TRAVEL TOOLS TO BECOME A SAVVY TRAVELER

Q: What Are Comparison Websites?

A: Websites that Compare Multiple Prices

for Booking Flights, Hotels, and More!

PROS:

Shows unpublished fares that can’t be found elsewhere

Allows for flexibility in searching dates and destinations

to find better rates

CONS:

Some charge fees for booking travel through the website

Often limitations on refunds and dates

GREAT WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT:

Kayak.com Expedia.com

Priceline.com Booking.com

SkyScanner.com Room77.com

GREAT TRAVEL BLOGS

MatadorNetwork.com User-driven travel writing site

RichardStupart.com Beautiful site with great stories

ReflectiveWandering.org My own eclectic travel blog!

Gridskipper.com Interactive maps and travel news

Gadling.com Travel reviews online by AOL

FALL II, 2011 Training Design for Experiential Learning

Ticket to Travel

Presented For TDEL by

Erin Gorman Amanda Batista

Stephanie Wobensmith

Page 1

Comparison Websites

Great Travel Blogs

Page 2

Frequent Flyer Miles

Travel Hacking

Page 3

Creative Accommodation Options

Great Travel Apps

Page 4

Travel Quotes

Cheap Ways to Pass the

Time in an Airport

TRAVEL HACKING

FINDING WAYS TO BOOK

LOW-COST OR FREE TRAVEL,

INCLUDING HOTELS, FLIGHTS AND MORE!

Always join loyalty programs when available –

you can start earning points now for free travel!

Don’t forget to check alternate airports or locations –

often departing from a nearby city can save money

Look into alternative methods of travel – including

trains, busses and hostels instead of flights and hotels

If a flight is overbooked, offer to go on the next flight –

travel vouchers worth $300 and more are often offered!

Check out our blog at TicketToTravel.wordpress.com

for links to useful websites to get started!

FALL II, 2011 Training Design for Experiential Learning

FREQUENT FLYER MILES

WHAT ARE THEY ANYWAY?

Loyalty Programs used by Most Airlines that Allow Customers to Earn

Travel Rewards, including Free Travel and Upgrades to First Class

HOW ARE MILES EARNED? WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?

* Flying on the airline or an affiliated airline * Fees are often charged to redeem miles

* Signing up for and using certain credit cards * Miles are often redeemable for any airline in an alliance

* Renting a car or staying in certain hotels * Big bonuses are often offered if applying for credit cards

* Trading or buying miles from other people * Miles needed for redemption vary on distance traveled

* Keeping an eye out for seasonal promotions * Most airlines have their own programs – sign up for a few!

* Exchanging points & miles from other programs * Hotels often have similar loyalty programs available

FALL II, 2011 Training Design for Experiential Learning

CREATIVE LODGING OPTIONS

newsletter text here.

GREAT TRAVEL APPS

Unleashing the Power of

Smartphones and Tablets

Kayak

User-friendly app to book hotels and flights –

A great choice if you’re familiar with the website

Skyscanner

Another great comparison app for flights –

Allows you to input a location and find

fares for a range of destinations

Hotels Tonight

Find a last-minute hotel at a discounted rate –

Available for most big cities in the United States

Room77

Comparison app with a focus on amenities –

You can even see the view from your window!

HOTELS TOO EXPENSIVE?

Here’s Some Other Options to Consider!

Hostels

Stay in a bunk bed with shared bathroom

facilities for roughly $30/night

Kitchen and lounge facilities are often

available – as well as breakfast and

computer access at some hostels!

Look up HIUSA.org for more on hostelling

Local Accommodations

Rent a space from locals – anything from

an airbed for $10/night to an entire

apartment for $100/night or more

Local folks provide an unique insight into

your destination and places to go

Enjoy the comforts of home while traveling

Check out AirBnB.com for a good example

Hospitality Exchanges

Become a member of a hospitality

exchange and stay for free with locals at

your destination

Members are expected to be willing to host

visitors as well to keep things fair

Provides a way to meet fellow travelers

even if you can’t leave home

Couchsurfing.org is a well-known

hospitality exchange

REFERENCES

Wikipedia.com

MatadorNetwork.com

Couchsurfing.org

TravelHacking.org

AirBnB.com

HIUSA.org

And the shared knowledge from the

traveling experiences that we all share…

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG AT

TICKETTOTRAVEL.WORDPRESS.COM

FREE AND LOW-COST WAYS TO

SPEND TIME IN AN AIRPORT

Take a day trip to the city outside the airport

Utilize free public internet available at most airports to

catch up on emails or book your next hotel/hostel

Write a travel story about your latest adventure

Call a friend or family member and say hello

People-watch! Create an imaginary backstory about

an especially unique traveler at your terminal

Join a Frequent Flyer Mile club (or two!)

Find the airport train and check out the other terminals

Trade books with another traveler (or read your own!)

Fall II, 2011 Training Design for Experiential Learning

TRAVEL QUOTES

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and

narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain