what is travel hopper

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How to Use the Hopper App to Save Money on Flights & Hotels

Katie Seemann

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Table of Contents

What is hopper, how to use hopper, hopper flights, hopper hotels, hopper predictions, final thoughts.

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There are tons of different websites out there to help you book your next vacation. You can book directly, through an online travel agency like Expedia , Orbitz , or Priceline, or start your search in a metasearch engine like Google Flights or Kayak .

But how do you know you’re getting the best deal? The Hopper mobile app is a bit different because it offers predictions to help you find the best time to book. They’re so confident in their app, they claim 95% accuracy!

In this post, I’ll walk you through booking a flight and hotel, plus we’ll take a closer look at how Hopper predictions work.

Hopper is a mobile app that helps you book flights and hotels at the right time to save you money — claiming 95% accuracy, up to 1 year in advance.

Download the App

The first thing you need to do to use Hopper is to download the mobile app. Hopper is NOT available for desktop computers.

Go to the App Store or Google Play to download the app.

Create an Account

You can search for flights and hotels on Hopper as a guest, but you must create an account to make a booking.

To create an account on Hopper, go to the Trips icon on the bottom of your screen. Then click Log In/Sign Up.

You’ll be required to enter your name, email address, and phone number. Once you do that you’ll receive a verification text with a link to finish creating your account.

If you need to make any changes to your information (or want to change your bunny icon!) click on Trips then click on the pencil icon near the bunny.

Hot Tip: You must be on a mobile phone to create your Hopper account — it won’t work on a tablet.

The Hopper mobile app is simple and straightforward to use.

Set up a Flight Watch

You can set up a watch on a particular flight after you’ve selected the flight. Just click Watch This Trip after your search. You need to allow for push notifications to set up a watch.

All of the flights you’re watching will be visible by clicking the Watch icon in the bottom, left-hand corner.

Hot Tip: Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns bonus points on travel purchases! The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card  is one of the best overall travel rewards credit cards on the market — and travel purchases made with this card will earn 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar!

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel SM , 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel SM . For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Chase Ultimate Rewards

In addition to flights, you can also use Hopper to search for hotels.

Hopper’s claim to fame is that it can predict the right time to book a flight with up to 95% accuracy .

To do this, Hopper has a team that developed an algorithm to analyze the millions of data points they collect every day. The algorithm looks at pricing trends to predict what flight prices will do. The result, they claim, is that you know the best times to make a purchase to save money.

Once you sign up for notifications about a route, you may not receive notice of every price change. Hopper won’t notify you of small price changes or about a price change that you’ve already seen (they can track what prices you’ve seen in the app).

You’ll get a notification when price changes drastically or when Hopper predicts prices are about to rise.

Hopper claims 95% accuracy on their predictions. So while they may be right most of the time, they don’t have the answers all of the time. Because of this, their price predictions aren’t guaranteed .

You can buy a ticket during their recommended time and the price could still go down afterward.

Bottom Line: Hopper doesn’t offer a low price guarantee or price matching. They do, however, claim 95% accuracy in their flight cost predictions. If you set up a watch on the Hopper app, they’ll notify you when they think is the right time to buy.

Hopper isn’t like other online travel agencies. First, Hopper is exclusively a mobile app.

This app claims to be able to predict flight price trends with up to 95% accuracy. They base their predictions on an algorithm they developed that analyzes historical flight price information.

It’s a straightforward and easy to use app. It doesn’t have many of the bells and whistles of some other booking websites, but they offer simplicity and a great shot at purchasing your flight or hotel at the right time and lowest price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the hopper app.

The Hopper app is a mobile app that helps you book flights and hotels at the best prices. Based on Hopper predictions, they’ll send you notifications to let you know the best time to make your purchase. These predictions are only a guide — they don’t guarantee the lowest prices nor do they offer a price match guarantee.

Is Hopper only an app?

Yes, Hopper’s flight and hotel booking capabilities are only available through their mobile app. The app will also let you set up watches to keep an eye on the prices for your trip, and will notify you of their prediction of the best time to buy.

Are Hopper predictions accurate?

Hopper predictions claim to be 95% accurate. The algorithm they use is based on millions of historical data points and tries to predict the best time to purchase a flight or hotel so you can save money. However, their predictions are not guaranteed.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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How to Use the Hopper App for Cheap Flights and Hotels

Have you ever purchased airfare and wondered whether or not you got a good deal or if you overpaid? 

Researching and buying airfare is stressful and can feel like you’re playing roulette. Despite countless websites touting the best deals and research like what the best day of the week is to book airfares,  it’s easy to wonder if you got the best possible price.

Mix in some analysis  paralysis  from overthinking the abundance of information available online and it’s no wonder people looking to purchase airfares visit travel websites repeatedly before daring to hit the “purchase” button.

Help is here! The free Hopper app for travel smartly “predicts” when you should buy and when you should fly by analyzing the dizzying amount of airfare data on the web.

In this Hopper app review, learn how to use the Hopper app for flights and now also, hotels, so you can save money booking your travel.

What is the Hopper App?

Just in case you’ve landed on this page by accident ;), Hopper is an app for IOS and Android devices that searches for the cheapest prices on flights and hotels. But what makes Hopper stand out is its  price prediction  ability.

