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• Hi New York City - Hostel $56+
• West Side Ymca $112+
• Central Park West Hostel $163+
• Radio Hotel $172+
• Pod 51 $181+
• The Washington by LuxUrban, Trademark Collection by Wyndham $191+
• OYO Times Square $191+
• Pod Times Square $191+
• Pod 39 $196+
• The Gallivant Times Square $197+
• The Manhattan At Times Square $202+
• Paramount Times Square $206+
• DoubleTree by Hilton New York Downtown $213+
• YOTEL New York $218+
• The New Yorker A Wyndham Hotel $220+
• Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - EWR) $51+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - LGA) $53+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Newark (FLL - EWR) $63+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - LGA) $76+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - LGA) $80+
• Flight Orlando - New York (MCO - LGA) $89+
• Flight Orlando - Newark (MCO - EWR) $90+
• Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - LGA) $93+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - JFK) $127+
• Flight Dallas - Newark (DFW - EWR) $127+
• Flight Chicago - Newark (ORD - EWR) $130+
• Flight Los Angeles - New York (LAX - LGA) $155+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - JFK) $166+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - JFK) $167+
• Flight Los Angeles - Newark (LAX - EWR) $171+
• Monumental Movieland Hotel $49+
• Grand Hotel Kissimmee At Celebration $54+
• Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Orlando Resort & Suites Intl Drive $66+
• Flight Atlanta - Orlando (ATL - MCO) $35+
• Flight Philadelphia - Orlando (PHL - MCO) $53+
• Flight Minneapolis - Orlando (MSP - MCO) $60+
• Book A Bed Hostels $25+
• Generator London $37+
• Ramada London North M1 $65+
• Corbigoe Hotel $71+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $371+
• Flight New Windsor - London (SWF - STN) $374+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LGW) $438+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LHR) $450+

Fort Lauderdale

• Red Carpet Inn Airport Fort Lauderdale $65+
• HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof Fort Lauderdale $67+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Fort Lauderdale Airport Cruise Port $69+
• Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $35+
• Flight Raleigh - Fort Lauderdale (RDU - FLL) $41+
• Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $47+
• Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle $60+
• Travelodge by Wyndham Seattle By The Space Needle $126+
• Coast Gateway Hotel $138+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $43+
• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $61+
• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $100+
• Fabhotel Royal Residency Lakdikapul $18+
• Katriya Hotel & Towers $26+
• The Altruist Business Hotel Hitech $33+
• Flight Chicago - Hyderabad (ORD - HYD) $494+
• Flight New York - New Delhi (JFK - DEL) $506+
• Flight New York - Mumbai (JFK - BOM) $508+
• Best Western Sapporo Odori Koen $29+
• Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino $31+
• Comfort Hotel Sapporo Susukino $34+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - NRT) $631+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - NRT) $656+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - HND) $738+
• Royal Grove Waikiki $116+
• Kuhio Banyan Club $121+
• Pacific Marina Inn $134+
• Flight Los Angeles - Honolulu (LAX - HNL) $217+
• Flight Oakland - Honolulu (OAK - HNL) $237+
• Flight Ontario - Honolulu (ONT - HNL) $248+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Dallas Love Field Airport $53+
• Dallas Love Field Inn $56+
• Wyndham Garden Dallas North $63+
• Flight Minneapolis - Dallas (MSP - DFW) $57+
• Flight Atlanta - Dallas (ATL - DFW) $59+
• Flight Chicago - Dallas (ORD - DFW) $65+
• OYO Hotel And Casino Las Vegas $27+
• The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower $33+
• Silver Sevens Hotel & Casino $41+
• Four Queens Hotel and Casino $43+
• Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $24+
• Flight Burbank - Las Vegas (BUR - LAS) $27+
• Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $51+
• Flight Oakland - Las Vegas (OAK - LAS) $53+
• Freehand Chicago $40+
• Chicago Getaway Hostel $54+
• Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago $106+
• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - ORD) $45+
• Flight Orlando - Chicago (MCO - ORD) $54+
• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - MDW) $57+

San Francisco

• Hi San Francisco Downtown Hostel $47+
• The Mosser $74+
• BEI San Francisco, Trademark Collection By Wyndham $124+
• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $43+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $46+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $65+

Washington, D.C.

• Generator Hotel Washington DC $62+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Washington DC/Connecticut Avenue $118+
• Georgetown Residences by LuxUrban, Trademark Coll by Wyndham $150+
• Citizenm Washington DC Noma $160+
• Hyatt Place Washington DC/US Capitol $163+
• Hotel Harrington $164+
• Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center $171+
• Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters $171+
• Arc Hotel Washington DC, Georgetown $175+
• Morrison Clark Historic Inn $182+
• Citizenm Washington Dc Capitol $185+
• The Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row $186+
• Flight Atlanta - Baltimore (ATL - BWI) $50+
• Flight Boston - Baltimore (BOS - BWI) $57+
• Flight Dallas - Baltimore (DFW - BWI) $78+
• Flight Houston - Baltimore (HOU - BWI) $78+
• Flight Houston - Baltimore (IAH - BWI) $78+
• Flight Chicago - Baltimore (ORD - BWI) $96+
• Flight Los Angeles - Baltimore (LAX - BWI) $121+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - DCA) $123+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - IAD) $129+
• Flight Minneapolis - Washington, D.C. (MSP - DCA) $129+
• Flight Dallas - Washington, D.C. (DFW - DCA) $138+
• Flight San Francisco - Washington, D.C. (SFO - DCA) $153+
• Hotel Boutique Casa Mallorca $68+
• Suites Malecon Cancun $69+
• Avani Cancún Airport Hotel $81+
• Flight Dallas - Cancún (DFW - CUN) $172+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (HOU - CUN) $180+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Cancún (FLL - CUN) $181+

United States

• Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $56+
• Flight Newark - Fort Lauderdale (EWR - FLL) $68+
• Kauai Palms Hotel $189+
• Tip Top Motel $194+
• Kauai Beach Villas $236+
• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $213+
• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $257+
• Flight San Jose - Hawaii (SJC - USHI) $260+
• Super 8 by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle $89+
• California Suites Hotel $95+
• Best Western Seven Seas $105+
• Flight Denver - San Diego (DEN - SAN) $43+
• Flight San Francisco - San Diego (SFO - SAN) $46+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $57+
• Shared Living Not A Hotel $40+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Phoenix West $54+
• Rodeway Inn Phoenix North I-17 $56+
• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $47+
• Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $48+
• Flight Los Angeles - Phoenix (LAX - PHX) $57+

Los Angeles

• Boutique Hostel $34+
• Freehand Los Angeles $40+
• City Center Hotel $104+
• Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport $108+
• Rotex Western Inn $108+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites LAX $113+
• USC Hotel $130+
• Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $48+
• Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $58+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $75+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (HOU - LAX) $81+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (IAH - LAX) $81+
• Flight Denver - Los Angeles (DEN - LAX) $88+
• Flight Chicago - Los Angeles (ORD - LAX) $96+
• Selina Gold Dust $59+
• La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Miami Airport North $76+
• Motel 6 Miami. Fl $78+
• Miami Gardens Inn & Suites $80+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Miami International Airport $91+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Miami Airport East $92+
• Holiday Inn Miami West - Airport Area $108+
• The Palms Inn & Suites Miami, Kendall, Fl $108+
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami-Kendall $110+
• Radisson Red Miami Airport $113+
• Courtyard by Marriott Miami West/FL Turnpike $116+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $43+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $47+
• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $50+
• Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $50+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (ORD - MIA) $59+
• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $59+
• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $69+
• Flight Cleveland - Miami (CLE - MIA) $71+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (MDW - MIA) $72+
• Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $75+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $75+
• Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Denver - Glendale/Cherry Creek $59+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Denver Stapleton $81+
• Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver Airport $97+
• Baymont by Wyndham Denver International Airport $99+
• Quality Inn & Suites Denver International Airport $103+
• Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver International Airport $103+
• Hyatt Place Pena Station Denver Airport $104+
• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $38+
• Flight Chicago - Denver (ORD - DEN) $50+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $70+
• Flight Seattle - Denver (SEA - DEN) $70+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $71+
• Flight Detroit - Denver (DTW - DEN) $74+
• Flight San Francisco - Denver (SFO - DEN) $80+
• Hi Boston - Hostel $65+
• Found Hotel Boston Common $99+
• Ramada by Wyndham Boston $162+
• Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $48+
• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $57+
• Flight Chicago - Boston (ORD - BOS) $74+
• Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Atlanta Airport $63+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Atlanta Airport North $98+
• Sonesta Select Atlanta Cumberland Galleria $100+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (HOU - ATL) $35+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (IAH - ATL) $35+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $39+
• Generator Madrid $32+
• C&h Aravaca Garden $40+
• Toc Hostel And Suites Madrid $46+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $326+
• Flight Newark - Barcelona (EWR - BCN) $349+
• Flight New York - Madrid (JFK - MAD) $391+
• Rodeway Inn Fairgrounds-Casino $64+
• Tampa Inn - Near Busch Gardens $68+
• Econo Lodge Airport at RJ Stadium $69+
• Flight Baltimore - Florida (BWI - USFL) $43+
• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $47+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $50+
• Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $38+
• Flight Philadelphia - Tampa (PHL - TPA) $42+
• Flight Raleigh - Tampa (RDU - TPA) $58+

New Orleans

• Ramada by Wyndham New Orleans $69+
• Wyndham Garden Hotel Baronne Plaza $94+
• Maison Saint Charles by Hotel RL $100+
• Flight Atlanta - New Orleans (ATL - MSY) $56+
• Flight Dallas - New Orleans (DFW - MSY) $60+
• Flight Chicago - New Orleans (ORD - MSY) $69+

Frequently asked questions about KAYAK

How do i find travel deals on kayak.

