The concept of a tourist tax isn’t a new one. City tax has long been the norm for many countries in Europe such as Greece, Spain and Germany, and hotel tax is standard across many destinations, including US states. The impact of covid on the travel industry was severe – hotels, restaurants and hospitality venues closed, people who relied on tourism for their livelihoods suddenly faced huge losses, and money that the government relied on for development and maintenance was depleted. As a result, while travel continues to normalise post-pandemic, many countries have decided to implement a tourist tax to boost economies and reinvigorate locals. Below, we take a look at what exactly tourist tax is, and which countries are introducing the measure.

A top view on the most famous temple of Bhutan Bart Hazewinkel

What is tourist tax?

Originally, tourist tax was introduced by certain governments to temper over-tourism and generate income from large numbers of travellers entering the destination. Bhutan, for example, has asked tourists to pay a significant sum of money to enter since it opened to travellers in 1974. The country uses the tax (called the Daily Sustainable Development Fee) in an attempt to preserve the country’s natural, undisturbed beauty and to protect traditional Buddhist culture. Similarly, Barcelona uses the city’s tourist tax to fund construction and development projects locally – typically it is around €9 per day per person for stays in Barcelona City. Most tourist taxes are added onto the cost of your accommodation.

Alexander Spatari

Which destinations are imposing tourist taxes in 2025?

In 2024, the UK imposed a new system called Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), whereby visitors from the US, Europe, Australia and Canada are required to apply for permission and pay to enter the country. After a series of delays, the system was eventually rolled out, in full, at the beginning of April 2025. Read more about the system in our ETA guide.

Thailand has proposed implementing a travel tax by the end of 2025. If approved, the fee will be around £6.80 for those arriving by plane.

Which destinations imposed tourist taxes in 2024?

Key Takeaways An Around the World (RTW) ticket allows travelers to visit multiple destinations on a single ticket. It is usually offered by airline alliances like Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam.

RTW tickets offer flexibility regarding route selection and date changes, often providing a more cost-effective way to explore multiple continents.

Booking an RTW ticket requires careful planning, with rules on the direction of travel and the number of stops, making it ideal for long-term or extensive travel plans.

A lifelong fantasy for many travelers is to leave their everyday existence behind and take a trip around the world. Even if you’re fortunate enough to have an extended amount of free time to circumnavigate the world, putting together a round-the-world itinerary can be complicated and potentially expensive.

But let’s say you do have the time, the money, the miles, or the points to make this epic adventure a reality. Where do you even start? Is it currently possible to purchase such a ticket?

In today’s article, we’ll cover RTW ticket options available with each airline alliance, an affordable third-party RTW provider, using points or miles for an RTW ticket, and some creative ways to build your own around-the-world itinerary.

What Is an Around-the-World Ticket?

A round-the-world ticket allows you to circle the globe all on 1 plane ticket. Image Credit: Star Alliance

An around-the-world plane ticket is generally a series of flights that start and end in 1 country after circling the globe in 1 direction and stopping at several cities en route.

You could think of this ticket as a “world airline pass” that allows you to build a custom itinerary of your choice within the guidelines of the airline alliance or another provider selling you a single ticket.

Changes are usually allowed, and you should have the ability to schedule enough time between destination cities to visit the surrounding areas. Most RTW tickets are valid for up to 1 year.

You’ll understand more about whether an RTW ticket is right for you once we’ve explored the possibilities for purchasing an RTW ticket and some of the pros and cons of doing so.

How To Buy an RTW Ticket With an Airline Alliance

Airline alliances are groups of individual airlines with formal agreements in place that allow cooperation with each other. These alliances facilitate global travel for their customers by utilizing these partnerships to create a worldwide network that connects destinations.

Purchasing an RTW ticket from an airline alliance allows you to leverage the network of partner airlines to visit just about any part of the world, all on 1 ticket.

Another advantage of buying an RTW ticket with an airline alliance is that when changes need to be made, the airline making those changes for you has access to view/change your entire ticket.

Let’s explore the option of building an RTW ticket and purchasing it from 1 of the 3 major airline alliances, Star Alliance, Oneworld, or SkyTeam.

Star Alliance

Booking a Star Alliance RTW world journey starts with understanding the rules that apply. Image Credit: Star Alliance

The Star Alliance network reaches 1,300 destinations in 190 countries, with 50 hub cities, allowing you to reach every corner of the globe with its RTW ticket. You’ll start building your journey at its Round-the-World website.

The price of a Star Alliance RTW ticket is determined by the total mileage and class of service.

Here are the additional requirements for an RTW with Star Alliance:

Minimum of 2 stops, maximum of 15 stops (defined as 24 hours or more)

Cross the Atlantic Ocean once and the Pacific Ocean once

Start and end the journey in the same country

The minimum journey is 3 days; the maximum journey is 1 year

16 maximum flight coupons

A maximum of 39,000 flown miles

The Star Alliance Book and Fly planning tool is user-friendly, but it’s easy to make mistakes, go against the rules, and default to trial and error. The tool won’t let you continue with an itinerary that is invalid but it’s not always easy to determine why it’s invalid. You might want to start by reviewing some sample itineraries to become familiar with the process.

For example, starting out with an RTW itinerary of New York – Madrid – Cape Town – Hong Kong – Sydney – New York, I used the Star Alliance Book and Fly tool to build a sample ticket. The tool was easy to use but quickly priced out an economy ticket at $7,542.

With some practice, and after reviewing some sample itineraries, pricing 2 additional RTW itineraries proved much more productive:

Athens – Cairo – Hong Kong – Chicago – Brasilia – Athens: $3,173 economy/$7,390 business

Berlin – Istanbul – Singapore – Seoul – New York – Berlin: $3,181 economy/$7,270 business

You can book the RTW ticket online once you’ve completed an itinerary with which you’re satisfied. Changes are allowed but change fees can apply.

Hot Tip: The Star Alliance suggested itineraries are worth reviewing because they automatically apply the maximum mileage and stopover limitations that keep pricing under control. Maximizing these restrictions when building your own itinerary from scratch, even using the Book and Fly tool, is more challenging. Customizing the suggested itineraries may serve as a better starting point.

