Saving on Flights with Orbitz
For over 20 years Orbitz has been a leading online travel agency that helped millions of travelers book their dream vacation at the best price possible. The company has earned the reputation of the trusted source to book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and vacation packages. Even though there is a big competition in the travel industry Orbitz managed to retain its leading position and has built a vast customer base due to their award winning customer service as well as fair and reasonable price policy.
Orbitz uses various strategies to keep their customers loyal. From their Rewards Program to an array of deals on booking services Orbitz is the best online destination for all your booking needs.
I’m a frequent flier and regularly book flights + accommodation for my business and leisure trips. As an experienced user of Orbitz search engine and a Rewards Program member I would like to share some insider tips on how to find the best deal at Orbitz. I can say with confidence that it’s not enough just to visit Orbitz. There are some tricks you need to know to get the cheapest price. Let’s look into the best ways to save money when you book at Orbirz.
Orbitz Advantages:
- You can see the cost of flight upgrade before you pay so it’s easy to change your mind and add a few dollars for more comfort.
- Join Rewards Program to earn Orbucks that you can redeem on hotels. Rewards Program members have access to cheaper hotel rates and other savings. It’s important to know that you will earn Orbucks when you book flights, hotels, packages and activities but you can redeem them on hotels only. 1 Orbuck equals $1 off your hotel rate. When you book many trips at Orbitz, you will become Silver, Gold, or Platinum Rewards member, and this will unlock additional perks and upgrades. Everybody who joins the program gets Silver, then after 4-night stay at a hotel booked through Orbitz receives Gold, and after 12 nights obtains Platinum status. The higher the status the more perks and upgrades you will get.
- Make sure you check cancellation policy about every flight.
- Baggage fees can add a lot to the cost of flight and Orbitz makes it easy to figure out those fees for every flight, including budget airlines.
- Book at Orbitz not only your flight but also hotel and car rental to save the most.
- When you book the flight you will be informed about the travel time and amenities available on board the aircraft.
- With Insider Prices you will be able to save from 10% to 50% on select hotels.
- If you joined Orbitz Rewards Program make a step further and receive Orbitz Visa credit card so you could get up to 9% cash back when you book your trip. You will save the most if you book through Orbitz app and pay with their credit card. When you open an Orbitz Rewards Visa Credit Card you will earn a $100 statement credit for your booking of $1500 during the first 90 days of account opening!
- Download Orbitz app and use it to book your travel to get bigger discounts and have access to exclusive deals. You will earn more Orbucks with the app and it’s much easier to manage your trip.
Orbitz Disadvantages:
- If you are flexible with dates seeing the prices can be a problem. In fact, Orbitz shows prices for only +- one day within selected dates.
- If your itinerary involves flying to cities in multiple countries, Orbitz might fail to help you with planning such a complicated route.
- Orbitz search engine tends to show limited results, so you just won’t be able to see your cheapest flight there.
- Their website doesn’t feature map option that would enable you to search for the cheapest airfare in the entire region for your destination.
- You are not allowed to book directly with an airline when you search through Orbitz.
In general, I must say that booking your travel through Orbitz is extremely easy. When you get to the home page you need to select only flights or add hotel or car rental to your search. Then specify whether it is going to be one-way or round-trip, or multiple cities. Make sure you add the number of travelers (if you are traveling with kids include their age), choose origin and destination airports, and don’t forget to provide the dates of your travel. If you are flexible with dates your chances of getting the best price possible are much higher.
Providing you have some specific requirements, click Advanced Options and select non-stop or one-stop flight, preferred airline, refundable option, and class. If you are booking a budget airline make sure you take into account the cost of the luggage before you make a final decision to book the tickets.
When the search is over you will see the results presented from the cheapest flight and up. You will see the following information: the name of the airline and flight number, the time and duration of the flight, the number of stops, the price, and amenities provided. The price will show the total for one person for a round trip, taxes, and fees. Luggage fee might not be included.
After you select the departing flight then check the next page with information about the return flight. After choosing this leg of your trip, Orbitz will show the entire itinerary for you to check before you pay for it. Make sure you read all the information carefully and check for errors. Then choose upgrades if they are available.
The next step is to provide your personal information and seat request. There is also a section about extra fees, such as insurance, and Price Match Promise. Orbitz will also charge you a booking fee.
Most airlines allow passengers to cancel their flights up to 24 hours before the flight, if booked directly with the airline. Orbitz uses airlines’ policies for cancellation and customers will either get their money back or credit issued if they cancel before 24 hours. If you cancel later the fees will be very high.
For me Orbitz is a great and reliable tool for all by travel needs. It allows me to find affordable airline tickets, plus I can spend my Orbucks to save on hotels which is nice. There are so many deals available that everyone is sure to find the perfect ticket to your destination within your budget limits. That is why I stay loyal to Orbitz and recommend it to all my friends.