Resources

Travel Resources

There are so many websites, books, blogs, and agencies to help you plan your vacation, it can be overwhelming.  I typically plan everything on my own, but that takes a lot of time and research!  Here are some resources to help you out with the process!  (Disclaimer:  I have not used every company listed below; therefore, I am not personally endorsing these companies.)

Please help me keep this list updated and accurate.  If you notice a link is broken, an airline went out of business, or you found a great new resource, please let me know! Email me at michelle@sempertravel.com or leave a comment below.  Thanks!

Airlines

North America Budget Airlines:

Asia-Specific Budget Airlines:

European Budget Airlines:

Travel Search Engines (airlines, hotels, cruises)
  • Skyscanner (useful in comparing budget airlines)
  • Orbitz (I like using “Orbucks” rewards for hotels.)
  • Priceline (I was very successful in bidding on 4-5 star hotels for low prices in the USA; however, bidding was not as ideal in Asia so I typically don’t risk it.)
  • Trip Advisor (Excellent for reviews, but it can be overwhelming to sort through and you have to remember that usually only people who are really happy or really upset post reviews.)
  • Expedia (Sometimes the Japanese version is cheaper, but often times more expensive, so try checking both.)
  • Kayak
  • Armed Forces Vacation Club
Research on cities, itineraries, etc.
Planning tools
  • PlanApple
  • Tripomatic (This is kind of fun. It’s a free map based travel itinerary maker that allows you to visually see where the tourist attractions are located, add them to your itinerary, rearrange the order, check out reviews, and more.  It’s helpful in making sure you don’t miss a sight that is right around the corner from where you are!  I wish the review were synced with Trip Advisor though.)
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