Booking flights can feel like navigating a maze, especially when cheap flight deals are your priority. Whether you dream of a spur-of-the-moment escape or meticulously plot your next adventure, you’ll want to stay savvy when booking flights.
From looking for flash sales to using flexible date searches, Travelocity can help you easily snag those budget-friendly flights. Since 1996, this full-service online travel agency has been a go-to for travelers. In addition to flights, they offer tickets to popular attractions and experiences, making planning your adventures in one place easy.
This guide will teach you how to use Travelocity to uncover those hidden gems, weigh the pros and cons of this travel tool, and lay out the step-by-step instructions to make your booking journey smooth sailing.
Features of Travelocity
Here’s a quick look at what makes Travelocity flight deals stand out in the world of online travel agencies:
Vacation packages
Travelocity’s all-inclusive vacation packages are a game-changer, bundling hotels, rentals, and flights into one seamless booking. This is not just a win for travelers seeking convenience but also for small hotels aiming to attract guests looking for a hassle-free experience. You can book these packages up to 24 hours before departure, adding a layer of flexibility that’s hard to beat.
Whether planning a romantic escape, an adults-only retreat, or a family adventure, Travelocity has many packages to suit every travel need and preference.
Rewards Program
Travelocity offers a rewards program that allows you to earn points for discounts on future bookings. To enroll in the program, you must first book flights through American Express. Points earned through the rewards program have a 48-month expiration period, meaning they expire if not used within 4 years. This setup allows users to accumulate points on each booking and redeem them for discounts on future reservations.
You can earn points in the following ways:
- 4 points per $1 spent on Travelocity.com
- 2 points per $1 spent on all other transactions
Points are based on your net purchases each billing cycle, excluding certain transactions like balance transfers and cash advances. Additionally, Travelocity offers a low price guarantee, assuring customers they will get the lowest possible price on their bookings.
Price-match guarantee
Travelocity offers a price-match guarantee. So, if you find a lower price for the same listing on car rentals, cruises, or flights on another U.S.-based website within 24 hours of booking with Travelocity, they will credit you for the price difference. Acting quickly is important because you only have 24 hours to claim this adjustment. The price match guarantee for hotels is more flexible. You can claim compensation for a lower price found on another U.S.-based website until the day before your stay. The lower-priced trip must be identical to your booking to qualify for a refund. Besides hotels, the price match guarantee covers flights, vacation packages, rental cars, and activities.
Why You Need an Alternative for Travelocity
While Travelocity offers convenient booking for various travel services, including flights, hotels, and car rentals, you may seek alternatives for more flexible policies, more options, and transparent pricing.
Commission fees
Hotels booked through Travelocity may not honor loyalty programs or provide the same level of service as bookings made directly with the hotel. This is because hotels pay a commission to Travelocity, which can affect the priority given to guests who book through the platform. For example, if someone who booked directly with the hotel asks for an upgrade or a late check-out, they are more likely to get their request granted than someone who booked through Travelocity.
Limited options and a lack of flexibility
Booking through online travel platforms like Travelocity can have some downsides when planning a trip. One major disadvantage is that you may not have access to all available flights and hotel rooms, limiting your options in your Travelocity itinerary. For example, if you want a suite with a bathtub, all suites might be grouped on third-party sites, so you can’t guarantee a bathtub.
Additionally, canceling or changing a prepaid hotel reservation can be costly. You’ll be charged the fee specified in the hotel’s rules and restrictions. If you don’t cancel or change your reservation within the hotel’s cancellation period (usually 24 to 72 hours before arrival), you’ll be charged for the first night’s stay, including taxes and fees. If you don’t show up for the first night but still plan to stay for the rest of your reservation, you must inform Travelocity by the first night to avoid canceling the entire reservation.
Steps to Use Travelocity to Save on Flights
Here are the simple steps to easily find and book affordable Travelocity flights, ensuring a smooth and cost-effective travel experience.
Step 1. Go to the Travelocity website
To start, open your web browser on your computer or mobile device. In the address bar, type “www.travelocity.com” and hit Enter. This will bring you to the Travelocity homepage. On the homepage, you’ll see a big search box where you can enter your travel details to find flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, or cruises. However, we’ll only focus on flight bookings here.
Step 2. Select “Flights”
After clicking “Flights,” start by selecting Travelocity roundtrip flights, one-way, or multi-city. Enter your departure and arrival cities, then choose your travel dates. You can also set advanced search options, like limiting results to nonstop flights, refundable flights, specific airlines, and ticket classes. If your travel dates are flexible, choose the lowest ticket price highlighted in green. For example, the cheapest option for $204 departs on Tuesday, May 28.
Step 3. Review your trip
After clicking on your desired travel date, you’ll see prices that include taxes. These prices might change based on availability, and you can review any extra fees before checkout. Remember, prices are not final until you complete your purchase.
Here, you can customize your options by choosing one-stop or nonstop flights and selecting your preferred airlines. Under “Travel and Baggage,” you can decide whether to include seat choice and a carry-on bag. You can also sort flights by price (lowest to highest), departure time, flight duration, arrival time, and recommendations by clicking the drop-down menu.
After reviewing the fare details for your desired destination, click on the “Select” button to proceed with booking your flight. This step confirms your choice and takes you to the next stage of the booking process, where you can review your selection before finalizing your purchase.
Step 4. Search for hotels
After clicking “Select,” a pop-up window will show a search for hotels, including the savings you will have on your selected flight. However, this is optional, and you can skip it. If you proceed with choosing a hotel, Travelocity offers numerous options for discounted hotels.
Click the “Search” button to view Travelocity’s recommended hotels, which will be listed first.
When you click on a hotel, you’ll see additional information about its amenities, photos of the property, and the types of rooms available. Each hotel listing will also show nearby attractions and their distance from the hotel. You’ll also find information about popular locations, the price per traveler, guest ratings, meal plans, amenities offered, and accessibility features.
Scroll down to view detailed listings of the hotel rooms, including pictures, reviews, and what’s included. Pay attention to the booking labels, which may be non-refundable or fully refundable. Non-refundable bookings offer no refund regardless of the circumstances, while fully refundable bookings allow you to cancel up to a certain time before check-in.
When you find a room you like, click “Reserve” to proceed to the payment screen and finalize your booking.
Step 5: Review and book
Finally, this page is where you can review and finalize your booking for multiple items, including passenger details and seat selection. At the top of the page, you’ll see a trip summary that includes a breakdown of your booking items.
The travel insurance offers various benefits, including a 100% refund on unused hotel days and your flight and protection during your trip with coverage for medical expenses, lost items, and delays. Additionally, the Vacation Waiver provides a 100% refund of any change or cancellation fees for flights, hotels, cars, and activities in your package. You can select whether or not to opt for this insurance plan before proceeding to payment.
In the payment section, you can securely enter your debit or credit card information and any applicable coupon or promotion code. Travelocity accepts major credit cards like MasterCard, American Express, Diner’s Club International, Discover, JCB, and Visa. Ensure that your billing address and other details are accurately entered before selecting to continue with your booking.
Once satisfied with your booking, click “Complete Booking” below.
Takeaway
Travelocity offers everything you need to plan and book your next adventure in one place. It’s a one-stop shop for all your travel needs, from flights to hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages. Their website is super easy to use, with handy search tools and filters to help you find the perfect options for your trip.
Plus, they have great deals, rewards programs, and mobile apps to improve your travel experience. Whether you’re planning a quick getaway or a long vacation, affordable Travelocity airline tickets are a fantastic option to save money on your journey without compromising on quality.
