The Cookie Phenomenon and Cheaper Airfare

I recently stumbled across something interesting in my quest for cheaper airfares, hotel rooms, and even just updated travel information. And it all comes back to the conspiracy theory that is cookies...

When you log onto just about any site, that company stores a cookie in your computer. This can be a good thing so it remembers who you are, what you're doing there, gives you faster access, information, allows you to track customers if you have a web store of your own -- the list goes on. But did you know it can also hinder your ability to find those last minute deals on hotels and killer airfare?

If you're planning a trip to Jamaica and have already been lurking on Orbitz, Expedia, and Sherman's Travel, chances are those sites stored a cookie on your computer. So it already knows what airfare you've looked at. What happens if you go back a few days later? Chances are it's going to show you the same kind of deal or airfare you looked at days ago and not show you the latest fare that just came in. This can work to their advantage by dumping some of their 'inventory' so to speak. Other times it might actually help you by showing you some amazing deal you already saw and want to jump on. Either way, it's worth the gamble to see the latest and greatest wherever your browser lands. And there's an easy way to do this. Simply go to your preferences in your browser and delete your cookies, or just the ones that are nesting there via a travel search engine.

And this same rule of thought can also go with discounts on all kinds of web retail, too. Cookies can be our friends, but they can also cause us to pay too much for a trip to Jamaica. And that kind of blows.


Just a heads up, I'm in Hotlanta for the rest of the week visiting with family before I take off for Cleveland. A day in the life of an innovative traveler just never dies. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the blog and what you'd like to hear about. Or write about, I welcome posts as long as they're innovative and give back to the traveling community.

Cheers!

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