Oneworld

The Oneworld RTW tool automatically incorporates all the applicable booking rules. Image Credit: Oneworld

Oneworld Alliance has 2 options for purchasing an RTW ticket:

Oneworld Explorer — The fare is based on the class you choose to fly and the number of continents. You can include up to 15 segments and you can build and purchase this ticket using the Oneworld RTW tool.

— The fare is based on the class you choose to fly and the number of continents. You can include up to 15 segments and you can build and purchase this ticket using the Oneworld RTW tool. Global Explorer — The fare is based on the class you choose to fly and the total distance of the journey with a maximum of 39,000 miles.

Either way, the cost of your RTW ticket will vary significantly depending on where you begin your trip, the number of cities visited, and the class of service you select.

Here are the general rules for a Oneworld RTW itinerary:

You must travel in 1 direction, east or west between the designated zones, and backtracking may be allowed

The trip must be between 10 days to 1 year (from your departure date)

Start and finish in the same city

Cross both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans

Include 3 to 6 continents

Minimum of 3 flights, maximum of 16 flights

The base prices for an RTW Oneworld Explorer ticket depend on the number of continents you visit. Pricing for stops on 3 continents in economy class is $3,599, 4 continents is $4,999, 5 continents is $5,699, and 6 continents is $6,899, plus taxes and fees.

A sample itinerary in business class originating in Chicago and visiting Los Angeles, Auckland, Adelaide, Johannesburg, Cape Town, London, Bordeaux, and ending in Chicago prices out with a fare of $6,506 in economy class and $11,403 in business class.

You can create and price your own itinerary or follow the sample itineraries provided.

Booking your RTW ticket through the alternative Global Explorer option requires working with a Oneworld representative and then booking the itinerary with a member airline.

Hot Tip: The Oneworld Explorer RTW ticket allows you 16 total flights. Since it counts them all equally (whether 1 hour or 12 hours in length), you could purchase inexpensive short flights as needed and utilize the RTW ticket for just the long-haul flights to maximize its value.

SkyTeam

Unfortunately, SkyTeam no longer sells RTW tickets. However, it may possible to book an RTW with Aeromexico using points or miles. We’ll cover that option shortly.

Bottom Line: Star Alliance and Oneworld both offer RTW tickets and have tools to help you construct your own itinerary and provide sample itineraries for inspiration and to make planning easier. RTW tickets purchased via alliances can carry restrictions on the number of stops allowed, maximum distance, number of flights, and the direction of your journey. Tickets expire 1 year from the first travel date.

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How To Buy an RTW Ticket Using AirTreks [Easier Method]

Building an RTW itinerary with AirTreks is fun and easy. Image Credit: AirTreks

The best is yet to come in our quest to find an around-the-world ticket. Now, we’re looking outside of the airline alliances to a popular third-party company known for its expertise in putting together affordable and creative RTW tickets.

AirTreks has been constructing RTW tickets since 1987, so it’s an established company with a wealth of RTW knowledge.

This is one of those sites you should visit when you want to daydream about travel because it allows you to play with different RTW itineraries and see the pricing immediately. It’s also possible you’ll start imagining yourself traveling on one of its sample itineraries!

Let’s look at some of these RTW economy itineraries and see how pricing and restrictions stack up against the airline alliances.

New York City – Buenos Aires – Barcelona – Berlin – Bali – Chang Mai – New York City: $2,576 to $3,429

New York City – Milan – Dubai – Johannesburg – Mahe, Seychelles – Mumbai – Bangkok – New York City: $2,599 to $3,459

London – Bangkok – overland – Singapore – Sydney – overland – Melbourne – Los Angeles – overland – San Francisco – London: $1,395 to $1,859

As you can see, the prices for RTW tickets booked with AirTreks are much lower than those booked through airline alliances. One reason is that AirTreks can use a combination of airlines and alliances and isn’t restricted to certain partner airlines.

On the flip side, because you select your fixed dates and flights up front, changes to your AirTreks RTW tickets can be subject to change fees. That said, you’ll pay much less for the ticket, so there’s certainly a trade-off here.

In addition to the price, AirTreks tickets allow you to begin and end your journey anywhere, travel in any direction, and fly on any airline without mileage restrictions. You’ll find the most competitive pricing for itineraries with more than 3 stops.

AirTreks will also help you build a custom itinerary if you desire, and support you after you depart on your RTW ticket, should you run into any transit problems along the way.

Hot Tip: Selecting a sample itinerary and tweaking it to your liking can save you money over building an itinerary from scratch on your own. This is because the airline alliance or third-party seller has factored in all the rules that need to be followed to keep the cost down while maximizing the length and number of destinations allowed.

How To Buy an RTW Ticket Using Points or Miles

While none of the domestic carriers currently offer the option to purchase an around-the-world ticket with miles, there are a few international carriers who do.

Booking RTW award tickets is not for the faint of heart. Finding award availability to complete an entire RTW itinerary can be daunting. Also, keep in mind you’ll be paying taxes and fees in addition to using your frequent flyer miles, some of which can be significant.

With those caveats as a foundation, let’s look at some options for booking RTW tickets using points or miles.

Using Singapore KrisFlyer Miles

One of the most popular award redemptions for an RTW ticket is using Singapore KrisFlyer miles. The RTW ticket utilizes Star Alliance partner airlines and includes visits to 7 cities serviced by these airlines. You’ll need 200,000 miles for economy, 280,000 miles for business class, and 405,000 miles for first class.

Unfortunately, you’ll need to call Singapore Airlines (833-727-0118) or complete a form to book the ticket. A reservation fee of $250 has recently been added in order to book the RTW ticket. You’ll also want to consider any additional taxes and fees which can be significant when purchasing an RTW via KrisFlyer.

Accumulating Singapore KrisFlyer miles is made easier thanks to the number of transfer partners, including American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Using Lufthansa Miles and More

Lufthansa is another Star Alliance carrier that offers an RTW ticket you can purchase with Miles & More miles.

You’ll need 180,000 miles for economy, 335,000 miles for business class, and 500,000 miles for first class.