Hopper studies massive amounts of data to understand pricing trends. By doing this,  Hopper can see when it’s a good time to book and when it’s not  based on what they know about prices and the likelihood they’ll go down.

The Hopper app can tell you the absolute right time to book that flight with a  95% accuracy rate …for up to 1 year in advance. That certainly counts as an “A” in my classroom!

How to Use Hopper to Book Flights

Depending on the type of device you have, you’ll need to download Hopper from the App Store on your IOS smartphone or tablet or Google Play for your Android device. Hopper is a mobile-only app , so it won’t work on your desktop.

You can search for flights and hotels from a mobile phone or tablet. But, you can only make bookings while you’re signed in from the app on your mobile phone. To sign in, you’ll need to share your name, email, and phone number.

How to Search Hopper Flights

Begin by selecting “Flights” and entering where you are flying from and where you would like to go. Hopper checks airfares for your selected route over a few months.

The next screen will display a color-coded calendar showing you a range of when your selected route is cheapest to when it’s most expensive.  You’ll have the option to select a round trip or a one-way, as well as filter for basic fares (more restrictions but cheaper prices) and flights with or without stops.

At the top of the screen, the Hopper flight search will also display information about the typical price ranges for your selected route so you can see what’s considered low, medium, and high airfare.

Using the color-coded calendar, select your travel dates.  Depending on the dates you select, Hopper will give you advice on what your next steps should be.

For example, flying from New York City to Miami, I selected dates coded in green. These are the days when the best prices for my route are available.

Hopper’s advice is to book now.  The fare information includes the price with all taxes & fees , as well as predictions about the fare and how it will change within the coming weeks.

There will also be an option to “Watch This Trip” if you’re not ready to book. However, you must be signed into the app and have notifications turned on to enable this feature. If you choose to watch the flight, your watched Hopper flight will appear on the home screen as you open the app.

Hopper also has a “Price Freeze” feature. This lets you choose the flights you want and put a $40 deposit to  freeze  the airfare for 5 days. Hopper will cover the flight price increase, should it change, up to $100 per person. The $40 deposit is returned automatically when you book within that 5-day timeframe.

How to Book Hopper Flights

If you’re ready to book or you want to see flight options, click the “View Flights” button at the bottom of the screen.

Hopper will display airlines and flight schedules, showing the outbound first.

Select your outbound and return flights to create your itinerary.

The Hopper app even lets you pick flights from different airlines . So, it’s possible to fly United on the outbound and American Airlines on the return in order to get the cheapest combination of flights.

Hopper will offer the opportunity to make the ticket refundable. Just be sure to read the terms and conditions. Refund protections don’t apply to CDC, WHO, or U.S. Department of State travel advisories.

If you’ve chosen a Basic Economy fare, Hopper will alert you to the restrictions that could include seat selection and carry-on or checked bags.

When you continue, you’ll need to choose who will be flying. If you haven’t signed in, you’ll be prompted to do this. If you need to add different or additional travelers, you can also do that now.

Once the travelers are selected or added, click on “Choose Payment” to enter your credit card information. Be sure to use a travel rewards credit card with a travel bonus category like the  Chase Sapphire Preferred  or  Chase Sapphire Reserve  so you can earn 3x the points on travel purchases.

Hopper Flight Deals

At the bottom of the home screen, the Hopper deals feed gives you the option to explore cheap flights by destination depending on your departure airport.

Simply enter your home airport and a list of destinations, prices, and dates will display. This is a great option if you’re flexible about where and when to travel and just want to find the cheapest flights.

Hopper vs Google Flights

Google Flights and even other tools like  Momondo  are some of my  favorite websites for finding cheap flights . Naturally, I wanted to run a few tests to see if Hopper was also able to find the cheapest prices.

I first compared the flight example from above, New York to Miami. When I searched, Google Flights I found a price that was $10 cheaper than Hopper was showing. However, I suspect because I had done the New York to Miami search several times on Hopper that prices increased because of cookie tracking.

So, I chose a new destination. I searched New York City to Costa Rica , first on Google Flights and then on Hopper. I selected the same exact flights on the same dates on each platform and found an exact price match.

Then, I searched on Google Flights from New York City to Paris.

Again, I chose the exact same flights on the same dates and again the prices were the same.

This might have you asking, why not just use Google Flights? After all, there’s no need to download an app.

Hopper’s price prediction abilities, booking tips, and notifications make it a valuable tool for finding the best price…even if it ultimately makes sense to replicate the search on Google Flights or even an airline’s website to book directly with the airline in order to earn miles toward status.

Hopper’s airfare data research can help you understand when you should book and when you should wait in a much clearer way than other websites can. Think of it as another valuable tool in your travel toolbox.

ProTip:  Keep in mind, Google Flights and Hopper don’t show Southwest flights. Hopper also doesn’t show Delta flights. It’s worth comparing with these airlines if they fly the route for which you’re searching.

Hopper Hotels

Hopper can also help you find the best prices on hotels. From the Hopper app home screen, click on “Hotels.” Choose where you’re going and the dates you need to stay. For this example, I chose New Orleans.

Hopper will show a list of hotels. You’ll be able to sort the list based on their star rating, user rating, and price. Hopper also has a map view so you can see where each hotel is. This is especially helpful if you want to stay near a specific attraction or in a specific neighborhood.

