Full time traveller here.7 months a year for work, 5 months a year for leisure! I live in hotels! This is a smart video! You didn’t really lay out an actual how to method to your viewers, but you presented us with an idea and a thought process. And you are correct. If this type of thought process is followed, a person could get major discounts, but it isn’t without any work. This is not an easy thing to do and takes a lot of time and dedication, trial, and errors! One hack I can share is that I often get cheaper rates when I go at the last minute in person. This is pretty much the opposite of what you do. It’s not planned ahead but last minute. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t and if you’re super super nice, depending on the person who checks you in, you could get a free upgrade. This does not apply to an all inclusive, but just a regular hotel rate. Thank you for this video. Enjoy Jamaica.😊
This is how I travelled Europe from 2016-2109 (90 day periods). Showed up at the hotels after 3 PM, let them know I was going to shop around the area, and they generally would give me a very good deal. Sometimes I'd take the first or second quote and try to solicit an upgrade or free breakfast.
You don't have to be too worried. Figured this out long ago. Another thing to help save money is before booking, see if the hotel sells memberships and book through a member at a discounted rate.
So glad that you are finally in Jamaica.welcome to my homeland........ looking forward to your reviews of the resorts... pretty stoked to see where you stay.......... Hope you really enjoy your stay while here.
Been doing as you suggested. Cancelled and rebooked at Royalton Negril for a room upgrade at $1500 less for the week. Went from presidential suite at 1800+ sq ft to a chairman’s suite at 2600 sq ft. Super stoked. Gonna keep looking. Been digging the channel sir. Keep it up!
Great video James. I (business) travel constantly and your tips align with my experience. I’m self-employed so any savings directly affect my bottom line. I know my schedule usually a year at a time. Airfare is harder but hotel savings just require a little planning and vigilance. And never book the “convention advanced savings rate”. I always find cheaper and nicer rooms. I also try to stick with same brands as much as possible and use their credit card. You rack up the points and then I get to stay free for leisure travel. Again, great video and tips. You definitely need a subscription option!
Excellent video James! We do the same thing with cruises! In fact, we book out as much as 2 years in advance to get the best rates and cabin selections!
Beautiful Room! My Sister is headed there tomorrow ❤ Your videos are🔥🔥...ALWAYS!! This video will not flop❤❤ It's very informative and you're so knowledgeable about travel🏝😍Keep up the GREAT WORK ❤
Good informative video. Yes I do carry out your recommendations and as I travel mostly in Europe and stay in good chain hotels I make sure I join their members club. Don't always get upgrade but will get fruit/wine in room on arrival. Also find flights midweek are cheaper.
This is some good advice. I’ve done this for awhile not knowing it’s a secret. Another travel hack sort of similar is to get on 3rd party travel sites and find the best prices; then go directly to the hotel or airline carrier.
Hello James 👋 Thank you for posting this video. I take only one big vacation a year and always use my travel agent. I've done the math and, for me, they are really only making about $60 on my trips. I like the "pay and forget" plan. I definitely agree with booking as far in advance as possible, even when using a travel representative. 😎👍
100% this. Eye on the prize and persistence for all my travels too. I take several trips a year and spend what friends pay for one trip. Everyone wonders how I can afford to travel so much. James is one the money here.
Good advise except for us Canadians. Our flights are more expensive and so are changes and cancellations. When I book my 2 - 3 all-inclusive per year vacations, I need to take advantage of WestJet Vacations packages. Without a lot of free miles or points to redeem, booking resort and flights separately is always more.
Yes as a fellow Canadian I agree. Every year I look at booking both ways and its always cheaper for us to book a package especially when you get the transfers included as well. I'm going to TRS Yucatan in 2 weeks and the TRS site and Expedia etc were all as much for just the Hotel as it was to book thru Air Canada Vacations for the flight, hotel, and transfers.
Great video! Question, how does this work with flights? At what point do you stop changing the reservation to book flights? And are you checking\searching on a vpn or incognito? I’m just curious how the site doesn’t save the cookies and realize you are checking so often lol.