The RTW ticket with Lufthansa utilizes Star Alliance partner airlines and includes 1 Atlantic crossing, 1 Pacific crossing, a maximum of 10 flight segments, and 7 stopovers. There is also a requirement that beginning and ending intercontinental flights must have at least 10 days in between. You can book the RTW ticket by contacting Lufthansa Miles & More customer service.

There are plenty of ways to earn Miles and More frequent flyer miles.

Using Qantas Frequent Flyer Points

If you happen to have a healthy stash of Qantas frequent flyer points, you can use them to book a Classic Flight Reward itinerary and travel up to 35,000 miles when you combine 2 or more Oneworld partners. You’ll pay 132,400 points for the itinerary in economy or 318,000 points for business class, plus the cost of taxes and fees.

For a Qantas reward itinerary (and other RTW tickets that are distance-based) you can use the Great Circle Mapper tool to plot your course and estimate mileage.

Use the multi-city search tool on the Qantas website to search for availability and even attempt to purchase the ticket online. You may end up having to call Qantas (800-227-4220) to have your ticket issued as reports indicate there can be problems issuing the ticket online.

Using Aeromexico Premier Points

Aeromexico offers an RTW ticket beginning at 244,000 miles (actually, kilometers) in economy class and 352,000 in business class, but you must call (800-237-6639) to book it. And, while it may be possible to book such a ticket, it is not a popular option due to the potential difficulty of booking a complex itinerary with its customer service.

If you choose to go this route, be sure to do your research in advance and have your specific flight numbers, dates, and alternative options ready when calling.

Don’t have Aeromexico Premier Points? American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to the program at a ratio of 1:1.6. Don’t do this unless you’ve called and confirmed an itinerary with Aeromexico in advance.

Bottom Line: It is possible to build your own around-the-world trip using points and miles versus purchasing an RTW ticket. Here’s an example of an incredible journey using a combination of points/miles/cash.

A Do-it-Yourself, Free-form RTW Ticket

Add Sydney, Australia, to your RTW ticket and enjoy some time at Bondi Beach. Image Credit: Christine Krzyszton

By now, you’re probably realizing how complicated it can be to build an around-the-world itinerary. But if you’re savvy at booking flights, it’s entirely possible to do it yourself. And, you may save some money when you do so.

Flights

If you select all the places you want to visit in advance, you may end up with an expensive adventure. But if you start by allotting a time slot for this journey and are flexible with your destinations, you can begin your trip with an affordable flight and build from there.

For example, let’s say you find an affordable one-way flight or award ticket to Sydney (or any major city) that fits your allotted time frame. With that flight booked, you can use Sydney as the departing airport and utilize Google Flights or Matrix/ITA software to find an affordable flight or use miles to secure an award ticket for your next destination.

The best part of building a free-form RTW ticket is that you can use any combination of:

Economy tickets or business class tickets

Budget airlines

Miles/points to purchase award tickets

Your own timeframe

Traveling in any direction

Overland or water-based transportation as needed/desired

Letting the price of the ticket (miles or cash) determine your next destination could be the most affordable way to build the RTW ticket. While not for everyone, those who have managed to accomplish booking an RTW adventure using this method truly earn their place as world explorers.

Alternative Transport

Adding sea or ground transport between cities can save you money on your RTW journey. Image Credit: RepositioningCruise.com

Building an RTW ticket can be supplemented with ground or water transport between major cities to keep costs down. A good tool for booking alternative transport between cities, including the cost to do so, is Rome2Rio. Just plug it in any 2 destinations and the site will give you all the available options (train, bus, ferry, Uber, taxi, etc.), the associated duration, and the estimated price for each option.

Another choice for affordable alternative transport is a repositioning cruise. Repositioning cruises can be priced at a fraction of retail cost and can transport you across the Atlantic or from Brazil to Europe, for example, for as little as a few hundred dollars (see the actual listing above).

Train travel can be a great alternative for transiting from 1 city to another during an RTW trip. Seat 61 is an awarding-winning site that helps you find the perfect route, provides reviews of seats/trains, and facilitates booking tickets, all in 1 spot.

Hot Tip: Consider beginning your RTW ticket from a different country than your residence as your bottom-line RTW fare could be much lower (even adding the cost of a positioning flight). Try pricing your trip from Malaysia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, or even Indonesia to determine how changing the starting country can affect your bottom line price.

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Earning Miles on Your RTW Ticket

One question that may enter your mind when building an RTW ticket is whether you’ll earn miles on your journey. The answer is generally yes, but it’s based on the airlines involved and fare classes within your itinerary.

There are several factors that determine the number of miles you earn on an RTW ticket or even whether you’ll earn any miles on a particular flight. Those factors include:

Fare class of your ticket

The airline’s rules for partner flights

Which airline you’re crediting the miles to

When booking the ticket (whether it’s with one of the airline alliances or with a third-party such as AirTreks), just let them know you want to earn miles and they’ll work with you to find flights that qualify.

You may have to purchase a slightly higher fare to earn the most miles from your trip, but that may be worth it.

Tips for Buying an RTW Ticket

No matter how you build and subsequently purchase your RTW ticket, there are a few tips to keep in mind that will help keep costs down, improve your experience, and assist if things go wrong.

Stick to major cities for your RTW ticket and purchase or use miles for short-haul flights as needed. Consider alternative means of transportation between cities to maximize your experience and reduce costs. Consider starting your journey in another city that offers less-expensive airfare. Be flexible regarding your destinations and dates. Use frequent flyer miles for award tickets to supplement your journey, or position to a more affordable city to begin your journey. Compare prices between providers. Buy travel insurance. After all, you’re going on a trip around the world. Make sure you’re using a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees.

Keep in mind that rules change, options become unavailable, and pricing will be dynamic and constantly changing. Booking an RTW ticket takes a lot of work and patience but the results can be more than worth it.

Final Thoughts

Paying the extra premium to purchase an RTW ticket from one of the airline alliances may or may not be worth it to you. You may be able to save money by purchasing through third-party AirTreks with minimal sacrifice.