You’ll also be able to filter the results by star rating, user rating, amenities, price range, and location.

If you click the blue binocular icon alongside the hotel results, it’ll be added to your watch list. Remember you need to be signed in with notifications enabled to unlock this feature.

Once you add a hotel to your watch list, it’ll appear on the home screen of the app, along with any other flight or hotel watches you have set up already.

If you’d like to see more about a particular hotel, click on it from the list. Hopper will show more photos, the hotel’s rating and recent reviews from TripAdvisor, a price comparison to other booking sites, the mapped location, and amenities.

Click on “View Rooms” to select from different rooms and bed types, if available. You’ll also be able to see the complete price breakdown.

Once you continue, you’ll be prompted to choose the guests from your list or to add new guests. Once you do so, you can add a payment method to complete your booking.

Hopper Travel App Bottom Line

The Hopper App saves you time and money by searching through the masses of airfare and hotel data letting you know the best time to book your travel. Whether Hopper is your go-to tool or one of a few you use to find the best deals, you can book and travel confidently knowing you’ve used one of the best tools out there for finding the best travel deals.

Have you tried the Hopper app? 

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Hopper: Flights, Hotels & Cars 4+

Spend less, travel better‪.‬.

• #35 in Travel
• 4.8 • 1.1M Ratings

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Description.

The Hopper app has helped over 100 million travelers find and secure the best price on flights, hotels, homes and car rentals - each and every time they book their trips. Book Flights, Hotels, Homes & Rental Cars Find millions of flights, hotels, homes, rental cars (and cute bunnies) – all in one app. Book your trip safely and securely, in just a couple taps and a swipe. Always Get the Best Price You can watch a trip right in the app and we’ll send you a notification when it’s the best time to buy — recommending you to book now, or maybe wait just a little longer. Easily Find The Cheapest Travel Dates Simply search your preferred destination and use Hopper’s color-coded deals calendar to easily find the cheapest travel dates for your trip. Not Ready to Book Right Away? Hopper lets you freeze the price, so that you never miss a travel deal. For a small fee, take the time you need to finalize your plans, or wait for your next paycheck to come in. If the price goes up, you only pay the price you froze it at. But if the price goes down, you just pay the lower price. Travel with Confidence Avoid fees and frustration! Make any trip flexible with Hopper’s Cancel and Change for Any Reason plans. Get instantly rebooked without extra costs if your flight is delayed or you miss a connection with Hopper’s Flight Disruption Guarantee. Travel stress free with 24/7 access to Hopper’s Customer Support. Help the Planet, One Booking at a Time. With every booking that occurs on Hopper, we pledge to plant 2 trees to offset the carbon footprint. To date, we’ve planted over 31 million trees. Hopper has no ads, no spam, and no stress — just accurate predictions and travel deals. So what are you waiting for? Start saving money with the bunny today. Download Hopper for free now, and let’s start planning your next trip! Hopper Love • “The 10 Best Free Apps for Air Travel Junkies” - TIME • “The Most Downloaded OTA in the U.S. in 2021” - Apptopia • “The app helps travelers find the cheapest flights, hotels and rental cars.” - The Points Guy • “Compared to exact searches on Expedia, Kayak and Orbitz, we regularly found that the deal quoted on Hopper was the best” - Travel and Leisure • “Hopper can be a better option than direct booking for those who need more flexibility.” - The Wall Street Journal • “Find me a hotel on Hopper!” - The Late Late Show with James Corden • “Travel Unicorn Hopper First Came for Expedia. Airbnb Is Next” - TechCrunch • “Hopper is committed to offsetting the carbon emissions of every flight and hotel stay it sells.” - Forbes, The Top 100 Most Customer-Centric Companies of 2022 Say Hello to the Bunnies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoppertravel Instagram: @hopper Twitter: @hopper Website: http://www.hopper.com Need support? Head over to https://help.hopper.com to find answers to frequently asked questions. You can also reach us toll-free at +1-833-933-4671 if calling from US or Canada, or at +1 (347)-695-4555 if calling from outside the US or Canada.

Version 7.59.0

Bug fixes and UI improvements.

Ratings and Reviews

1.1M Ratings

Editors’ Notes

Next to losing our luggage or someone crushing our knees with a reclined seat, our biggest source of travel anxiety is paying too much for a flight. Simply enter a destination into Hopper, and the app quickly scours the Internet for the best deals, giving you an easy-to-understand snapshot of fares, ideal travel dates, and even when prices for your flight are likely to rise and fall. You might end up saving enough money for a knee-pleasing seat upgrade.

Not Even the employees will match these low rates!

We recently had a house fire and had no choice but to stay in hotels. With us being a family of 5 suites seem to suit us best and hopper came through every time with the lowest rate of all 3rd party hotel apps and sites. Rate do change constantly but that’s what makes it kinda fun. I find that 2AM I can get the lowest rate of the day , although that’s not always the case. Not only that but on top of fire car broke down and Hopper had great deals for a rental for the week. They are always posting cheap flights and housing or hotels for a vacation or in my case ended up finding an apartment to stay in short term till we got are ducks in a row for the next step of are journey. I have never had a problem with them personally or had to call because they made a mistake. Just be careful when booking rooms that your reading the details correctly or call hotel and double check if you’re unsure what a room type is. For example one time I booked us for a king suite. Thing separate king bedroom and sofa bed in living room….. and we walked in the room there was one king bed. What I should have clicked on was 1 bedroom king suite which had the separate bedroom and pull out couch for the kiddos in living room. All in all Thank you Hopper I couldn’t have found a better site to use in this time of need for my family.

