The Best Websites for International Travel Deals 2024

Find the best travel deals websites for when you’re planning a trip abroad.

Ever feel like doing something BIG, like learning how to make pasta in Italy, walking the wall in China or fishing for piranha on the Amazon? But when you start Googling travel deals it gets completely overwhelming trying to figure out what companies and packages are truly legit. Finally, you’re like: Forget it, I don’t want to blow my whole vacation fund on the wrong choice. And so, you book the same old vacation for the fifth time.

You’re in a major vacation rut and need an intervention. There’s no 12-step program necessary, just this list of a few of my favorite websites for travel deals. Turn to these when you’re looking to book an international trip. Escaping that ho-hum vacation standby can be as easy as finding the perfect all-in-one package, dirt-cheap airfare or snagging a discount room at one of the hottest new hotels.

BEST TRAVEL PACKAGES: Gate 1 Travel

Ok, real talk: The most relaxing vacations start with someone else planning all the things, especially if you’re going overseas. The good news is that there are a lot of one-and-done travel companies to choose from.

The problem? How to tell if a trip is as great as it seems. Are you really going to get infinity pool hotels, amazing jungle hikes and all the frothy rum drinks you can handle? Or will you end up in sketchy motels going on tours where they guilt you into buying tacky souvenirs?

It’s really important that you pick a reputable travel provider for your bucket-list getaway. One that you can trust is Gate 1 Travel. They offer affordable packages to drool-worthy locations around the world (hello: Portugal, Thailand and Costa Rica) and they’ve been in business for 35 years.

Choose from fully escorted trips with an English-speaking guide with you the whole time or independent vacation packages where they arrange your flights, hotels, tours and transportation but you’re on your own once you get there.

In Ecuador alone, they have tours that include the Amazon Rainforest, the Galapagos Islands and the Andes Mountains. Even better? Their value pricing means you have more money left over to spend on souvenirs.

BEST AIRFARE: Cheap Flight Alerts

Wanna getaway, but flights are so dang expensive these days? The thought of dropping $2k just to hop over a couple of states with my family kills me, not to mention how expensive it is to venture even further.

And honestly, I don’t have time to monitor airfare prices that fluctuate depending on the day of the week, the time of day, if you’ve visited their site already, pay in U.S. or Canadian, can carry a tune or dance a jig. Seriously, it’s exhausting.

Enter: Cheap flight clubs. These clubs send you cheap flight alerts that are really, really good. Like 40 to 90% off normal prices good. Plus, they all offer a free version of their service.

Of course, you can pay to upgrade to a premium level to get additional benefits like finding out about mistake fares (when airlines misprint fares like $10 instead of $1,000 and you can snag a ticket for the price of a couple of caramel macchiatos), and rare peak season and holiday flight deals.

Cheap flight alerts can help you save hundreds of dollars on flights, but the key is to book tickets fast. The bargains that crop up only last a few days. (Note: You book tickets directly through the airlines.) If you’re open to going at different times of the year or choosing a destination based on where there’s good airfare, you can land a killer deal.

SMART IDEA: I know a family of four that books their spring break and summer vacations based on where they can find deeply discounted airfare to. They’ve gone to Australia, Thailand and Japan in the last few years!

Interested? Check out these cheap flight alert services:

Scott’s Flights: You plug in the airports near you and they send you airfare deals to those locations. Most flights are non-stop or single stop. (Example deal: $496 roundtrip, nonstop tickets from Indianapolis to Paris for October through April dates.)
Matt’s Flights: The free version provides information on bargains and a list of departing airports and what period of time the deal is for. Also, it stars the flights that are nonstop. (Example deal: $225 roundtrip, nonstop tickets from New York to Spain for September through October dates.)
Dollar Flight Club: This one has you enter your home airport and then sends you deals from there. They say their users save $500 on average per flight.
Next Vacay: Select your home airport and get deals from there as well as any major airports within a three-hour drive from your preferred airport. (Example deal: $370 from New York to Amsterdam.)

BEST DISCOUNTS: Travelzoo

Who wants to pay full-price for anything? Not me. That’s why I signed up to get the Travelzoo e-newsletter. It’s like Groupon for travel, where you can find discounts on vacation packages, cruises, hotels, restaurants, activities, and car rentals abroad and in the U.S.

It’s free to get the e-newsletter or mosey over to the website and check out what’s being offered around the world. As I’m writing this, there’s a Caribbean cruise for $389 and a 7-night trip to Italy for $899!

Travelzoo’s Top 20 list has all their juiciest deals, but you can search the website for specific destinations or types of offers, too. A heads up: Many of the deals have very specific terms like certain dates and departure cities. So be sure to read everything before you book.

BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY RENTALS: Kid & Coe

Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids and I love vacation but putting those two things together can make traveling stressful. Because the truth is that no matter where you go, you’re still on parent duty.

Responsibility numero uno is keeping the kiddos safe and happy, which can be challenging if you’re staying in a fancy-schmancy hotel with a bunch of sharp-edged furniture. And putting kids to bed means lights out for you too if you’re all sharing one big room.

That’s why I always try to book vacation rentals for family trips. My husband and I are 100% happier being able to tuck the kids into their room and still have grown-up downtime out in the family room. Plus, there’s more space for everyone to spread out.

You could search Airbnb for vacation rentals. But I’ve got a shortcut for you: Kid & Coe. Their vetted selection only features family-friendly homes in numerous countries – from spacious city lofts to beach cottages to country manors.

Kid & Coe homes are so stylish (like glossy magazine stuff) it’s hard to believe they’d be the ideal place for your family to hang. But they visit every property to make sure it’s a place you and your kids are going to love. Rentals come stocked with books, toys, board games and gear like cribs and high chairs. Many have super-cute kids’ rooms and outdoor play spaces, too. (I’m lusting after Appletree Cottage, an adorable English countryside getaway with two acres of forest, a trampoline out back and an interior that looks like Joanna Gaines decked it out.)

You can browse the website by destination, specific amenity (think: changing table) or dates. They also have lots of U.S. options if you decide to stay in the states this time around. Once you narrow down rentals within your budget, feel free to reach out to the host with any questions before booking.

BEST BOUTIQUE HOTELS: Mr. & Mrs. Smith

When you’re on a grownup getaway and want somewhere special to stay, look no further than Mr. & Mrs. Smith. This UK-based company cherry-picks the most stylish boutique hotels around the globe and offers the best price for them. I’m talking hotels so gorgeous you’d travel around the world just to stay there. And if you find a lower price anywhere else, they’ll price match it and kick in a $75 voucher as a bonus.

As if getting the best price on a luxurious, romantic or only-it-girls type of place isn’t enough, Mr. & Mrs. Smith also throws in extra perks with every booking, like a bottle of champagne, spa credit or a cooking class. It’s definitely one of the best travel deals sites out there!

Now that you’ve got this shortlist of websites to check for awesome travel deals, what are you waiting for? This is going to be your best vacation yet!

Happy travels,

P.S. If you’re crazy enough to jet off just you and your baby, don’t miss my 8 Awesome Tips for Flying With a Baby. Been there, done that and you can so do it too!

P.P.S. Want more DIY travel planning tips like these? Sign up for The Travel Scoop and I’ll send you fun travel ideas and the itineraries to go with them – you won’t have to plan anything except for having a good time!