Where to Find Travel Deals: A Directory of Sites, Alerts and Discount Cards

Travel deals come from a handful of kinds of source. There are search sites with price alerts, deal newsletters, member rates, rail and discount cards, and city passes. This page lists each one: what it is, how it works, what to watch for, and its own link.

It gives no prices and ranks nothing. A site being listed here is not a recommendation.

01At a glance

Kind of source	Examples on this page	How it works	Watch out for
Flight search sites	Google Flights, Skyscanner, KAYAK, momondo	Compare many sellers; email price alerts	Calendar prices are estimates; the seller sets the rules
Separate-ticket bookings	Kiwi.com, and self-transfer results on search sites	Joins flights sold as separate tickets	If one flight is disrupted, the other airline need not rebook you
Deal newsletters	Going, Jack’s Flight Club, Thrifty Traveler, Dollar Flight Club, Secret Flying	Send fare alerts; Going, Thrifty Traveler and Secret Flying say you book elsewhere	Deals can sell out fast; error fares may not be honoured
Hotel member rates and hotel search	Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Booking.com Genius, Expedia One Key; Google Hotels	Free programmes with member prices; Google Hotels compares prices	Some discounts apply before taxes and fees; ads can sit at the top
Other stays	Airbnb, Hostelling International, Hostelworld, HomeExchange, Nomador	Platforms, memberships and home swaps	Book and pay only through the platform
Trains, buses and ferries	Interrail, Railcards, BahnCard, Amtrak, Trainline, Omio, Flix, Ferryhopper, Seat61	Passes, discount cards and booking sites	Residency rules and seat-reservation fees
Car hire	DiscoverCars, and the search sites above	Compares rental firms	The terms and what the insurance covers
Discount cards	ISIC, IYTC, ITIC, European Youth Card	Cards with partner discounts	What each partner offers where you are
City cards and passes	Vienna City Card, Berlin WelcomeCard, CityPASS, America the Beautiful	Transport, entry or both, for a set time	The clock, and who may buy which pass

Our reading, drawn from the sources below.

021. Flight search sites and price alerts

These sites search many airlines and travel agents at once. You usually book on the seller’s own site.

Google Flights

• Google’s flight search, at google.com/travel/flights.
• Google says it compares offers from over 300 travel partners, and that results may not reflect all available offers. It also says partners don’t pay to appear in the list.
• You can track a route or dates and get an email when the price changes significantly.
• Watch for: the option that puts low prices first can add trips where you move your own bags between flights. Some also change airports in the same city. A bags filter can show prices that include checked or carry-on bags.

A beta feature called AI-powered Flight Deals badges a flight whose price is at least 20% below the typical price for that route. Google defines “typical” as the median of the lowest prices found for that route over the past 12 months. It takes into account factors such as the time of year, trip length and cabin class.

Skyscanner

• A travel search site for flights, hotels and car hire, at skyscanner.net.
• Skyscanner says it is free to search and that it searches over 1,200 travel providers. When it refers you to book, the provider pays it “a small fee”.
• It can search a whole month or year for flexible dates, and its “Everywhere” search lists destinations by price from your airport. Price alerts need a Skyscanner account.
• Watch for: calendar prices are “indicative”, based on other travellers’ recent searches rather than live prices.

KAYAK

• A travel search engine for flights, hotels, rental cars and holiday packages, at kayak.com. KAYAK says it is owned by Booking Holdings, which bought it in 2013.
• When you click through to a partner and book, KAYAK says it may earn a commission from that partner.
• It offers price alerts once you sign in, and an Explore view of prices other users found in the last 48 hours.
• Watch for: KAYAK’s Price Forecast is a prediction, and KAYAK says it can’t guarantee it will be correct. Its help pages give the forecast window two ways: seven days on its pricing page and 30 days on its About page.
• momondo, founded in 2006 and based in Copenhagen, says it is managed by KAYAK. Link: momondo.com.

032. Separate-ticket bookings

Some low prices come from joining flights that are sold as separate tickets. Search sites name these in different ways. Google calls them “Separate tickets booked together”. Skyscanner shows “Self-transfer” and “Mash-Ups”. KAYAK offers “Hacker Fares”: two separate one-way tickets, often from different airlines.