Developer Response ,

It warms our hearts that we were able to come through for you in such a hard time. We sincerely hope that things have turned around since the fire, and that you are able to rebuild or fix what needs to be done and get back in your own home. Thank you for sharing your story with us💞

Saves me time and money

I’ll start with the reasons for the loss of the star. 1. Sometimes the prediction of when to buy is not accurate. For instance, I was advised to wait for the price to drop to purchase a flight ticket but then when I was advised to “buy now” because the price wasn’t bound to drop, it ended up being $10 more than if I had booked when I was going to initially. A $10 difference isn’t a huge deal; it just felt a bit misleading. Similarly, sometimes the lowest available price shown for a flight is lower than the lowest actual lowest price available, which can be disappointing obviously. Lastly, and perhaps the most confusing for me is how the flight prices are color coded. Naturally one is inclined to think that red mean the flight cost will be most expensive; but I’ve come to learn than red (I think) actually means the cost of the flight is more expensive on that date than I guess it usually is to or from that airport. So in reality, a date color coded red could actually be more cost effective than a date color coded green if that date is usually pretty cheap on average. I haven’t been able to crack the algorithm, so I would just advise everyone to always check all dates regardless of the color coding. In my opinion, it would be most helpful to the buyer if the color coding represented a general price range. All in all, hopper does the leg work for me and saves me a bunch of time which is why despite the aforementioned, I think they still deserve 4.5 ⭐️.

Thank you so much for the review! We are delighted to hear that we never let you down when organizing travel plans. Let us know if there's anything else we can do for you.

App Privacy

The developer, Hopper , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Identifiers

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Financial Info
• Contact Info
• Search History
• Diagnostics

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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Hopper Review [2024]: Is Flight & Travel App Hopper LEGIT?

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Is the Hopper app legit and worth trying? Read my honest Hopper app review to find out.

There’s little more enticing than the promise of cheap travel deals, and I have to say: after years of travel, I’m pretty good at finding cheap flights and accommodations.

Digging up an impossibly good deal gives me a special kind of rush, and searching for great deals on travel is one of my favorite leisure activities.

I used to keep my travel expenses low through a combination of budget travel deal websites , creative thinking, and a willingness to be uncomfortable.

These strategies continue to serve me well–except for that last one. The uncomfortable one. 

My tolerance for the rough-and-tumble travel life is waning. My days of sleeping in 10-bed hostel dormitories or on an airport bench during a 12-hour layover have passed.

To compensate, I’ve had to beef up those other strategies and expand my network of go-to travel sites and apps.

That’s where the Hopper app comes in and why I started trying it out in the first place. 

Read on for my full Hopper app review, and follow me on my quest to find dangerously low hotel and flight deals.

Table of Contents

What is Hopper?

Hopper is an app where you can search for flights, car rentals, and hotel deals. 

It’s not unlike other budget travel sites such as Skiplagged , Skyscanner, and Scott’s Cheap Flights (all of which I’ve used for years), and Hopper prices are usually comparable to those mentioned above.

But there are some differences. 

First, this is primarily an app, while Skiplagged and Skyscanner exist in both websites and app versions. 

Hopper is specifically for mobile use, and you can’t search for deals on the website. You have to do it through the app.

But beyond its format, a few other aspects make it unique.

Hopper’s price freeze feature lets you freeze a price for a small fee and pay the whole sum later. 

They also offer price predictions to help you gauge what future flight prices might be and whether you need to ‘hop’ on a deal immediately (see what I did there?).

Lastly, there have rewards, discounts, and vouchers to help lower your costs further. 

Whenever you book through Hopper, you earn ‘carrot cash,’ essentially cash back that you can then use on future bookings. Sweet, free money!

How Does Hopper Work?

Once you download the free Hopper app onto your phone, you’ll find two rows of square buttons at the top of your home screen. 

You can navigate to one of the top row buttons, which read: ‘Hotels,’ ‘Flights,’ ‘Cars,’ or ‘Homes’ (which are essentially like Airbnbs).

From there, things are pretty straightforward. Type in a location and a set of dates, and you’ll get a list of the available deals.

Any Hopper flight booking, accommodation, or car rental will earn you Carrot Cash. 

If you see a deal but aren’t ready to pay the full cost, you can pay to freeze that deal. 

The fee will generally be about 10% of the total price, and it will apply towards the total.

The fine print of the price freeze option is that the app will cover up to a $300 price difference if prices rise, and price freezing won’t hold a place for you. 

So, if something sells out or the price increases by more than $300, you won’t get the booking at that price. 

You will, however, get a refund on your fee, and if there’s a price drop, you’ll still pay the best price and not the higher one you froze it at.

In the ‘Wallet’ section, you’ll find your Carrot Cash, plus vouchers like ‘$10 off your first hotel booking,’ and limited-time coupons on specific carriers. 

You can also find more limited-time flash offers in the ‘Deals’ section.

If you enable push notifications for the Hopper app, you’ll get price alerts when Hopper flights you’ve searched in the past change in cost. 

