34 Websites to Get the Best Travel Deals

Sometimes you just need to get away from it all: the grind of work, the stress of life, the day to day monotony of your routine. But when you’re saving for a down payment on a house, scraping by from paycheck to paycheck on a single income, or trying to recover from an unexpected maintenance cost on your car, dropping everything to take a vacation — however well deserved — isn’t so easy. Below is a list of some of the best travel sites out there that will help you plan every aspect of your trip without breaking the bank.

Flights

Google Flights – Google Flights is a great tool for finding and comparing the best airfare prices for your budget. After entering your itinerary, Google Flights will help you find the best options based on price, duration, number of layovers, and even look for cheaper prices at nearby airports. There are plenty of visual aids you can use to choose the best option, including an interactive map, calendar, and bar graph. If your travel dates are open ended, you can even explore the map for the best dates and prices, or search for the perfect destination by interests and keywords like “food,” “music,” “wildlife,” or “honeymoon”.

Momondo – Momondo is a travel fare aggregator that’s a lot like Kayak, Travelocity, Priceline, or other big names. On this website you can price out flights, hotels, and rental cars, and set alerts for price changes if you’ve got some time before you need to book. You can’t buy tickets directly through Momondo, but the site will link you to websites where you can. Momondo is especially useful as a tool when you’re using it to compare prices with other travel sites, as it often shows options that bigger sites might miss.

Airfare Watchdog – Airfare Watchdog is a site run by real people, not computer algorithms, who search every day for promo codes and sales from both major and budget airlines and apply them to their site for you. With Airfare Watchdog, you can choose your home airport and see the cheapest flights at that moment, in the same month, or during a future month, and choose your destination based on price. If you have a specific location in mind, you can also track the prices of that flight to see if any better deals come up in the future. Airfare Watchdog shows its prices in real time, and always applies new promotions and deals, so they’ll send you a notification as soon as things change.

Skyscanner – This website and app is one of the most popular travel tools in the world, used for finding the cheapest and most convenient flights out there. The interactive map feature means you can search by location, and even look at prices for nearby cities to see if those might be more cost effective.

Hopper – Hopper is a mobile app which helps you determine timing for your trip. When you search for your trip, Hopper shows you current prices, and gives you advice on whether you should buy those tickets now, or maybe wait another couple of weeks if they’re likely to decrease in cost. Hopper will also recommend the best times of year and days of the week to fly to your location, so if you’re flexible on dates, they can really help to score you a great deal. When you’re ready to buy your plane tickets as per Hopper’s suggestion, you can even book them through the app.

TheFlightDeal – The Flight Deal rounds up amazing flights and vacation packages for you in one place, so if you’re open to suggestions for destinations and times to travel, this is a perfect tool for finding a great deal. Use The Flight Deal to read about a number of major US cities and the deals currently on the table when it comes to flights, hotels, car rental, and attractions.

WhichBudget – There are a lot of travel sites out there which help you look for flights, but they tend to show results for bigger airlines, which give the travel site a small commission every time you buy. As a result of this arrangement, a lot of smaller, cheaper airlines don’t ever show up in your search results. WhichBudget is a lot like those bigger sites, except that it is independent and takes no commissions. It’s a search engine where you can find amazing travel deals, including some on budget airlines that are overlooked by bigger websites. You can’t book directly through WhichBudget, but the search results will link you directly to the airline’s website, where you can buy those tickets secure in the knowledge that you’re getting the best deal possible.

Skiplagged – Skiplagged uses a concept called hidden city flights, a loophole that is little known to all but the most savvy of travelers. Hidden city flights allow you to book a flight with a layover in your destination city, which are often much cheaper than booking a direct flight to that city. You take the first leg of your trip, which gets you where you need to go, and skip the unnecessary one afterward. Skiplagged has been known to save users up to a staggering 80% on airfare.

Yapta – Timing is everything when booking a flight, because prices fluctuate frequently. Sometimes, prices even drop after you’ve bought your plane ticket, and that’s where Yapta comes in. After entering your flight information on Yapta, the website will track prices on that flight and send you a notification if the price drops significantly. If you’re flying an airline that offers refunds or travel credit for the price difference, like JetBlue, Delta, Virgin, or United, Yapta will help you take advantage and get your money back.