I have been doing this for years and never knew it was a secret. Most recently I did it for a December trip and saved over $2000 when the price dropped. The key for me is keeping track of the cancellation policies at all the places I have booked and REMEMBERING to cancel in time esp when life gets busy and unexpected things happen. One can lose money this way. Thanks for the vid
Thanks for sharing your tips. I am sure some people will learn and get some deals. As for myself I am one of those lucky airline industry folk that get great deals and do not need to book a year in advance.
Us Canadians get cheaper deals with vacation packages. Interesting way to book trips but I do see this benefit Americans travellers who visit resort to resort!
I'm from Toronto and 've been doing some research after watching this and a few similar videos and I find that the price difference between an all-in-one package vs booking separate hotel and airfare is really minimal, for all-inclusives atleast. I was wondering if I'm doing something wrong, but is this true that theres no point of doing this method as the A-I packages are around the same price?
This was the best advice ever for those who love to travel. I have already been doing everything you said, and my family thought I was crazy until we all went to Jamaica for a wedding in November for under $1700 per couple including flights 4 nights .The travel agent who was in charge of the wedding was charging $2400 per couple . I stalk priceline, TripAdvisor, booking, etc.. A lady was trying to sell me a timeshare in Jamaica and ask how often I travel. I state 3-4 times a year, and I am pre-booked. She asked how much I paid. When I gave her prices, she instantly got an attitude 😅 You knew it was no sell that day from me. 😂
Travel agents just suck lol they always say “ohh I will get you the best price guaranteed” and then I show them cheaper prices and they are like huhhhh how’d you find that? Lolll
I do this same trick with Delta. I try to book flights at least3 months in advance. In the app you can change your booking. It tells u if there are cheaper options. Mind you I’m in ATL so there are multiple flights going to the same location everyday. So sometimes it may be $50 cheaper to go on a flight an hour later. You don’t get money back you get credits but I travel so much I use them. I tell people about this all the time. No one puts the effort in it
Great video! I do a lot of travel hacking already, but you presented some ideas I hadn’t really considered. (I almost didn’t watch the video because I assumed it was going to be ideas I’d already heard of.)
Great video, I wish I could read between the lines though 😅. I’m a daily travel searcher for deals in a very small sphere. I’m starting to learn about points and miles too. Do you have any favorite brands for points and miles?
I appreciate the examples, and tips…but I would like to know about booking for high season. Particularly Jan or Feb dates, I usually wait will June or July to book, never done the separate flights tho.
Travel secrets of Sir James …don’t worry my lips are sealed! Seriously though…great tips . I do many of them . I never book my airfare and hotel together . Usually book a year out as I’m a planner. Definitely maximize my rewards with Bonvoy and American Airlines etc . Thanks for posting . That suite looks great by the way . Looking forward to the resort video 😎😎😎
Is there any validity to the concept of using an VPN when checking flight costs. Or is it a myth that airlines track your ISP so when you check for prices it changes depending on where you’re from for the same destination path?
Brilliant question. I often think this is true. Airlines have some pretty impressive load management algorithms tied to available seats, flight dates and days in advance of flight as well as competition options. The fluctuation and variation in cost is mindblowing. I use google flights to give some clue regarding seat availability and competitive flight options. As the available seats drop below double digits the costs sure seem to escalate.
OMG I just press play on your video and 10 seconds in I know where you are. I literally just booked it for May 20 minutes before seeing this video. Funny thing is I was looking to see if you reviewed this hotel before booking 😂😂
So i have a few all inclusives i like in Jamaica. Well, i looked a year to 1.5 years out.. no major price difference. And very few in JA have the Expedia "book now, pay later" option. Maybe this is for other locations?
good tips for beginner to mid level experience travelers. booking in advance and using cancelation policy to advantage are key. When using expedia pay later option just be careful with exchange rates as hotel will charge you in USD the day of your stay.
Agree with all what you're saying, however I've found exceptions in the UK whereby package just flight and hotel can be cheaper than I've been able to achieve independently, online travel agents ofcourse. You also get ATOL protection with package holidays in the UK, not something the US travel industry has as far as I know?
Hi James thanks for the tips I understand ur strategy with booking early and booking direct w hotel but let’s say I do that, what is the strategy for booking flights? This is because if I want to book flights should I book them when I book my hotel? Or is it worth waiting until I can get a cheaper deal on the hotel? But if I’m constantly waiting wouldn’t flight prices increase as I get closer to my vacation? I’m stuck on this
And then if I book them when I book the hotel, most flights don’t have cancellation options at basic fare, and if I upgrade to the premium tickets with cancel included, the total price goes above what it would cost if I just booked a package deal
Hey Coolist is there any resort in Punta Cana that you recommend specifically for families we are looking at travelling in November with our 7 year old.