They’ll also tell you whether they’re predicting fares will rise or drop and attempt to give you an accurate prediction for whether you should book now or continue waiting. 

Lastly, certain Hopper flights have an optional Hopper flight delay guarantee, which allows you to rebook a delayed flight for free through Hopper.

A Quick Look at Hopper as a Company

Hopper is a travel agency app. You can book cheap flights, hotels, vacation homes, and car rentals through it. 

This booking app promises the best deals by using AI to compare billions of price points simultaneously.

In 2007, Hopper’s founders, Frederic Lalonde and Joost Ouwerkerk, left executive positions at Expedia to develop the app. 

It took seven years for the app to launch, but since then, its rise to popularity has been swift, and Hopper ratings are largely favorable.

Use the promo code “theatlasheart” at checkout to get $25 off your first hotel booking.

Hopper Review: My Experience With Using the Hopper App

Hopper Flights

I’ve had this app for about a year and booked one Hopper flight so far, although I’ve researched many others.

I purchased the flight in the Hopper app , and it cost slightly less than any of the other cheap flights I could find on competing platforms. I earned $1.70 in Carrot Cash from that purchase. 

It was a roundtrip domestic flight from New York to Atlanta. I bought it less than a month in advance for about $100 per person, including the return flight. 

It was a two-night trip, so we traveled light and didn’t have to pay baggage fees.

Since then, I’ve frequently used the app to compare flight prices and search for hotel and flight deals. 

All of the travel I’ve done in the past year (apart from visiting family) has been international (lucky me). 

Hopper’s cheapest international flights are generally pricier than what I can find elsewhere. So, based on my experience, Hopper might be better for domestic travel. 

Still, you never know where you’ll find cheap flights, and no single platform consistently has the best prices, so it’s important to compare prices across as many platforms as possible. 

While comparing prices on this app has become a regular part of my booking process for trips, I have been a little disappointed with certain aspects of the interface. 

First, the app is a bit slow to load results. They claim to be comparing ’30 billion price points in real-time,’ so that probably accounts for the wait. 

However, as I consistently find lower prices on other platforms in a quicker amount of time, it sometimes feels too long to make Hopper worth the wait.

Secondly, their search function doesn’t allow you to search for flexible travel dates or general locations. 

These are features that have helped me book flights for super cheap on other platforms, so it’s something that I see as a disadvantage.

Hopper Hotels

On several occasions, I’ve nearly booked a Hopper hotel , but mostly I use it for research.

The options here can be hit or miss. I’ve found the hotel options to be slightly cheaper than what’s available on competing sites. Other times, I’ve had better luck on Airbnb or Booking.com. 

Shared hostel rooms will also show up in Hopper hotel search results, so be aware when you’re searching through the options.

Prize Freezing

I deliberate for a long time before booking travel deals, so I appreciate the price freeze feature.

Recently, I found a Hopper deal for a hostel in Amsterdam at about $10 cheaper than any other website. 

I still wasn’t ready to take the plunge and book it, but I got extremely close to freezing the price. Because I didn’t freeze it, it was gone from the Hopper app the next day. 

I ended up booking that very hostel at a higher price elsewhere, and I wish I’d frozen that cheaper price.

Discounts/Vouchers/Carrot Cash

It’s one thing when a flight booking platform has especially low hotel and flight prices, but this app works in multiple ways to save you money.

Hopper rewards you for booking with them and gives you cash back. They also have exclusive coupons.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, you’ll find the same prices on flights across every site and app. 

With Hopper’s vouchers, you can push that fare down a bit more and get the overall best price. 

Price Predictions 

When I plan a trip, my process looks like this: I obsessively look up prices for days or weeks. 

During this time, I compare countless variables and keep multiple tabs open until I’m overwhelmed. 

The upside to my process is that I’ve planned some epically cheap trips this way. The downside is that sometimes (often), I hesitate too long and miss out on the best deals.

When the prices of a recent search change, the Hopper app sends you push notifications that advise you whether you should keep waiting or pull the trigger and book, and I appreciate that.

For Mobile Only

Okay, sure–apps are great and everything. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I vastly prefer to book flights on a computer vs a phone. 

A phone screen is so tiny that it’s hard to type, and I can’t look at multiple windows simultaneously. 

For me, a website will always be more user-friendly, and I’d prefer to have the option.

Price Freezing Won’t Protect Against Things Selling Out

The reason I didn’t freeze that Amsterdam hostel price is that freezing doesn’t guarantee your spot. 

The Hopper price freeze option only protects you from paying more if you book later. A hotel or flight could still sell out after you freeze it. 

You will, of course, get a refund for the fee you paid if that happens, but when hotel rooms and flights are going fast, it makes more sense to book directly.

Discounts Only Apply to Specific Situations

When you open your Hopper wallet, you’ll find tons of discounts, vouchers, and coupons. And that’s great! 

However, I’ve never been able to take advantage of them because they’re only for specific situations. 

$100 off a Fiji Airlines flight to New Zealand or Australia doesn’t help me much when I’m planning a trip to Amsterdam.

That’s the nature of coupons, I suppose, but this is still a detractor for me.

App Loads Results Slowly

As your results load in the Hopper app , a pale red, animated bunny gallops in place across your screen. After a moment of bated breath, your results pop up.

