Travelers prepping for an upcoming trip may sometimes find themselves wondering whether they should book online themselves, call hotels and airlines directly, or simply hand the whole task over to an independent travel agent. From convenience to control, though, there are a number of benefits that make online booking the ideal way to make travel reservations.
Booking online removes lots of personal contact from the travel booking process. Booking a hotel or airline reservation over the telephone often requires dialing in to a complicated interactive voice response (IVR) menu, selecting ambiguous options, then waiting in queue to talk to a call center representative.
Booking online can usually be done at any time of day on any day of the year, and eliminates the need to wait for a representative. For air travel reservations, online booking adds another measure of convenience, allowing travelers to electronically check in for the flight before leaving for the airport.
In addition to being convenient, booking travel online is also far more secure than traditional methods of booking. When a user books a reservation online, only information essential to the transaction is collected. In addition, any personal and payment information is collected over a secure connection, encrypting sensitive data at the user's computer before it is sent out over the Internet.
When a traveler dials in to a call center or calls a hotel directly, he is often asked to provide his credit card number and other sensitive information to a stranger who, in many call center environments, has only minimal accountability for misuse of customer data.
When a reservation or purchase is processed online, the travel company relies on automation (rather than manpower) to handle the booking process. Because there is no need to pay employees to handle this process, travel companies can pass the financial savings on to customers in the form of rebates, coupons and special online prices. Many popular hotel chains offer "Online Only" rates that are considerably lower than other prices, and discount airlines like Southwest, Airtran, and Jet Blue offer "Web Special" pricing that is only available to those who book online.
Control is arguably the most compelling advantage of online booking. When a traveler books a hotel reservation online, for example, he can instantly see all available rooms, room configurations, and amenities. If the lodging does not meet his standards, he can also see similar information from the hotel's competitors. Airlines take this measure of control a step further, allowing guests not only to see all possible flight arrangements, but also to select a specific seat, request meal or snack options, and even search for the lowest possible fare (or applicable discounts).
Booking online also does not require interacting with another person, so the traveler can see all possible options and prices firsthand; in addition, Internet- savvy travelers can even search accommodations not available to travel agents who work with partner companies. When the online booking is complete, the traveler can even see--and, of course, print--his confirmation information directly from his computer.