With that said, making changes appears more flexible and less costly with the airline alliances’ RTW ticket, but you’ll still have to follow their rules when building your itinerary. For example, you must travel in 1 direction with no backtracking, there is a restrictive number of stopovers, etc.

AirTreks’ RTW tickets aren’t as flexible when it comes to making changes, but you may be able to afford a few change fees and still pay less overall.

Purchasing an around-the-world ticket with miles is becoming a disappearing option — domestic carriers do not even offer it anymore. This is most likely because you can use one-way award flights to duplicate the same itineraries with greater flexibility.

If you want to purchase an RTW ticket, consider using an AirTreks itinerary that is affordably priced and tweak it to your liking. Or go completely wild and build your own free-form RTW itinerary where your destinations are determined by the cost (in points/miles/money) of the ticket.

Key Takeaways Kayak is a metasearch engine that compares prices from various sites and features a map to locate hotels in popular areas.

Expedia’s One Key Rewards program offers members-only deals but doesn’t earn you loyalty points with hotel chains.

Priceline can provide big discounts through Express Deals, with secret hotel details revealed post-booking for significant savings.

Getting a great deal on a hotel room can save you hundreds of dollars. Sure, you can always reserve a hotel room on the hotel’s website, but is that the best way to do it? How about all of the popular online travel agencies (OTAs)? Which one offers the best pricing?

We’ve gone through all of the best and most popular websites (plus a few that aren’t so popular) to find out once and for all: where is the best place to book a hotel at the cheapest price?

The Hotel’s Own Website

There are lots of times when it makes sense just to keep things simple and book on the hotel’s website, whether it’s Marriott, Hilton, IHG, or any other. If you’re a member of a hotel’s loyalty program and are trying to earn or maintain elite status, you will most likely want to book direct.

By booking directly, you can take advantage of discounted member rates and will be sure to earn loyalty points and elite night credits. Many hotel chains offer promotions that allow you to earn lots of bonus points.

If you don’t book direct, the hotel may not recognize your elite status.

For example, if you have Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status and you book your room through Orbitz, you could easily miss out on your lounge access (and free breakfast) perk.

Hot Tip: If you hold elite status with a hotel, it’s generally best to book direct. In addition to not earning points and elite night credits when booking through an OTA, your elite status might not be honored by the hotel.

1. Kayak

Kayak is not an OTA; it’s a metasearch engine for travel deals. This site will look at all the other sites and show you where the best deals are.

One of the things to love about Kayak, in addition to the great filtering options at the left of the screen, is the map feature.

On the search results page, you will see a map on the upper left-hand side of the screen. When you click on it, you will get a detailed map of your destination city, including hotel locations as well as popular areas for eating, sightseeing, shopping, and nightlife. Each dot on the map represents a hotel. You can click on any of them for more details about the hotel and price comparisons.

You can also use the price slider to narrow your search to only inexpensive options.

Kayak’s map feature can offer lots of information about your destination city, including where the cheapest hotels are located. Image Credit: Kayak

Also, keep an eye out for Pricebreakers. These are opaque fare deals, which means you won’t know all of your reservation details until after you book. When searching for a cheap hotel on Kayak, you can select Pricebreakers in the filtering options for your search.

You’ll then see deals that give you the price and 3 hotel possibilities, but you won’t know exactly which hotel you’ll get until after it’s booked.

You may be able to save money with a Pricebreaker deal as long as you don’t mind not knowing your hotel until after it’s booked. Image Credit: Kayak

Pros and Cons of Kayak

Pros:

Pricebreaker deals

Kayak maps

Cons:

Kayak doesn’t always show the price on the hotel’s website, which can often be cheaper

Hot Tip: For more information and how to find great deals on hotels, flights, car rentals, vacation packages, cruises, and more, check out our in-depth guide to Kayak.

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2. Expedia

We’ve shown you how to save money on flights by booking through Expedia, but how does this OTA compare when booking a hotel room?

One thing that makes Expedia unique is its rewards program, One Key Rewards. It’s free to join and allows you to earn and redeem OneKeyCash on travel.

Pros and Cons of Expedia

Pros:

One Key Rewards program (which is also used by Hotels.com and Vrbo)

Members-only deals

Cons:

You will not earn loyalty points or elite night credits on the hotel’s own rewards program

While most bookings are refundable, some are not; pay attention to the terms of your booking before completing your purchase

Hot Tip: While you won’t earn points through the hotel’s loyalty program when you book through Expedia, you can earn credit card points. Look for cards that earn points in the general “travel category,” like the American Express® Green Card or the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, all of which earn 3x points on hotels.

3. Priceline

Searching for a hotel on Priceline is straightforward, and prices are similar to other OTAs.

One of the areas where Priceline can offer a deep discount is through its Express Deals. These opaque bookings keep details of the hotel secret until the booking is complete. These are prepaid, nonrefundable, and nontransferable bookings, so if your plans aren’t concrete, it’s best to avoid this type of booking.

Look for Priceline’s Express Deals and Pricebreakers to save some money. Image Credit: Priceline

These Express Deals also have a much more generous best-price guarantee than standard bookings (for VIP members). When booking a traditional hotel room through Priceline, you will receive a refund of the price difference if you find a better price within 24 hours of booking.

However, if you book an Express Deal and find a better price anytime up to midnight before you travel, you will get a 200% refund of the price difference!

The reservations must be identical in all aspects, and the rate must be available to the general public (no member rates) to qualify.

If you like the idea of Express Deals but want a little more certainty, check out Pricebreakers. These opaque bookings will show you 3 hotel options before you book. You still won’t know which one you’ll get until after you book, but you’re guaranteed to get 1 of the 3 options.

The last thing you’ll want to know about Priceline is that it has a loyalty program called Priceline VIP. This free program comes with 4 levels of membership offering perks like best price guarantees, hotel discounts, and Express Deal coupons.

Hot Tip: If your plans are flexible and you are comfortable booking an unknown hotel, Priceline Express Deals and Pricebreakers can certainly save you some big bucks!

Pros and Cons of Priceline

Pros:

Priceline VIP

Express Deals and Pricebreakers

Cons:

You won’t earn hotel loyalty points or elite night credits when booking through Priceline

Hot Tip: For more information about finding the best deals and saving money, check out our complete guide to booking travel with Priceline.