Some competing platforms let you view flights immediately after you hit ‘search,’ and the prices drop lower and lower as it loads more deals. 

Psychologically, this makes it feel like there’s no delay.

I have a short attention span, and watching that bunny hop isn’t enough to hold it. I find myself feeling impatient and frustrated when I’m using the app.

Not Great for Flexible Dates/Destinations

My process for finding the best flight prices involves carefully comparing date combinations, alternate routes, one-ways, and roundtrips to determine the ultimate best deals. 

Hopper’s search function requires you to type in a specific date and destination. 

The cost of each calendar day is color-coded when you choose your dates to give you a sense of whether you’re picking a pricey day. 

However, that still isn’t enough flexibility to really work with my research process.

How to Have the Best Experience Shopping on Hopper

To take the best advantage of Hopper deals, it helps if you’re open-minded about where and when you’re traveling. 

Say you’d like to take a weekend trip in the near future, but you haven’t decided on specific destinations or travel dates. 

You can browse the flash deals and plan your travel details based on what’s available.

I’ve also had better luck using the Hopper app for flights within the US, so it might work best for domestic travel.

You can also take better advantage of this app by using it regularly (kind of a genius business plan, honestly). 

The more often you book, the more Carrot Cash you’ll accumulate, and then you can book your next flight at a discount.

Other Hopper Products

Hopper Rental Cars

You can also book a Hopper car rental in the app.  

Prices are similar to what I’ve found on competing platforms, although they’re sometimes about 10-20% higher than I cheapest I can find elsewhere. 

Hopper Homes

The ‘Homes’ section is a new Hopper rental category. It’s essentially Hopper’s answer to Airbnb, allowing you to rent a vacation home or apartment. 

The page design for the listings is nearly identical to Airbnb, but the selection appears to be much smaller, as this is a newer platform that’s less widely known.

Hopper Cancellation & Exchange Policy

Hopper is a middleman between you and the airline, hotel, or car rental company, and cancellation and exchange policies will vary from company to company. 

Even so, Hopper customer service will help you facilitate cancellations and refunds. 

Hopper collects payments for your bookings directly and then pays out the airline (or hotel, etc.), so any changes will go through Hopper.

Sometimes, you can cancel through the Hopper app within 24 hours of booking Hopper hotels or flights and receive a full refund. 

But again, since airline and hotel policies vary, Hopper can’t offer this as a universal policy.

FAQs About Hopper

Is Hopper a legit site?

Absolutely! Hopper is entirely legit, and there were no issues with the flight I booked through the app.

Is booking on Hopper safe?

Booking flights with Hopper is absolutely safe. There’s nothing sketchy about the platform; using it is just as safe as any other reputable travel booking website. 

Compared to other budget travel search engines, which often have you book through third-party sites, you get extra security with Hopper’s customer support team when you pay the VIP fee.

It’s always safest when you book directly from an airline, but you won’t necessarily get the best deal if you do so. 

Does Hopper really work?

Yes, Hopper booking is straightforward and easy. 

If you’re looking for the cheapest prices, however, Hopper only sometimes has them. 

Often, especially when it comes to Hopper hotels, the lowest fares will be found on other platforms.

Is Hopper free?

Yes, downloading and using the Hopper travel app is entirely free. The only money you’ll spend is on the booking itself. 

Does Hopper have hidden fees?

Nope! Hopper advertises that they have no hidden fees. There’s no ‘service fee,’ so you won’t unexpectedly rack up an extra $10-20 when you click ‘book.’

How much is the Hopper membership fee?

You can use Hopper for free. Hopper Premium isn’t available yet and the waitlist is currently full. 

When it becomes available, a Premium membership will cost $9.99 a month and you’ll get $60 of carrot cash per year, plus exclusive deals.

How does Hopper make money?

Airlines, hotels, and car rental companies pay Hopper a commission when you make reservations through them.

What is the Hopper VIP fee?

Hopper VIP is an option you can add to an individual booking for a “small fee” (which means it varies depending on what you’re purchasing). 

VIP will get you easier access to customer support, helping make the Hopper app trustworthy and more secure.

Why does Hopper have cheaper prices?

Hopper has access to discounts and savings that they pass on to customers. Carrot cash, Hopper discount codes, and Hopper promo codes can further reduce your costs.

However, I’ll also note that in my experience, this app often doesn’t have the overall cheapest options.

Does Hopper guarantee your hotel room?

If you’ve used the freeze option, but you haven’t paid the full price, you haven’t actually booked the hotel room or flight yet, and Hopper can’t guarantee that it won’t sell out. 

They only guarantee you won’t pay more if prices rise in the meantime.

Does Hopper let you cancel?

You can cancel certain bookings on Hopper, depending on the airline, hotel, or rental company’s policy. 

If you have a cancellable reservation, you’ll find a red ‘cancel’ button in your confirmation email, and Hopper will help facilitate the process.

How do you save money on Hopper?

Hopper plane tickets, hotels, and rental cars are already on the low side. 

You can save more money using the vouchers, discounts, and flash deals that the app offers. Accumulating Carrot Cash will also cut your future costs.

Is Hopper a travel agent?

Yes, Hopper is a travel agent app. 

What are some alternatives to Hopper? 

My number one flight-searching platform is Skyscanner , followed by Skiplagged and then Google Flights .

