Booking Buddy is a website that helps you find the best travel deals in one place. Instead of visiting many different sites, you can use Booking Buddy to compare prices for flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages all at once.
It’s owned by TripAdvisor, so it connects you with trusted travel companies like Expedia, Priceline, and more. This makes it easier and safer to find a good deal.
In this guide, you’ll learn how Booking Buddy works and how you can use it to save money on your next trip.
What Is Booking Buddy?
Booking Buddy is a metasearch engine owned by TripAdvisor that compares travel options across multiple OTAs. It shows prices for flights, hotel, car rental, and vacation packages. Users can easily filter by dates, stops, providers, and more.
Booking Buddy helps travelers find the best deal by exploring many sources at once. It does not book directly; instead it redirects users to partner sites to complete the booking.
BookingBuddy Flights
BookingBuddy flights help travelers find the cheapest airline tickets by showing prices from different websites all in one place. Real users say the flight tool is helpful for finding hidden deals. Some travelers saved hundreds of dollars by booking after getting price alerts from BookingBuddy.
Many people like that you can search for flexible dates, nonstop flights, and even compare different airlines quickly. However, some users have mentioned that a few deals disappeared after clicking them, meaning the price changed once they were redirected. It’s always smart to double-check the final fare before you pay.
BookingBuddy Hotel
The BookingBuddy hotel section lets you compare prices for the same hotel from multiple booking sites. This helps travelers find the lowest price without switching between websites. You can also sort by star rating, guest reviews, or location to find the right place to stay.
Most users say they like how easy it is to compare hotel options on BookingBuddy. Some people mentioned they found the same room much cheaper than on the hotel’s own website. Just remember, when you choose a hotel, you’ll finish your booking on a partner site, not BookingBuddy itself.
BookingBuddy Car Rental
If you need a car during your trip, BookingBuddy car rental search can help you compare rental rates from well-known companies like Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise. Travelers say they were able to save a lot, sometimes over $100 on a weekly rental, by using BookingBuddy instead of booking directly.
You can choose what kind of car you want, where to pick it up, and how long you need it for. While most people had good experiences, a few mentioned issues like wrong pick-up locations or limited choices once redirected. So it’s a good idea to read the fine print before confirming.
BookingBuddy Cruises
BookingBuddy also offers a tool to compare prices on cruise trips. This isn’t as well-known as their flight or hotel tools, but it can still help. Travelers use it to check deals from different cruise lines, travel dates, and destinations.
Some users said they found great cruise deals by using the search, especially when booking during off-seasons. However, cruise results may not be as detailed as flights or hotels, so it’s best for a quick price check rather than deep planning.
BookingBuddy Vacations
BookingBuddy vacations allow you to bundle your flight, hotel, and even car rental into one package. Many people like this feature because it can save time and often money compared to booking everything separately.
Travelers who used the vacation package tool said it helped them stay within budget and gave them fewer things to worry about. It’s especially helpful for families or first-time travelers who want a simple way to book a complete trip. Still, because Booking Buddy sends you to partner sites to finish booking, double-check the total price and details before you confirm.
How Booking Buddy Works
Booking Buddy doesn’t sell flights, hotels, or trips directly. Instead, it helps you compare travel prices from many different websites all in one place. Here’s how it works, step by step:
1. Enter your travel details
Start by typing in where you’re going, your dates, and what kind of deal you want, flights, hotels, cars, or vacation packages.
2. BookingBuddy searches trusted sites for you
It scans popular travel websites like Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, and direct airline or hotel sites. It collects the prices and shows them in one place.
3. You compare the deals side-by-side
You’ll see a list of options from different websites. This helps you quickly spot which one has the best price or the most benefits, like free baggage or flexible dates.
4. Click the deal that suits you best
When you find a good option, click on it. Booking Buddy will take you straight to the travel site offering that deal.
5. Book your trip on the partner’s website
You finish your booking on the travel site (like Expedia or an airline’s page). Booking Buddy doesn’t handle your payment or confirmation.
6. Get help from extras like filters and alerts
You can use filters like non-stop flights only, hotel star ratings, or flexible dates. You can also set price alerts to get notified if fares drop.
You never pay Booking Buddy to use it. It earns from partner websites when you book through them, but your price stays the same.
This makes Booking Buddy a helpful tool if you want to save time and money by comparing multiple sites without opening a bunch of tabs.
Booking Buddy Comparison with its Competition
| Travel Site | What It Does | Flight Search | Other Travel Deals | Good For |
| Booking Buddy | Shows you prices from other travel websites all in one place | Finds flights from sites like Expedia, Priceline | Yes – also finds hotels, cars, cruises, and packages | People who want to compare many deals easily |
| Kayak | Searches hundreds of sites with lots of filters and trip tools | Yes, has flexible dates and price prediction | Yes – hotels, cars, and vacation bundles | Travelers who want more control |
| Google Flights | Helps find cheap and fast flights quickly using Google tools | Yes, very fast and shows lowest prices | Only hotels (limited), no cars or cruises | Quick flight checks and flexible trips |
| Skyscanner | Compares flight prices, including budget airlines and flexible destinations | Yes, explore everywhere, monthly view | Yes – hotels and rental cars (no cruise or bundles) | Finding cheap flights and last-minute deals |
Conclusion: Is Booking Buddy a Good Choice?
Booking Buddy is a helpful website that lets you compare travel deals from many popular sites like Expedia and Priceline. Instead of checking each site one by one, you can search once on Booking Buddy and see the best prices for flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages all in one place.
You don’t book directly on Booking Buddy. It just helps you find deals and then sends you to trusted travel websites to complete your booking. This makes the process fast and simple, especially if you’re trying to save time.
Compared to other sites like Kayak, Google Flights, and Skyscanner, Booking Buddy is great if you want an easy way to start your travel search. It may not have a lot of extra tools or filters, but it works well for travelers who want quick results and clear price comparisons.
So, if you’re planning a trip and want to find the best deal without the stress, Booking Buddy is a smart place to start your search.
Explore this amazing list of 7 Best Travel Headphones for every Travel & Traveler
FAQs
1. What is BookingBuddy?
BookingBuddy is a travel comparison tool that lets users check prices for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. It doesn’t handle bookings itself—it sends you to partner travel websites to complete your booking.
2. What is BookingBuddy Flights?
BookingBuddy Flights helps travelers compare airline prices from multiple sources like Expedia, Priceline, or directly from airline sites. It’s useful for spotting deals quickly, but all bookings happen on third-party sites after you click.
3. Can I trust BookingBuddy to book travel?
BookingBuddy is part of the TripAdvisor network, but it’s only a comparison site. Many users find it helpful for comparing prices, while others on Reddit and review platforms have warned about being redirected to unreliable third-party sites. Always double-check the final site before booking.
4. How does BookingBuddy make money if it’s free to use?
BookingBuddy earns commissions when users click through and book on one of its partner websites. That’s how it stays free—by acting as a referral service for other booking platforms.
5. Why does the price change after I click a deal?
Prices can shift quickly because BookingBuddy updates rates based on live data from external sites. If you click on a deal and the price is higher or unavailable, it’s usually because the original fare expired or was sold out.
6. Are there complaints about BookingBuddy online?
Yes. On forums and review sites like Trustpilot, users have shared both positive experiences and complaints. Some reported being sent to scammy travel sites with no customer support or refund options, especially when booking flights through unfamiliar agencies.
7. Is the BookingBuddy app available?
There is no standalone BookingBuddy app at this time. All services are accessible through its website, which is mobile-friendly and works well for quick comparisons on the go.