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Travel search engines can save you a lot of money, and they will definitely save you time. However, it depends on exactly what they search. Many people don’t realize there is a difference between travel search engines and travel booking sites.

The Difference Between Search Engines and Booking Sites

Travel booking sites are often an extension of an established travel agency. The booking site does more business, so it has become the core of the company. Travel search engines are relatively new. Some successful ones are less than 10 years old. They are actual search engines like Bing or Google and use spiders to visit websites of travel agencies, airlines, car rental companies, hotels and other travel-related information.

Unlike travel booking sites, travel search engines don’t sell you anything. They give you a list of prices from the companies they have searched. When you find something you want, they will send you to that merchant to make your purchase. Travel booking sites have partnerships with airlines, hotels and car rental companies and they will sell you only those products. If you like what you see, you buy from them. These sites usually negotiate discounts with their partners and pass those savings along to their customers.

The Benefits of Travel Search Engines

Travel search engines claim to save you money because they are unbiased, have no partners and are not selling anything. They also often search a much wider range of merchants, so you have a better chance at finding a low price. Based on your search criteria, they’ll give you a consolidated picture of what’s available. They do this in just a few seconds, so you don’t need to search several single booking sites.

They will also highlight the cheapest options, which is why they claim to save you money. This may be true, but it also may not be complete. If they search only a few airline fare database, they might present a good fare, but it may not be the cheapest out there. For example, sometimes airlines may not put special offers on the database. In this case, the search engine will not see them.

Because of this limiting possibility, some travel search engines have widened their search area and started using their own technology to find more suppliers and fares. They have robots that search specific sites the same way you would. This gives them an increased chance to visit small providers as well as the big international travel providers and find special deals.

As travel search engines become bigger and bigger, they will become more popular because you’ll get a better picture of what is available at any given time. Travelers will be more confident to make a booking because they have seen all the options.

You can search all the travel sites yourself and possibly find a cheaper ticket. The question is, do you have the time to spend searching and is the price difference worth the effort? And, after all this effort, you may not find a cheaper ticket.

Tips for Using Travel Search Engines

Before purchasing a ticket, use several search engines to get a comparison of prices. This won’t take long. Compare like to like. Your price must include taxes, surcharges or fees. Once all the fees are added to a discounted ticket, it may not be much different from a non-discounted ticket.

You should also keep in mind the regular travel tips for finding a cheap ticket such as:

• When you book the flight

• What days you travel

• How long you stay at the destination

• Is there a cheaper ticket from a different airport

Travel booking sites offer customer service that search engines don’t have. This can be a bonus when you are looking for cheap flights because they can negotiate with their partners. Whichever way you purchase your travel tickets or book your hotel room, the key to lower prices is comparison.