Using the right travel resources will ensure you have a great trip. From the best flights and hotels to vehicle rentals and planning your trip, learn what sites you must use.
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
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Table of contents
Travel is amazing because you’re exposed to new places, people, and cultures. It also helps you develop because you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and daily routines.
Figuring out where to start is the hard part. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best travel resources for you to have an excellent trip.
Whether you want a luxury experience or the best deal, the following are the resources that you need to check out to help you solidify your trip:
Flights
In most cases, booking directly with an airline will give you the best price, or the same as an online travel agency (OTA), or metasearch engine.
Another benefit of booking through an airline is that you can use frequent flyer miles, which can be redeemed for flights.
Before you book through an airline, you must find out which one has the best prices. Therefore, using an OTA or metasearch engine to do your research is the best option.
Sometimes, you may find a better deal or perks that make it a better choice to book with the OTA. The following are the best websites to search for flights:
Scott’s Cheap Flights
Scott’s Cheap Flights is an exceptional service that sends you alerts when deals pop-up for flights.
The first step is to select your departure airports. Then you’ll receive emails when there’s a great deal from an airport that you selected.
Since 2015, Scott’s Cheap Flights has helped 2 million members save up to 90% off flights. You can sign-up for the free or premium membership.
Skiplagged
Skiplagged is quick and consistent at finding the cheapest options. Once you’ve found the right flight, you can book it through its website.
There are two ways to search on Skiplagged, the standard search or the hidden-city search.
A hidden-city flight is where get off at the layover, instead of the destination. Although hidden-city flights are looked down upon, they’re not illegal.
Keep in mind that you may not get the frequent flyer miles. You can also lose elite status and can’t check your bags because they’ll be sent to the destination.
If you’re willing to deal with the risks, you’ll be able to find incredible deals by using its hidden-city search feature.
With standard searches, Skiplagged does an excellent job of finding the cheapest flights. It’s worth looking into.
Try Skiplagged.
Momondo
Momondo is a metasearch engine that partners with Travel2be for its bookings. It provides excellent results and has an anywhere search option if you’re flexible with your destination.
When you select the dates for your flight, Momondo will highlight the day green, orange or red. It’ll tell you the price and whether it’s on the low or high end.
Once you click to view your deal, it’ll take you to Travel2be to book and enter all of your details.
Try Momondo.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a travel search engine that finds you the lowest rates on flights and hotels. You can use different filters to find the flight that you’re looking for.
It’s important to note that Skyscanner is a search engine and not an online travel agency.
When you book a flight, you’ll select an offsite option and pay with the company that you chose.
Try Skyscanner.
SeatGuru
Although SeatGuru does allow you to shop for flights, it’s on the list for finding the best seat. Before you book your flight, go to SeatGuru to figure out where to sit.
Enter the airline, date of travel, and flight number. Then SeatGuru will show you the plane and seat map, which will also include a color associated with the seat.
What the different colors mean are as follows:
- Green stands for a good seat.
- Yellow stands for a seat that you should be aware of and read the comments about.
- Red stands for a bad seat.
- Half green and half yellow mean that the seat has mixed reviews.
Try SeatGuru.
Accommodations
Similar to flights, booking directly with a hotel is simple and tends to be more valuable. You’ll receive benefits if you’re a part of the loyalty program, and be able to take advantage of discounted rates or specials.
Agoda
Agoda has a great selection of hotels, resorts, hostels, homes, and other types of accommodations.
They also offer monthly stays, which is an excellent feature for longer-term travel.
Although it began as a hotel booking site for places in Asia, it has now grown to have accommodations worldwide. When you’re researching a place to stay, Agoda is worth checking out.
Try Agoda.
Booking.com
Booking.com owns a good portion of the accommodation industry. It has an easy-to-use and simple website that gives you a wide range of options.
The different types of properties are as follows:
- Hotels
- Resorts
- Villas
- Vacation homes
- Cabins
- Apartments
- Cottages
- Hostels
- B&Bs
- Ryokans
- Riads
- Luxury tents
- Tiny houses
Booking.com has plenty of choices, and it also offers a price match guarantee.
You have up until 24 hours before your check-in date to submit a claim. If you find the same reservation for a lower price, you’ll get a refund for the difference.
Try Booking.com.
Airbnb
Airbnb is an online marketplace where people can rent out their properties or spare rooms.
As a traveler, you have plenty of options because it has more than 6 million homes across 200 countries.
What makes Airbnb a better choice than hotels is that you’ll likely pay less for a larger space.
There are many great properties to stay at around the world.