4. Momondo

Momondo is an easy-to-use travel metasearch engine that sorts through deals on other websites to help you find the best price. Once you find a deal on Momondo, you’ll be transferred to a booking website (an online travel agency or a hotel’s website) to book. You won’t ever actually book anything on Momondo’s website.

Momondo shows you hotel prices from lots of websites in one place. Image Credit: Momondo

Pros and Cons of Momondo

Pros:

The easy-to-use interface shows you prices from lots of websites at one time

Cons:

There’s no loyalty program

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed guide to using Momondo.

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5. Booking.com

Booking.com is an easy-to-use site where you can search for and book hotels, hostels, B&Bs, apartments, and vacation homes.

One thing that stands out about this site is its generous low-price guarantee. If you find a lower advertised price for the same reservation available to the public (not a member or special rate), Booking.com will refund the difference up to 24 hours before your check-in date. The offer needs to be online and available at the time Booking.com checks.

Another thing to keep an eye out for is the Genius discount. When a room type is marked as Genius discount available, you’ll save 10% off the base price by logging in to your account. We’ve tested this, and sure enough, the price was adjusted just by logging in.

You’ll save 10% by booking a rate that’s marked with the Genius logo. Image Credit: Booking.com

In addition to discounts, the Genius Loyalty Program offers perks like free breakfast and room upgrades. There are 3 levels to the Genius program based on the number of stays you complete in a 2 year period.

Pros and Cons of Booking.com

Pros:

Genius Loyalty Program

Generous price-match guarantee

Option to book non-traditional accommodations like hostels or B&Bs

Cons:

You won’t earn loyalty points or elite night credits from the hotel’s rewards program

Hot Tip: For lots more information, check out our definitive guide to Booking.com.

6. Hotels.com

One of the best things about Hotels.com is its rewards program, One Key Rewards. It allows you to earn and use points (called OneKeyCash) through Hotels.com and its partner sites, Expedia and Vrbo.

If you have a Hotels.com account, be sure to log in to access member pricing, which saves an average of 15%.

Save 15% with member pricing. Image Credit: Hotels.com

Unfortunately, as with most OTAs, you won’t be able to earn loyalty points or elite nights with the hotel’s program when booking through Hotels.com. If you generally aren’t loyal to a single brand or don’t have hotel elite status, this probably doesn’t need to be a factor in your decision of where to book.

Hot Tip: You will not earn hotel points or elite night credits for nights booked through an OTA.

Pros and Cons of Hotels.com

Pros:

One Key Rewards program

Members-only pricing

Cons:

You won’t earn loyalty points or elite night credits from the hotel’s rewards program

You have to pay taxes and fees on reward nights

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our guide to booking travel and saving money with Hotels.com.

7. Orbitz

Orbitz is another easy-to-use OTA with a strong in-house loyalty program. You can earn Orbucks through Orbitz Rewards on hotels, flights, travel packages, and activities.

The Orbucks earning rate is much better for hotels than flights, and Orbucks can only be redeemed for hotels. The only catch is generally, you can only earn Orbucks on prepaid hotel stays.

Earn 3% Orbucks for hotel stays booked on a desktop

Earn 4% Orbucks for hotel stays booked on the Orbitz app

Unfortunately, you can only earn Orbucks on prepaid hotel rooms. Image Credit: Orbitz

Orbitz has its own version of elite status that can earn benefits like Wi-Fi and breakfast at select hotels after only 4 stays per year. After 12 stays per year, you’ll earn Platinum status, which comes with benefits like a TSA PreCheck application credit (a $78 value).

While Orbitz’s prices are in line with other OTAs, some of the ongoing benefits it offers might make it a great choice for the casual traveler.

However, if you can stay consistent with a single hotel brand, booking directly with the hotel to receive elite benefits might be a better deal.

Another way Orbitz can save you money on a hotel is if you book a hotel and flight together. When searching for a 7-night hotel stay in San Francisco plus a flight separately or as a bundle, the bundle saved over $100!

Booking a hotel and flight together can save you money. Image Credit: Orbitz

Pros and Cons of Orbitz

Pros:

Orbitz Rewards program

Vacation packages

Cons:

You can only earn Orbucks on prepaid hotel stays

You won’t earn hotel loyalty points or elite night credits when booking through Orbitz

Hot Tip: Learn more in our detailed guide to booking travel with Orbitz.

8. Hotwire

Hotwire has been around a long time and is probably the go-to OTA for many travelers, but is it the best place to book your next hotel stay if you’re looking for the cheapest price?

If you have some flexibility or aren’t particular about the exact hotel you stay in, Hotwire’s Hot Rate hotels could be a way to save you some money. These are opaque bookings, which means you won’t know the exact hotel until after the booking is complete. However, you’ll be able to see the hotel’s rating, neighborhood, amenities, Tripadvisor ratings, and the exact hotel the person previous to you got.

Look for Hot Rate hotels to save some money on your hotel booking. Image Credit: Hotwire

Hot Tip: Hotwire Hot Rate hotels could save you money. These are bookings in which you won’t know the exact hotel until after the booking is complete, so these properties are best for travelers with some flexibility.

Another way to save some money when booking through Hotwire is by booking a vacation package. Booking a hotel and flight together can save hundreds of dollars. To take advantage of this, go to the Vacations tab in the top search menu.

Pros and Cons of Hotwire

Pros:

Hot Rate Hotels

Vacation packages

Cons:

Hotel chains, including Marriott and Hyatt, offer discounted member rates, and you won’t be able to see these on Hotwire

Hot Tip: For more information about booking travel and saving money with this platform, check out our complete guide to Hotwire.

9. AmexTravel.com

American Express offers more than just credit cards. AmexTravel.com is a travel portal operated by American Express, and it operates much like an OTA. It’s even available to those who don’t hold an American Express credit card, although you will get more benefits if you have an Amex card.

One of the downsides to using AmexTravel.com is you have to create an account and log in to see the final pricing. The prices shown do not include taxes and fees, so it can be a little misleading if you aren’t logged in.

