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Travel Apps, Sites, Browser Extensions That Can Save You Money

Fly, drive and sleep for less on vacation​

a person is taking a trip while walking into a phone with apps around it
Ben Mounsey-Wood
By

Lisa Lee Freeman,

 
AARP
Published October 03, 2024

In this story

Better shop around • Free app classes • Chat with AI bots • Fly for less • Maximize points • Gauge hotel prices • Fill up cheap ​

Travel industry consolidation is making bargain hunting trickier than ever.

The good news is that you still may be able to save big by shopping around, in some cases with help from artificial intelligence (AI) — computer systems that can draw on vast amounts of data to perform tasks that mimic human learning and language.

“There is an illusion of choice because there are so many brands,” says William McGee, a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the nonprofit American Economic Liberties Project. “But in the U.S., six hotel companies oversee most of the major hotel brands, and three companies oversee most of the rental car industry.”

Learn Live, Online

Senior Planet from AARP has free, live online classes every week that can teach you about travel apps and websites.

Want ideas? Senior Planet also has live virtual tours and video recordings of past tours. AARP Virtual Community Center’s Travel & History area frequently features free, live virtual tours.​

About three-quarters of travelers 50 and older want to learn more about using technology in their travel, especially as they plan and book their trips, according to an AARP Research study released Oct. 3. Most already use apps and websites but not consistently.

After trying out some of the latest travel apps and talking to travel professionals about how they save, I came up with this bargain hunter’s tool kit.

1. Start with a chatbot to get some quick answers

AI-powered assistants have been added to apps such as Tripadvisor, Expedia and Booking.com, and they’re part of many new travel-planning sites, including Mindtrip, Vacay and Layla. Along with general-purpose chatbots ChatGPT and Google Gemini, they can quickly build itineraries based on your budget, trip dates and interests.

They might save you money although that’s not always their strong suit.

AI is almost everywhere these days, and nearly 9 in 10 older adults are familiar with it, the AARP survey shows. About 4 in 5 of those who say they know about AI are interested in using it to help personalize their travel.

My advice for using chatbots:

  • Try asking the same questions in different ways to get good answers.
  • Double-check results to make sure they’re accurate. AI is still known for making stuff up that sounds plausible, what’s politely known as hallucinations.
  • Most important: Shop around to make sure you’re getting the best legitimate deals.

The bigger the trip, the more likely a scammer will be attracted to you and your itinerary. About 2 in 5 AARP survey respondents worried about scammers as they planned their travel, rising to half during booking and nearly 3 in 5 while on a trip.

2. Fly for less by looking at prices beyond airlines

Most experts I spoke with recommend Google Flights.

“There really is no better starting point,” says Madison Blancaflor, a managing editor at the Points Guy website. Alternatives include Skyscanner, Hopper and Kayak. On Kayak, I love the “best time to travel” tool, which recommends particular months to visit cities.

Clark Howard, founder of the consumer site Clark.com, says he likes the Kayak Explore tool to find flight deals. Also check out the free version of the Going app for deals on continental U.S. airfares.

3. Maximize your points as you plan

The new free Points Path browser extension helps you compare the cost of flights in points vs. cash.

If you have a lot of points, Blancaflor recommends Point.me, a paid service for booking award travel. And MaxMyPoint looks for points deals at major hotel chains.

4. Suss out hotel deals on third-party sites and apps

Hotwire, Priceline and HotelTonight are tough to beat.

Sometimes the best deals are “opaque,” meaning you can’t see the hotel you’ve booked until after you’ve paid and all sales are final. But you can filter choices by star level, neighborhood and more.

Even if you don’t book on these apps, they’re great for gauging prices, Howard says.

If the room type is important — say you’re traveling with children — Christopher Elliott, founder of the Elliott Report travel site, advises booking directly on hotel websites. Third-party sites may not show all options.

Whatever tool you use, seek out the total price. Fees and taxes might not be included or may be posted in tiny type. Check refund terms; even a “no prepayment” booking isn’t necessarily refundable.

5. Fill ’er up on the cheap while on the go

Gas price tools are one of my favorite features of Google Maps and Waze.

On Google Maps, tap the gas icon ⛽ under the search bar. If you don’t see it, you can type the word gas.

On Waze, tap on the search bar and then the gas icon ⛽ to see nearby prices. The free app and website GasBuddy also helps you locate inexpensive petrol and has its own version of points called GasBack offers.

Lisa Lee Freeman, a consumer and shopping expert, was founder and editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine from Consumer Reports.

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