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[faceless_wonder]

how in the world did people book vacations before the internet? how
did they comparison shop? did they spend entire days on the phone,
calling airline after airline, calling hotel after hotel, trying to
get a halfway decent deal? did they have to pay a travel agent to do
it for them?

thank goodness for the internet. i could sit around for an hour or
less, check airline ticket sites, check hotel sites, and take
advantage of some nice, cheap rates.

did i mention i'm going to be hanging out in DC in two weeks (june
14-17)? 'cause i am.

Comments

[hilabeans.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they pretty much had to pay a travel agent, as far as I can remember. My family traveled by air at least a couple times a year from the time I was very young, and I always remember using travel agents, who were able to find the cheapest airfare (which usually involved redeye flights). I assume that travel agents received daily faxes or something from the airlines with schedules and fares, or dialed into the airlines' database to download the information, and then made the reservations by phone.

Have fun in D.C.!

[ataralas.livejournal.com]

People also had An Airline that they travelled with—we were Continental people, and still mostly are.

Just going to DC to see the sights? Or hang out with friends?

[faceless-wonder.livejournal.com]

going there to see some people.

[xioley.livejournal.com]

I never directly paid an agent; I believe that they collected some kind of percentage from the Airline or some commission...or something of that sort. I actually still prefer agents if I can find the cheapest flight--and it has worked out to be cheapest through an agent at least a couple of times. I prefer dealing with people vs. computers.