Google says such trips generally mean collecting and rechecking your bags, and checking in to each flight separately. Skyscanner says that if one flight is delayed, you may miss the next and have to buy another ticket. Skyscanner adds that you might need to pass through security, immigration or passport control during the connection, so you may need a visa. KAYAK says that if one flight is cancelled or changed, the other airline isn’t obliged to accommodate you on the other ticket.

Kiwi.com

• A booking site that joins separate flights into one trip, at kiwi.com.
• It offers an optional Kiwi.com Guarantee that includes automatic check-in, chat support and “Disruption Protection”.
• Watch for: Kiwi.com says that on these trips, carriers are not obliged to provide replacement flights if their disruptions mean you won’t make your next flight. Under the Guarantee, help may come as Kiwi.com Credit for a new flight, or help applying for a refund from the airline.

043. Deal newsletters and error fares

These services watch fares and send you alerts when they spot a deal. Going, Thrifty Traveler and Secret Flying say you then book elsewhere, with the airline, a hotel or a booking partner. Each one below has a free tier or free sign-up, plus paid tiers.

Going

• Going says it is not a travel agency, flight search engine or booking site. It sends alerts for deals from the US airports you choose.
• It has three tiers, Limited, Premium and Elite, and Limited is free. Its Premium tier includes mistake fares. Link: going.com.

Jack’s Flight Club

• Jack’s Flight Club calls itself “a community of curious travelers”. It runs regional versions for Europe, the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada.
• Its free tier is “Standby”, and its paid tiers add error fares and weekend trips. Link: jacksflightclub.com.

Thrifty Traveler Premium

• Thrifty Traveler says it finds deals departing from 200+ US and Canadian cities. It says you book directly with the airline or hotel.
• Watch for: on its free tier, deal alerts arrive 24 hours later. Link: thriftytraveler.com.

Dollar Flight Club

• Dollar Flight Club sends email and SMS alerts for flights leaving your home airport. Sign-up is free, and it also offers premium plans. Link: dollarflightclub.com.

Secret Flying

• Secret Flying says it is not a travel agency: it tells you when a low-priced flight exists and sends you to a booking partner. It does not issue tickets.
• Watch for: it says deals often last a limited time and can sell out quickly. Link: secretflying.com.

A note on error fares

Going describes mistake fares, also called error fares, as tickets an airline or online travel agency sells for significantly less than intended. Going says that when one is not honoured, you are often offered the intended price. It recommends waiting a week or two before making non-refundable plans.

We could not open the official US policy document on mistaken fares, so this page does not say what the rules are.

054. Hotel member rates and booking sites

Hotel chains and booking sites run free programmes.

Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors

• Marriott says its Bonvoy programme is free to join and offers member rates and points toward free nights. Link: marriott.com.
• Hilton says Hilton Honors is free to join and gives members their own rate when they book on Hilton.com or its app. Link: hilton.com.
• Watch for: our reading is that a member rate applies on the chain’s own site or app, with terms attached. Read the terms before you book.

Booking.com Genius

• Booking.com says a free account unlocks Genius discounts on select stays and rental cars.
• Booking.com says the provider pays it a commission, and that commission can affect how a property ranks. It says an “Ad” badge means the property paid to appear there, and a thumbs-up badge marks a Preferred Partner that pays it a higher commission.
• Watch for: its Genius discounts are applied to the price before taxes and fees. Link: booking.com/genius.

Expedia One Key

• Expedia calls One Key its free travel rewards programme.
• Watch for: its member-price savings exclude taxes and fees, and OneKeyCash can only be used on Expedia and participating brands. Link: expedia.com.

Google Hotels

• Google says hotels don’t pay to appear in its results and can’t pay to change their ranking.
• It marks a price as a “Deal” or “Great deal” when the hotel is priced below its normal rate or below similar hotels nearby.
• Watch for: paid ads can sit at the top, marked with an “Ad” badge. Results may also be personalised to your recent searches.