Pricing through AmexTravel.com tends to be in line with other OTAs. However, if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can earn 5x points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com. You also do not pay booking fees for flights through AmexTravel.com if you have one of these cards.

If you have American Express Membership Rewards points, you might be tempted to use them to book travel directly through AmexTravel.com. As a general rule, this isn’t a good use of points because the redemption rate is poor. You’ll often get less than 1 cent per point, which is much less than what Amex points are worth. You can get so much more value by transferring your points to one of the American Express transfer partners.

Using points to book a hotel through AmexTravel.com is generally not the best way to get maximum value. Image Credit: AmexTravel.com

Pros and Cons of AmexTravel.com

Pros:

Cons:

If you don’t have an Amex Platinum card, you’ll be charged a booking fee (on flights)

Poor redemption rate when you use Pay With Points (often less than 1 cent per point)

Hot Tip: For more details, check out our complete guide to using AmexTravel.com.

10. Agoda

Agoda doesn’t offer much when searching for flights, but it’s worth checking out if you’re looking for accommodations. In addition to traditional hotels and resorts, Agoda lets you search for hostels, private houses, and even monthly stays.

It has great filtering options and a map feature so that you can view all of your options by location.

Agoda is another OTA that now offers its own rewards program. You’ll earn AgodaCash on every eligible booking. Then, you can redeem your AgodaCash for all or part of any hotel booking.

Additionally, Agoda offers the AgodaVIP program, an elite status program that allows you to earn additional discounts and perks.

You’ll start to earn AgodaVIP discounts after completing 2 bookings in 2 years. Image Credit: Agoda

Pros and Cons of Agoda

Pros:

AgodaCash and AgodaVIP Program

Good search functionality

Cons:

You won’t earn loyalty points or elite night credits from the hotel’s rewards program

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed guide to using Agoda.

11. Travelocity

Travelocity offers many different products to book, including flights, hotels, cars, cruises, travel packages, and even activities, so it can be a little overwhelming if you aren’t sure exactly what you’re looking for. When searching for a hotel, you can add a flight, a rental car, or both to your search.

Like most other OTAs, you can save money by booking a flight and hotel together.

We did a test booking and found that booking a flight and hotel together was $35 cheaper than booking them separately. While you could save more or less on your specific travel plans, if you need a flight in addition to a hotel, it’s always a good idea to check the prices on a travel package.

Travelocity advertises lower rates of 10% or more on select hotels if you create an account. Member rates will be highlighted, but unfortunately, these discounts are only available at certain hotels, so you will need to have some flexibility to take advantage of these deals. In addition, when we did a test booking, the savings by creating an account was only $1.61.

You can save money on select hotels by creating a Travelocity account. Image Credit: Travelocity

Pros and Cons of Travelocity

Pros:

Lower member rates on select hotels

Lower rates on flight and hotel packages

Cons:

You won’t earn loyalty points or elite night credits from the hotel’s rewards program

Hot Tip: For more information about booking hotels, flights, and more with Travelocity, check out our guide to booking travel with Travelocity.

12. Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is known for its great reviews. It’s the place to go if you want to get a feel for a hotel or activity, complete with amateur photos taken by other travelers that show what things really look like. Did you also know you can search for and book hotels through Tripadvisor?

After searching for your destination, you’ll see a typical list of all the hotels available. In each box, there will be prices from a few websites listed. You can see a full list by clicking on the small drop-down menu in the search results. Doing so will give you a good overall feel for where you might find the best pricing. Clicking on the price will take you to the specific website to complete your booking.

Tripadvisor displays prices from many OTAs. Image Credit: Tripadvisor

Pros and Cons of Tripadvisor

Pros:

Great customer reviews

Cons:

The prices shown do not include taxes, which can vary between websites

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our guide to using Tripadvisor.

13. Google Hotel Search

Did you know that you can search for hotels directly on Google? Like Kayak and Tripadvisor, this is just a search engine. You won’t actually book anything on Google — it’s just another way to find the best hotel prices.

To search, just type in “Hotels in ____” in the main Google search box or go to google.com/travel/hotels.

You can easily search by location using the map or use the filtering options above your search results to find exactly what you’re looking for. You can click on any of the hotels listed on the left side or click on the prices on the map for more information.

You’ll be able to see all of the price options for your chosen hotel by clicking on Prices.

You’ll be able to see each hotel’s prices on many different sites simultaneously. Image Credit: Google Hotels

To get a sense of price trends in the area you’re searching, click on What you’ll pay right above the search results. This will give you a good sense of what prices are like in your chosen destination during your travel dates.

Get an idea of the price trends for your destination by clicking on What you’ll pay. Image Credit: Google Hotels

Pros and Cons of Google Hotel Finder

Pros:

Price trends

Cons:

No loyalty program

Hot Tip: Google Flights allows you to plan your flight, hotel, and travel package options all from a single site.

14. Skyscanner Hotels

Skyscanner is generally regarded as a flight search engine, but you can also use it to search for hotels. While it’s easy to see the pricing options for each hotel, there aren’t many filtering options available. The map feature is nice if you prefer to search for a hotel by location.

Once you find a hotel and price you like, you’ll be sent to another website to complete the booking.

The lowest price for each hotel is clearly displayed. Image Credit: Skyscanner

Pros and Cons of Skyscanner Hotels

Pros:

The lowest price for each hotel is clearly displayed

Cons:

Few filtering options

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our guide to booking travel through Skyscanner.

15. HotelTonight

HotelTonight is a booking app and website geared towards offering great deals on last-minute hotel stays, although you can book rooms ahead of time, too.

The website is easy to use, but there aren’t many filtering options, so if you have something specific in mind, this may not be the best place to search for a hotel. If you’d like to set up a price deal alert, you can do so by using the toggle button right above your search results.

If you’re searching on the website, you may notice that some deals are only available on the app, so it might be a good idea to opt for the app when using HotelTonight.

You can set up an alert for your hotel search on HotelTonight.com. Image Credit: HotelTonight

Pros and Cons of HotelTonight

Pros:

Price deal alerts

Last-minute availability

Cons:

The website doesn’t offer everything that the app does

Hot Tip: If you’re booking last minute, you may want to check out one of these websites and apps to find a good deal.