Skyscanner has the most flexible, user-friendly search options and–usually–the cheapest flights. 

Skiplagged sometimes turns up the cheapest fares, but their search function could be more flexible. 

Google Flights has an excellent interface, but they don’t always find the cheapest deals.

Read our full Skiplagged review .

Conclusion: So, is Hopper Any Good?

Searching for travel deals is like fishing. You need patience and the right equipment, and casting a wide net widens your chances. 

So, adding another platform to your arsenal is always worth it.

Hopper has some fantastic and unique features, such as price freezing, carrot cash, and a plethora of available vouchers. 

While my Hopper app review is mostly positive, it’s still not my go-to. 

The slow interface, search limitations, and the fact that (despite its claims) it doesn’t always have the lowest fares means it’s not my favorite way to find travel deals.

But it’s free to download and use, so it’s worth having on your phone and using as another way to compare prices.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elina Ansary

Elina’s career as an “emerging” artist has led her to do a ton of traveling on a very small budget. But what she lacks in funds, she makes up for in creativity and craftiness, and finding cheap flights and budget travel options is a way of life for her.

Elina visits artist residencies in locations around the world, including Amsterdam, Finland, Italy, and Australia, and has exhibited her work in galleries and museums in the US and abroad. When she isn’t writing and editing for The Atlas Heart, Elina is pursuing a Master’s degree in Visual Art at Cornell University and splits her time between Ithaca and Brooklyn.

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Hi, I'm Mimi! I'm an outdoorsy Californian who has spent over 28 years immersed in the incredible natural beauty that California has to offer. My goal is to inspire others to get out and find their next adventure in California. Whether it’s escaping to an alpine lake in the Sierras, finding peace among the giant redwoods, or road tripping down the PCH, there’s always more to explore in this beautiful state.

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Hopper Review: Can This Travel App Really Save You Money on Hotels, Flight, and Car Rentals?

December 20, 2021 7 min read

When planning a trip, exorbitant prices for hotels, flights, and other transportation modes can put travelers off. Luckily, there are many apps on the market that help make finding amazing deals easy. 

Hopper is one of these travel deals apps. Hopper notifies users of super-low rates on hotels, flights, and car rentals. Many of these deals save users up to 40% on travel costs. To help you decide if the app is right for you, we created this in-depth Hopper review.   

The team at Wanderlog is always eager to try out the best travel applications , so we were excited to download Hopper and give it a go! Wanderlog helps users organize their bookings and reservations and plan detailed travel itineraries. Our goal is to make travel easy for everyone, so we’re always keen to try other apps that promise the same. 

Looking to save up to 40% on flights and hotels? Then you’ll definitely want to keep reading this Hopper travel app review! 

What is Hopper?

Hopper is an app that finds users the best deals on flights and hotels. The application predicts with 95% accuracy when flight and hotel rates will go up and down, allowing you to book the lowest rate. Algorithms and AI programming are used to achieve this. 

This means that you can input destinations you wish to travel to and dates if you have them. Then, Hopper will notify you when what it predicts will be the best rate is available. If interested in the flight fare or hotel rate, you can book directly in the app. 

The app seems to be incredibly popular, with over 60 million downloads. Hopper has attracted the attention of many investors too, raising over $590M to date. Well-known investors include Goldman Sachs and WestCap Group. 

Who is Hopper Owned By? 

Hopper was founded and is owned by CEO Frederic Lalonde. The North American businessman has founded other start-ups and previously worked at Expedia. 

Does Hopper Have an App?

When researching for this Hopper review, we found that there is an app for both iOS and Android. You can also search for hotel deals on hopper.com. Flight deals are exclusive to the app and can’t be searched in-browser. 

Is the Hopper App Free? 

If the app sounds appealing, you may be wondering: “Does Hopper charge a fee?” The answer is no, the app is 100% free to use. Hopper doesn’t run in-app ads either. 

How Does Hopper Make Money? 

Hopper makes money via a commission model. When you book a flight or hotel through the app, the airline or hotel gives Hopper a small percentage of the sale. 

Does Hopper Have Hidden Fees?

After looking into the terms and conditions for this Hopper app review, we found that Hopper has no hidden fees. You simply pay the quoted flight or hotel rate if you wish to book. However, a $5 tip is automatically added to any booking. This tip is optional, so be sure to opt-out of the tip before booking your flight or hotel if you don’t wish to add it. 

How Does Hopper Work? 

When using the app for this Hopper review, we discovered that using Hopper is very easy. The following steps outline how to find cheap flights, hotels, and car rentals thanks to Hopper.  

Hopper Flights  

• Open the app and log in if you have an account.
• Click the “Flights” button.
• Input the following flight information: 
• Number of travelers
• Departure airport
• Arrival airport 
• One way or return flight 
• A calendar showing the year ahead will be shown. Each date will be color-coded in the following way:  
• Green: lowest fares
• Orange: mid-range fares
• Red: highest fares

If you don’t have set travel dates, this feature can help show you when the cheapest times to fly will be. 

• Choose your departure date and return date, if applicable. 
• The current lowest price for the flight will be displayed. The app will let you know if it thinks the price will drop or rise in the future. 

If the price is going to rise, you’ll be told that the displayed price is likely the lowest you’ll get and you can book. 