065. Hostels, rentals, home swaps and house-sitting

Airbnb

• A platform for booking stays, at airbnb.com.
• Watch for: Airbnb says it is against its policy for hosts to ask you to take your booking off Airbnb, or to talk outside the platform before you book. If you pay outside Airbnb, it says you lose its AirCover protection. It also warns that paying by wire or bank transfer may mean a fraudulent reservation.

Hostelling International

• Hostelling International describes itself as a not-for-profit network. Its membership gives member pricing or discounts across participating HI hostels worldwide. Link: hihostels.com.

Hostelworld

• A booking site for hostels around the world, at hostelworld.com. It says flexible booking and free cancellation options are available. Our reading: check which apply to each booking.

HomeExchange

• It offers two kinds of exchange, GuestPoints and reciprocal. With GuestPoints, you host members at your home and use the points you earn to stay in other members’ homes.
• It charges an annual membership fee. If a host cancels, HomeExchange says it will find another place or cover your accommodation costs, with terms and conditions. Link: homeexchange.com.

Nomador

• A house-sitting and pet-sitting platform: owners welcome sitters into their home, who look after the pets in exchange for a place to stay. Link: nomador.com.
• Watch for: our reading is that you are staying in a stranger’s home with their animals, so read its trust and safety pages first.

076. Trains, buses and ferries

Interrail

• The company that sells Interrail passes is Interrail B.V. in Utrecht, Netherlands, called Eurail B.V. until 1 May 2026. Its Global Pass covers train travel in 33 countries, and a One Country Pass covers a single country.
• Watch for: seat reservations cost extra, and trams, buses, metros and rental bikes are not covered. If you live in a pass country, you can use it there only on two travel days, for leaving and coming back. Which passes you can buy depends on your country of residence, which you set on the site. Link: interrail.com.

Railcards (Great Britain)

• Railcards are discount cards for train tickets in England, Scotland and Wales. The range includes cards for ages 16–17, 16–25 and 26–30, and a Senior Railcard for anyone aged 60 and over. There are also Two Together, Family & Friends, Disabled Persons and Veterans Railcards. Link: railcard.co.uk.

BahnCard (Germany)

• Deutsche Bahn describes the BahnCard as a discount card with a subscription.
• Watch for: our reading is that “subscription” means checking how it renews before you buy. Link: bahn.de.

Amtrak discounts (United States)

• Amtrak’s deals page lists everyday discounts for children, seniors, students, military, veterans and customers with disabilities. It also lists group travel and rail passes. Link: amtrak.com.

Trainline

• Trainline says it gathers routes, prices and times from over 270 rail and coach operators in 40 countries.
• Its SplitSave feature splits a UK train journey into several tickets, and the train just needs to stop at each split point. Its Ticket Alert emails you when UK advance tickets go on sale, which Trainline says is usually around 12 weeks ahead. Link: thetrainline.com.

Omio, Flix and Ferryhopper

• Omio went live as GoEuro in 2013. It says it brings together more than 3,000 providers of trains, buses, flights, ferries and transfers. It covers Europe, the United States and Canada. Link: omio.com.
• Flix sells bus and train tickets for travel through Europe. Link: flix.com.
• Ferryhopper is a site for booking ferry tickets. Link: ferryhopper.com.

The Man in Seat 61

• A rail travel guide for planning, not booking. It says it is “a personal site originally started as a hobby”, not a company or travel agency. It says ads and affiliate commission support the site. Link: seat61.com.

087. Car hire

DiscoverCars

• DiscoverCars says it compares prices, explains how each rental works and tells you what you’ll need at pick-up. Link: discovercars.com.

The EU’s Your Europe portal gives a short checklist for car hire. It says to look before you book and understand the terms, and to know what damage your insurance covers.

098. Student, youth and teacher cards

ISIC, IYTC and ITIC

• The ISIC Association, which calls itself a non-profit organisation, runs the International Student Identity Card.
• It also runs the International Youth Travel Card, for people aged 30 or younger, and the International Teacher Identity Card, for full-time teachers or professors. Link: isic.org.
• Watch for: our reading is that the cards are sold by national issuers, so the discounts on offer depend on where you are.

