Are you planning a trip soon and looking for a travel website that helps you save money, time, and hassle? Don’t miss out on these top travel sites, which cover everything from accommodations and transportation to travel tips and deals.
Best Vacation Websites and Travel Tools
The travel planning process can be pretty overwhelming. It’s not easy to find good deals on airfare, lodging, and activities, let alone figure out where you want to go in the first place! Fortunately, many online travel platforms make trip planning easier and less stressful.
In the past, most people relied on travel agents to figure out where to go, what to do, and how to budget for their next adventure. Nowadays, however, everything can be done online using travel apps, websites, and vacation booking platforms.
This guide is created from user reviews and personal experience. Now, without further ado, let’s jump ahead to these incredible trip websites!
Read also: Top 20 Mobile Apps for Travelers
Read also: List of My Favorite Travel Companies
| Best for | Website |
| Travel Deals | Going |
| Booking Flights | Skyscanner and Google Flights |
| Places to Stay | Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Vrbo |
| Navigation | Rome2rio and Google Maps |
| Reviews | TripAdvisor |
| Communication | Whatsapp and Snapchat |
| Booking Cruises | CruiseDirect and Cruise Critic |
| Car Rentals | Auto Europe and Hertz |
| Booking Retreats | BookRetreats |
| Ridesharing | Uber |
| Package Deals | Expedia |
| Travel Planning Site | TripIt |
| Vacation Bundles | Priceline |
Disclosure: This round-up of the best travel websites contains affiliate links, where I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Best Website for Travel Deals
Want to save money on airfare? Sign up for Going. Over the years, I’ve saved thousands of dollars through their free email alerts, so I couldn’t recommend them more.
Once you subscribe to their email updates, you’ll receive newsletters with deals from your home airport. This includes mistake fares and other ridiculously cheap flights handpicked by their team of experts. Unlike other travel deal websites, you’ll only see flights with reputable airlines and reasonable layovers.
Going offers a free version and a premium version. Unless you’re flying all the time, the free version is totally fine and will get you what you need. Thanks to them, I’ve spent less than $200 on roundtrip flights to Europe when they typically go for $600-$800.
In their newsletters, I’ve also seen roundtrip fares from Boston to Bali for $350 and Cape Town for $450. Needless to say, the small fee pays for itself even if you just travel once per year.
If you’re interested in the premium version of Going, I have a 20% promo code you can use: JON20. I HIGHLY recommend signing up if you fly more than twice per year. The price is $49 per year, which you can EASILY make back after just one discounted flight.
Best Travel Sites for Booking Flights
Skyscanner
All epic adventures begin with a Skyscanner search.
For frequent travelers, Skyscanner is a favorite. Unlike other best travel websites, Skyscanner allows you to search ‘Everywhere.’ It then sorts results by country, offering the lowest prices first. This is a great way to find the most affordable destinations for your dates and departure! You can also filter by stops, duration, times, and more. You also have the option of adding travel insurance.
Once you’ve chosen your flights, the site will direct you to the cheapest booking methods. It will also suggest package deals, hotels, and provide guides with things to do and attractions for your destination. Skyscanner is one of the best travel platforms to compare prices for flights and hotels you find elsewhere.
Google Flights
While there are countless travel websites out there for booking flights, my go-to is usually Google Flights. The ‘Explore’ feature always comes in handy, particularly if you’re flexible on where you want to go. All you have to enter is your home airport, and Google will give you several travel bucket list ideas worldwide.
To give you a visual of all your flight options, use the map feature to see the best fares worldwide. Filtering by price, stops, or airlines can help you narrow down your search. You can search for flights to a specific airport (i.e., an airport in Europe), or look as broadly as the entire world!
In addition, they offer reliable price-tracking features. So, when you’ve picked your journey it will show you various sites to book with. Is this one of the coolest websites for traveling? Absolutely!
Best Travel Websites for Places to Stay
Booking.com
Booking.com is my favorite travel site for finding places to stay around the world. The platform is easy to use, the listings are high-quality (and extensive), and there are more reviews than any other vacation booking site. It’s also easy to sort through options by type of accommodation, size, location, price, and more.
In addition to finding accommodation, Booking.com also offers flight packages, transportation services, and travel forums. Plus, their site and mobile app offer direct communication with all properties, providing secure and easy access for any questions or requests.
