The best travel deals just got better

Orbitz.com Screen Shot for "Total Price"

 When times are tough, companies take notice. Primarily because of the effect in which the economy woes have on them. Some of them are starting to implement great new features to make your travels, easier and more affordable than ever before.

Take Orbitz.com for example. They have made some real great moves in the direction that we as travelers want to see, bringing to the foreground their two new features: "Hotel Fees Cut" and "Total Pricing".

As you may already know, Orbitz and CheapTickets recently dropped their flight booking fees. In addition to that, Orbitz launched the “Hotel Fee Cut” promotion, drastically cutting booking fees on all of its hotels around the world for rooms booked by July 15.  Of course, lower booking fees mean a lower Total Price.  In fact, Orbitz’ CEO is daring consumers to compare: “We dare consumers to compare the Orbitz Total Price before booking their hotel anywhere else.”

"Hotel Fees Cut" brings down the prices by eliminating those pesky booking fees, leaving more of your money in your pocket! Now you can book an affordable summer vacation with confidence! It’s their biggest hotel sale ever - thousands of hotels on sale in over 500 destinations. You’ll save at least 30%  - plus other bonus offers like resort credits, free nights, free breakfast, kids stay free and more. All you have to do is book your trip by May 31, 2009. See individual hotels for details on any minimum night stay or travel date restrictions that may apply.

Total pricing gives you a comprehensive look at what the actual total cost of your booking will be. Have you ever been like me, searching for the best hotel rates, only to find that your hotel price does not include taxes or fees? Pretty soon that $100 a night is more than $130 a night and no longer so attractive. Total pricing takes the guess work out of the equation, showing you all of the taxes and fees (which fees no longer apply on Orbitz.com with their Hotel Fees Cut plan) upfront in a comprehensive layout that makes booking your hotel more exciting, and more affordable than ever before.

Another invaluable feature, Orbitz.com offers a "Price Assurance" program that allows you to track fares, if your fares go down, you are able to obtain an automatic partial refund on your already paid for tickets. Yes, you read that right, an automatic refund. No tracking, no emailing or calling, just quick, simple, do nothing to get something, honest to goodness automatic refunds. If you didn't book with Orbitz.com you can still participate in Fare tracking. Yapta.com will also help you track your fares and help you to obtain a refund if your fares should go down.

Want more information on fare tracking? Click here for a comprehensive outlook on how to use fare tracking and yapta.com in order to take advantage of savings, as well as too see how frugal you were when you booked if the prices should happen to go up instead of down. 

In my opinion:

• Have I used Orbitz.com? Yes. I found the site easy to navigate, comprehensive, user friendly pages, not to mention competitive and attractive pricing.
• Have I booked with Orbitz.com? Yes. I was completly satisfied with their customer service, their registration and booking process, and of course their lowest (based on comparisson to other web sites) prices.
• Would I book with Orbitz.com again? Absolutely! With their "Price Assurance" program, their new "Total Price" program, and their new "Hotel Fes Cut" promotion, I will never hesitate to look at what they have to offer me for my travels. 

Special Thanks To Cristina Martinez, contact representative for online travel agency Orbitz.com for her wonderful assistance in promptly gathering  and relaying the information for this article. 

Where ever you go, I wish you happy, safe and affordable travels.