Accommodation

Priceline – Priceline is a big name when it comes to traveling, and there’s a reason for that. The Priceline Negotiator is a powerful tool that helps you haggle and bid for the best bargains when it comes to hotel rooms. You put in the details of what you’re looking for, and Priceline finds hotels with availability for the nights you seek. You then bid how much you’re willing to pay for that night, and the Negotiator tells you whether your bid has been accepted. The catch is that you can’t see which hotel you’re booking until after you’ve paid, but especially if you’re booking last minute, you’ll be surprised just how low you’ll end up paying for a great hotel.

RoomKey – A lot of hotels offer fantastic rates to members of their loyalty programs, and the website RoomKey allows you to take advantage of these deals from over 60 worldwide hotel chains. The site shows you members-only prices, and directs you to the hotel website where you can enroll in a program that will save you loads of money on your stay.

Hostelworld – Hostelworld helps you find amazing prices at hostels all over the world. There’s a bit of a stigma surrounding hostels, painting them as hotspots for young partiers and vagabonds, but the truth is that the hostel business has come a long way. Staying at a hostel means interacting with other people, which can be a lot of fun, and having access to common areas like lounges and kitchens. Plus, if a huge dorm-style room isn’t your thing, most hostels these days offer private accommodation options that are way cheaper than any hotel.

AirBnB – If staying in a hotel doesn’t appeal to you, or if you’d like access to a kitchen, living room, or maybe even some company, then Airbnb might be the solution you’re looking for. This website has exploded over the past several years, allowing travelers to stay in hosts’ spare rooms or empty apartments. It offers a huge range of price options as low as $10/night, a more personal experience than a hotel, and it’s a great option for traveling with a group as there is often more space. Airbnb allows you to save money on meals by cooking in a kitchen instead of eating out, and many hosts even offer discounted rates on longer stays.

Homeaway – Homeaway is a lot like Airbnb, but users generally rent an entire home rather than just a spare bedroom or shared space. Homeaway is great for big groups traveling together that are looking for a roomy beach house or cozy cabin in the mountains, and it’s also a wonderful option for travelers looking for urban apartments and townhouses. Once you request to book a rental property, the owner of the space has 24 hours to confirm or deny. Homeaway also owns the popular rental sites VRBO and VacationRentals, and between its family of platforms, hosts over a million rentals worldwide.

Workaway – Looking for a more personal travel experience? Something incredibly unique that will immerse you in culture and allow you to interact with new people? Try Workaway, a platform which connects you to hosts all over the world. Workaway will allow you to stay with families and hosts in major cities and tiny rural villages worldwide, and it’s perfect for the budget traveler because it’s absolutely free. The catch? You volunteer approximately 25 hours a week with your hosts, helping them with projects like yard work, child care, building projects, or caring for farm animals, and in exchange they will feed you and house you for the duration of your stay. Workaway isn’t for everyone, but it’s amazing way to meet people and try something new, and it works great for long term travel on a budget.

Roomer and Cancelon – Not every hotel offers refunds when your trip gets canceled unexpectedly, and many of them charge exorbitant cancellation fees, but sites like Roomer and Cancelon can help you take advantage of the misfortune of others. Search for lodging, hotels, condos, and other accommodations that someone else booked and can no longer use, at amazing discounted prices. And if your own plans change for whatever reason, and you ever end up having to cancel a trip, you can list your bookings here to try and make back some of your money.

Couchsurfing – If you’re traveling on a tight budget, looking for a little bit of adventure, and want to meet people in your destination, then Couchsurfing might be the resource you’re looking for. This huge community of hosts and surfers allows travelers to stay for free on a stranger’s couch or in their spare bedroom. Hosts usually spend a lot of time with their guests, personally showing them around their city and taking them to some great local attractions that a lot of tourists never get to see.

JetSetter – JetSetter allows you to book luxury hotels and properties at amazing prices. If you’re looking to treat yourself, then JetSetter will not only help you book amazing accommodations, but will also offer great advice and tips about where to go, when to go there, what to do, and even what to pack.

Snaptravel – If you need a place to stay at last minute and you don’t have access to a computer, then try Snaptravel, which lets you find bargain, last minute hotel accommodations at amazing rates over SMS and Facebook Messenger. Snaptravel lets you have a quick, one on one texting conversation with a service representative who helps find you amazing deals that suit your needs by using the company’s massive collection of exclusive offers from both big name and budget hotels.