One of the best parts of Booking.com is their loyalty program, called Genius. The Genius program is one of the most accessible loyalty programs I’ve seen. It takes only a few stays over the course of a year to qualify, and it’s easy to work up through their three levels.
Once a member, the benefits are incredible and last a lifetime. The three levels offer 10%, 15%, and 20% discounts (respectively) on bookings at hundreds of thousands of participating locations. They also include priority service help and free breakfast packages or room upgrades when possible.
I’ve used Booking.com in countless cities and countries for hotels, hostels, and apartments and have been blown away by their service!
Hotels.com
Hotels.com is also one of the best platforms for finding hotels when in doubt! The traveling site also has listings for motels, apartments, and more. The extensive filters and sorting options ensure you’ll find the perfect stay for your trip. Plus, they cover every corner of the world, so you can use the site to plan journeys anywhere you’re headed!
In addition, their membership program is very strong, offering many rewards categories. The most appealing is their deal for all members – stay 10 nights, get one (almost) free. Hotels.com also has reduced rates for members at a large number of properties, offering 10% off at many locations and sometimes more on the mobile app.
As you work your way up through their loyalty program, you’ll earn early check-ins, late check-outs, and more! With its simple user interface and extensive functionalities, it’s no wonder this deserves a spot on this list of travel websites.
Vrbo
Vrbo is one of the best vacation rental sites out there. Like Airbnb, it’s been giving the other travel accommodations sites a run for their money. Though Airbnb seems to get most of the limelight, I prefer Vrbo because it’s often cheaper and their customer service is better than that of Airbnb. Also, unlike conventional booking sites, Vrbo offers unique accommodations, including cabin rentals, lake house rentals, treehouses, and more.
While there are benefits to staying in hotels, Vrbo can dramatically improve your travel experience. The listings are well-vetted, and the traveler site offers excellent protection to its users. While individual hosts may differ, the quality of the site’s communication and policies is exceptional. You can find the perfect stay for any trip and filter by bedrooms, type of stay, price, location, and more. Staying in a Vrbo is truly a great way to really experience the place you are visiting!
Top Traveling Websites for Navigation
Whether you’re planning a trip or currently traveling, navigation is one of the biggest questions you’ll face. We’ve broken down the best travel websites for navigation into two categories:
- Planning before you go
- On the road advice
Rome2rio
As a traveler, Rome2rio is the top recommendation I can offer for travel planners looking to map out their trip. The slogan on the site’s homepage reads: Discover how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry & car – and that’s exactly what you can do.
When you enter in any two places in the world, Rome2rio compiles a long list of ways to get between those points. Their routes include any forms of public transport, driving instructions, car rentals, and predicted trip durations and prices. They even highlight the fastest, cheapest, and most recommended options.
In my experience, Rome2rio doesn’t have much competition. Their routes are helpful, detailed, and accurate. They link to local sites, allowing you to book tickets on any transportation through the individual operating company. The site is also great at planning journeys with multiple legs on various types of transport, surpassing the capabilities of Google Maps.
Rome2rio also partners with other travel websites, such as Booking.com, making it easy to find accommodation wherever you travel. I’ve used this site to plan backpacking trips in Switzerland, check ferry schedules in Italy, and even find long-haul bus routes in Colombia, and highly recommend it!
Google Maps
When people ask me for advice on how to get around various cities, they’re often surprised by my answer: Google Maps. Though seemingly simple, this classic site and travel app is one of the most helpful when navigating foreign cities.
In my experience traveling around Europe, Google Maps has an extremely well-developed grasp on most forms of public transportation. It is most helpful when trying to understand the (frequently confusing) bus and train schedules of European cities.
When in doubt, simply put in your destination. The site (or the mobile app) will give you accurate and up-to-date instructions on which stops to get on/off at, which lines of buses or trains you should be on, and even live updates as to the estimated times and status.
Best Travel Websites for Reviews
Tripadvisor
For years, Tripadvisor has remained at the top of the list for all things reviews. You can’t find a better resource for reviews and ratings of hotels, restaurants, sights, and activities worldwide!
Plus, they’ve added several new features to enhance the user experience. You can now use Tripadvisor to organize your ideas for upcoming trips, book organized activities, and more.
One of the most useful Tripadvisor features is their forums. These spaces allow travelers to ask questions about anything and everything to anyone who might have answers. You can ask your own question, but, likely, it’s already been asked and answered.
If you travel a lot, odds are you’ve ended up here more than once! As such, it’s easy to see why this is among the best travel websites.
