Consumers Are Winning in the Battle for Online Travel Bargains

(ARA) - Maryland residents Stanley and Patricia booked a Kenya safari and an Alaska cruise online this year. But braving the wild game reserves and arctic glaciers were nothing compared to the challenge of purchasing the travel packages. That's because the couple had to compete against dozens of other customers to win them.

Online travel auctions are nothing new. Some of the earliest travel auction sites were up and running three or four years ago. But what's previously been a small, niche market is growing rapidly this year on the strength of two general trends. First, consumers are flocking online for travel deals in record numbers. According to the travel research firm PhoCusWright, an estimated 21 million Americans claim to usually buy their travel online. Second, the concept of bidding for items online has become commonplace. The auction giant eBay claims more than 50 million members.

When it comes to eBay, consumers are used to buying directly from individuals. At travel auction sites, however, the sites themselves often operate as a travel agency. Instead of buying your Caribbean vacation from a fellow consumer, you're purchasing it directly from a legitimate, experienced travel company.

What's more, you can now bid on just about any kind of travel you desire. At SkyAuction.com, considered to be currently the largest travel auction site, there are more than 800 auctions running daily to pretty much every corner of the globe. The auctions start at $1, with no minimum bid required. They offer opportunities to bid on tickets for almost anywhere in the continental United States, Europe and Asia.

"We offer many of the same deals that the big travel sites do. The difference is in the savings, because everything starts at $1, and in the sheer adrenaline rush of bidding and winning," said Michael N. Hering, SkyAuction's president and CEO.

The savings when buying from a travel auction site can be quite substantial. An eight-day Hong Kong package -- including air, hotel, and tour -- was recently won for $616 per person. Other recent steals: three nights in Orlando, with air, won for $140 per person, and a Thanksgiving weekend three-night Bahamas cruise, won for $57 per person.

One caveat to all online travel auction bidders -- be flexible in your travel plans. Most online auction sites provide a range of dates for each offer. However, all dates within the range, unless otherwise stated, are subject to availability. Only after you win the auction do you find out whether the site can provide you with your preferred dates. Fortunately, the travel auction sites themselves have flexible booking policies. "Our agents try to come up with alternate arrangements, but if we can't accommodate you, we'll never charge you. And if you win and don't yet know when you can travel, we have a 'pay now, travel later' option," Hering says.

Still, once a winner, you may find yourself growing addicted. Stanley and Patricia, the Maryland couple, say they will continue bidding for their upcoming vacations. "The bidding process was easy and exciting, especially once we won. The [Kenya safari] tour was well planned and executed; it was beyond our expectations," says Patricia. With the holidays approaching, now is a good time to check out travel auction sites to see what fall and winter travel bargains remain up for grabs. Especially while these sites remain "undiscovered gems" compared to the big sites, there's a very good chance you'll bid, win, and go away with great savings.

For more information, go to www.SkyAuction.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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