Car Rental

Hotwire – Hotwire aggregates prices from eight different car rental companies, including major names like Enterprise and Hertz, to find you the best deal. They make it easy to find and choose the best options, and even offer a “hot rate” option where you can choose the cheapest car and find out which company it’s from after you’ve paid. Hotwire also offers packages and purchasing services for hotels and airfare.

AutoEurope – With over 20,000 locations, AutoEurope is hands down one of the best ways to find an affordable car rental during your travels. Searching for a car allows you to compare prices by company, which includes Budget, Alamo, EuropCar and Avis among other options. Bargain rates are what AutoEurope does best, and while you’re renting a car from them, they offer 24/7 support for their customers if you should need it.

Autoslash – Like Yapta for airlines, Autoslash looks at prices you’ve already paid and helps to get you refunds or company credit if the prices drop. If you haven’t booked a rental car yet, you can also do so on Autoslash, which aggregates coupons and promo codes to find you the best deals.

Vacation packages

Kayak – Kayak lets you look at flights, hotels, and car rentals by pulling information from hundreds of travel sites to get you the best deal. All you have to do is select the dates of your trip, and Kayak will take it from there. It even predicts whether the tickets you’re looking at will go up or down in price, allowing you to choose the best time to buy, and if you’re flexible on date or location, Kayak can help you choose when and where to travel based on your budget.

Travelzoo – Travelzoo offers vouchers to its users, like Groupon, connecting them with amazing deals on websites for airlines, hotels, cruises, and even attractions like spas, adventure companies, tours, and more. Just scrolling through their home page is bound to give you wanderlust, and if you’ve got some time off but aren’t sure where to go, then Travelzoo can help you decide.

Attractions

TripAdvisor – TripAdvisor is a major site that helps you search for restaurants, hotels, and attractions wherever you may be, and read reviews about those places before you go. Learn from people who have already been there if there are any hidden fees, problems with customer service, or other things you should know before you go. TripAdvisor is an amazing way to plan your trip because it shows you ranked search results for attractions, hotels, and more in the area, and links to their official websites. But remember to take reviews with a grain of salt, because some of the reviews could be fake or emotionally charged.

Groupon – Groupon is such an underutilized travel tool, but it is one that could save you a ton of money. Besides the vacation packages it offers, like jaw-droppingly low prices on accommodation with airfare included, Groupon is a great way to find deals on attractions in your destination. There are always deals for restaurants, spas, retail, and special events like festivals and conventions. Travelers can also use Groupon to find family friendly activities, discounts on entry fees to places like museums, zoos, and aquariums, and events like wine tastings and tours.

Road Trips

GasBuddy – There’s nothing worse than filling your tank on a road trip, only to spot a significantly cheaper gas station just a few miles further down the road. But with GasBuddy, you can not only see prices near you at any time or location, you can also plan out your entire road trip, with stops programmed in by the site where you should refill your tank to get the most bang for your buck.

RoadTrippers – RoadTrippers plans out the best routes for your long haul road trip, and even offers resources for choosing attractions, places to eat, accommodation, camp sites, and more.

Rail/Coach Transportation

Flixbus – If you’re traveling in Europe and you’re on a budget, then Flixbus can get you from Point A to Point B at much cheaper rates than pretty much any other competitor. For the budget conscious traveler who wants to city-hop, the €99 Interflix pass can be redeemed five times on the Flixbus app for tickets to any of the 1400 European destinations supported by Flixbus and its partners.

Travel Insurance

InsureMyTrip – No one ever expects anything bad to happen during their trip, and hopefully, nothing will. But if you’re traveling during a time of year when the weather can be unpredictable, or you know you’ll be doing some more dangerous activities while traveling, like rock climbing, white water rafting, or bungee jumping, then InsureMyTrip has got you covered. They’ll offer you quotes from hundreds of insurance companies, letting you choose the best and most affordable options to protect yourself against illness, lost baggage, stolen belongings, canceled flights or accommodation, and anything else that might go wrong.

Currency Conversion and Banking

Aspiration – ATM fees are the worst, and when traveling abroad you often get charged with a foreign transaction fee on top of it. But with Aspiration, an online bank and investment firm that focuses on sustainability and user-friendliness, you won’t have to worry while you’re traveling. Aspiration checking accounts reimburse their users’ ATM fees all over the world, and you won’t have to worry about that pesky foreign exchange fee when you withdraw cash. There’s currently a waitlist to open a checking account, but if you click on the referral link above, you should be able to bypass the line.