Simply use one of our travel search engines to scan for prices gathered from hundreds of travel sites. KAYAK’s search results pages have loads of filter options to help you find deals, discover exactly what you’re looking for and make booking seamless. Plus, there’s no extra fee from KAYAK.

How can I use KAYAK to manage my travel bookings?

KAYAK Trips creates a travel itinerary for you that will give you flight status alerts, can be shared with friends and more. Simply forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] or use the KAYAK app and sync your email account to keep all your travel plans organized in one app, even if you didn’t book with KAYAK. You can share your holiday plans with friends and family and also check out your travel stats for past vacations, like how far you’ve traveled, your most popular cities and how many times you’ve traveled around the world. Even if you don’t have signal, don’t worry, as you can access Trips to check out your itineraries whilst on the road. Your data is safe and secure with us and you won’t have to re-enter credit card info when booking future trips. If you want to make changes or cancel bookings, then you should contact the travel provider, which is provided on the booking confirmation.

What makes KAYAK a great travel app?

On the KAYAK app for iOS and Android you’ll find all the great travel offers found on the website and much more. There are special mobile rates and app only deals that allow you to save even more money. Plus, you can get notifications straight to your phone letting you know when prices for your next trip have dropped. But the KAYAK app is much more than just a travel app. Use the Trips function to manage your travel itinerary and get up to date status alerts on flights, check-in changes and to store your boarding pass. Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere on your travels, you can still access your travel notes via Trips, as no internet connection is required.

What are KAYAK Price Alerts?

Instead of manually checking back in on the price of your next flight or stay, let KAYAK do the hard work for you with KAYAK Price Alerts. Once you’ve saved your search, our data will determine how the price will rise or fluctuate over the coming days. You’ll then get a push notification letting you know when’s the perfect time to book.

Search cheap flights with KAYAK. Search for the cheapest airline tickets for all the top airlines around the world and the top international flight routes . KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to help you find cheap airfare and book a flight that suits you best. Since KAYAK searches many plane ticket sites at once, you can find cheap tickets from cheap airlines and for trains and buses quickly.

KAYAK also helps you find the right hotels for your needs.

17 Best Travel Sites for Hotels, Flights, Tours and Car Rentals

Booking.com tops our list for the best travel booking websites, but there are a few others we recommend for specific purposes.

With so many travel booking websites on the market today, finding the best deals for your travels can be tedious. Thankfully, there are several top travel websites you can use when booking flights, hotels and tours.

From flight aggregators to hostel and hotel booking sites, the websites in this list will make planning and booking your travels a little easier. Whether you’re trying to score cheap flights or find the best tour on the other side of the world, these are the best travel sites for making it happen.

I realize all of this information can be a little overwhelming. Every online travel site out there seems to do something different, and sifting through hundreds of search results to find something you like is time consuming. The offers are endless, but the ideal booking site doesn’t overwhelm its users with options or questionable services.

I have personally used every single company on this list for booking travel , and most play a crucial role in allowing me to adventure around the world. These are the best travel booking sites for helping you plan the ultimate trip.

• Best to Find Cheap Hotels: Booking.com
• Best Hotel Rewards Program: Hotels.com
• Best Site for Vacation Rentals: Vrbo
• Best Booking Site for Hostels: Hostelworld
• Best Booking Site for Hotels in Asia: Agoda

Best Hotel Search Engines & Booking Sites

Finding the right accommodation is one of the most important decisions to make while traveling. Location, amenities, and cost are all factors to consider when looking for the right hotel or hostel for your adventure.

And while there are dozens of hotel booking websites to choose from, finding the right place doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are the best sites I’ve used for fining hotel deals:

Booking.com : Best to Find Cheap Hotels

Booking.com has, by far, the largest number of hotel search results. With over 5.7 million listings in 227 countries, they’re the first place you should look to find hotels online. In addition to hotels, Booking.com also has hostels, guesthouses, apartments, vacation rentals, and all-inclusive resorts available.

With Booking.com, the advertised price is the final price you pay. Other travel websites may have hidden taxes and fees that aren’t explicitly stated, so you’ll end up paying more than you thought at the reservation desk. But with Booking.com, there are no unexpected fees or hidden resort charges. This makes budgeting and trip planning much easier.

All reservations come with a price match guarantee. That means Booking.com will refund the difference if you find a lower price for your hotel on another website after you book. This best price guarantee is an unbelievable perk that could save you a lot of money in the long run.

And once you make your second booking, you’ll automatically become a Booking.com Genius, which rewards you with member-only discounts and offers (even freebies). It’s like accessing a whole world of insider information without actually having to sign up for anything. Genius members receive 10% to 15% off rates, free breakfast, and free room upgrades.

Plus, Booking.com also lets you search for and book your flight, rental car, and attractions, so you can just put in your travel dates and create full vacation packages from one site!

Hotels.com : Best Hotel Rewards Program

Although they aren’t as big as Booking.com, Hotels.com is still a great option when looking for the best deals on hotels. They have over 300,000 hotels in over 19,000 locations around the world. Besides traditional hotel rooms, they also have apartments, cottages, hostels, motels and all-inclusive resorts.

Like other travel sites, Hotels.com lets you filter the search results by date, price, and amenities. You can also sort by distance to find hotels close to certain attractions or neighborhoods. Plus, look at hotel reviews by real, verified users.

Despite the name, Hotels.com lets you search and reserve more than just hotels. They also have a wide range of vacation rentals available including chalets, condos, and full houses.

One of the main reasons for booking with Hotels.com is to take advantage of their unique rewards program. Once you sign up and book 10 nights, you’ll get to stay one night for free. Your free night can be redeemed at one of their 200,000+ properties in popular destinations around the globe without restrictions or blackout dates. Hotels.com also shares a rewards program with Expedia and Vrbo, so you’ll be able to take advantage of savings with any of these sites.

Hotels.com reward members or app users can also unlock secret deals on accommodation. These are specially negotiated discounts that will save you even more money for certain hotel or accommodation listings.

App users can also find last-minute deals using the “Deal for Tonight” feature. You’ll find huge discounts (up to 40%) when looking for a room with same-day check-in.

Vrbo : Best Site for Vacation Rentals

If you want the comforts of home while you’re halfway around the globe, then Vrbo is an excellent alternative to traditional hotel booking websites. Vrbo is a search engine that lists thousands of homes, vacation rentals, apartments, and condos for anyone who wants to experience a country while living like a local, whether staying in the city center or out in the woods.

Ideal for couples, families, or those needing a bit more privacy, Vrbo lets you relax without the hassle of dealing with a host or other travelers. They also tend to list more luxury vacation rentals that have a much higher standard compared to other rental sites.

For this reason, the vacation rentals on Vrbo might cost more than your average hotel from other travel sites. However, you’ll get much nicer accommodations.

Vrbo also has great customer service. All guests are protected by their Book with Confidence Guarantee, which comes with a 24/7 hotline, payment protection, and even last-minute cancellation coverage. So if your host cancels your booking before you arrive, the Vrbo team will try and find another place for you to stay. You can also buy travel insurance so you get a full refund in case you have to cancel.

In addition, Vrbo has a rewards program called One Key that lets you earn rewards on every dollar you spend on travel. This loyalty program is shared across Vrbo, Expedia, and Hotels.com, so you’ll be able to get package deals no matter how you travel.