Coolest Travel Site for Communication
Whatsapp is one of the most popular and important communication platforms in the world, and a part of daily life for millions. Yet somehow, most Americans seem to have never heard of it.
WhatsApp is a mobile app and also has a desktop version. It works with a phone number of choice and functions exactly like a normal phone. Texts, calls, voice messages, and more are very intuitive. There are two main benefits to using WhatsApp. The first is that it can be used on Wifi without a cellular network, saving you the cost of international fees to your phone provider.
Second, it is connected to an account separate from your SIM card – that means that if your phone number changes, you can still use the same Whatsapp. With so much convenience and ease of use, it’s no wonder this is among the top traveling websites.
Snapchat
This recommendation may seem a bit strange, but hear me out. Snapchat, as a mobile app, is incredibly useful for travel. It can be used with Wifi, which can alleviate phone plan-related headaches, and is generally reliable. It’s also resilient and offers connections in places where other apps may not have service.
Plus, Snapchat is its own organization, meaning that when there are problems with bigger companies, such as Meta, that take down a handful of websites and sites, Snapchat stays strong. The app offers text, video, and audio calls as part of its social media platform.
Last but not least, one of the best parts of using Snapchat while traveling is Snap Maps. The Snapchat app has a built-in mapping system designed to show users where their friends are. Snap Maps is very accurate, with detailed mapping all around the world.
It also works in extremely remote places – my Snap Maps is sometimes able to show my location while in flight over the Atlantic. This is a great app that you may already have, that can be super helpful for communicating with other travelers in your party. It’s truly one of the top vacation websites out there, go figure!
Top Traveling Site for Booking Cruises
CruiseDirect
Looking for a traveling site to book cruises? Cruise Direct is the best website, hands down. It’s super easy to use, with a quick search feature that includes the destination, cruise line, and departure port. In addition, CruiseDirect has a best price guarantee where they’ll match the lowest cruise prices online.
In addition to offering ridiculously cheap rates on cruises around the world, CruiseDirect also offers onboard credits and discounts on shore excursions. This makes it a top travel website amongst cruise-goers.
Cruise Critic
Seeking tips and advice for your next cruise? Check out the travel review site called Cruise Critic. This traveling website features over 150,000 user reviews and tips for saving money on cruises. With its massive user base, the ship ratings and other data are top-notch. The site offers exclusive cruise deals on there as well.
In addition to the helpful forums, you can also book cruises on Cruise Critic using its search engine feature. This makes it a well-rounded cruise site where you can find your dream cruise vacation.
Read next: Guide to Taking a Caribbean Cruise
Best Travel Websites for Car Rentals
Auto Europe
Auto Europe is among the best in the car rental space. It’s been a trusted car rental wholesaler for more than 60 years. Not only does it offer amazing deals on car rentals, but it also services over 24,000 locations worldwide – making it super reliable and convenient. And despite its name, the platform is not just limited to Europe.
Auto Europe is found in 180 countries, including Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America.
If you’re planning to drive overseas, give Auto Europe a shot before any other car rental site. With its great deals and 24/7 customer service, you won’t regret it!
Hertz
There are countless car rental agencies worldwide, ranging from local to international. If you want to rent a car confidently, stick to the biggest international ones. Hertz is always a safe bet and is available in over 160 countries worldwide.
Their customer service is solid across the globe, and the site is easy to use. They also have a loyalty program offering members discounts, upgrades, and more. In addition, it’s known to be one of the most affordable car rental sites on the market.
Coolest Travel Site for Booking Retreats
Retreats are the latest and greatest form of traveling. Here is my go-to website for booking retreats.
BookRetreats
Looking for a cool retreat with yoga, meditation, fitness, or all the above? BookRetreats is the top travel site you’re looking for. This site allows you to filter on different types of wellness retreat experiences, including yoga retreats, spiritual-oriented trips, and so much more. It’s incredibly simple and easy to use, and it has a large catalog of retreats in an online database.
If you’re keen on going on a retreat over a conventional vacation, this trip website has got you covered.
Read also: Coolest Retreat Centers around the World
Top Travel Website for Ridesharing
Uber
The original and iconic rideshare platform, Uber, is one of the most reliable worldwide. Its strong customer service and review features guarantee safe transport to your destination without having to haggle with taxi drivers at the airport. Uber also covers a large portion of the globe, including North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. Plus, it offers many rewards programs to regular users through discounts—additionally through its food delivery service, Uber Eats.
