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How do you find low prices for your flights, lodging, and rental cars? Below you'll find tips that may help you keep costs down and understand why prices vary.
Flights
Buy an Expedia Bargain Hunter ticket. You can save from 10% to 60% by purchasing an Expedia Bargain Hunter. We show you the final price up front—no guessing is necessary. Various restrictions apply.
Buy roundtrip tickets. The least expensive fares often apply to roundtrip tickets.
Use Fare Compare. See the best fares other Expedia customers are finding on our most popular routes. Although fares may not always be available (for example, some fares may be sold out or expired), you can use Fare Compare to search for similar fares, or you can use the fares you find to judge which available fares offer the best deals.
Purchase early. Try to make your reservations and ticket purchases at least 21 days prior to departure. This advance-purchase period varies. Some fares require an advance purchase of 3, 7, 14, or 21 days, while others may require no advance purchase at all.
Spend a Saturday night at your destination. Many of the lower fares require a Saturday night stay.
Consider alternative airports. If you live within driving distance of two or more airports, be sure to check fares for all. Some airlines offer special fares for flights into specific airports.
Check fares on all airlines. Don't assume that an advertised special fare is available on only one airline. Most airlines quickly respond to a special fare introduced by a competitor, sometimes at an even better rate.
Don't discard unused tickets. The majority of inexpensive fares are nonrefundable and nontransferable. However, if you don't use your ticket, don't throw it away. In some cases, you may apply the cost of the ticket (minus the airline penalty fee) toward the purchase of another ticket on the same airline. Your original ticket may have value for up to one year from the issue date.
Have your frequent flyer membership numbers on hand when you shop. Depending on how many miles you have accrued, you may qualify for perks such as preferred or upgraded seating. In any case, you'll want to be sure to get credit for the miles you fly. You always have the opportunity to provide frequent flyer numbers when you shop with Expedia.
Lodging
Book an Expedia Special Rate hotel or vacation rental. These are special negotiated rates up to 70% lower than the average standard rates. You'll find Expedia Special Rate accommodations in over 240 cities around the world.
For weekend trips, check the rates at business-oriented hotels. These hotels frequently offer weekend specials.
Look for AARP/AAA rates. If you're a member of AARP or AAA, watch for accommodations offering special rates. We'll display these discounts in your search results as the information is available.
Read descriptions carefully. Some accommodations offer different options at similar prices. Details, such as breakfast included in the price, can make all the difference in the value you receive for your travel dollar.
Consider the season you're traveling. Resorts typically offer the same rates throughout the week, but those rates may vary by season. Off-peak rates, available when fewer travelers are visiting a particular city or region, can represent substantial savings.
Rental cars
Rent Friday to Monday. Rental car companies may offer weekend discounts.
Have your frequent renter and frequent flyer membership numbers on hand when you shop. Rental car companies may offer express pickup service or flight mileage for their frequent renters. You always have the opportunity to provide frequent traveler numbers when you shop with Expedia.
Use your rental car coupons online. Expedia allows you to provide coupon and discount program numbers, including benefit programs provided by such organizations as AARP and AAA.
When selecting a preferred rental car company, always choose "Preferred Vendors". You're more likely to find lower rental rates if you don't concentrate on a single company. Click Show more vendors at the bottom of the Search results page for even more choices.
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