16. Hopper

Hopper is a mobile app that offers price predictions so you have a better idea of when to book your room. It is so confident in its app that it claims 95% accuracy!

You can easily find the cheapest dates for your destination in the Hopper app. After entering the city you’d like to visit, you’ll get a color-coded map that quickly shows you the cheapest and most expensive times for hotels. You can choose your travel dates and set your filters, and then you’ll see what hotels are available.

Another feature that makes Hopper unique is the price freeze feature. By making a small deposit, which can later be applied towards your stay, you can freeze the price for 12 hours, 7 days, 14 days, or 21 days. You’ll save up to $300 if the price increases, and you’ll pay the lower price if the price drops.

Before booking a hotel on Hopper, check the Trip Extras. These are additional fees, including Hopper Tip and VIP Support, that will be automatically added on. If you want to decline them, you’ll have to unselect them manually.

Watch out for extra fees that are automatically added to your total. You’ll have to manually remove them if you don’t want to pay them. Image Credit: Hopper

Pros and Cons of Hopper

Pros:

Color-coded map shows the best prices

Price freeze option

Cons:

No desktop booking capabilities

Extra fees like Hopper Tip and VIP Support are automatically added

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed guide to using the Hopper app.

17. Trivago

Trivago, which is owned by Expedia, is another metasearch engine that scours the internet to show you hotel prices on lots of other websites so that you can easily compare them. It’s easy to use but doesn’t offer any features that differentiate it from competitors.

Be careful because a hotel’s “featured price” might not necessarily be the lowest.

Pros and Cons of Trivago

Pros:

Shows prices from many websites in one place

Cons:

The featured price is not always the lowest

No rewards program

Price Comparisons

As you can see, there are a lot of websites that all offer what they claim to be the best prices on your hotel room. But which site is truly the best?

We put these sites head-to-head in price comparison, only looking at the price (including taxes and fees) and not taking into consideration other factors like the cancellation policy.

Hot Tip: Many websites show you pricing without taxes and fees when you’re searching. While it might appear you’re getting a great deal on a particular site at first, once you add in all of the fees, the price may be the same as all of the other OTAs.

We priced out the same hotel on every site — a 1-week stay in the least expensive room at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, to see how these hotel booking sites compared.

As you can see from the example above, most prices are similar. In this example, the lowest price came from Google Hotels, with Kayak and Trivago close behind. Hopper had the highest price.

When you book directly through the hotel, you’ll be able to earn loyalty points and take advantage of any elite benefits you may have, so it might be worth it even if the price is a tad higher.

Bottom Line: Unfortunately, no clear-cut pattern or website consistently offers the lowest prices, as it always varies. If prices are similar, look for rates that offer flexible cancellation policies and ones that earn points or perks in a loyalty program (either the hotel’s or the website’s program).

Final Thoughts

Finding the lowest price on a hotel room can be tough, but knowing where to look helps steer you in the right direction.

If you have elite status or collect reward points from a chain like Marriott or Hyatt, it’s probably best to book direct. You generally won’t earn points or elite night credits if you book elsewhere.

like Marriott or Hyatt, it’s probably best to book direct. You generally won’t earn points or elite night credits if you book elsewhere. If you don’t have loyalty to a particular brand , start with a website like Kayak or Skyscanner. They can help determine where the lowest prices might be. Also, keep an eye out for special fares like Priceline Express Deals.

, start with a website like Kayak or Skyscanner. They can help determine where the lowest prices might be. Also, keep an eye out for special fares like Priceline Express Deals. Look for a vacation package if you need to book a hotel and flight . These are offered by many OTAs and usually offer big savings.

. These are offered by many OTAs and usually offer big savings. If you often book smaller, independent hotels, it might be smart to look at an OTA with its own rewards program, like Orbitz, Hotels.com, or Expedia.

No matter where you book your next hotel, be sure to use a travel rewards credit card to max out your benefits, and you’ll be on your next trip in no time.

Check out these guides to help you book the rest of your vacation: the best websites for cheap flights, the best websites for cheap car rentals, and the best websites to book cruises.

Car rental prices hit sky-high levels in July 2021. Luckily, car rental prices seem to have reached their top and continue to drop.

But even today, rental cars are far from cheap (and they’re far higher than pre-COVID rates). Inflation has been hitting almost every aspect of the economy, but it’s hit car rental prices even harder. Whereas average prices across all items for summer 2024 were up about 23% since before the pandemic, rental car prices in 2024 are up a much sharper 29%.

The good news is you don’t have to spend your entire vacation budget on rental cars.

These 10 tricks will help you score a cheap rental car for your next road trip, whether it’s a quick weekend getaway or a cross-country odyssey.

1. Skip the airport

Renting at the airport is convenient when you’re flying into a new city. But that convenience can come at a premium, thanks to general price increases around demand, and other costs like airport surcharges.

These surcharges often come as fixed dollar figures, typically presented as a “Customer Facility Charge.” You might also find them as a percentage of your overall rental amount — and sometimes, you’ll owe both. These charges are typically several dollars a day, but can amount to a three-figure charge depending on the length of your trip.

A June 2024 NerdWallet study of more than 480 rental car prices taken from cities that host America’s 15 largest airports compared the price of a seven-night rental at eight major car rental companies from airport outposts versus the cost to rent at their nearby downtown counterparts.

NerdWallet found that seven-night car rentals for downtown locations were, on average, $86 cheaper than airport locations. That is, you can expect to spend about 18.4% more to rent a car at the airport compared to a downtown rental.

Price out rental locations in the city and compare to what you can get at the airport. Make sure you factor in the cost of a taxi or rideshare to and from your rental location if you rent at a location away from the airport.

2. Shop around online

Look at sites like Kayak, Priceline and Cheapcarrental.com to compare your options and narrow in on the best deal.

Then go directly to the car rental company’s site. You might find an even steeper discount that way, particularly with “Pay Now” options. Just keep in mind that rentals paid in advance are typically nonrefundable.

