It may be hard to imagine (or remember), but before the Internet era of the mid-’90s, when companies began creating websites to advertise and sell products, travelers rarely booked their own trips. There were many travel agencies; In 1990, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 132,000 people were gainfully employed in that profession. In 2022, that number has been cut in half, to 66,300.
Although some people still prefer to have a professional book their trips, the vast majority of today’s travelers handle the task themselves. This involves browsing several different websites that fall into two categories: direct bookings and third-party online travel agencies.
When travelers book directly with an airline like Delta Airlines or a hotel like Marriott, the reservation contract typically gives travelers more recourse should a problem arise during travel. On the other hand, people like to use OTAs like Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity because they can better compare prices and features on a wide range of travel products, all in one place. However, booking with an OTA makes it more difficult to change plans during a trip, since travelers are essentially working with a middleman in the booking process.
No matter what type of travel booking site is used, if travelers are not careful, they could end up wasting money, time, and energy when booking their next vacation. Stacker researched the best travel booking tricks to compile this list of five of the biggest mistakes you can make when booking travel plans.
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