Hostelworld : Best Booking Site for Hostels

Hostelworld is the top travel site for researching and booking hostels all over the world. They operate in over 178 countries and have a database of seemingly every hostel in existence.

When looking for a hostel, you’ll find accurate ratings and hotel reviews from real users on this booking site. The review score considers information about security, facilities, services, atmosphere and overall value for your money. And they only accept reviews from people who have booked through Hostelworld, so you know the reviews are genuine.

If you want to save money, Hostelworld is an excellent option for those on a tight budget. That’s because most hostels allow you to book a bed in a dorm room, which is far cheaper than booking a private room. But if you want some extra privacy, some hostels have private rooms with (or without) en-suite bathrooms.

You’ll be able to filter hostels by certain amenities, like free breakfast or on-site laundry. You’ll also see a list of different events happening at the hostel during your stay, from pool parties to pub crawls.

However, Hostelworld really shines when it comes to its great customer service. They will refund the price difference if you find your hostel on another site for cheaper. And if you can no longer go on your trip, you have up 24 hours before check-in to cancel without losing your deposit.

Agoda : Best Booking Site for Hotels in Asia

Agoda started out as the top hotel booking site for hotels in Asia, but since has expanded its offerings worldwide. They also have non-traditional accommodation types like homes and hostels. From capsule hotels in Tokyo to private bungalows in Bali, Agoda has over 2 million properties to choose from.

Generally speaking, prices for Agoda hotels are comparable to other travel websites. However, you can save money by booking a hotel through their secret deals program.

With the secret deals program, the identity of the hotel will remain anonymous until you complete your booking. But you’ll be able to see the hotel’s star rating, neighborhood, and amenities before reserving. Some luxury hotels don’t like to advertise their cheap rooms openly, so this is a way to sell rooms at discount prices without making it too public. If you aren’t set on staying at a specific hotel or chain, this program is an excellent option for saving money on accommodation.

By booking on Agoda, you have the opportunity to maximize your earnings with the Agoda PointsMAX program. Once you sign up and link your Agoda account to one of your other mileage programs, you can earn up to 6,000 points per stay. Some of their current partners include American Airlines AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus and KLM/AirFrance Flying Blue.

Couchsurfing : Best for a Free Place to Crash

If all you need is a couch to sleep on, Couchsurfing will help you to find it. Instead of spending the night in a hotel, you’ll be using this booking site to find a couch to sleep on in the home of a friendly host. Trust me — it’s not as awkward as it might seem!

For those needing a bit more privacy, some people also list their private rooms through Couchsurfing. But generally speaking, you’ll usually be staying in the same living quarters as the host.

You’ll also be able to connect with like-minded people from all over the world who want to share their culture and show you the best parts of their city. They’ll tell you about the best local hangouts and restaurants so you can avoid the tourist traps. They might even be interested in joining you for sightseeing in the city or drinks at the local pub. In my experience, hosts are eager to interact with their guests.

When you’re browsing for places to stay, you can search for hosts by gender, age, language, and house preferences. Whether you’re allergic to cats or looking for wheelchair-friendly accommodation, you can easily find the ideal housemate. Remember, you should be looking at the host just as carefully as you look at the apartment itself. Make sure you read the reviews left by other guests. The more reviews, the more confident you’ll feel about staying with that host.

The goal, ultimately, is for you to return the favor whenever you’re at home, thus keeping the Couchsurfing spirit alive around the world. (Trust me, it can be just as fun to host as it is to surf.)

But best of all, unlike pretty much all other travel websites, Couchsurfing is completely free! It’s customary to bring a gift or cook for your host as a token of appreciation for letting you stay in their place, but besides that, you’ll be able to see the world without spending a single penny on accommodation.

• Best Hotel Booking Websites
• Airbnb Alternatives
• Airbnb vs. Vrbo
• Airbnb vs. Hotels

Google Flights

Dollar flight club, going (formerly scott's cheap flights), cheap flight booking websites & search engines.

In the world of online travel, booking a flight is one of the most important initial steps to having a great trip. And unless you’re planning on spending thousands to sip champagne in business class, the cost of your ticket will probably be a significant deciding factor in what you book.

Although you could book directly with the airlines, using online travel agencies (OTAs) allows you to compare pricing to find the best rates for your trip. To help you figure out where to book your next flight, consider one of the flight search engine travel sites in this section.

Keep in mind that these search sites are not booking sites . They simply compare rates for flights and redirect you to other sites to complete your purchase. You’ll get tons of results, but it’s up to you to sort through them. You should also take the time to use more than one website to compare pricing. Results may vary!

If they send you to a small website you’ve never heard of, do your research to make sure the company is dependable (although these OTAs don’t tend to deal with shady booking websites—a big reason these are the ones I recommend). It’s important to look at the fine print, as some companies might have their own cancellation fees or change fees in addition to the fees set by the airlines.

It seems that you can find anything you want from Google. There’s Google Maps, Google Scholar, Google News, Google Earth, and now Google Flights.

Google Flights is always the first search engine I turn to when I’m looking for the best flight deals. They scan through all available flight options for both major airlines and online travel agencies and then sort through the results to show you the best possible option for your trip. Like Google Maps, or anything else from Google, they’ve really mastered the art of searching, and this is one of the best sites to find deals.

The calendar view makes it easy to pick dates with the best price. And if you haven’t locked down your travel dates, you can check for flights with their flexible date tool. For example, you can search for the cheapest flights in January or even a one-week trip in the next six months.

You can also use the Date Grid in Google Flights to see the cheapest flight combinations for different departure and return dates. Or, check the Price Graph to compare how the prices are likely to change over the next few months. This is a great tool for identifying significant price drops for your desired route.

Many times you’ll want to search for a specific airport, but if you’re also flexible with your destination, you can search for flights by continent or country. This flexible search is an excellent option if you’re looking for a last-minute weekend getaway without a set destination in mind.

And unlike other travel websites, Google Flights will make sure you’re getting the best rates by offering money-saving recommendations. They’ll let you know that by flying in two days later — or to a different airport nearby — you could save even more money.

Whether you’re booking an RTW adventure, a weekend getaway to New York or simply browsing for inspiration for your next trip, start with Google Flights. And if you’ve got the time to really learn how to use Google Flights , I highly suggest it. Knowing how to squeeze the most out of this incredible tool is a skill well worth having.

Skyscanner is a great travel site for cheap airline tickets, and it’s always my second stop after Google Flights. They search through over 1,200 different airline companies and smaller OTA sites to compare the best offers for your travels.

You can also use their “Everywhere” search engine to look up the cheapest flight going anywhere in the world. The results show the average price for a country, so you’ll need to narrow down the search by destination city to see the exact price for a specific airport. However, you’ll get a better idea of which countries tend to have cheaper flights.

It’s also easy to filter for nonstop flights, included luggage, nearby airports, departure/arrival time, and more so you can find deals on the exact flights you’re looking for.

I recommend downloading the Skyscanner app. Not only can you search and book flights through the app, but you can also use the “Explore” feature to find destinations for solo travel, quick getaways or last minute trips (which is especially handy if you’re traveling open-ended).

One last bonus: Skyscanner also lets you search for deals on hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars, and even complete vacation packages. This travel site has it all.

Momondo is another flight search engine that should be on your radar. This company scans through thousands of airline companies and OTAs to display rates for both domestic and international flights. And unlike other sites, Momondo shows prices for many of the smaller OTAs overlooked by Google Flights and Skyscanner.

I also use Momondo to find out when the best time to fly is. I particularly love their matrix that highlights an entire month, meaning you can compare prices to find the lowest price possible.

On the search results page, Momondo offers bar charts that show prices for different departure and return dates. You can use this feature to spot any significant price drops for flights if your dates are flexible. Play around with these features — it takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can score some fantastic travel deals.

You can also look at the “Flight Insights” page to see price trends and analytics for your exact route. This page uses historical search data to show you the cheapest month, day, and even time of day to book. It will tell you the cheapest airlines that serve your route, along with how far in advance you should be booking to save the most money.

In addition, you can consult the “Price Forecast” feature to see if prices are expected to increase or decrease in the near future. If so, you can set a price alert to notify you if the cost of your flight drops.

Finding inexpensive flights can be time-consuming, but Dollar Flight Club simplifies the process by sending exclusive deals straight to your inbox. Most of their offers are 60-90% off the list price, with savings averaging around $500 .

Dollar Flight Club uses technology and historical data to find cost-saving deals. Although you can’t search for specific dates or destinations, you will still find great domestic and international deals if you’re flexible with your plans.

