Save money by booking your holiday online

Booking a holiday? The web can be the cheapest way to find the best deal as you get to shop all over the globe. If, that is, you have the knowhow to navigate the internet’s changing face.

The travel industry was one of the first to embrace the potential of the web, as airlines and hotels leapt at the chance to slash administration costs and ensure that hotel rooms and airline seats were filled.

For proof of the wholesale success of the travel industry’s move online, you need only to survey the forlorn state of today’s high-street travel agencies. Take a look at the screamy package offers (often poor value compared with web price points); an attempt to drum up custom among the dwindling number of travellers unwilling to go online.

Yet, even for the tech savvy, it can often seem like a jungle out there. Sharpen your hunting prowess with our guide to the best worldwide ways to travel.

Short-haul flights
This is the area in which it really pays to book online, with many of the budget providers financially penalising those who book by phone. Budget airline Ryanair charges 10p a minute, with Easyjet coming in at a cool 65p a minute and Flybe and Thomsonfly plumping for a flat £5 fee for phone bookings, none of which is great news for your wallet.

To bag the best online rate for your destination, check out flight route comparison site Flightmapping.com, and search the websites for all providers offering the route. The new Flycheapo.com does something similar, with click-throughs to sites for booking. Or try a price comparison site, such as Skyscanner and the recently launched Momondo.

Long-haul flights
Trickier to wade through are the long-haul flights, but Cheap Flights should tip you towards the cheapest fare. Travelocity has a search option that will tell you which carrier offers the best fare, the snag being that it’s only available on the US section of the site, so you’ll have to pay in dollars.

If you’re flying to a larger international hub, such as Bangkok or Chicago, opt first for consolidators such as Trailfinders, Travelbag and Expedia.co.uk. The consolidator drives down the price, because they buy seats in bulk.

Small programs that sit on your Desktop can keep you informed of the best rates, without clogging your inbox. Try Expedia.com’s Fare Alert Tool.