I've used Trip.com a number of times over the past couple years to book flights and hotels for my travels. My experiences have been a bit of a mixed bag - some good, some not so good. Let me share a few of the key things I've learned about using this online travel booking site.
The Good
Trip.com can be a great option for finding cheap flights and hotels, especially if you're flexible on dates. They often have sales and promotions that allow you to save a decent amount compared to booking directly with airlines and hotel chains. I was able to get a really good deal on a flight to Europe last year by booking through Trip.com.The site is also easy to navigate and search for flights and hotels. You can easily filter by price, dates, number of stops, amenities, and more. The mobile app is also well-designed and convenient for booking on-the-go.I've found Trip.com's customer service to be responsive when I've had issues. For example, I once had to change a flight due to a family emergency and they helped me through the process and waived the change fee. That was much appreciated.The Bad
However, I've also had some frustrating experiences with Trip.com that have made me hesitant to use them for every booking. A few times, I've run into issues with the site not displaying the full price upfront, with extra fees and taxes getting tacked on at the end of the booking process. This can be misleading and annoying when you think you're getting one price only to have it go up.I've also seen some mixed reviews from other travelers about Trip.com's customer service. While my personal experience has been good, I've read reports of long wait times to reach an agent and issues getting refunds or changes processed. It seems to be a bit hit or miss.Additionally, Trip.com doesn't always have the most competitive prices. For certain routes and dates, I've found that booking directly with the airline or hotel chain can actually be cheaper. So it's always worth comparing prices across a few sites.The Ugly
The worst experience I've had with Trip.com was when I accidentally booked a flight with the wrong departure city. I realized my mistake literally within a minute of completing the booking. I immediately called Trip.com's customer service to try to fix it, but they told me I would have to pay a $400 change fee - nearly half the cost of the ticket!I explained that it was an honest mistake and asked if they could waive the fee since it was so soon after booking. But they refused and said their policy was firm. I ended up having to eat the $400 and book a new ticket. It was a very frustrating and costly experience.I've also seen some really bad reviews from other travelers who had major issues with Trip.com, like flights being canceled at the last minute or hotels being overbooked. In these cases, it seems Trip.com was slow to help and left the travelers stranded.The Bottom Line
So in summary, Trip.com can be a good option for finding cheap flights and hotels, but you have to be very careful and read the fine print. Make sure you understand all the fees and policies upfront. And be prepared for the possibility of having to deal with less-than-stellar customer service if anything goes wrong.Personally, I'll continue to use Trip.com selectively, especially for flights and hotels where I'm getting a great deal. But I'll also keep comparing prices and policies across other sites. And I'll be extra cautious to avoid any booking mistakes, since they don't seem to have much flexibility on correcting those.Have you used Trip.com before? I'd be curious to hear about your experiences, both good and bad. Travel booking sites can be a bit of a gamble, so it's always helpful to get firsthand accounts from other travelers. Happy (and safe) travels! more click
Trip.com can be a great option for finding cheap flights and hotels, especially if you're flexible on dates. They often have sales and promotions that allow you to save a decent amount compared to booking directly with airlines and hotel chains. I was able to get a really good deal on a flight to Europe last year by booking through Trip.com.The site is also easy to navigate and search for flights and hotels. You can easily filter by price, dates, number of stops, amenities, and more. The mobile app is also well-designed and convenient for booking on-the-go.I've found Trip.com's customer service to be responsive when I've had issues. For example, I once had to change a flight due to a family emergency and they helped me through the process and waived the change fee. That was much appreciated.The Bad
However, I've also had some frustrating experiences with Trip.com that have made me hesitant to use them for every booking. A few times, I've run into issues with the site not displaying the full price upfront, with extra fees and taxes getting tacked on at the end of the booking process. This can be misleading and annoying when you think you're getting one price only to have it go up.I've also seen some mixed reviews from other travelers about Trip.com's customer service. While my personal experience has been good, I've read reports of long wait times to reach an agent and issues getting refunds or changes processed. It seems to be a bit hit or miss.Additionally, Trip.com doesn't always have the most competitive prices. For certain routes and dates, I've found that booking directly with the airline or hotel chain can actually be cheaper. So it's always worth comparing prices across a few sites.The Ugly
The worst experience I've had with Trip.com was when I accidentally booked a flight with the wrong departure city. I realized my mistake literally within a minute of completing the booking. I immediately called Trip.com's customer service to try to fix it, but they told me I would have to pay a $400 change fee - nearly half the cost of the ticket!I explained that it was an honest mistake and asked if they could waive the fee since it was so soon after booking. But they refused and said their policy was firm. I ended up having to eat the $400 and book a new ticket. It was a very frustrating and costly experience.I've also seen some really bad reviews from other travelers who had major issues with Trip.com, like flights being canceled at the last minute or hotels being overbooked. In these cases, it seems Trip.com was slow to help and left the travelers stranded.The Bottom Line
So in summary, Trip.com can be a good option for finding cheap flights and hotels, but you have to be very careful and read the fine print. Make sure you understand all the fees and policies upfront. And be prepared for the possibility of having to deal with less-than-stellar customer service if anything goes wrong.Personally, I'll continue to use Trip.com selectively, especially for flights and hotels where I'm getting a great deal. But I'll also keep comparing prices and policies across other sites. And I'll be extra cautious to avoid any booking mistakes, since they don't seem to have much flexibility on correcting those.Have you used Trip.com before? I'd be curious to hear about your experiences, both good and bad. Travel booking sites can be a bit of a gamble, so it's always helpful to get firsthand accounts from other travelers. Happy (and safe) travels! more click
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