When you sign up for the free version of Dollar Flight Club, you’ll get one email a day for your selected departure region. Or, you can upgrade to premium to get four times as many deals for multiple departure airports. Premium members also receive instant SMS alerts as well as deals for cheap domestic flights over the weekend. Signing up for Premium Plus will give you access to their rewards program with more deals and offers for tickets for business and first-class flights.

Going was formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights, and it is another one of my favorite travel sites for finding affordable flights. Like Dollar Flight Club, they send emails for flight deals on domestic and international airline tickets. Most deals are 40-90% off the original price!

But instead of using an algorithm to find great deals, members of the Going team search all of the fares by hand to find deals. This goes a step above others to make this one of the best travel sites out there.

When you sign up for the free version, you’ll receive 15-20 selected deals per month. Even though you’ll select a specific airport as your preferred point of departure, it includes deals from an array of different cities. If you only want to see deals from your specific city, then you’ll want to upgrade to the premium version. Not only does the premium membership include an extra 30-35 deals per month, but it also includes error fare flights and offers for summer and holiday travel.

While Scott’s Cheap Flights has rebranded and changed the name, it’s still an awesome place to find flights for your vacation package.

• How to Find Cheap Flights
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• How I Booked an $8,967 First Class Airplane Ticket for $5.60

GetYourGuide

G adventures, intrepid travel, recommended tour companies.

Sometimes, we all need a little bit of adventure to keep us on our toes while we’re on the road.

Maybe you’re a solo traveler interested in joining a group backpacking experience through Asia. Perhaps you want an action-packed itinerary full of hiking, diving, and bungee-jumping (just make sure you have travel insurance that covers those adventure activities). Or maybe you simply want an agency to take the stress out of planning by giving you a list of all the top places you must visit. Whatever your reason, here are the best travel sites for tours and fully guided vacation packages.

GetYourGuide is a search engine with a massive database of tours and attractions in over 7,000 destinations around the globe. I’m talking more than 40,000 activities like street food tours, skiing and snowboarding trips, skip-the-line museum passes, and boat excursions. You name it, GetYourGuide has it, and their one of the best sites for finding and reserving travel activities.

If you’re visiting a new city for the first time, GetYourGuide also takes the hassle out of planning the perfect itinerary. You can reserve your spot on a tour or purchase your tickets for an event directly through their website or mobile app.

Best of all, all tours come with detailed reviews full of handy insider information, so you can hear first-hand from past clients if the activity is worth it. Not to mention, most of the offers are more affordable than if you were to book directly at the attraction itself.

It’s not the best place for all-inclusive vacation packages, but when it comes to travel sites for tours, GetYourGuide tours are a great way to soak in the culture of a city. From wine tasting to helicopter rides to snorkeling, you’ll be able to get the lowest price (guaranteed) by booking on GetYourGuide.

If group tours are more up your alley, then G Adventures is one of the best sites for you. Whether you’re traveling Europe by train, cruising through the Galapagos, or cycling through the countryside in China, there’s a tour for almost every traveler.

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill group tours. G Adventures are small groups (averaging 10 travelers) that all share a common desire to explore the world. When you look online, you’ll see tours organized by travel style. You’ll be able to book vacation packages specifically catered to 18 to 30-year-olds, tours focusing on health and wellness, and even active tours for adventure lovers.

Solo travelers are also welcome to join a tour with G Adventures. Whether you’re looking for full vacation packages or short day trips, you can expect to meet some awesome people along the way.

They’ve also partnered with National Geographic to create immersive tour experiences. Whether you’re learning how to tango in Argentina or cooking authentic meals with a local Thai family, these tours will give you a deeper appreciation for your destination’s history and culture.

Intrepid Travel is like G Adventures in many ways — they offer small-group tours for adventurous travelers in more than 100 countries. Tours are divided into themes, like adventure cruising, cycling, and culinary. And if you’re interested in meeting other like-minded travelers, they have also organized trips specifically for people between the ages of 18-30.

But Intrepid sometimes goes to places where G Adventures does not, and vice versa. Intrepid also has tons of amazing deals available year-round. Many trips are discounted up to 50% and some tours can be reserved with just a $1 deposit. And if you’re eager to leave ASAP, then you can browse a variety of last-minute deals.

They’ve also partnered with Lonely Planet to create unique, niche experiences. With hundreds of single or multi-day vacation packages, you’ll be able to get off the beaten path to see the world through the eyes of a local.

But the biggest perk of traveling with Intrepid Travel comes down to the group leaders and small group sizes. You won’t feel like you’re just getting carted around because every tour is led by a local guide, meaning you get a more authentic experience.

One important note, for many trips, Intrepid requires you to have travel insurance . That’s a good idea anyway though.

Rentalcars.com

Best rental car sites.

For many trips, you’ll need to rent a car to get around once your flight arrives. Finding rental cars can be frustrating and expensive.

Fortunately, by using one of these car rental sites , you can find the best prices and reserve your vehicle ahead of time, so there’s no stress at pickup. These travel websites let you search through many car rental providers, compare pricing, and make a reservation. Here are the best travel sites for finding rental cars:

It’s all in the name here. Rentalcars.com is owned by the same company as the hotel site, Booking.com . It is a search site that lets you find car rentals and easily book them online.

Rentalcars.com has a great streamlined process for searching, filtering, and paying for your rental car. With just a few clicks you can find the best deal and have your car reserved. Plus, listings on Rentalcars.com typically have free cancellation when you book through their site. That’s a big win in my book because I hate stressing about what will happen if my flight is delayed or if I have to cancel my trip.

Rentalcars.com typically has great discounts available. In my experience, I’ve often been able to find the best prices compared to other rental car websites.

They also offer insurance directly though their site, though you may not need it if your travel insurance already covers rental cars.

Ultimately, one of the main things I look for in rental cars is the lowest price possible. Would I like to drive a BMW around on vacation? Sure. But typically I’m saving pennies for a trip and don’t want to spend them all on car rentals.

Priceline is one of the best travel websites to find low-price car rentals. They will often offer “Express Deals” which give you a much lower price than you’d get going directly through a car rental agency.

How do they do it? Priceline was the first travel site to offer “opaque rentals.” While that sounds complicated, it just means that you don’t know what car you’ll get until you pick it up. As long as you aren’t picky, this is a fantastic way to save cash on car rentals.

As a bonus, you can get package deals if you use Priceline to reserve flights, hotels, or even trips with a cruise line. They also have a loyalty program that can help you save on travel over time. For many travelers, this could be a one-stop shop for the ideal vacation package.

Unlike the other travel websites on this list, Kayak doesn’t let you reserve rental cars directly through their website. Instead, Kayak is just a big search site that filters through dozens (or maybe hundreds?) of other rental companies, travel websites, online travel agencies, and other related resources. You put in your travel dates, and Kayak gives you a list of options offering competitive prices. They then give you a link to book your car through the site or company that’s offering the deal.

The benefit of Kayak is that, because it is searching so many different travel websites, you can find great deals that other websites may not show.

If you want help with your entire trip planning process, Kayak also lets you search for flight deals, hotel deals, and even complete vacation packages.

Travel Booking Websites FAQs

What is the best travel site to book through.

Booking.com is the best (and largest) travel booking site.

Is it cheaper to book through a travel agent or online?

Booking online will almost always be cheaper than using a travel agent.

How do I get the best travel deals?

You can get great travel deals by comparing across multiple travel booking sites.

What is the best rental car site?

Rentalcars.com is our top pick for the best rental car website.

What is the best site for cheap flights?

Google Flights is always a good starting point when searching for cheap flights.

Jeremy Scott Foster

I’m curious why Airbnb is not listed, are they not a good option?

Given their high (and increasing) fees, lack of consistency and poor customer service, the TravelFreak editorial team can’t, in good faith, recommend booking with Airbnb. We do consider them to be a viable option, but can’t stand behind them as a company nor recommend them to readers.

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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.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

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.

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

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How to find cheap flights, what is the best day to buy a plane ticket.

This just in! Airfares offered on Thursdays tend to be the cheapest, according to flight demand on Travelocity in 2021. Tuesday and Wednesday prices are also good, but you may want to prepare your budget if booking during the weekend, as data shows that is when prices are generally at their highest.

What are the cheapest days to fly?

Frequent travelers may already know this, but earlier in the week can be the cheapest time to fly. In 2021, flights departing on a Monday were generally the cheapest of the week, whereas you may pay a premium for weekend flights when demand is usually high. On average, tickets were most expensive for Saturday departures, so if you need to fly out on a weekend, you might look for deals ahead of time.