European Youth Card

• Run by the European Youth Card Association, the card offers discounts and experiences across Europe. Link: eyca.org.
• The association says the card is for anyone up to 31 years old, and you don’t have to be a student. You get it through a local member organisation where you live, or from its online kiosk where it has none.
• Watch for: it says the card may look different from country to country, so check your place of residence on its site for the specifics.

109. City cards and park passes

Official city cards

• Vienna’s tourism site calls the Vienna City Card “The Official Discount Card” for a trip to Vienna. It includes public transport and discounts at museums and attractions. It comes in 24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour and 7-day versions. Link: wien.info.
• The Berlin WelcomeCard, from visitBerlin, gives unlimited public transport and savings on admission. Link: visitberlin.de.
• Watch for: for hour-based paper cards, the clock starts when you validate, so a 48-hour card validated on Saturday at 09:30 runs until Monday at 09:29. Online hour-based tickets run from the day and time you choose. Our reading: a card only pays off if you use enough of what it includes.

CityPASS

• CityPASS sells tickets for admission to well-known attractions in 17 destinations in North America. Link: citypass.com.

America the Beautiful (US national parks)

• The National Park Service says frequent visitors, seniors, military and others may save on entrance fees with this pass.
• Watch for: apart from the Non-Resident Annual Pass, the passes are for US citizens and residents only. Non-residents aged 16 and over also pay an extra fee at some parks unless they hold the Non-Resident Annual Pass. Passes are non-refundable and non-transferable, and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen. Link: nps.gov.

1110. How to use these

1. Start wide, then narrow. Use flexible dates, a month view or a search to “Everywhere” to see when and where fares are lower.

2. Set alerts instead of checking every day. Google Flights, Skyscanner and KAYAK all send price alerts. Google says there is always a chance that future prices will not behave as it expects.

3. Compare the final total. Add bags, taxes and fees before you compare, since some member discounts leave them out.

4. Know who you are buying from. The US Federal Trade Commission advises knowing whether you are buying from the app company or the airline or resort itself. It says this can affect refunds, travel points and the price of changing or cancelling.

5. Check what you may already qualify for. Free hotel programmes, student and youth cards and rail cards each have their own rules, including residency.

6. Book and pay only through the platform. Section 11 links the official warnings.

1211. Scams and official checks

For refunds and compensation after a delay or cancellation, see our guide to the official refund and compensation pages for the EU, UK, US and Australia.

For scams, these pages are a good place to start.

• Scamwatch (Australia), website scams. Its warning signs include prices far lower than usual. Another is something unusual about how you pay, such as a single payment option or a request for gift cards or Bitcoin. It advises searching for independent reviews on other sites.

• Scamwatch, rental scams. It says scammers pose as landlords for rental and holiday properties, and advises never paying for a property you cannot inspect.

• US Federal Trade Commission, “Avoid Scams When You Travel”. It says scammers tell you the only way to pay for a holiday rental is by wire transfer, gift card, payment app or cryptocurrency. It suggests checking that a rental is also listed on the rental company’s own website.

• ATOL, run by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. ATOL is financial protection when you book a package trip that includes a flight, and it is not travel insurance. You can check whether a business holds an ATOL, and see the list of websites that have falsely claimed one (updated July 2026).

• Airbnb, “Paying and communicating through Airbnb”. Its own warning about off-platform payments, described in section 5.

To check a deal site you have not heard of, our guide to checking something online before you share it gives a quick method. Our cybersecurity crash course covers phishing and payment scams.

13Quick answers

14Use this

15Quick quiz

How we checked this · Last checked October 2026

• We read each provider's own help, about or membership pages in October 2026, mostly by script and a few in a browser because they block scripts.
• Each entry says how the site is paid only where its own page says so.
• We could not open the official US policy on mistaken fares, so the page does not state the rules for error fares.
• We did not test or book through any site. Listing a site is not a recommendation, and we earn nothing from these links.
• Features, tiers and names change often; this page is a snapshot as of October 2026.

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16Sources