1: Cheap Air Fares

Many discount airlines are not listed on comparison sites, although Skyscanner has good coverage. Even where you find cheap flights, always compare prices on the airline’s home page. In and around Australasia, check sites such as AirAsia, China Eastern, Virgin Blue, Tiger Airways, Cebu Pacific and Jetstar. For Europe and North Africa, start with EasyJet, Ryanair, Germanwings, Wizz and Blue1. For the Americas, try Jet Blue and Spirit Airlines. If you’re looking for round the world flights, Roundtheworldflights.com has a great flight planning tool.

2: Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is critical – here’s why. Costs of insurance vary widely, but it is always more expensive if you buy through a travel agent, let alone an airline. Use comparison sites to research the best deal for you. If you leave home without travel insurance or your policy runs out, World Nomads lets you buy or extend while on the road.

Always read the policy wording to check what you are covered for, where you are covered for and have receipts as proof of purchase of any expensive items.

3: Airport Parking

Longstay airport parking fees can be extortionate, and if it makes sense for you to drive to your departure airport, you are generally best off pre-booking online.

4: Hire Vehicles in the Developed World

Comparison sites are useful to find good value hire vehicles in the developed world, although a Google search that extends beyond page 1 results will be most effective. Relocation RVs, if you can find one that fits your time frame, are always noticeably cheaper than RVs marketed to tourists and travellers.

Four Things Not To Book Online

1: Hire Vehicles in the Developing World

One easy way to feel sick as a dog? Book a car through a big name organization online, then find you could have got the same thing for half the price without haggling, or a quarter of the price with haggling, from the chap at your guesthouse, the rental place down the road or the tout in the street.

2: Ultra-Budget Accommodation

The easiest way to find super-cheap accommodation in most places is to head in the general direction of Lonely Planet’s top budget pick. It will probably have put its prices up in the wake of the publicity, but a bunch of neighbours will be there to soak up its overflow. The cheapest places don’t spend money on websites or check their email often. And, when you’re talking ultra budget, it’s always nice to give the place a onceover before you commit to sleeping there.

3: Organized Tours

As with cheap guesthouses, cheap local operators do not tend to be visible online, and tours booked through an agent out of country are always more expensive. The exception to this? Certain very popular climbs and treks, such as Machu Picchu and climbing Mount Kinabalu, have limited numbers and you will need to prearrange permits.

4: Visas

Applying for a visa is generally not that complicated, and unless you’re a very high earner, it makes sense in many places to do the application yourself rather than pay an agency to do it for you. As a general rule, visas are easiest and cheapest to obtain from consulates in cities close to the country border.

What are your top travel hacking tips?

The post Travel Hacking: What To Book (And Not To Book) Online appeared first on EscapeArtistes.