Beyond Google: 5 Insider Tips for Finding the Best Vacation Deals Online, With Carefree Destinations

With seemingly endless booking platforms available for travel, finding the best vacation deal can feel daunting.

Because of this, travelers often default to the easiest option — a simple Google search for their preferred destination, selecting the lowest rates available for hotel stays, airfare and more.

While this is certainly more convenient than what travel booking was like in the pre-internet era, it’s still far from being the best way to find the best vacation deals available — especially when you want to visit new destinations or try unique experiences.

As Bryan Rand, president of Carefree Destinations, which offers discounted stays at four- and five-star luxury resorts explains, some savvy searching can help would-be travelers find the absolute best deals for their dream vacation.

1. Utilize Specialty Booking Services

Rand’s first recommendation is to look into specialty booking services that focus on offering discounted rates to travelers. Rather than trying to take a one-size-fits-all approach to travel reservations, these companies tend to focus on specific types of stays, be they luxury resorts, glamping or theme park trips.

“For our company, we partnered with four- and five-star resorts in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere to help them fill unsold rooms,” Rand explains. “We use our long-standing relationships with these resorts to obtain deep discounts for travelers that are much lower than what they would find through other booking services. The relationship-building that goes on behind the scenes is an essential part of securing these deals that simply can’t be found elsewhere.”

2. Use Apps to Get Price Alerts

Aside from hotels and resorts, airfare is one of the most expensive aspects of booking a vacation, with the average airfare for domestic flights at the busiest airports in the United States often well above $400 per ticket. Fortunately, there are a variety of apps and other tools that are specifically designed to provide airfare price alerts so travelers can book at the lowest possible rate.

Services like Going and Hopper are especially popular thanks to their ability to set up deal alerts for users’ home airports and their use of predictive technology to help users determine the best time to book a flight. Booking at the right time can help you save hundreds of dollars on this travel expense.

3. Time It Right

Timing is everything in finding great vacation deals. And while Google’s own tools (such as its flight price tracker) can help you find better deals on flights, it’s not the be-all end-all of booking great deals. For air travel, you can save by following a few basic guidelines for when flights are the cheapest — Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be cheaper, as are early morning and late evening flights. 

“Looking into offseason travel deals can reveal some unique and affordable opportunities,” Rand says. “Many resorts significantly slash their rates during the offseason to attract visitors. Transportation, food and other common travel expenses also tend to be cheaper during the offseason. Travel destinations will often have different events and activities during these times of year as well so the trip will still be worthwhile.”

Doing additional research into off-season rates and activities for different destinations can help travelers find unique and enjoyable trips that match their budget.

4. Embrace Flexibility

Embracing some level of flexibility in your travel planning can also go a long way in helping you find the best vacation deals online. Some added flexibility in your travel destination (such as choosing a place that is similar to but not as crowded as a top tourist hub) can help you find much cheaper airfare, lodging and other expenses than if you exclusively focused on the most popular destinations.

This flexibility can even apply to your booking processes. “Our system lets travelers lock in their rate for up to 18 months,” Rand explains. “They can book their vacation package so they can get the deal, and then select their travel dates later based on what works best with their schedule. This ensures they won’t miss out on a potential deal even when they aren’t quite ready to finalize their plans.”

5. Look Into Package Deals

The option to book transportation, lodging and other travel essentials in a single transaction is a big plus for many travelers. Aside from convenience, these package deals often tend to be less expensive than booking these items separately — particularly for last-minute travel.

“Travel agencies lock in lower fares and rates earlier on so that they can offer affordable prices, even for last-minute travelers. All-inclusive deals that include food and activities in addition to lodging can be especially helpful for families,” Rand explains. “In addition, many travel-related services will offer a discount when they bundle their service with a complementary partner — such as car rental companies bundling with airlines. These savings add up quickly.”

Great Deals, Great Trips

As Rand’s insights reveal, doing a little extra research — and particularly, taking advantage of online resources beyond the front page of Google — can help you find the best deals on travel so your dream vacation can become even more affordable. With these travel tips, enjoying a luxury vacation can become a more frequent occurrence, allowing you to create even more memories with your loved ones.