Top Travel Site for Package Deals
Expedia
Expedia is a giant in the online world of travel and probably the most popular site today. That’s for good reason. Expedia is reliable, easy to use, and, most of all, expansive. The site offers flight, hotel, car, and cruise bookings, as well as packages combining any and all of those.
Expedia is one of the best ways to start planning a trip because it can cover all of your needs in one user-friendly setting. It’s also a great option for amateur travelers or those who may not have the time or resources to devote to planning. Their packages, as well as options like cruises, make it easy to reserve an entire journey in just a few clicks. Using Expedia as a one-stop shop can save you time, money, and energy and ensure an excellent trip!
Best Travel Planning Site
TripIt
TripIt allows you to make an itinerary for your trip with everything from flights to dinner reservations. It can be very helpful to see all of your plans on one page, and is always a good way to review your trip! Plus, TripIt can connect to your email inbox. Then it can automatically add reservations using the confirmation emails you get!
TripIt is easy to use, fun, and incredibly rewarding! It also makes sharing travel plans with friends and family easier, whether they’re going with you or staying home and want to check in!
Best Sites for Vacation Packages
In addition to Expedia (shown above) there is another best vacation package website you should know about.
Priceline
If you’re looking for a travel website to help you score great deals on vacation packages, you’re in for a real treat! Allow me to introduce you to Priceline – a website that’s been around since the dawn of the internet and has earned its stripes as one of the best in the business.
Now, you may be wondering what sets Priceline apart from the rest. Well, for starters, this travel site has been around for over two decades. This means they’ve had plenty of time to perfect their craft. Whether you’re looking for a flight, a hotel, a rental car, or even all three bundled together, Priceline has got you covered. But what really makes them stand out from the crowd is their Name Your Own Price feature.
What Makes Priceline the Best Travel Booking Site?
Yes, you read that correctly. Name Your Own Price is Priceline’s unique bidding system that lets you submit a bid for a flight, hotel, or rental car. This feature allows you to potentially save even more money than you would with their regular prices. So if you’re feeling lucky, go ahead and take a chance on naming your own price – you may just end up with a fantastic deal.
Not the gambling type? Priceline still has plenty of other deals to offer. The website’s vacation package deals, particularly, are some of the best in class. They’ve partnered with thousands of hotels, airlines, and car rental companies to create complete vacation packages that include everything you need for a memorable getaway. And the best part? You can customize your package to fit your specific needs and budget.
Another great feature of Priceline is their Express Deals. These are top-rated hotels and flights that have been heavily discounted, but the catch is that you won’t know the name of the hotel or airline until after you’ve booked. Express Deals are a bit of a mystery, but it’s a fun and exciting way to potentially score an amazing deal.
And last but not least, Priceline has a rewards program called Priceline VIP. You can earn points for every purchase you make via this rewards program, which can be redeemed for discounts on future bookings. Members can also access exclusive deals and perks, like free breakfast or late checkout at select hotels. Is this one of the top vacation sites? You bet!
Best Travel Blogs
Looking for travel inspiration and advice? Travel blogs are a great resource for planning trips. So, let’s explore a round-up list of the top travel blogs!
How Should I Book a Trip?
That’s a lot of information about the best travel websites of 2024, and it can be pretty overwhelming. Let’s walk through booking a sample trip together!
For this trip, let’s say we’re looking for a long weekend from Dublin, Ireland. I’ll hop onto Google Flights and see where the best deals are! After filtering by nonstop flights and putting in my price range, we’ll settle on Paris.
Now that we have our destination, we’ll want to book a hotel next. Let’s take a look at Booking.com. I’ll include preferences like high ratings, free wifi, and free cancellation. Now that I’m left with a list of options, I’ll check out the map to pick a place in a good location. Once I’ve settled on one hotel, check out how many options there are to book it!
Is there anything else to worry about? Maybe we don’t know much about Paris. How do we get from the airport to the hotel? For this, we’ll stop at Rome2rio. Enter the hotel name and the airport, and we can choose from seven different routes! As they say in Paris, et voila!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Top Travel Websites
Here are some common questions and answers about the best websites for traveling.
Is There a Traveling Site That Has Been a Total Game Changer for You?
