Travel deals run a huge gamut, ranging from low-value jargony nonsense to bucket-list-caliber offers.
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Unfortunately, you’ll run into more confusing, basic deals than high-substance offers. And they only seem to multiply each year as booking platforms proliferate and travel costs skyrocket. In other words, more travelers are in need of a deal than ever before… which coincides with them being harder to spot than ever before.
Here’s my opinion: You’ll save more money, time, and energy booking direct on flights, hotels, rentals, and more. While you can and should look for travel deals that let you save, you need to take other offers with a grain of salt.
These are some of the most popular travel deals that aren’t worth it—and could actually throw a wrench into your trip.
Just a few notes: Remember to keep these factors in mind during sales season, like Black Friday and New Year’s. Travel deals come in spades during that time. Lastly, don’t write off these travel deals across the board—instead, I’m encouraging you to take a closer look when things seem too good to be true.
Travel deals that aren’t worth it—here’s what to look for
The deal: Romance add-ons
The truth: You might be paying an arm and a leg for a very basic romance setup that includes a few rose petals (which might not be real) and an overpriced bottle of bubbly.
What to do: Look for romance packages that come with multiple perks, like spa treatments and romantic dinners. But don’t buck up hundreds if it’s just flowers and wine on the table. And remember that hotel staff is (usually) more than willing to help you set up a surprise for your partner, meaning you can put together a room of rose petals with a little help from staff, assuming you bring the flowers.
The deal: Discounts based on percentages
The truth: Dynamic pricing is here to stay, meaning the prices that you see for flights, hotels, and more change based on a variety of factors. In other words, a percentage discount doesn’t mean anything if the price isn’t fixed. These are some of the most common travel deals that aren’t worth it.
What to do: If you’re intrigued by a 30% discount on a vacation bundle, for example, do a little price comparison before signing up for the deal. Do a mockup to see what the flights and hotels would cost when not bundled together with a 30% discount—you might be surprised by what you find.
The deal: Package deal bundles
The truth: Package deal bundles come with tons of fine print, locking you into dates and other unchangeable factors. Support is also nonexistent for these types of bookings, in most cases. If you have an issue with a car rental, hotel, etc, you might be on your own. Plus, savings might be modest, at best.
What to do: Booking package deal bundles is usually about convenience and savings. You hit ‘buy’ once, then the trip is sorted. I have a few tips if you like to go this route. First, avoid car rental bundles—they tend to get complicated and pricey due to insurance. Second, book these trips at the last minute—there are fewer opportunities for changes to come up. Third, have all your trip details written down before you leave—from confirmation numbers to support numbers to a few backup plans.
The deal: Large-group tours
The truth: These tours tend to under-deliver when it comes to experience, and could even be generating problems at your destination due to their large sizes.
What to do: If a tour is important to you, book a private or small-group tour. Not only do you guarantee a more memorable, personable experience, but you also show a little more love to your destination. Large-group tours create foot traffic and car traffic, while also clogging restaurants, museums, and more.
The deal: Bargain airfare
The truth: Third-party booking platforms might advertise discounted prices that are cheaper than booking directly, but you’ll end up paying the same amount thanks to add-ons and fees—from both the airline and the booking platform. Worse, you have to work with the OTA’s customer support if things go wrong.
What to do: Book airfare directly with an airline. I also recommend choosing an airline reward program for longer international flights. If you fly domestic often, choose an airline as your domestic preference. That way, you can start accruing miles without paying the same amount to deal with a booking site.
The deal: Booking sites offering steep discounts
The truth: Again, percentage discounts don’t mean much when pricing is dynamic and liable to change at any time. On top of that, booking sites that offer steep discounts tend to come with service fees and other charges that add up. In other words, the final price might not be that much lower than booking direct.
What to do: I recommend doing a price comparison to see if what you’re booking on an OTA is actually cheaper than making multiple bookings at the same time. Also, I recommend using booking sites that are more specialized. For example, Whimstay lets you book unreserved Airbnbs and Vrbos. Simple, straightforward, and easier to vet.
The deal: All-inclusive resorts with many tiers
The truth: All-inclusive resorts are a fantastic way to travel… but they tend to come with a lot of fine print. If you see an all-inclusive resort offer that has more than a few tiers, think again. You don’t want to wonder what is and isn’t included on the resort. And you definitely don’t want to realize that your tier doesn’t include meals, drinks, or other must-haves.
What to do: Look closely at each tier available, then double-check what you’ve found by searching the reviews. Remember: You can search review sections for specific words using the search bar. I would be very specific with my searches: levels, tiers, scams, best, value, etc. Use direct language to get to those strongly worded reviews.