How far in advance can you book a flight?

Trying to figure out how early you should book your flight? It’s possible to start comparing international airfares on Travelocity up to 12 months in advance. However, it does depend on the carrier as not all airlines release their prices that far out. According to our 2021 flight demand trends, last minute planners can still bag a bargain with some of the cheapest fares appearing 0-2 weeks prior to their travel dates.

*According to flight demand on Travelocity.com from January to December 2021. Savings are subject to change based on departure location, date and destination.

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• Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
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• Orlando (MCO) to Los Angeles (LAX)

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The desire to get a good deal unites practically all travelers. Whether you're looking for a cheap getaway or a luxury vacation, no one wants to spend more than necessary. When it comes to booking flights, travelers may naturally head to an airline's website. However, that's not always the best site to book flights.

Whether it's taking advantage of credit card perks, earning bonus miles or saving money, the best flight booking site can vary depending on your situation and willingness to get creative. Let's take a look at six of the best sites to book flights and when each is the best option.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

The best flight booking sites

1. google flights.

For ease, speed and features, Google Flights is arguably the best website for flight searches. Search results appear almost instantly. Filters let you narrow down to nonstop options, select a subset of airlines, limit by price or factor in the price of a bag. Similarly, you can use Google Flights filters to avoid certain airlines, multi-stop itineraries, long layovers, early flights or pretty much whatever you might want to avoid.

You can easily check flexible dates, and if you're flexible on where you go you can use the Explore map to see prices for a variety of destinations for certain dates, a certain month or anytime in the next six months.

Google Flights partners with hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) to pull current flight prices. That way you don't have to search each of these sites to be able to see the options. Once you select your preferred trip, Google Flights links you to the top booking options for actually booking your flight — including the airline itself and the best OTA booking options.

The downsides of Google Flights are few. One is the lack of Southwest flight prices. Although Southwest flight schedules will show in flight search results, Southwest flight prices aren't available. That's because Southwest chooses to publish flight prices only on its website.

» Learn more: Why Southwest is not on Google Flights

Another downside is that Google Flights doesn't always show the cheapest prices — particularly for international flights. That means it's worth double-checking prices on another site before booking through Google Flights.

Like Google Flights, Kayak searches hundreds of other websites and flight booking platforms to find the best deal. Kayak generally doesn't let you book flights directly. However, one benefit of Kayak is the streamlined process. Rather than having to click through several pages to confirm your selection, clicking "view deal" on the results page can take you right to the cheapest booking option.

Also, some travelers may find Kayak's flexible date search a bit easier to work with as you can see results from several days in the search results — eliminating the need to check each day's results separately.

But perhaps the most important reason to use Kayak instead of Google Flights is that it can catch better deals. For example, we found a $550 round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Barcelona using Google Flights. Kayak found a way to lower that price to just $472 round-trip — at least once you scroll past an advertisement.

Note that Kayak manages other flight search sites — including Momondo and Cheapflights — so the results may be very similar between these sister sites.

» Learn more: Is Kayak legit?

So far, we've focused on ease in flight searching, and that's going to be enough for many travelers. However, now let's add in some additional elements to consider when choosing the best flight booking site: earning rewards and saving by booking packages. Expedia excels at both of these.

Through the new One Key rewards program , travelers can earn 0.2% in OneKeyCash from flight bookings made through Expedia. That's not much, but it can stack on top of the awards you earn from the airline and those that you earn on your credit card purchase.

Even better, you'll earn credits toward One Key elite status by booking your flight through Expedia. As you climb up the tiers, you'll unlock up to 20% savings on hotels, get hotel upgrades, priority support and even price drop protection.

Plus, Expedia boasts that travelers can "save up to 30%" when bundling a hotel with a flight booking — although actual discounts are likely to vary.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of Expedia

4. Capital One Travel

For many Capital One cardholders, Capital One Travel might just be the best flight booking site. Part of this is to take advantage of cardholder benefits.

For example, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders earn 5x Capital One miles when booking flights through the Capital One Travel portal. Plus, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders get up to $300 off travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal each cardholder year.

» Learn more: How to maximize the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Also, Capital One Travel can help you truly get the best price for your flight. Capital One partnered with travel data company Hopper to show suggestions about when it's the best time to book.

Capital One backs up these recommendations with money. If you book a flight through Capital One Travel when Hopper recommends doing so, you'll get up to a $50 credit toward future travel if the price drops within the next 10 days.

» Learn more: How the Capital One Travel portal works

Would you be willing to book a trip as two separate tickets in order to save money? That's the idea behind Kiwi. Instead of simply searching flights from your home airport to your destination, Kiwi checks all potential options to get between A and B. That could mean taking a bus or train from your home city to another to catch a flight to your destination. Or, Kiwi might pair a low-cost domestic flight with a cheap international flight from another city to lower your total cost.

Protect your upfront travel expenses by booking with a card that has travel insurance or by purchasing a separate policy .

For example, when we priced out a round-trip flight from Phoenix to Tokyo, the cheapest option when booked as one ticket cost $1,353 round-trip — and that's with an overnight stay in Vancouver.

Pricing out the same itinerary and dates through Kiwi drops the price to just $789 round-trip. The secret? Booking this as two round-trip flights: One from Phoenix to Los Angeles on Frontier and a separate round-trip from Los Angeles to Tokyo on Zipair.

Keep in mind that there are risks with booking separate tickets to get where you want to go. If a delay or cancellation causes you to miss your connection, the second airline/bus/train company isn't obligated to honor your ticket and rebook you on the next option. So make sure to factor in all of the risks of booking travel like this.

» Learn more: When to use Kiwi for your next flight booking

6. BookWithMatrix

ITA Matrix is a very powerful and ultra-customizable search platform for finding exactly the flight itinerary you want — whether that's booking a longer layover, avoiding certain aircraft types or booking nerdy trips such as the Alaska Milk Run .

The catch: Travelers can't actually book flights through ITA Matrix. And, unlike Google Flights, ITA Matrix doesn't even link to the best flight booking site for that itinerary. Instead, travelers are left to attempt to re-create the same itinerary through another flight booking website — which can be hard in the case of certain complex itineraries.

Enter BookWithMatrix. Travelers can copy-paste their perfect itinerary from ITA Matrix into BookWithMatrix to get bookable links through the airline or select OTAs.

Alternatively, travelers have the option to install the PowerTools extension in Google Chrome .

This extension adds booking links right on the ITA Matrix itinerary page, avoiding the need to browse to another page.

Final thoughts on the best flight booking site

There's not a one-size-fits-all best website for booking flights. Instead, the best flight booking site for you is going to depend on how simple you want the process to be, whether you're willing to get creative with your booking, and even which credit cards you have.

For most travelers, the simplicity of Google Flights is going to make it the best one-stop shop for searching and booking flights. However, it's worth considering other options if you're flying internationally, want to book a flight-and-hotel package or have a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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5 Of The Best Websites For Booking Travel Accommodations

I f you have travel plans coming up, you'll want to reserve your stay well before your departure dates are nearing. In fact, you'll want to do it not too long after you've booked your flight . Delaying this could leave you with limited accommodation options to choose from and have you dealing with steep prices.

The good news is that whether you're looking for a cozy bed and breakfast experience or a stay at a high-end all-inclusive hotel, there are a plethora of travel websites that make it easy to reserve accommodation in a place that suits your exact preferences. While you could always make the booking directly through a hotel's website, using a travel booking website helps you compare your options and check out reviews left by previous customers.

To help you get started, we've put together a list of some of the most preferred accommodation booking websites based on personal experience, user reviews, and the general user-friendliness of the platforms. You'll find a more detailed methodology explaining how we evaluated and selected the websites listed below toward the end of this list.

Read more: How To Speed Up The Internet Connection On Your Android Phone

No stranger to the accommodation booking scene, Airbnb has been offering unique boarding experiences since 2007. What makes Airbnb stand out from other similar platforms is that it allows you to live like a local by booking a room or an entire property in a residential neighborhood. This makes Airbnb accommodations appealing to people who want to experience a destination more authentically.

Searching for a property on Airbnb is fairly straightforward. All you need to do is enter your destination of choice, travel dates, and the number of guests checking in. After you do this, you'll be able to view the relevant listings.

The platform does a good job of showcasing its listings, including a detailed description of the property, pictures to help you understand what the space looks like, and reviews from past guests. While Airbnb, which has listings in around 100,000 cities and towns across the world, is a popular choice for many, a notable downside of using the platform is that guests may sometimes find themselves paying more than they initially expected, thanks to additional charges, like the cleaning fee. 

