The 10 most common travel booking mistakes

[straitman]

By Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP

If you're planning to travel during a busy time like Presidents' Day week in Orlando book well in advance for the best prices and availability.


By Sarah Pascarella, SmarterTravel.com

If you're a long-time reader of SmarterTravel, you may consider yourself an old pro when it comes to booking airfare, hotels, and rental cars. But even the savviest of travelers can always use a refresher course, especially in light of travel's new realities—fees aplenty, confusing regulations, and endless fine print. Read on to see the 10 most common travel booking mistakes, and how to avoid them.

 

[harvyk]

I personally would have thought that should have been common sense, then again if it was we wouldn't have TV shows like "Airport" and "Airways"...

 

[Dave Noble]

I personally would have thought that should have been common sense, then again if it was we would have TV shows like "Airport" and "Airways"...

But we *do* have programmes like Airport and Airways , so it must be

 

[straitman]

I personally would have thought that should have been common sense, then again if it was we wouldn't have TV shows like "Airport" and "Airways"...

Common sense is not so common these days :!: :shock:

 

[Mal]

Hmm, I would add to that:

- Not being aware of travel/visa/health regulations in the country you're visiting.
- Booking flights when you're drunk.

As for mistakes when actually flying:
- Not checking your flight is running before heading to the airport.
- Falling asleep somewhere in the terminal and missing your flight.
- Forgetting your passport.

 

[v8Statesman]

Clearly aimed at the US (moron) market!!! :shock:

 

[drron]

Though IMHO Smarter Travel can get it wrong.Gracelands as one of the world's 10 worst tourist traps?:shock:
The World's Worst Tourist Traps - SmarterTravel.com

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hmm, I would add to that:

- Not being aware of travel/visa/health regulations in the country you're visiting.
- Booking flights when you're drunk.

As for mistakes when actually flying:
- Not checking your flight is running before heading to the airport.
- Falling asleep somewhere in the terminal and missing your flight.
- Forgetting your passport.

Also booking flights when you're sober, checking in when you're sober (4 hours go by) then trying to board when you're drunk - with all due respect to any offshore workers who do toe the line.

 

[anat0l]

It's odd with the two tips "Booking too soon" and "Booking too late", since they seem to almost cancel each other out. If you buy today and see tomorrow that the price has dropped by at least 5%, is that called "booking too soon"? (I hear that some airlines or consumer laws in the US allow you to recover the difference if the fare you bought drops in price soon after you purchase it. Such "consumer protection" does not exist in Australia.)

Also, whilst reading reviews is good, they are sometimes more trouble than worth. It doesn't help when you are researching a non-chain hotel of sorts and there are only 3 reviews on TripAdvisor (and all of them are bad or all of them are good!). Reading reviews and understanding what is (for a "bad" one) a genuine bad report or just a plain uppity dummy spit is something that requires experience: a tough ask for the unseasoned / infrequent traveller. And not everyone has friends who are frequent travellers.

The ones I would add to the list is:

• Check your rights, restrictions and fees for cancelling or changing your fare. The "read the fine print" tip in the article doesn't quite cover this.
• If booking multiple legs - especially with multiple carriers - check whether you need to re-check your bags at an intermediate stop. This combines a bit with "Don't book too tight a connection".

 

[harvyk]

It's odd with the two tips "Booking too soon" and "Booking too late", since they seem to almost cancel each other out. If you buy today and see tomorrow that the price has dropped by at least 5%, is that called "booking too soon"? (I hear that some airlines or consumer laws in the US allow you to recover the difference if the fare you bought drops in price soon after you purchase it. Such "consumer protection" does not exist in Australia.)

No it doesn't. Booking too soon right now would be say one year out, when chances are the price will fall, and chances are there will be a sale on. But booking too late maybe a day or two before hand when the cheap seats have all gone and it's only the full priced expensive ones still available.

IMHO 1 to 4 weeks out is usually the time I book. By that time, any sales have usually been announced and there is usually still cheap seats left on one or more of the acceptible flights.

 

[joeymelb]

My 2 cents:
1. Read the fine prints, especially the terms of carriage and ticket/fare restriction carefully;
2. Sometimes it is worth paying that addtional $1 (well... that's just my finger-in-the-air figure) to save the hassle. E.g. Additional baggage, food, comfort kit.. or even "less-restricted fare";
3. Check Date and Time before proceeding any further;
4. If you are going to be at a destination for important meeting: Don't Use LCCs, pay more and get on a carrier with multiple flights with high frequency.
5. Check date and time of your flights again and again! I was at SQ check-in in MEL for 00:50 flight... I can't believe how many pax turned up a day late and trying to argue why they were not at fault for missing their flight.
6. LCCs are exactly what they are - Low Cost. Don't expect QF/SQ styled service or compensation, even if LCCs are at fault themselves.
7. If you can't afford Travel Insurance, don't travel.

 

[harvyk]

My one tip, if travelling with a LCC, expect a flying bus, nothing more. You won't get F service for a dollar airfare.

 

[PaulC83]

3. Check Date and Time before proceeding any further;

I also add direction. I have twice booked a return trip in the reverse direction

 

[drron]

It's odd with the two tips "Booking too soon" and "Booking too late", since they seem to almost cancel each other out. If you buy today and see tomorrow that the price has dropped by at least 5%, is that called "booking too soon"?

Now I would not say there is a problem with "booking too soon"with my international travel-basically though always RTW or Circle fares in J.The trick is to have a good TA.I book invariably 11-12 months out.The seats are booked but not ticketed.I pay 4-6 weeks out.If the price goes down(as it did with the OW birthday sale)my TA knows to rebook at the lower price.if the price goes up i get an email asking if i want to lock in the lower price.Also if a special comes up(as in a BA go F for the price of J 18 months ago)I again get an email asking if I want to change the booking-in that case as it meant a slightly different route.
I always book my hotels at that time on the net.Always a cancellable rate.continually check for price changes,specials and rebook if there are.However I have had some spectacular savings booking early including a 3 bedroom suite at an Affinia hotel in NYC in december for $A300 a year out whose rate was $US1500 1 week out.
So my best travel tip-Have a good TA.

 

[oz_mark]

My 2 cents:
3. Check Date and Time before proceeding any further;

...and if you book a red-eye,make sure you are on the right side of midnight

 

[harvyk]

...and if you book a red-eye,make sure you are on the right side of midnight

There is a reason why I triple check red-eye \ nighttime flights prior to booking them...

Last thing I want to hear when on the wrong side of the country is "oh, I'm sorry sir, your 24 hours too late..."

 

[oz_mark]

There is a reason why I triple check red-eye \ nighttime flights prior to booking them...

Last thing I want to hear when on the wrong side of the country is "oh, I'm sorry sir, your 24 hours too late..."

I once had to change a red-eye from Perth - Sydeny to a Perth - Mebourne. The two flights are on different sides of midnight. Oops.

 

[JohnK]

Good tips that most of us on AFF would already have on our checklist. Still we are only human and do make mistakes occasionally even after double checking and triple checking all details are correct.

Also booking flights when you're sober, checking in when you're sober (4 hours go by) then trying to board when you're drunk - with all due respect to any offshore workers who do toe the line.

In my opinion there is a huge difference between being drunk and carrying on like a drunk.