rave Mouse, Will Travel (NAPSA)—Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, there’s one destination that you'll want to check out before you even pack your bags-—the Internet. According to a leading research company, 29 percent of U.S. online consumers already research and purchase travel via the Web. And total US. leisure and business online travel purchases will more than triple in the next five years, from$18 bilkon in 2006 to $63 bil- lion in 2006. The Weboffers some of the best travel deals available as well as the ease of online booking. And many consumers turn to the internet to help them find a wide variety of teals and resources to help bring their dream vacations to hfe. While the Internet is a great place to begin your travel plans, there are myriad ways to make packing up and hitting the road a more care-free experience. Orbitz, the newfull-service online travel site, offers some expert tips—-both on and offline--to help vou gofar. Travel Tips Plan ahead. Bookearly to get the best deals and the most options. Thirty days is best, but fare changes also occur at 21, 14, 7,and 3 days. * Travel midweek to get the best fares—Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday—and stay over a Saturday night. The airfare savings feo make up for an extra night at the hotel. * Make reservations between midnight and 1 a.m.--that’s when unpaid reservations expire and those seats become available again. Note this happens after midnight in the city in which the airline is based. * If you have time, plan a trip with at least one stop in the middie—fares are usually less expensive. Visit your best friend in Atlanta whom you haven't seen for years, for instance, before going on to Miami for that busi- ness convention. Internet Booking Advice * If you haveto fly last minute, or want to take a last-rainute get- oe: More and more travelers are turning to the Internet to plan thelr jeisure and business travel. away, check Orbitz’ online Webonly fares on Wednesday after midnight. All new low-cost fares available for that weekend are posted at that time, so you'll see the best values. * Use search features that check all airlines flying to your destination——to be sure you're seeing the most fares andflight options. If you can drive a few extra miles, you can check alternate airports as part of your search to possibly land a cheaper fare. * Buy a travel package online—air and/or hotel and car. It may be cheaper than paying for them separately. * Look for a site that has travel alerts, destination tips and weather predictions. Orbitz.com offers these alerts via e-mail, personal digital assistant or phone, and you can check the Travel Watch feature for flight information. * Look online for street, bus and train maps of the places you plan to visit before you arrive. With these tips in mind, you are set to plan your dream vacation today. The next step is finding an onlinetravel site that best suits your needs. Orbitz has Internet-only fares from a wide selection of airlines and car rental companies, as well as access to hotels, cruise lines and vacation packages. To learm more or to yuampstart plans for your next vacation, visit www.orbitz.com.