Still, if you're looking for a unique accommodation experience or have specific needs (for instance, if you'd like access to a full kitchen), an Airbnb listing might be just what you're looking for. The best part is that many Airbnb offers free Wi-Fi like traditional hotels, making them great for workstation purposes.

Hostelworld

Many travelers choose to stay in hostels, and it's no surprise why. Hostels present an affordable alternative to traditional hotels, making them ideal for backpackers and budget-conscious travelers. Beyond the cost savings (which is a major benefit for many), hostels also offer people who like to travel a social environment conducive to meeting and sharing experiences with like-minded folk.

Unlike in the past, hostels today offer relatively flexible accommodation solutions. For instance, if you're traveling with a friend or partner, you could look into reserving a private room. That said, if you're looking for a traditional hostel experience where you bunk with strangers, you'll want to reserve a spot at a reputable hostel. This, fortunately, becomes easy to do when you make the booking through Hostelworld .

When you're on Hostelworld's website, all you need to do is enter the details of your trip to view the hostels in the location. Before you complete your booking, check the property details, the house rules, and the reviews — if everything seems in order, you can proceed with making the payment.

Once you make the payment, Hostelworld offers a 100% booking guarantee. In the event that something goes wrong with your booking, the company will credit your account with the entire deposit you paid and an additional $50 that you can use toward future bookings.

Whether you want to book a traditional hotel accommodation, a private stay, or even long-term boarding, Agoda is a good bet. With a whole host of filters that allow you to specify your preferences in terms of the property type, distance from the city center, and more, Agoda helps you zero in on a property/hotel that works for you.

What's more, the website also allows you to specifically view hotels that are pet-friendly (which is great if you want to travel with your pet ), workstation-friendly, and ideal for groups. This way, you won't have to deal with any unpleasant surprises when you visit the property since you'll have a pretty good idea of what you're getting.

To help you make an informed decision, the platform lists the reviews left by past customers. Agoda's entire mission has been to make travel affordable for its customers. In line with this, the website runs a loyalty program called AgodaCash.

If you book a room at a hotel or property that participates in this program, you get awarded AgodaCash, which you can put toward future bookings to make your next stay more affordable. The only thing to note here is that you won't be able to use your AgodaCash in combination with other offers and rewards. Given this, you'll have to review the promotions available and choose one that offers the most savings.

Booking.com

Booking.com, which was founded almost 30 years ago in 1996, is one of the oldest and most popular online travel booking companies. Like in the case of Agoda, Booking.com makes it easy for you to look up hotel and property listings with its user-friendly interface.

One of the standout features of Booking.com is its trip planner, which is ideal for people who are uncertain about their travel plans. Additionally, the platform is pretty flexible in terms of offering you numerous room types and pricing tiers to choose from. This lets you view and take into consideration the upfront charges for different accommodation types, helping you make a well-thought-out decision.

Booking.com, like the other websites on this list, displays reviews left by previous travelers, so you get an unbiased idea of what the property has to offer. If you still have any specific questions that you would like answered before you complete the booking, you can use the "Ask a question" button that you'll find on the listing page for each property and post your questions.

Operational in over 70 countries with over three million listings, Expedia is a great choice for comparing your options before booking. If you decide to use Expedia as your travel booking partner, it's a good idea to sign up for OneKey, which is Expedia's rewards program.

With this program, you get to earn OneKeyCash for every dollar spent, which you can then use to book eligible hotels, car rentals , flights, and even activities in the future. You also get to save 10% or more with the Member Prices you'll have access to once you sign up for this program. So, if you're a budget-savvy traveler, there's no reason for you not to sign up for OneKey. 

Expedia's website itself is fairly user-friendly. The interface works similar to that of Agoda and Booking.com. Once you enter your details, the listings come up — you can further filter these by the accommodation type, price per night, guest rating, star rating, cancellation options, and more. You also get to view the most frequently asked questions and verified reviews and ratings on the listing page, which ensures complete transparency.

Why These Accommodation Booking Websites Made It To This List

While there are numerous accommodation booking platforms, the ones listed above were chosen primarily based on personal positive experiences with them. Each of these booking partners boasts a user-friendly interface with complete transparency in terms of listing negative and positive reviews. This allows the average traveler to make an informed decision before spending hundreds of dollars or more on a stay.

Additionally, these platforms had favorable ratings and reviews from customers on the mobile-based App Store and Play Store, which is also an indication of how popular they are. Remember that while these platforms are reliable and popular, it's important to do your due diligence regarding the amenities and quality of stay at individual hotels to avoid any unwanted surprises during your trip.

Read the original article on SlashGear .

7 of the best all-inclusive experiences to book this year, from a travel planner

• As a travel planner, my clients seem to be increasingly interested in all-inclusive trips .
• Some of my favorite luxury resorts are in Costa Rica, the Maldives, and Isla Mujeres.
• Cruises, group tours, and adults-only lodgings can also come with all-inclusive options. 

As a travel planner at Marvelous Mouse Travels , I know vacations are expensive — especially if you're looking to go somewhere this summer . But all-inclusive travel is often a great way to get the most value out of a luxury experience.

I've been on several all-inclusive vacations with my family, friends, and work, and I've helped other people book them in destinations around the world .

Here are some of the best all-inclusive experiences I'm recommending to my clients this year.

Try a split-stay vacation to see the best of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is one of the most sought-after vacations , and for good reason. It's great for both relaxation and adventure.

I recommend booking a split stay, starting at an all-inclusive resort in Guanacaste near the beach for some fun in the sun and moving to a resort near the famous Arenal Volcano for a jungle adventure.

Some of my favorite resorts in Costa Rica are the Westin Reserva Conchal and the Dreams Las Mareas. And if you're looking for an even more unique experience, check out the glorious swim-out suites with private pools at Dreams.

Baglioni Maldives is one of my favorite all-inclusive resorts.

The Maldives, a remote set of islands in the Indian Ocean, offers a plethora of resort options for couples and families, but Baglioni Maldives is my favorite.

For many in the US, getting to the islands can be daunting — there are very few direct commercial flights, and it can take almost an entire day. But it's hard to beat the country's luxury accommodations and gorgeous landscape.

The Maldives also has some of the most beautiful marine life and coveted spots for snorkeling and scuba diving.

No matter where you go, overwater bungalows are the ultimate all-inclusive splurge.

Overwater bungalows — villas standing on poles over open ocean water — are prevalent at all-inclusive resorts in destinations like the Maldives, Fiji, and Bali.

But I've also come across the luxurious accommodations at select adults-only Sandals Resorts throughout the Caribbean.

I think having a private villa on the water is the perfect way to unwind and relax.

Adults-only vacations are on the rise.

Traveling with kids can be a blast, but I also think it's important for adults to take a much-needed break on their own.

Adults-only resorts have been a total respite for me and my husband after hectic months of juggling work with our kids' school and sports schedules.

If you're looking to unwind with a partner, relax on a girls' trip, or even connect with your adult children, there are countless adults-only, all-inclusive resorts to choose from, depending on where you're looking to visit.

Some properties, including Sandals and Beaches Resorts, also offer butler service. Designated staff members can help with anything from room requests and dining reservations to cabana rentals and transportation coordination.

I upgraded to the service at my favorite adults-only spot, Le Blanc Los Cabos, and I felt totally pampered.

Isla Mujeres is pure luxury.

Isla Mujeres, a small island off the coast of Cancún, is known for its crystal-clear, turquoise water and peaceful vibe. It's also home to Playa Norte, one of the best beaches in Mexico .

Impressions Isla Mujeres by Secrets is a gorgeous all-inclusive resort on the island. It offers luxury at its finest, but with only 125 rooms, it has a boutique feel.

One of my favorite features of the resort is the waterslide that leads right into the beautiful ocean.

There are plenty of all-inclusive packages at sea.

Cruising is one of the most popular vacations , whether it's an epic adventure on a Royal Caribbean Cruise, a couples-only journey on Virgin Voyages, or a regal tour of Europe on Viking River Cruises.

Although cruises aren't traditionally considered all-inclusive, with the right booking, they can have the same feel as a luxury resort.

Most cruise bookings include food, nonalcoholic drinks, and live entertainment. If you add beverage packages and excursions in advance, your trip should be fully paid for before you depart.

Book a small-group or private tour if you're looking for adventure.

Group travel is a great way to explore new places while soaking up culture and history.

Popular destinations include Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, and Alaska, and many travel companies take care of everything for you, essentially making it all-inclusive.

