Top Sites for Planning Travel
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As someone who juggles a 9–5 and a love for exploring new places, I’ve learnt that planning travel doesn’t have to drain your time or be expensive.
Over the years, I’ve travelled a lot and made more than a few expensive mistakes along the way — from overpaying for flights from when I first went travelling as I wasn’t sure where to go, and to overpaying for tours that have been a let down!
I tend to stick to these travel websites and tools that I trust and return to again and again. They’re reliable, budget-friendly, and help take the stress out of travel planning.
Below are my favourite top sites for planning travel, covering flights, accommodation, tours, and getting around — all based on my own personal experience
Flights
Finding cheap flights is so easy with Skyscanner, it is definitely the most popular site for booking flights. There are a few other ways to get cheap flights through Avios points and checking other sites.
Skyscanner
On my first travelling trip in 2017, I booked everything through a travel agent as I had no clue what I was doing. Now, my go-to for searching for flights is always Skyscanner. It’s great because you can compare multiple airlines and booking sites in one place, check different flight times, and use the “whole month” view, which is perfect if you’re flexible. I’ve found some of my cheapest flights simply by shifting my travel dates by a day or two. For example, I’m travelling to Morocco in February and managed to get return flights for £60 just by comparing dates on Skyscanner.
Trip
Another great website is Trip. I often check Trip.com alongside Skyscanner, especially for European and Asian routes. It sometimes shows slightly cheaper prices or better flight combinations. Last year, I travelled from Sri Lanka to the Maldives and booked the flights on Trip as they were a lot cheaper. I actually had a great experience as my flight got delayed to Maldives in England and I ended up missing my flight to Sri Lanka. I contacted Trip and they changed our flights to the next day free of charge.
Trip also sometimes do £1 flights.
Amex/Avios Points
If you collect Amex points, this can be a great way to reduce flight costs especially if you are travelling long haul. Using Avios points through your British airways credit card, is a great way to get cheap flights. We got flights to Maldives and Argentina by using points and our companion voucher and the flights £150 each return.
I’ve written a full guide on how I use my Amex points for travel, which includes flights, and everyday spending — you can read it here.
Accommodation
I have stayed in hostels, hotels, and homestays in various places across the world. Here are some of my favourite sites for booking affordable travel:
Booking
Booking.com is probably the first option which everyone uses now for booking hotels etc. I love the flexible cancellation options and the loyalty discounts you get over time. It’s ideal if your plans aren’t 100% fixed or if unfortunately something happens last minute which is out of your control. You can also message the business directly if you need to request anything.
Airbnb
I love using Airbnb. I personally think Airbnb’s are great, especially if you’re staying somewhere rural such as the Lake District or in a national park, as you can save money by cooking in the facilities provided. They’re ideal for longer stays or when you want more space and a more homely feel compared to a hotel. I always read recent reviews carefully and double-check the location before booking, as this can make a big difference to your overall experience.
You can also book experiences on Airbnb, which are a great way to do something a little different, support local hosts, and discover activities you might not find elsewhere.
Agoda
I use Agoda occasionally, when I was in Asia and Australia I used it a lot, as sometimes the prices of hotels and hostels would be cheaper on Agoda. It often offers better prices than other platforms. It’s especially good for last-minute bookings.
Hostelworld
When I first started travelling, I stayed in a lot of hostels and Hostel world was always my go-to. It’s ideal for solo travellers looking to save money and meet people, and the reviews are usually very honest, they will confirm whether the hostel is lively or more chill and even if it’s clean which is very important!
Tours & Experiences
GetYourGuide & Viator
When booking tours I would always recommend Get Your Guide or Viator, as people who have previously booked the tours leave reviews.
Both sites are great for booking tours & experiences in advance, and it’s also good for comparing tours quickly. It’s especially useful in popular destinations where activities sell out.
I usually always prefer to use Get Your Guide more, as there tends to be more Europe destinations.
Reddit, researching and reading travel blogs
Looking for honest feedback on tours and places? Before booking any tour, I always read travel blogs and first-hand experiences. Blogs often give honest insight into whether something is worth the money or just tourist hype. You will easily avoid some easily avoidable situations if you research and read reviews on Reddit and blogs.
Getting round
How you get around a destination can have a big impact on both your budget and your experience. Over the years, I’ve used a mix of car hire, public transport, and buses depending on the country, trip length, and how flexible I want to be. Personally I always prefer to have a car as it’s easier to get around, unless you are somewhere transport is easily accessible such as a city.
Where to Book Cars
When hiring a car, I always compare prices and read reviews carefully — cheap deals aren’t worth it if the company is unreliable or adds hidden charges.
Kayak
Kayak is usually a reliable site, as you can compare different companies and it takes you directly through to the provider’s website, while also showing company ratings for each booking option.
Discover Cars
Discover Cars is another great website when booking car hire. It compares prices across multiple rental companies and often includes free cancellation and clear insurance options. I’ve found it especially useful in Europe, where prices can vary a lot between providers.
Rentalcars.com
Rentalcars.com is another site I regularly check. I like that it’s backed by Booking.com, and the reviews help set expectations before booking.
Check local rental places
If you have no luck with the above companies. Sometimes it’s good to check local car rental places as they can be better than the bigger companies. We struggled to rent a car in Madeira and ended up finding an independent company which was 4.9 on Google and such a good company.
Tip:
I always take photos and videos of the car at pickup and drop-off — it’s saved me from disputes before!
Always read the reviews of the car company as well, to make sure you avoid tricky situations.
Buses & Public Transport
For budget travel, buses and trains are often the cheapest and easiest way to get around, especially in Europe and parts of Asia.
FlixBus
FlixBus is my go-to for long-distance bus travel in Europe. It’s affordable, routes are extensive, and you can often find great deals if you book in advance.
Omio
I tend to not use Omio but it’s good to compare buses, trains, and sometimes flights in one place. It’s particularly handy when planning routes between cities and deciding which option makes the most sense for time and cost.
Trainline
Trainline is mainly UK based but is great for checking train times and prices in other European countries.
Local transport apps
Once I arrive, I usually use Google Maps for real-time directions. In most cities, this is the easiest way to navigate buses, trams, and metro systems.
Google maps is great as it will usually tell you what time the next tram, buses and how long it takes you to walk to the station or stops. Also, it will tell you if transport has delays.
Cashback – Saving Money through Booking your travels
Cashback is a great way to get a few pennies back on your travels! When travelling, small costs can quickly add up. Sometimes a price looks reasonable at first, but once you start digging you find extra costs — trust me, I’ve been there. You book flights and accommodation and then completely forget about things like transfers. Cashback sites are an easy way to save money without any extra effort. Here are the two I use occasionally:
Top cashback
I always check TopCashback before booking flights, accommodation, insurance and even items for buying for a trip such as toiletries and clothes. It only takes a minute and I’ve earned back a surprising amount over time. Top Cashback
Quidco
Similar to Top Cashback, Quidco is another site worth checking. Sometimes one offers higher cashback than the other, so it’s worth comparing both.