Expedia

[PeppyGPhiB]

Expedia is a ticket broker, just like Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotels.com. It was started by Microsoft, but now it's its own company, actually the largest online travel agency in the world. What it's really good for is getting the occasional great vacation deal, and researching deals that airlines may be running.

Priceline and Hotwire are negotiating sites. Good for last minute deals and for when you aren't really picky about the time of day you fly or the exact hotel to sleep in.

Best site for researching flight prices and options across the board is Kayak.com.

Tripadvisor is THE best Web site for honest reviews and photos of the hotels, hotel rooms, views, location, etc. Also the things to see/do in the travel destination.

I flew more than 50,000 miles last year, and every ticket I purchased was either through my corporate travel agency or the airlines' websites. Airline websites almost always have the best deal. Check out the deals on Expedia, Orbitz, etc., but purchase your tickets on the airline's website for a deal that is generally $10 or so cheaper than the booking sites.