With the year-end holiday season approaching, travellers are likely to come across a range of flight and hotel discounts across online booking platforms. These include promotional fares, credit card discounts, cashback and payment-specific offers.
But a lower advertised price does not always mean a cheaper booking. The final amount can vary depending on the travel date, payment method, minimum transaction value and additional charges.
Comparing the actual cost across platforms can help travellers avoid paying more in the name of a discount.
Here are some things to check before booking.
Compare prices across platforms
The first step is to compare the same flight or hotel across different booking platforms and, where possible, the airline or hotel’s own website.
For instance, Amazon Pay is offering discounts of up to 30% on flights and 65% on hotel bookings during its November 12–26 sale. MakeMyTrip and Goibibo are also listing bank-linked flight and hotel discounts.
However, the percentage discount alone should not determine the choice. A platform offering a smaller discount could still have a lower final price than one advertising a bigger reduction.
Check whether your bank card qualifies for a discount
Banks and booking platforms often have partnerships that offer discounts on transactions made using specific credit or debit cards.
For example, an IndusInd Bank credit card offer on MakeMyTrip and Goibibo, valid until November 12, provides a 12% discount on eligible domestic flight bookings, subject to a cap of ₹1,500. International flight bookings qualify for a 10% discount, capped at ₹5,000.
ICICI Bank also lists travel-related offers across platforms such as MakeMyTrip, ixigo, EaseMyTrip and Yatra.
Before using a card, check the offer’s validity, minimum booking amount, maximum discount and whether it requires an EMI transaction.
Understand the difference between discounts and cashback
An instant discount reduces the amount payable at the time of booking. Cashback, on the other hand, may be credited to the account or payment instrument after the transaction.
Amazon Pay’s upcoming sale, for instance, includes 10% cashback on flight bookings, capped at ₹500, and 10% cashback on hotel bookings, capped at ₹10,000, during its November 12–13 early-bird period.
Travellers should check when the cashback will be credited, whether it has additional eligibility requirements and whether it can be used for future transactions.
Check the total hotel cost, not just the room rate
Hotel prices can vary significantly depending on the dates, room category and cancellation conditions.
A discounted room may not include breakfast or may come with a restrictive cancellation policy. Taxes and additional charges can also increase the final bill.
Compare the total cost for the entire stay and check whether the booking is refundable before making a payment.
Do not overlook cancellation and rescheduling charges
A cheaper flight or hotel booking may come with higher cancellation or modification charges.
Before booking, check the airline’s fare conditions, hotel cancellation deadline and refund timelines. This is particularly important when travel dates are not finalised.
Avoid spending more to qualify for an offer
Some discounts require a minimum transaction value or a specific payment method. Customers should calculate whether the additional spending or financing cost makes the offer worthwhile.
For example, opting for a credit card EMI transaction purely to access a discount may not make financial sense if interest and processing charges outweigh the savings.
Ultimately, travellers should compare the final payable amount, payment benefits and cancellation conditions before choosing a booking. The objective should be to reduce the overall travel budget, rather than maximise the discount percentage.