Yes, absolutely! I save thousands of dollars each year by using Going, which has free email alerts on highly discounted fares. When you sign up, you get to choose your preferred airport and some destinations where you want to go. From there, they’ll send you ridiculously inexpensive flights directly to your inbox.
What Is the Cheapest Online Travel Site?
Determining the cheapest online travel site can be a difficult task, as prices can fluctuate depending on many factors, such as the destination, time of year, and availability of flights and accommodations.
However, some popular online travel websites that are known for offering competitive prices and discounts on travel include Expedia, Kayak, Priceline, and CheapOair. It’s always a good idea to compare prices across these best sites for vacation bundles. Consider that additional fees or restrictions may also apply. Also, booking well in advance or being flexible with travel dates can help you find the best deals.
Which Travel Websites Work With PayPal?
Do you prefer to pay with PayPal? Don’t worry! Many of the internet’s best and most popular travel websites accept PayPal. These include Expedia, Hotels.com, Orbitz, and more!
Which Website Is Best for Travel?
Overall, the best website for traveling is Expedia. It’s one of the world’s biggest and most trusted booking sites, covering everything from flights and hotels to cruises and rental cars. Expedia is the world’s leading online travel service, so it’s no surprise that it’s also among the best websites for travel.
How Do I Know if a Travel Site Is Legitimate?
When it comes to an industry as big as travel, one good rule of thumb is to check the sites you’re using. If you don’t know it, don’t use it. When in doubt, stick to the biggest names or the sites here so that you don’t have any worries.
If you do use an unfamiliar site, do a quick internet search to see reviews. And make sure not to give any money to the site itself – just let it direct you to the hotel or airline you’re booking with.
What Is the Most Reliable Travel Booking Site?
The most reliable travel booking site can depend on different factors, such as user reviews, customer service, and the ease of booking. However, some popular travel booking sites that are known for their reliability and customer satisfaction include Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor.
These sites have a large selection of accommodations and flights, with easy-to-use search tools and clear booking processes. Additionally, they offer reliable customer support and frequently update their site with the latest travel information and safety guidelines. Are these the most unique travel websites? 100%!
What Is the Cheapest Travel Site?
Booking.com routinely offers cheaper rates than its competitors, which include Hotels.com, Orbitz, Priceline, Expedia, and Kayak. As such, it’s known as one of the best booking sites for budget travelers.
What Is the Biggest Travel Website?
Based on recent data and market share, Booking.com is currently the biggest travel website in the world. The website was founded in 1996 and has since grown to offer more than 28 million listings of most hotels, apartments, and other types of accommodations in over 228 countries and territories. In addition to lodging options, Booking.com also allows users to book flights, rental cars, and travel packages through partnerships with third-party providers.
Do I Really Need to Use a Travel Site?
The short answer is yes. You can’t really travel without the internet. Everything is planned online, and many services won’t accept walk-in requests (even hostels). Using travel websites to plan your trips is not only better, but often necessary.
What if I Don’t Have Time to Do This Much Research?
Don’t worry—travel is not just for people with tons of free time! These sites make trip planning easier and often cheaper. But there are also tons of other services out there! Travel agencies have now gone virtual, and many people work independently in the industry. See if there’s a travel agent in your neighborhood to plan your next trip for you!
What Is the Best Holiday Booking Site?
The answer here depends on what type of traveling you’re planning to do. If you’re looking for hotels, Booking.com is a top online tool for finding the best accommodation deals. If you’re looking for vacation rentals, VRBO is your best bet. And if you’re interested in sailing on a cruise, then consider Cruise Direct as the best holiday booking site.
Where Is the Best Place to Book Vacation Packages?
to where the best place is. It really depends on what you’re looking for in a vacation and how much you’re willing to spend. If you’re seeking convenience and a wide range of options, popular online travel agencies like Expedia, Booking.com, and Travelocity might be good places to start.
On the other hand, if you prefer a more personalized and curated experience, a boutique travel agency or tour operator may be a better fit. Ultimately, the best place to book vacation bundles is wherever you feel the most comfortable and confident in your choices. So, go ahead and shop around for best online travel websites until you find the perfect match for you!
More On the Top Travel Platforms
Hope you enjoyed reading this round-up of the best trip planning and advice websites in 2024. Whether you’re looking for a traveling website to plan a vacation or you’re looking for a cool travel job, these trip sites are the very best in the business.
For more great travel websites, I recommend reading this guide on how to begin travel blogging. Happy Travels! -Jon
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