I like Adventures by Disney , which offers small-group travel all over the world facilitated by seasoned guides. All the trip details are taken care of, including experiences, food, lodging, and transportation.

Additionally, Kensington Tours offers luxury private travel where every facet of the trip is meticulously planned for you.

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Travel | Travel Troubleshooter: I accidentally paid…

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Travel | travel troubleshooter: i accidentally paid twice for my hotel. can i get a refund.

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER:  I recently reserved and paid for a room at the Marriott Vacation Club Pulse at Custom House, Boston, through Booking.com. I prepaid $1,191 for my accommodations.

I received a confirmation that I had booked a room at the property and that I had paid for it. However, when we checked out, my husband paid for the room again — not realizing that I had already paid for the hotel through Booking.com. We received an email invoice from the hotel and left the Marriott property, not realizing we had paid for our stay twice.

I contacted Booking.com straight away, but I don’t have a record of our interaction. Booking.com deleted all the messages relating to my inquiry. Marriott has referred the matter to Booking.com, and Booking.com will not help me. Is there anything you can do?

— Valeska Wehr, Bute, Australia

ANSWER: Booking.com should have charged you once, and Marriott shouldn’t have charged you at all. I know — thank you, Captain Obvious. But it merits repeating. I’ve reviewed your paperwork, and you should have only received one charge.

Marriott believed that you hadn’t prepaid your room. You might have been able to clear up the matter while you were at the property, but it looks like your husband didn’t get the memo either. (Next time, please tell him that you’ve prepaid.)

Still, this should have been easy to clear up. But as I reviewed the correspondence between you, Booking.com and Marriott, I saw more issues. Booking.com referred you to Marriott, even though this was a Booking.com reservation. Marriott sent you what appears to be a form letter, saying that you can’t get loyalty points for your stay in Boston. Wow, talk about confusion.

After receiving these disappointing responses, there’s only one thing left to do. You have to appeal your case to a higher level. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the executives at Marriott and at Booking.com on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org .

This is not the first time Booking.com has billed one of its customers twice. I had a similar case a few months ago, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. You have to watch your final bill carefully. When you give a hotel your credit card for “incidental” expenses, make sure that it doesn’t charge you for the room again. It’s happened to me, and let me tell you, it is no fun to resolve it.

But there is a resolution to your case. You reached out to my advocacy team, and I contacted Booking.com. It asked for proof of payment, which you furnished. Within a week, you had a full refund of the amount that you’d overpaid.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/help/ . (c) 2024 Christopher Elliott Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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Money latest: TSB announces big increases to mortgage rates - as 'market thrown into turmoil'

TSB has followed other major lenders in hiking mortgage rates. First-time buyer, mover and remortgage rates are going up by as much as 0.45%. Read this plus all the latest consumer and personal finance news below - and leave your thoughts in the box.

Wednesday 24 April 2024 19:00, UK

• TSB announces big increases to mortgage rates as 'market thrown into turmoil'
• 'No fault' evictions ban could be delayed - as we reveal 100 MPs, including 83 Tories, have 'vested interest'
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By Daniel Binns , business reporter

Ryanair is suing air traffic control body Nats over last summer's flight chaos when more than 700,000 passengers were hit by cancellations and delays.

The low-cost carrier's chief executive Michael O'Leary said his company had been forced to pay out around £15m in compensation following the  widespread disruption  around the August Bank Holiday Monday.

An investigation into the meltdown found it was caused by a  National Air Traffic Services (Nats) technical glitch .

Around 300,000 people suffered cancellations, while approximately 95,000 endured delays of over three hours, and at least a further 300,000 were hit by shorter delays.

Airlines lost a total of £100m in refunds, rebookings, hotel rooms and refreshments.

Mr O'Leary told Sky's  Business Live with Ian King : "When things go wrong in the airline industry, we have to compensate our passengers and we want to recover those costs directly from Nats."

A spokeswoman for Nats told Sky News: "Our legal team is reviewing the claim and will respond as required."

Yesterday we reported on a Which? survey ranking Virgin Media as having the worst overall customer service among broadband providers...

Virgin Media hit back - saying the annual survey used a sample size of 0.01% of its customer base, and on average 95% of customer complaints were resolved during a customer's first initial call.

And they told the Money blog improvements were being made to customer service...

"We are investing and making changes across our business to deliver tangible customer service improvements and ensure all customers receive the best possible service," the company said.

"For example, we're multi-skilling our teams and rolling out new IT platforms that make it easier for customers to get support and have issues resolved the first time they get in touch." 

Our comments section has been bombarded with people saying they are Virgin Media customers and sharing their experiences - all but two were negative.

Here's a selection...

The Virgin broadband keeps dropping down in speed, sometimes it drops out all day. Phoning them makes no difference. We will change supplier when our contract is up. Alan Francis

I completely agree. I've had a year of unbelievably bad service relating to the installation of broadband in our new house. It's impossible to communicate with Virgin Media without severe trauma. Everything goes through one number into an automated system that simply doesn't work. Frank

Been with Virgin Media for 13 years and they have really dropped in customer service, they don't value loyalty and all their call handlers seem to be working from home. If there is a problem they transfer you to somebody else who you have to explain your issue to again. Plumby

We moved from Virgin Media for our broadband/TV a few years ago for precisely that reason. Very poor customer service. Carol Bell

I left Virgin this week for too. New customers get a good price whilst existing customers see prices triple. Non-UK call centre that just pass you around when anything goes wrong. Just cancelling took an hour on the phone. Glad there are new fibre providers in my area. Digger

Current Virgin Media customer and it gives me anxiety knowing I have to call them as it takes too long to get anyone on the call or they have disconnected me, or they say they cannot help and transfer me to another department and then drop the call. LisaJ

A reader calling themselves GH was more positive, saying: "I have just renewed with Virgin Media, great customer service."

And Wells85 said: "I am a Virgin customer and have been for the last nearly seven years and I think their broadband service is top notch and their customer service."

There are only a few weeks left until all cats in England need to be microchipped.

From 10 June, every moggie must have a chip and be registered on a database by the time they are 20 weeks old.

The numbered device, which shows up whenever an animal is scanned, is placed under the skin, usually around the shoulder area.

It is likely to cost £20-£30 and will be used to identify your cat if it gets lost.

Owners who miss the deadline could be fined up to £500.

There are also fears that pet insurance may be affected - if, for example, your cat is stolen and you make a claim.

There are more than nine million pet cats in England, and up to 2.3 million are unchipped, the environment department said.

Your feline's microchip "must be fitted by a trained professional", the government website says.

Vets, local councils, rescue and rehoming centres may all be able to help.

Owners are asked to keep the chip information up to date - for example, if they move house.

There are various databases that meet government standards on which to register the chip, including Animal Data, Animal Tracker and Lost Paws.

TSB has followed other major lenders in hiking mortgage rates this week - and theirs are pretty big.

First-time buyer, mover and remortgage rates are going up by as much as 0.45%.

Shared ownership/equity products will rise by up to 0.75%.

The lender is also withdrawing some tracker mortgages - and all house purchase and remortgage products (two and five-year fixed) without a fee.

It follows upward moves from NatWest, Barclays, Accord, Leeds Building Society and HSBC on Monday, and Coventry last week.

They are responding to swap rates - which dictate how much it costs to lend money - rising on the back of higher than expected US inflation data, and concerns this could delay interest rate cuts there. 

US trends often materialise elsewhere - though markets are still expecting a base rate cut from 5.25% to 5% in the UK in June.

Ken James, director at Contractor Mortgage Services, told Newspage: "As lenders scramble for safety, the mortgage landscape appears increasingly grim. 

"With swap rates on the rise, lenders are transparent about their need for profit margins, prompting them to hike up their rates accordingly. 

"The significant uptick in rates for shared ownership mortgages suggests that TSB is distancing itself from this sector, leaving aspiring homeowners with even fewer options. 

"While TSB may be the latest target of criticism, they are not alone in seeking refuge in lifeboats, as more lenders follow suit.

"The mortgage market is once again thrown into turmoil, echoing past upheavals."

Holiday price increases may be starting to ease heading into the summer as competition heats up across the sector, Jet2 says.

Trips booked for this summer have seen "a modest increase" in cost compared with last year, the tour operator says - but prices have recently become "more competitive, particularly for April and May departures".

Russ Mould, an analyst at AJ Bell, said: "This could be a sign that the pricing power enjoyed by the sector, with people prepared to pay whatever it takes to get their week in the sun, is starting to ease."

People visiting Venice for day trips will have to pay a tourist tax from tomorrow.

