our lives which is why businesses found social media a great tool to build their image and promote their products and services. Of course our local air carriers and other online booking websites are no exception. If you haven’t seen CebuPacific, PAL and Airasia battle it out on Facebook whenever they throw out a “Piso Fare” then you are in for a surprise. So make sure to click on that follow button and opt in to be notified once they publish a post.. You never know just when they gonna put out another awesome sale so you better not miss it.
• Sign Up To Airline Membership – How do you like to earn points and get exclusive member-only deals from our local air carriers? Pretty sweet, yeah? Not only were you the priority but you get insiders which non-members don’t get to enjoy! Ever heard of Airasia’s 24-hour priority sale to their members? Yup. That’s right. You get to snag the cheapest seats before everybody else does.
• Download Important Travel Apps On Your Mobile – Just like me I bet you can live without TV but not your mobile phone. Bet you can afford to leave your laptop at home but never your smartphones. It’s a necessity nowadays and an addiction and a good one for that matter. Smartphones have made everything within touch from paying bills to managing your bank accounts. So it’s only right that you also got some of the must download travel apps within your grasp. Not only it is convenient but it let’s you totally in the know.

• Take Advantage Of Hotel Promos In Agoda – Speaking of must download travel apps, Agoda should top your list. In case you are not aware, Agoda is probably the oldest and one of the most credible hotel booking websites out there! They have the widest range of properties in every location which also means an array of amazing hotel deals. As an avid Agoda user, I can attest that nothing beats a good Agoda Promo when there is one!
• Get Alerts From Traveloka – Another useful app which you should always have is Traveloka. It’s one thing to follow airline companies in social media and subscribe to their newsletters but getting to narrow it down to its simplest form is another. Didn’t catch my drift? Well, Traveloka in case you didn’t know lets you set a price for your chosen dates and destinations and alerts you right away whenever those set criteria are met. That means you no longer need to scour PAL or CebuPacific websites from time to time. Traveloka will do all the work for you. Pretty easy, right!
• Use Skyscanner To Search For Cheapest Flights – When you finally got yourself in a “Piso Sale” where you’re pretty much in competition with the rest of the world, Skyscanner could be a very handy tool. This app will let you search for the cheapest flights available in the entire web in a matter of seconds. If you are not keen about a specific destination, this could help you snag several awesome deals to different places before anybody does!
• Don’t Visit Hotel And/Or Airline Websites Multiple Times Using The Same Device – Most websites have cookies which tracks down your browsing activities. Prices tend to rise because of this so it’s always good to check prices once using different devices. It also helps to set your web browser in Incognito mode and restart once you are done checking.
• Watch Out For ShopFest at Shopback PH – If you weren’t so lucky to snag you a seat on the latest airline sale, don’t fret. There’s tons of them still coming and while you wait, check out ShopFest, the grandest online shopping festival at Shopback Philippines. In case you didn’t know, Shopback.Ph gives your online shopping a whole new meaning by offering cashback on your purchases while also providing you with discounts and promos! You can surely expect amazing travel deals as they have also partnered with some of the biggest names in the travel and e-commerce industry.

• Watch Out For Surprise Promos During Local Holidays – Do you know when the best time airline and hotel deals are brewing? You can never go wrong with expecting it days before, after and on holidays. Don’t believe me! Well, my first time flying to Puerto Princesa and Boracay was made possible by that Red Hot Piso Sale from Airasia on National Heroes Day in 2014 which cost me P1200 for roundtrip flights to each destination for two people.. My Coron Trip was also made possible by that CebuPacific seat I got for P305 during their Piso Fare on Independence Day. PAL on the other hand was kind enough to give me a P425 trip to Siargao! And if in case they get so secretive as to not send alerts, you will do best to keep your eyes glued on their websites during these dates and more importantly, have your debit /credit cards handy.
• Set Your Travel Dates On Weekdays and Off Peak Season – As stated by the basic principle of supply and demand, if the demand is higher, prices are on the rise and if the demand dwindles, prices are at its lowest. The same thing happens to airline fares and hotel room prices during off season. The Philippines is defined by only two seasons, The summer and rainy months. And while typhoons frequent our country from the months of July to November, this should not stop you from travelling. I had the best of times during my travel to Cebu in July of 2016 and my trip to IloIlo in August of the following year was truly remarkable for two reasons. First, prices were obviously at the downlow. Second, tourist spots and landmarks were not at all crowded giving me more time to savor their beauty and wonders.

There you have it lovelies. I will be glad to know about some of your effective travel hacks on the comments. I also wanna hear which one of these hacks have already worked for you and which ones were you adding to your list. Excite me on the comments. Show me some love and share this away to your friends. Until next time. Ciao!