4 Things to Watch Out For when Booking

Holidays Online
By Joanne Poh | MoneySmart Tue, Jun 9, 2015 12:00 AM SGT

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4 Things to Watch Out For when Booking Holidays Online

My friends parents used to run their own travel agency. Once, as teenagers, in the days before
budget airlines, we went on a trip to Bangkok. Flights and accommodation for a 3D2N stay
cost us $400 each which is mad expensive.
These days, unless the furthest youve travelled is JB, its common knowledge that a weekend
getaway to Bangkok can be super cheap if you do your own research online, fly budget airlines
and book your own hotel through sites like Agoda. Heck, I recently spent an entire month in
Thailand for under $700 thanks to the wonders of the internet.
If youre from that breed of generally older people who are used to just calling up a travel
agency and having them arrange a holiday package, youre probably used to the luxury of
knowing that your entire trip from start to finish is included in the price. The only thing you
need to do is get to the airport on time, and then everything runs like clockwork. Not so if you
do everything independently on the Internet. Heres what to look out for.

Baggage weight
Gone are the days when you could check in baggage for free on budget airlines. Today, the
cheap prices their websites boast usually do not include baggage fees. For instance, Tiger
Airways charges a minimum of $25 one way to check in baggage, which means to check in
your luggage there and back youll be paying a whopping $50.
Solution: Always make sure your bags are small enough to bring onto the plane as carry-on
luggage. This is generally around 54cm x 38cm 23 cm on most airlines, and youre usually
allowed two pieces with a combined weight of not more than 10kg.
A small roller suitcase can pass off as cabin baggage, as can most backpacks or gym bags. If
youre carrying a backpack you might want to make sure its not super tall though. I have never
once been asked to weigh my cabin luggage so I wouldnt worry too much about that if I were
you.

Insurance
Many travel agencies will allow you to book travel insurance through them when you sign up
for a package, but if youre doing everything on your own, you will have to settle your own
insurance. Budget airlines will allow you to opt for their travel insurance packages when you
purchase your ticket. Great, how convenient right?
Every time I book air tickets on behalf of friends, they almost always choose to buy the budget
airlines insurance. Obviously they havent read this article elsewhere on MoneySmart about
why its not a good idea to buy travel insurance from airlines.
Solution: The easiest way to handle travel insurance is to compare all the available plans using
MoneySmarts Travel Insurance Wizard so you know what plan to get each time you travel.

Hotel charges
If youre booking mid-range to high-end hotel rooms, its almost always cheaper to do so
through third party sites like Agoda and Booking, than to book directly with the hotel itself. On
the downside, doing so might mean you forfeit perks like free wifi, breakfast and hotel
transfers.
Solution: To avoid disappointment, make sure you read the listing carefully to make sure
whatever is essential to you is included in the booking. For instance, I absolutely need wifi,
especially when Im working on the road, so when I make bookings on Agoda I always make
sure the listing indicates theres free wifi. I also read the customer reviews to see if there are
any comments on the wifi signal. If youre staying in the middle of nowhere, paying a bit more
to get breakfast might be a good idea.

Credit card deals

Credit cards roll out so many deals its impossible to keep track. While some deals are totally
irrelevant, like free Ferrari servicing (to me anyway and I daresay most of you), travel deals are
usually quite generous. Seriously, there are so many deals that I never go on holiday without
using at least one or two of them.
For instance, POSB and DBS credit cards currently get you 5% off hotel reservations on Agoda
(down from a cool 10% during this years Chinese New Year period, for those who missed
out).
Solution: Before you make a booking, check if your existing credit cards are running any
promotions on airlines or hotel booking sites. Also know which are your go-to credit cards for
cash rebates on online bookings, air miles and travel or overseas currency expenditure. Use the
MoneySmart Credit Card Wizard if you dont know which card to use.
Have you ever unwittingly wasted money when booking a holiday online? Share your
experiences in the comments!

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