Before you book, be sure to check the reviews, look for Airbnb-verified photos, and message the host to understand what you can expect.
Try Airbnb.
Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov is a government site that’s excellent for booking campsites. It boasts over 3,600 facilities and 103,000 individual sites across the country, which gives you plenty of options.
When you get to the website, type in the location that you’re interested in, and it’ll show you the options, locations on the map, and reviews.
Try Recreation.gov.
Car and RV rentals
Renting a car or RV can make your trip more enjoyable. It’ll also allow you to get out of the area you plan to be in and have new experiences.
AutoRentals
AutoRentals is an excellent site for rental cars because it has many options in major cities around the world.
It’s a metasearch engine that can compare prices with a good number of companies.
After you enter your travel details, you’ll be able to see several companies, types of cars, and the daily or total price.
Try AutoRentals.
Outdoorsy
Outdoorsy is one of the best peer-to-peer RV rental companies. To get started, enter the city where you’re starting your trip and the dates of travel.
Then, you’ll see the vehicles that are available to be rented, the price, and where the vehicle’s located.
Most options will also have reviews, so be sure to read them before you book them.
Outdoorsy is an excellent choice because it has plenty of vehicles to choose from, great customer service, insurance protection with up to one million dollars, and it’s cheaper than traditional rental companies.
Try Outdoorsy.
Tours
When you travel with a tour company or group rather than exploring places on your own, you can make the most of your experience.
Tour groups can be safer and more fun because you’ll be with like-minded people.
One of the best parts of a tour company is that you don’t have to spend hours researching because it can put together an itinerary and find the best prices for you.
Round the World Experts (RTWE)
Round the World Experts is hands-down one of the best companies to work with for planning the perfect trip and experience.
You’ll choose your destination and the type of vacation you want to experience, and they’ll help you with everything else. The customer service is excellent, and they help organize each aspect of your trip.
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel has many raving fans for a good reason. It’s an excellent choice for booking small group tours.
Intrepid Travel has thousands of excellent reviews and has been doing this since 1989. Therefore, they have experience and expertise.
The company is a Certified B Corp, focused on responsible travel, and the tour leaders are 100% local.
Try Intrepid Travel.
G Adventures
G Adventures, which is formerly known as Gap Adventures, focuses on small group travel.
It’s known around the world for the ability to have an excellent trip without breaking the bank.
There are many types of tours that you can do. However, one of the most interesting ones is the partnership with National Geographic.
It’s a collection of unique tours that allows you to dive into the culture and history of a destination.
Try G Adventures.
Insurance
Travel insurance is important because it’ll be a safety net for emergency medical expenses, emergencies, trip cancellations, interruptions, delays, and lost or stolen goods.
World Nomads
World Nomads is recommended by many trusted figures in the travel industry, including Lonely Planet, Tour Radar, and Intrepid Travel.
It has several plans to choose from and great coverage. The coverage includes 200 snow, water, air, land, sports, and experience activities.
World Nomads’ goal is to help you travel safely, responsibly, and with peace of mind by having travel insurance.
Try World Nomads.
Allianz Global Assistance
Allianz Global is one of the largest and most trustworthy travel insurance companies.
It provides insurance for domestic and international trips. You also have the option to get annual coverage or for a single trip.
If you must submit a claim, rest assured because Allianz has incredible customer service. Claims are processed in a timely matter, and it has a smooth process.
Try Allianz Global Assistance.
USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services
USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services has several options for you to choose from.
Whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, USI has a plan for you. You can also purchase insurance for yourself or large groups.
To find the right plan, you can search by the policy name or answer a questionnaire, which will match you with the right plan.
Try USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services.
Trip planning
Planning your trip can be stressful and time-consuming. However, doing your research and planning is important for a smooth, enjoyable, and memorable trip.
Use the following resources to get inspiration, ideas, and guidance for your trip:
- Tripadvisor: A resource filled with reviews and photos posted by travelers. You’ll be able to read many opinions about the pros and cons.
- TripIt: An app and website that’s excellent for organizing your travel plans and creating your itinerary.
- EatWith: Social eating experience to meet new people and discover a new culture by eating authentic food.
- WithLocals: Book private tours, activities, and home dinners with locals.
- CDC Travelers’ Health: U.S. government’s recommendations and latest health news and tips for traveling.
- Department of State Travel Advisories: To make sure it’s safe to travel, check the Travel Advisories.
- Seat61: If traveling by train is going to be any part of your trip, check out Seat61 for everything you need to know.
- Amazon: For low-cost and unique travel items that ship quickly.
- REI: High-quality and durable travel gear.
