Priceline is an online travel agency (OTA) that offers flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises at deep discount prices. You can also use its Name Your Own Price(r) feature to bid for flights and hotels at a price that’s guaranteed to be lower than published rates.
But before you jump on a deal, be sure to read the fine print. You may lose the ability to cancel or change your reservation if you opt for a Name Your Own Price(r) or Express Deal hotel.
Flights
Priceline is a metasearch engine, meaning that it searches prices on hundreds of other travel sites and compares them to find you the best deal. This means that you can save time and energy searching for flights from multiple sources – and sometimes get lower prices than you would otherwise.
It’s a good idea to search for prices at other travel websites too, because they often have cheaper rates on different days and times of the year. However, be sure to check fares at Priceline as well to ensure that you are getting the best rate.
Flight fares can be tricky to predict, especially if you are trying to save money on a last-minute trip. This is why it’s a good idea to use a price alert feature when booking your airfare.
Another way that Priceline can save you money is by allowing users to bid on their fares. This bidding tool has largely disappeared from their site, but it can be a great way to save on some last-minute tickets that aren’t available through other channels.
Hotels
If you want to find the lowest hotel rates, you can try Priceline. It’s free to use and offers a variety of money-saving tools, including its “Name Your Own Price” tool and the Express Deals function.
A hotel’s fares can vary dramatically depending on its location, amenities and how far in advance you book. Prices can also fluctuate in response to larger industry trends.
In addition, hotels pay commissions to intermediaries (like Priceline) to secure room reservations. These commissions are not included in hotels’ general operating expenses, but they are accounted for in their rooms department budget.
As with flights, a Priceline hotel reservation can be canceled without penalty. However, Express Deals are non-cancellable. That can be problematic if you don’t like the hotel or your stay isn’t ideal.
Car rentals
Car rentals are a great way to get around without using public transportation. They also give you more flexibility and freedom while on vacation.
Before you make a reservation on Priceline, be sure to compare prices and find the best deal for your trip. This will help ensure that you don’t overpay or lose money on your rental.
You can bid on a car on Priceline in the same way you would for an airline ticket or hotel room. However, you must understand that this option is not available everywhere.
The easiest and fastest way to rent a vehicle is through a car rental company’s loyalty program. These programs allow you to skip the line at most major airports and store your driver’s license information, payment details and preferences online, saving you a lot of time.
Cruises
Cruises are a great way to experience new destinations. However, they can also be a bit expensive.
Fares vary based on a number of factors, including the ship’s age and type. Prices also fluctuate with time of year.
A cruise fare typically includes three meals per day, ocean transportation between ports of call, and access to the ship’s onboard entertainment. Complimentary activities include Broadway-style shows and other live performances, movies, and supervised kids’ programs.
Travel experts recommend booking your cruise well in advance to save money. It’s not uncommon to find discounts when you book a trip a year in advance.
One popular website for booking cruises is Priceline. It’s a large, successful company that’s able to get lower fares than many other travel sites, and it’s easy to use. It also offers some great loyalty programs that allow travelers to earn points for future trips.