whats your favourite online airline and hotel site and why?

[JHolmesJr]

Don't normally use them so would appreciate some insights....obviously value is key, also welcome are tips 

on how these sites operate, rip offs, commissions, etc.

[captnhoy]

Surprised to see no replies. For air travel I like Google Flights. I like it because it shows all options - I believe. And it shows savings for alternate dates. It shows overall duration of travel as that can vary quite a bit. Sometimes the cheapest ticket requires excessive stops and layovers. I'm willing to pay up a bit in order to minimize the hours required. For hotel bookings I like hotels.com. Become a member and you will get one free night for each 10 that you book. I have also compared prices on that site with prices directly on the hotel site. Hotels.com usually has the better price. The site is actually a sub business of expedia.com. I recently went through a major foul up by booking air with expedia. Many asian airlines have liberal change policies. If you book EVA for example through expedia, you have now lost the liberal change policies and expedia really stuck it to me. Avoid them for air travel is my new rule. I like your question and hope others weigh in.

[JLCrab]

OK I like Booking.com for hotels because you usually have the option to reserve a hotel room without pre-payment and with no cancellation fee 24-72 hours before the reservation date.

[samsensam]

 

expedia/lastminute agoda/hotel.com - plus it's always worth checking the airline/hotels own site as you sometimes get a better deal booking directly

[Kadilo]

Sky scanner for flights and Booking.com for hotels.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[thecyclist]

Traveloka is one that hasn't been mentioned yet, and sometimes is significantly cheaper for hotels in Thailand.Mostly hotel rates are almost identical or vary only slightly for all these sites, but occasionally you come across a hotel where the sites differ considerably.

Agoda usually has the greatest selection of hotels in the ASEAN region.

 

[connda]

Kayak if you're looking to book last minute flights at a savings.  Airlines want to fill the plane.  They will deeply discount at the last minute. 

[InMyShadow]

Whilst they can be cheaper, trying to cancel or change flights can be a nightmare with many never answering emails or a based in East
European countries with impossible to understand accents. Just Google any of the above with " won't return emails /calls can't change my ticket etc" there are thousands of posts out there.

Always always book with the carrier if the price difference is the same or even a bit more. If you are stranded you will get help

[phuketrichard]

Agoda has more se asian hotels than booking.com or others as its much easier for the hotel to join

i use https://https://www.kayak.co.th

https://www.skyscanner.co.th/

but than go and look directly at the airline site

[Nice Boyd]

Kayak.com for flights and Hotels.com for rewards

Edited December 23, 2017 by Nice Boyd

[Colabamumbai]

In the area I use A.Asia but book it with an online booker. Saves seat payment extra everýthing. Same price or lower than airline. I like Hotels.c  a free night  after 10, but I look at different sites, properties. All the big online co's are owed by just three.

[impulse]

I started using Mytrip.com for flights when none of the mainstream sites could get my Kasikorn debit card to work.  Payment kept getting rejected with a message to "use a different card".  Mytrip accepted the K-Bank debit card, using the OTP (text message to my phone) feature with no problem.  So they get my business.

 

[tryasimight]

Really depends on what you want. I tend to stick with Qantas and the Accor group for the frequent 'flyer stayer (or strayer if you get my drift) 'points. Otherwise I have used Agoda, not necessarily the cheapest but hassle free to date.

[shy coconut]

I use Expedia for hotels and Skyscanner for flights.

I always seem to get decent deals and bagged some decent rooms at an

apparent discount.

 

Interested to see alternative sites and will explore all replies. I'm based in the UK 

and am generally too lazy to research other sites!

[Spaniel]

Kayak for air tickets and Agoda for hotel bookings.

[Prometheus33]

I travel 6 or 7 times a year , most often business .. always with a dash of the holiday spirit !! For hotels I always research a month ahead.. Hotels.com, Booking.com, Tripadvisor or Agoda.com.. I find the best rates on Hotels.com and usually book through them .. .. .. .. though sometimes on Booking.com .. on a few occasions got some amazing deals on Agoda as well. 

For flights the airline sites are the best and offer multiple choices and the best prices.. Best to register as a member with the airline(s) and subscribe to their email offers and newsletters.. This has never failed me and I have almost always got the best prices on air tickets.

[Grumpy Duck]

For domestic thai flights I use Nok Air. For international I use skyscanner, travelocity, & last minute, apps skyscanner usually posts cheaper flights, but when you select a flight you are offered a bunch of other booking agents seldom with the same prices. I like travelocity, the usually offer reasonable travel insurance which covers flight changes and lost baggage. I recall earlier this year I almost booked a Philippine Air flight with an 18 hour layover in Manila and a 10 hr layover in Shanghai on skyscanner, but checked travelocity at the last minute and found a Thai air flight connecting to a Delta flight to LAX in Tokyo cheaper, with a much shorter layover. For accommodations I have had good luck with Air BnB. 

[Medicine Man]

I use Skyscanner to search for flights but always try to book with the airline directly as you are better protected in the case of changes etc. Skyscanner (and Expedia) are crooks when changes are required (I was quoted £400 to change dates UK to BKK - beware!)

[Kadilo]

4 hours ago, Prometheus33 said:

I travel 6 or 7 times a year , most often business .. always with a dash of the holiday spirit !! For hotels I always research a month ahead.. Hotels.com, Booking.com, Tripadvisor or Agoda.com.. I find the best rates on Hotels.com and usually book through them .. .. .. .. though sometimes on Booking.com .. on a few occasions got some amazing deals on Agoda as well. 

