The Best of the Net

By Laura Daily
Contributing Editor

The Internet has become the ultimate travel-planning tool, with hundreds of sites offering tips to save you time and money

If you travel, you probably use the Internet. Some 96 million travelers, in fact, are using the Net in one form or another to aid in their travel planning, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. TIAA’s latest Traveler’s Use of the Internet study found that of the 64 million consumers using the Internet for actual travel planning, 42 percent say they now do all or most of their trip planning on-line.

That doesn’t surprise Michael Shapiro, author of “Internet Travel Planner” (Globe Pequot, 2002) and travel columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. “The Net is the ideal place to get last-minute deals on airfare and cruises, so we’re seeing a significant increase in last-minute bookings,” he says. “But the greatest positive is that you can learn so much more about your destination by using the Internet: Is that hotel really on the water? What sort of cultural events are scheduled during my visit? Is that museum really worth the admission price? And the Internet is a terrific tool for travel safety.”

Still, Mr. Shapiro warns that the Internet is a breeding ground for hucksters and con artists. “Be cautious when buying travel on-line,” he says. “If prices are too low to be real, they probably are a scam. Shop around. Be smart. Use established services. Look for real-world addresses and phone numbers. If they aren’t available, be suspicious.”

Here are some sites worth bookmarking before your next getaway:

Johnnyjet.com. Billed as “the ultimate travel portal,” this site features hundreds of links to timely airline information, weather reports, hotel sites and Sunday newspaper travel sections. It also links to current information about any scheduled domestic flight.

Fly.faa.gov. This site from the Federal Aviation Administration features a map of the nation’s airports, with real-time information on air traffic, including delays.

Travelocity.com. Here you can find Internet reservation information for more than 700 airlines, 55,000 hotels and 50 car-rental companies, plus vacation packages, land tours and cruises. The site also holds a huge database of destination information and travel advice. Flights, cruises, packages--you name it, and this giant sells it. Another cool feature is Fare Watcher, which e-mails you when prices to your favorite destination hit a low.

Orbitz.com. Brought to you by “the world’s leading airlines,” this site offers consumers the widest selection of low airfares, as well as deals on lodging, car rentals, cruises and vacation packages in an unbiased and comprehensive listing. Orbitz also boasts seat maps and special Web-only hotel rates called OrbitzSavers. Hundreds of air fares are represented in a well-designed grid.

Expedia.com. Microsoft’s booking engine is quick and easy. Like the other large sites, it offers bookings for air, hotel and vacation packages. An added service allows travelers to purchase tickets to NBA basketball games and NHL hockey games in coordination with their trip.

Site59.com. Perfect for those last-minute travel deals, this site allows consumers to purchase air-hotel, air-car and other packages two weeks before departure. Best of all, it shows flight times and allows you to pick the hotel.

Cheaptickets.com. The place to check out consolidator air-fare quotes. Cheaptickets works in conjunction with trip.com and lodging.com to increase inventory and lower prices.

Travelscope.net. If you prefer listening to reading, this site offers more than 20 hours of archived radio shows on different vacation destinations, plus videos, hotlinks, food and wine features and vacation-auction opportunities.

USTOA.com. This site is packed with consumer-education information from the United States Tour Operators Association, including a “personality quiz” that lets users select the best type of package based on personal preferences.

FreeTravelInfo.net. Here users can obtain free travel information from thousands of destinations across North America. The site also allows travelers to book lodging reservations, airline tickets or a rental car.

IndependentTraveler.com. From an AOL feature, this site has grown to become a comprehensive resource in its own right, with travel deals, message boards and a vast collection of members’ trip reports and photos.

By Rail or By Sea

Not everyone likes to fly. Even if you don't get the jitters every time you get on an airplane, traveling by train or boat is often a scenic alternative to the taking to the friendly skies. Try checking out these sites for deals on rail trips and cruises.

Raileurope.com. The quickest source for purchasing the most popular European rail products such as Eurailpass, BritRail and Swiss Pass.

CruiseCritic.com. As its name implies, this site hosts the objective opinions of respected travel writers and experienced cruisers. Nearly 50 cruise lines are profiled here, along with reviews of luxury riverboats and sailboats. It also posts daily worldwide cruise bargains, news, tips and port information.

SmallShipCruises.com. This site provides information on hundreds of small ships and cruises including adventure cruises, barges, sailing ships, riverboats and yacht charters.

Cruise411.com. The Web’s largest cruise database lets you search and book sailings on 28 lines, plus view ships, deck plans and cabins. Special sections detail cruise news, innovations and special-interest trips.

Accommodations

Of course, you'll also need a place to stay. These sites will help you find a place to lay your weary head.

Quikbook.com. Quickbook specializes in upscale, independent and boutique hotels all at a discount of 20-to-60 percent off standard rates, with consumer-friendly policies (no prepayment, no fees or cancellation charges in most cases).

Hotels.com. The Internet’s largest provider of discount accommodations worldwide claims to offer savings of up to 70 percent off regular hotel rates at more than 7,000 properties in North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

BBonline.com. This site provides descriptions and contact information for over 4,000 bed-and-breakfasts and small inns in North America and the Caribbean. A “Snowbirds” section highlights inns near major north-south Interstate highways.

Sports and Adventure Travel

If an active vacation is what you crave, these sites can help you get out to the slopes or find the perfect golf course.

OnTheSnow.com. This is the oldest and largest snow sports site on the Net with news, snow conditions, weather reports and special packages.

Gorp.com. Dedicated to outdoor recreation and adventure travel, Gorp’s database contains more than 2,500 trips worldwide, ranging from trekking the Inca Trail to floating the Zambezi River.

SkiSnowboardAmerica.com. Information on this site can help downhill skiers, snowboarders and cross-country skiers plan a winter vacation, with plenty of destination information. Sister sites are SkiSnowboardCanada.com and SkiSnowboardEurope.com.

Travelgolf.com. A conglomerate of related golf sites such as MidAtlanticGolf, GolfFlorida, GolfArizona, etc. with feature stories by some of the nation’s best golf journalists.

PFN's Computer Technology Center archive dates back to May 2001.