Even after you book, keep shopping. If you didn’t book a nonrefundable rental, you can cancel your reservation if you find a better price.

3. Comparison shop between brands (the discount ones aren’t always cheapest)

Despite names like Dollar and Budget, those stereotypically-discount bands aren’t necessarily the cheapest.

NerdWallet’s 2024 rental car study found that Thrifty, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car ranked among the cheapest rental car companies. Whereas the average price for a seven-night rental from the most expensive brand, National, was $601, it was just $414 with Thrifty.

Do your own comparison shopping, but don’t assume the discount brands like Advantage, Payless and Dollar Rental offer a lower rate than big-name rental companies.

4. Leverage memberships

Have a Costco membership? Use it to save money on your next rental car.

“I find that Costco consistently beats full-price car rentals on online travel agencies,” says Clem Bason, CEO of the travel website goSEEK.com and formerly of Hotwire.com.

An added bonus: You can often add a driver for free.

AAA memberships are another great money-saving tool by providing discounts for Hertz rentals as well as no underage driver fees for AAA members ages 20 to 24.

Frequent-flyer programs also offer discounts on rental cars. American Airlines, for example, offers AAdvantage members 35% off Budget and Avis — but you need to rent from an airport.

5. Opt for economy cars

Economy cars are typically the cheapest, and therefore the most likely to be booked. You can use this to your advantage, says Brett Graff, a family finance expert and author of a syndicated column called The Home Economist.

“When renting a car, I reserve the smallest, most affordable vehicle possible, knowing there’s a chance it won’t be on the lot and I’ll get an upgrade,” Graff says.

Just don’t book something that’s too small for your party, or you could be stuck cramming five people plus luggage into a two-door coupe. Not exactly the cozy vacation you had in mind, is it?

6. Stick to one driver

Most rental car companies will charge you a fee to add an extra driver, which can often be more than $10 per day.

There are ways to dodge the fee, though. Some companies, such as Enterprise, waive the additional driver fee for a spouse or domestic partner, but you both need to have the same address on your driver’s licenses. Others, including National, waive the fee for spouses, partners and immediate family members if you enroll in their membership program.

You can also leverage other memberships, such as USAA, AARP, AAA or Costco to get a free additional driver with select rental car companies.

7. Use your own insurance

If you have a car, your primary insurance likely covers you when you rent a car. Carless millennials: Have your parents add you as a driver to their insurance. If you have a good driving record, it likely won’t cost any extra.

Many credit cards also include basic insurance coverage if you use the card to pay for your rental. So you can skip it and save what often amounts to about $30 a day on your rental. Some cards even offer more comprehensive coverage.

Renting overseas? You might be required to purchase insurance, even if you have coverage via your primary car insurance and/or your credit card. Build this into your budget.

8. Forgo the extras

Rental agents make more money if they sell you on the benefits of extras like roadside assistance, satellite radio and GPS navigation. You’ll save money if you resist their spiel.

NAVIGATION A Garmin device or similar GPS navigation unit can typically cost about $15 per day or more. Use the navigation system you carry around in your pocket and save your money for gas. “Why rent a GPS when you can use Waze or Google Maps on your phone?” says Michael Goldman, president of AutoRentals.com If you’re overseas, map out your route ahead of time and download directions when connected to Wi-Fi. Or go old school and pick up a paper map. TOLL TRANSPONDER Rental car companies charge a per-day fee for the transponder, which you pay in addition to any tolls. While tolls are unavoidable, there are cheaper ways to go about it. “In the popular vacation destination of South Florida, car rental companies often charge $25 per day for the SunPass, whether you use it or not,” says Goldman of AutoRentals.com. “Instead, purchase Florida’s SunPass for $19.99 at CVS Pharmacy stores, Walgreens and Publix Super Markets throughout South Florida and pay for only what you use.” CAR SEAT This one may be unavoidable. After all, the safety of your child is more important than saving a few dollars. But if you have friends where you’re traveling, leverage their network to find a car seat to use during your trip. This will save you $10 or more per day.

9. Price out prepaid gas

Use a site like GasBuddy to scope out nearby gas stations and current fuel prices so you can compare against the prepaid price offered by the rental car company.

Factor in how likely it is you will have a near-empty tank upon your return. On a short day or weekend trip, you may just need to top off your tank before returning the car. Longer trips may allow you to roll in on fumes and save a few dollars as you do so.

10. Walk or ride

While these tips will help you get a cheap rental car, there is one other surefire way to save: Skip the rental altogether.

Most major cities have walkable downtowns and extensive public transportation networks, not to mention taxis and ridesharing apps galore. So save yourself the hassle of traffic and often costly parking rates, if you can, and buy yourself a weekend metro pass.

You might also consider a nontraditional rental car company like Turo or Kyte. Some operate like the Airbnb of cars, where people rent out their personal cars. Others are operated by related players in the automobile space, like car dealerships. But many of them turn out cheaper than your standard rental car, and many let you book by the hour, which can allow you to avoid paying for hours you’re not actually driving.

From Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi, 18,500 transport users from all over the planet have told us about the quality of their city’s offering

Public transport can be a lifeline for many reasons. It’s often more affordable than owning and driving a car; it’s more convenient, particularly in congested urban areas; and it’s obviously the most environmentally-conscious way to get around. And while buses, subways, trams and even cycle lanes can get more than a little busy during certain times of day, there’s still no doubt they’re the best, most authentic way to experience a city as a local does.

So which city has the very best public transport network of all? To find out, we asked more than 18,500 city-dwellers in over 50 countries to rate their city’s public transport. The following ranking represents the cities with the highest percentage of locals that would describe the public transport network – including buses, trains, trams and everything in between – as either ‘good’ or ‘amazing’. After all, who better to trust than the people who squeeze onto those morning commutes day in, day out?

This year, Asian cities dominate the list. Some iconic public transport networks, like New York’s sprawling subway and Istanbul’s cross-continental ferries, failed to make the ranks. But from Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi, Brighton to Beijing, plenty of cities did – read on for the best cities in the world for public transport.

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This list was written by Liv Kelly, a writer for Time Out Travel. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.