For flights the airline sites are the best and offer multiple choices and the best prices.. Best to register as a member with the airline(s) and subscribe to their email offers and newsletters.. This has never failed me and I have almost always got the best prices on air tickets.

That’s interesting as I’ve been with Thai AIr for years and never seen a flight on their website cheaper than I can get on sky scannner. On occasions the same, but very rarely. 

Not sure what I’m doing wrong. 

[InMyShadow]

That’s interesting as I’ve been with Thai AIr for years and never seen a flight on their website cheaper than I can get on sky scannner. On occasions the same, but very rarely. 
Not sure what I’m doing wrong. 

Thai airways is the world's worst website. But your right they are always 50%more. Back when I was a business flyer the perks with the gold card and tax deduction was perfect for thai air lines... Now retired I have zero interest in them and them in me lol

[Rhys]

Agoda and Nok Air

[jacko45k]

Hotels I use Expedia...

Flights I will search around on Skyscanner to get an idea of who is discounting, but have a preference for then going straight to the airlines site. I have learned my lesson wrt booking expensive tickets through 'agencies' and would say only do so if your plans are set in concrete. Changing plans or heaven forbid trying to cancel and get a refund, they are difficult and tiresome to the point of dishonest.

[themerg]

For Thailand air travel, I use AirAsia. I don't need a lot of luxury. The longest flight in Thailand is 3 hours.

For hotels, I use Booking.com

I get airline ticket through 7-11, at 3 months before for a very good price. Ex., economy class from Chiang Mai to Krabi and return flight for 3268 Baht including the 7-11 fee.

Edited December 23, 2017 by themerg
Factual accuracy.

[geisha]

I’ve used booking,com a lot for many years. Very easy to use, mostly can pay at hotel, and often cancellation is fine. Most have nearly all the same rates  otherwise. Going straight to the hotel websites is ok, but often very complicated  systems.Agoda is good too.  Flights I book directly online with the company. Never found a flight cheaper elsewhere. Plus, you get miles. Always be careful’with cheap flights, you can end up sitting in an airport for 6 to 15 hours  as friends of mine did lately !! Same flight as I took, I paid 50 euros more. 

[marquis22]

I book through the Airlines website namely Jetstar (the cheapest flights from Australia)

If staying in Bkk 1 or 2 nights then stay at Nasa Vegas hotel, right alongside the Ramkhamhaeng airport link station.

Not far to take your bags if it is a late arrival.

[KMartinHandyman]

OK I like Booking.com for hotels because you usually have the option to reserve a hotel room without pre-payment and with no cancellation fee 24-72 hours before the reservation date.

Also Booking.com will price match from the same hotel or another for a comparable room on the same dates. I just last week booked 5 nights at Viva Gardens in Bang Chak at what I felt to be a fair price having stayed there before. While reviewing my booking a day or two later noticed the same suite for ฿1800 less. Of course I felt like I’d won the loser lottery again. I noticed the price match policy and figured why not try it out.
I was quite surprised to be honest as after a short phone call they reissued the lower priced reservation. They even honored some “Genius” discount that is included in my account with them.

[themerg]

get your air tickets and your hotel reservations at least 3 months early. I pay when I arrive with Booking.com

 

[shy coconut]

I've used kayak and budget air for domestic Thai flights and only ever had one

self imposed problem, I booked for November instead of October ?

 

In my defence I was booking about 5 different flights for 4 different people spread 

over the 2 months and messed up. We turned up at Ubon airport to find the flight I

thought I had booked didn't exist!

 

I got some dark looks from my wife and it cost 7000baht for us to fly that day and,

of course, no refund. Lesson learned, I hope , although we did get to fly " up front" and

enjoyed the lounge, which cheered her up immensely!

 

[KMartinHandyman]

I've used kayak and budget air for domestic Thai flights and only ever had one
self imposed problem, I booked for November instead of October [emoji848]
 
In my defence I was booking about 5 different flights for 4 different people spread 
over the 2 months and messed up. We turned up at Ubon airport to find the flight I
thought I had booked didn't exist!
 
I got some dark looks from my wife and it cost 7000baht for us to fly that day and,
of course, no refund. Lesson learned, I hope , although we did get to fly " up front" and
enjoyed the lounge, which cheered her up immensely!
 

I figured this only happened to me! My first visit to Thailand to meet my future wife involved bookings in Bangkok and then Phuket. Everything was going perfect until we attempted to leave Phuket airport with tickets for 1 month in the future. There was some tension but we eventually left on standby that evening and survived to later marry.
The experience has earned me the question almost every time I book something,,”are you sure?” To which I answer “nope, never sure, you’d better check”

[KhunMhee]

On ‎12‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 4:10 PM, samsensam said:

 

expedia/lastminute agoda/hotel.com - plus it's always worth checking the airline/hotels own site as you sometimes get a better deal booking directly

+1 Add to this at times of booking flights for Mrs. Mhee as she does not have a CC its easier to book through Expedia they don't require a CC at the check in. Pre 2014 coup I used to book flights directly on the website of each airline. Maybe it's just a coincidence but post Coup they will not allow you to send a picture of your ID and VSIA with the passenger flying . Maybe my tinfoil hat needs adjustment. Agoda has always been the best I have found in Asian Booking. I used to use Sawadee.com for internal Thailand stuff. Not a problem there as well.