Interested James of what you think of Costco vacations strategy of buying blocks of floors or rooms from hotels or cruise ships in bulk and passing the savings to their members?
try booking the iberostar coral level hotel and flights separately... Im canadian and a package through air transat is way cheaper.. Ive looked and looked, and the total package is always cheaper in Canada, ive even met some Americans who drive from detroit to Toronto and fly westjet for less money than they can book in the USA..
Question for Coolist and others here. What resorts are the best for booking direct? I know Riu is good as you always get the best price when booking direct with them and they provide a free transfer. Who else is good for booking direct? Who else provides a free transfer?
I have two additional points that can save you extra 3 to 10 percent every single time. Fellow sales rep. I got a solid new idea from your video. Thanks,
Ok for hotels, but what about flights? Most flights you can't book more than 7-8months out. I use this same strategy for car rental reservations - my Top Secret - most car agencies have different sites for different countries ;)
Hi go to Romania. U want beauty u want mountains untouched areas u want real world old values highlight Romania highlight the monstrosities in the castles the beauty in the mountains the old values of old country and visit Romania. It’s not like Las Vegas touristy but it’s special.
My family consists of 2 adults and 2 kids under 14 years of age. I do all inclusives because its just easier. However, it truly costs my family alot. I try very hard to find the best way to save with the hotels and the flights.
Terra Nelson Heimuli Erin Cofoid Haun oh yeah for sure! I’m a travel agent and I stay away from all those sites. Every time I hear about someone booking on that or Expedia I cringe lol.
Tried you technic, but for me it comes out more expensive when I book flight and hotel and transportation separately. Hence I prefer to use JetBlue vacations and I get free round trip transportation to and from the hotel/airport.
I am big JetBlue fan but it works 50.50 to book package...sometimes Priceline has much cheaper price on a property. JetBlue hotels run on Expedia engine.
Coming from europe , buying a hotel and flight separately is wayyyyyyy expensive. That strategy is fine if you are in the American continent because you have lots of regular flights to choose from.
I did a quick test… with Royalton and it was actually $500 cheaper to book with AC Vacations package than individually 1.4 years out for the same location and room. Tested Punta Cana and Cancun. Also for Royalton the room price didn’t change if I tried this September to September 2025..sooo..bummer for moi. Sandals also. I will try RIU and Iberostar next. But thank you for this. I’m sure it works…I’m just not hitting it yet…or maybe it only works for the US as flights from canada are significantly more expensive and eat the difference.
This is a system that works in harmony over time. You might have to check 1.2 years, 1 year, and 10 months to find a sweet spot. Hence the importance to cancel and rebook liberally. Paying in advance and tying up your money is a bonehead economic move in general, especially with a a 3rd party travel company. Read between the lines and understand the importance of multiple bookings with no money down coupled with the cancellation policy. And not all flights are equal . You having two connecting flights with united on a package deal that leaves at 6am and sits you at the back of Coach to seat/baggage fees is much different compared to flying direct with delta, for example. Book that Punta Cana Royalton trip today and share the price, dates, people, airport, airline. I absolutely guarantee 30 days from departure I'll smoke whatever you paid today
@@Coolist I absolutely agree about the “money tie up” but the problem I’m having at least is flight research wise. I can’t go further ahead than 1year less a week. (At least for Air Canada). I assume that is not true for other Airlines, particularly US carriers? Resorts give you a longer prebook range but airlines…not so much. Am I wrong?
I challenge you to go to H10 resorts in Trelawney Parrish Ocean Coral Spring and Ocean Eden Bay. They are side by side. Ocean Eden Bay is the Adult resort as Coral spring is the Family Resort. Be sure to go in the water in various places on the beach, as well as walk the full beach. Then get back to me.🤯
Unfortunately, for us Canadians, the only way to book and get great deals in through Costco Travel, Westjet Vacations, or Air Canada Vacations. The deals used to be great, but since 2022, the cost to travel domestic or international has tripled.