The €5 charge is being implemented in part to tackle overtourism in the picturesque Italian city.

It won't be in place every day - the first charging period lasts from 25 April to 5 May. 

It will then come back into play on May 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26, June 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30, and July 6, 7, 13 and 14 - between 8.30am and 4pm.

Some UK banks have potential loopholes in their security systems which leave customers at risk from online scammers, according to consumer champion Which?

The group looked at the apps and websites of 13 current account providers with assistance from experts.

Despite all using multi-layered security to try and prevent security breaches, some still fell below the expected standard.

Which? gave TSB a score of 54% for its mobile app security and 67% for online security - the lowest and second-lowest scores respectively.

The Co-operative Bank placed last for online security, with a score of 61%.

A lucky EuroMillions player in the UK has just one week left to claim their £1m prize.

The punter, who bought the ticket in Northumberland, won the cash in the UK Millionaire Maker draw on 3 November 2023.

Ten UK players were made millionaires that night - but one is still yet to come forward and collect their prize.

If the money is not claimed by 1 May, 180 days from the draw date, it will be put towards funding National Lottery projects across the country.

Andy Carter, senior winners' advisor at The National Lottery, said: "While there is still time, there is still hope - we've received valid claims on major National Lottery unclaimed prizes right up to the very last minute before - but time is running out fast. 

"Our appeal is simple, take five minutes out of your day to dig out and check your EuroMillions tickets. Those five minutes could be the most profitable five minutes of your life!"

The Northumberland player is not the only one missing out on a life-changing sum of money - four more major prizes remain unclaimed with just weeks to go.

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

The index, of the 100 most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange, hit a record closing high of 8,023 points on Monday. It then went one better on Tuesday, when it closed at 8,044. And now it has achieved an all-time intraday (during the day) high of 8,090 this morning - and looks to be on course for another closing record this afternoon.

The score, up around 0.5% this morning, is based on a calculation of the total value of the shares on the index.

The figures will help boost investors and London markets after a disappointing few years, commentators have said.

However, as Sky's business presenter Ian King pointed out yesterday , the gains are modest in comparison with other stock markets around the world.

The highs are also the result of a fall in the value of the pound, rather than the UK's improving economic outlook. Currently, £1 buys $1.24 US or €1.16, a slight improvement on the five-month lows seen earlier this week.

One of the best-performing companies on the FTSE 100 this morning is British firm Reckitt Benckiser. It makes health, hygiene and nutrition products - including well-known brands such as Cillit Bang, Durex and Nurofen.

Shares in the Slough-based company have leapt more than 5% following the publication of its first-quarter results, which showed it beat like-for-like sales estimates despite price rises.

In contrast, shares in Lloyds Banking Group slipped 2% in early trading after the lender reported that pre-tax profits for the first three months of the year fell by 28% . However,  it has since made a modest recovery.

Section 21 notices allow landlords to evict tenants with two months' notice after their fixed-term contract ends. They don't have to give a reason - hence the "no fault" eviction label.

The Renters (Reform) Bill, which is set for its final stages in the  Commons today, includes a promise to ban them - but now Michael Gove, the housing secretary, has refused to recommit to his pledge to act before a general election.

Compounding this, the Renters Reform Coalition says several rounds of "damaging concessions" have "fundamentally weakened" a bill which will maintain a "central power imbalance" in favour of landlords.

Labour has suggested the no-fault eviction ban is "collapsing under the weight of vested interests".

Research from Sky News has found more than 100 MPs have earned over £10,000 a year as landlords over the course of this parliament.

A total of 83 Tories have declared they received the sizeable rental payments since the last election in December 2019, along with 18 Labour MPs, four Liberal Democrats and one member of the SNP.

Read that story here ...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove told the BBC he "hopes" the bill will become law ahead of the general election, but it was up to the House of Lords "to decide the rate of progress that we can make".

He said: "If opposition parties are supportive - and I believe that while they have some quibbles, they are supportive of the essential principle that we're bringing forward - then we can have Section 21 ended before the general election. That's the aim."

Research by YouGov, commissioned by homelessness charity Shelter, showed 943,000 tenants had been served Section 21 notices since April 2019.

Consumer champion Jane Hawkes, also known as  Lady Janey , has explained when Britons should use holiday booking and comparison websites - and the circumstances when it's advisable to book directly.

Jane tends to book her UK-based trips directly through the accommodation provider , because you can...

• Get lower rates as the host saves money on any online commission and agent fees;
• Negotiate additional benefits such as upgrades, late/early check-in and free add-ons;
• Take advantage of last-minute availability bookings with discount prices;
• Have one port of call for changes/cancellations/refunds;
• Avoid third party processing fees;
• Accrue loyalty points. 

Jane says she does this herself when booking one of her "go-to" self-catering holiday cottages in Wales, and benefits from reduced rates as a returning guest. 

"We have built a relationship with our hosts over the years and we appreciate being able to contact them directly to discuss bookings," she says. 

If you're booking a holiday cottage, she recommends choosing the letting agency carefully as many online platforms are simply affiliate or listing sites for other companies. 

"If you make a booking using an affiliate or listing site things can get confused and complicated if things go wrong. Always ask who takes responsibility if there is a problem and check the terms and conditions of contracts carefully," Jane says. 

What about trips abroad? 

Conversely, Jane doesn't recommend booking directly for trips abroad as "you will have far less financial protection should one of the elements go wrong". 

You'll have more protection when something goes wrong if you book a package holiday with a reputable travel agent, she says, so your holiday is covered under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements 2018. 

It is also advisable to pay by credit card for additional Section 75 protection or debit card for chargeback. 

"They are also a direct port of call for help when you need it, unlike third party online booking sites."

If she is just booking a flight , Jane says she will use comparison sites to compare prices but then book directly with the airline . 

"Third party booking platforms may be able to offer cheaper flights due to bulk-buy discounts from the airlines. However, the discount might not be worth it should any issues arise," she says. 

Jane explains that if there are cancellations or changes to bookings, additional fees may be applicable for both the airline and the third party. 

"Refund or compensation requests for cancelled or delayed flights tend to be more difficult when a third party is involved," she says. 

Plus, contacting third parties to discuss a claim can prove a challenge as many companies offer customer service support online only, she says. 

Every Wednesday we get Michelin chefs, top bloggers or critics to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and at home.  This week we speak to Ollie Bridgwater, executive chef at the one-starred SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel in Cumbria.

Hi Ollie, w hat's your go-to cheap eat for a night at home?

It has to be lasagne. It can be cost-effectively put together and you can batch-cook it and pop it in the freezer to enjoy later, plus, it's a favourite of my family and friends.

To elevate the taste without any additional cost, I fry half of the meat until it's dark brown and catching, then add in the other half of meat until it is lightly browned. I then scrape all the caramelised meat off the bottom of the pan – it provides great richness and texture. 

If you wanted to indulge a little, and cost is less important, you can add a bit of Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar and truffle to the béchamel sauce, it really enhances the flavour. 

Also, don't waste wine, if you have good quality meat and season it correctly, there's no need to add this to the recipe – instead keep it in the glass and enjoy.

Can you tell us your favourite places in Cumbria where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

Homeground , Windermere . This is my go-to brunch place of choice. Brunch is served til close and the menu has a variety of sweet and savoury options. My personal favourite is the Homeground Sarnie which includes both smoked back bacon and streaky bacon, a fried egg, smashed avocado, hash browns, caramelised red onion and leaves and is served in a sourdough ciabatta. It pairs perfectly with an Americano. They don't take reservations - you just turn up and they will seat you when they can. Quite often you will see people patiently queuing outside in rain, wind and snow, which is a great sign of their quality of food and popularity with both locals and tourists alike.

Toast , Windermere . Toast opened early last year and has been a brilliant addition to the area. Their whole concept is around serving toasted sandwiches in Shokupan bread. Shokupan is a Japanese milk loaf, which when toasted is the perfect bread for toasties – they bake the Shokupan on site daily so it's the freshest it can be. They have a range of fillings, including plant-based options, and their teriyaki pulled mushrooms toastie with pulled mushrooms, teriyaki marinade, cheese, spring onion and sweet mayo is delicious. Great to grab and go.

The Brown Horse Inn , Winster . This was actually one of the first places I dined at when I moved up to the Lake District last year. The Brown Horse is, quite simply, a really good pub. It's family-owned, has a varied food and drink offering that celebrates local produce and always guarantees a warm welcome for all – families and dogs included. It was even Cumbria's best pub and bar in last year's National Pub and Bar Awards.

Read all our Cheap Eats recommendations around the UK here ...

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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