Expedia.com: Convenient Personal and Business Travel Bargains
Written: May 31 '02 (Updated May 31 '02)
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Expedia.com is my favorite web site for booking both personal and business travel. Over the last couple of years, Expedia has become more competitive with prices and added features that I haven't found anywhere else online.
Finding the perfect flight
Finding the flight that will meet your needs is easy. Click on the "flights" tab. Although the page will have a heading of "Roundtrip Search," you select if you want a roundtrip, one-way or multiple destinations. Specify where you will be leaving from and arriving to as a city or airport code and the dates you will be departing and returning. Specify your desired flight times by hour, morning, noon, evening or anytime. Expedia offers you the opportunity to choose hotel and car in addition to your flight if you need it. Specify how many adults, children and seniors will be flying. You can choose a preferred airline and class, and non-stop flights, avoiding change penalties and no advance purchase restriction. Finally, click the Submit Now link.
Expedia returns a list of departing flights. You can sort by lowest price, shortest flight (as the commercials advertise), departure time and arrival time. Each listing shows the equivalent roundtrip price. This is the one feature that I don't like. I would rather have the individual flight price listed. The listing also tells you the date, time, length, airline, flight(s) and connection(s).
Pricing
After selecting choose and continue for both your departing and arriving flights, Expedia shows the complete details of your flights, including the plane type and on time rating if available. You may be offered package options including hotel. If you have a coupon, you enter it on this screen and reprice. The rules and restrictions that apply to the fare are displayed. Read them carefully! Finally, you can choose and continue to more options, purchase immediately, save the itinerary or cancel.
Recently, Expedia.com has added Expedia Bargain Fares that compete with sites like Hotwire.com and Priceline.com. These fares are sharply discounted, but you don't know what time you'll be traveling or which airline you'll be traveling on and the tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable. Also, you only have one hour to choose the fare. This can be a good choice if you want to save a significant amount of money and are flexible with your travel times. I have used this feature arranging travel for my mother and had no problems with the arrangements.
Completing the sale
Next you select the traveler(s) and traveler preferences, including seat type, smoking preference, special assistance needs, frequent flyer info and emergency contact information. You can also use the Seat Pinpointer to select seats.
On the billing screen, you complete the purchase. Expedia pushes the American Express card, but you can also use Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Carte Blanche and Diners Club credit cards. If e-ticketing is not available or you prefer them, paper tickets add an additional $14.99 for express delivery within two business days. You must verify your email address. You may specify the purpose of your trip and business or pleasure. From the billing screen, you must either purchase or cancel the itinerary.
Features
My favorite feature at Expedia is the ability to be a Travel Arranger. Through email certification, you can arrange trips using other people's accounts. I find it very convenient to arrange travel for my mom through her account using her credit card, rather than arranging it through my account and having her pay me back later.
I also like how Expedia displays itineraries. It is clear and easy to read. Also, it is very easy to email myself and my husband copies of travel arrangements I have made for his consulting or our personal travel. You have the choice of text or html, with or without an appointment.
Customer Service
I have always been very pleased with Expedia Customer Service. You can get help by email, or call toll-free 1-800-EXPEDIA or long distance 404-728-8787. Once my husband gave me the wrong date of travel for a conference across the country. I called Expedia an hour after I had purchased the tickets and they canceled the entire transaction so that I could redo the reservation. Although there are several menus to get through, I usually get a person within five minutes of calling the customer service toll-free phone number and the representatives have always been efficient and courteous.
Bottom Line
Although I occasionally purchase from other travel services when they offer lower prices, Expedia.com is my favorite online travel service and generally offers very competitive prices on both coach and bargain fares.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Janine White
Location: Chandler, AZ
Reviews written: 195
Trusted by: 142 members
About Me: Criminologist turned Software Engineer
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