If the app says the price will drop in the future, you can hold off and “watch” the flight. In that case, you’ll receive a notification each time the fare drops below the displayed price. If you’re notified of a rate that appeals to you, you can book the flight in the app. 

• You do have the option to pay a deposit for a “price freeze.” The rate that is currently displayed will then be available to book for the next 20 days, even if the fares of the flight go up during that time. Your deposit will go toward the flight and if the price drops in the 20 days, you’ll pay the lower price. If you don’t book in 20 days, your deposit will be forfeited. 

If you find a flight you want to take, you can book it easily within the app. At that point, you can choose fare type, number of checked bags, and add other important flight info. 

Hopper Hotels 

•  Click the “Hotels” button. 
• Enter the destination you need a hotel in and the number of people who will be staying at the hotel. 
• Set filters if applicable, which can include:
• Minimum and maximum price
• Star rating
• User rating
• Required amenities: these include if the hotel has a gym, has a pool, or is pet-friendly, among many other amenities 
• A calendar will be displayed showing the year ahead. Each date will be color-coded based on the nightly rate in the following way:  
• Green: lowest rates
• Orange: mid-range rates
• Red: highest rates 

If you haven’t pre-selected dates for your stay, this feature highlights the cheapest times to stay in your chosen destination. 

• Select your arrival and departure dates.
• Hotels matching your criteria will be shown along with their nightly rate. A map is also shown to give more information on where each hotel is located. 
• If you see a hotel that you’re interested in, you can click on it to get more information. This includes guest reviews, rooms available, and hotel amenities. Hopper will also tell you whether to wait to book (with the icon “wait) or to book now (with the icon “buy.”) 
• As with flights, you can freeze the displayed price of hotels for a fee. If the price rises, you’ll pay the price you froze. If the price drops, you can book at the lower rate. If you don’t book, the deposit is forfeited. 

If you find a hotel you would like to book, you can do so easily within the app. 

Hopper Cars 

• Log in to the Hopper app.
• Select “Cars”
• Enter the location you want to pick up a rental car at.
• Select a different drop-off location, if applicable. 
• Choose rental car pick-up and drop-off dates. 
• Enter pick-up and drop-off times and the age of the driver.
• Results of rental cars matching your search criteria will be shown.
• If you find a car that you want to rent, you can reserve the car via the app. A deposit may be due upfront, but you will pay the majority of the rental car fee when you collect the car.
• If you like the price you see but don’t want to commit, you can freeze the price for a small fee.

What Are the Benefits of Hopper?

100% free to use.

Hopper is always free! When using the app for this Hopper review, we didn’t come across any hidden fees.You can’t pay for a membership that offers access to better rates or more flight and hotel deals. 

Of course, you must pay for any hotel, car rental, or flight you book through the app. An automatic $5 tip is added when paying via the app, but this is optional and easy to remove. 

While the app is always free to use, you can pay for a few perks. These include freezing prices and paying for travel refund protection. 

Saves Time Searching for the Best Rates  

With Hopper, you can simply enter your travel dates and any other relevant filters and the best prices will be shown. Hopper displays flights from all airlines, cars from multiple rental locations, and an array of hotels. It effectively compares prices without you having to look at every provider individually. 

Can Save You 40% on Flights and Hotels 

One of the best things about the Hopper app is that it saves you money. Users can expect to save up to 40% on flight fares and hotel rates. If renting a car, you’ll also benefit from discounts. 

The Ability to Freeze Prices 

If you aren’t quite ready to book an amazing deal you find on Hopper, no problem! The app allows you to freeze prices for a small fee. That way, you have 20 days to decide if you want to take advantage of the discounted rate you discovered. 

Even if the price of the flight, hotel, or car you’re interested in increases, you’ll pay the rate you froze. If the price drops, you benefit from the lower rate. If you book the item you froze, your initial fee will act as part of your payment for that service, effectively making it free to freeze your initial rate. 

What Are the Drawbacks of Hopper?

You can only book transport on the app .

While you can book hotels with Hopper on their website, you can only book flights or car rentals on the app. While this won’t be an issue for most, those that prefer booking in-browser may not find Hopper appealing. 

You Must Make All Changes to Bookings via Hopper

Once you purchase a flight, hotel, or car rental on Hopper, you can only make adjustments via Hopper. For example, if you want to change your flight, you must contact Hopper and you can’t do it directly with the airline. This is frustrating for users, especially since Hopper doesn’t always get back to customer service requests quickly (discussed below.) 

Some Users Have Issues with Booking and Customer Service 

When looking at Hopper ratings and reviews, it appears as though users have issues with customer service and bookings. The primary booking issues are related to cancellations and the use of incorrect information.  

Hopper users leaving reviews on Trustpilot note that they find it hard to get in touch with a customer service representative. Others have not been able to cancel bookings, even after paying for travel refund protection, and note that wrong information was added to their booking. 

Is the Hopper App Trustworthy? 

Hopper has been in business since 2009, is an accredited business, and has millions of satisfied customers. This travel app simply connects you with other companies, such as airlines, hotels, and car rental operators and is trustworthy. However, some users note that canceling and adjusting bookings is challenging. 

Is Hopper Worth It?

So, is the Hopper app worth using to save money on flights, hotels, and car rentals? After using the app and looking at customer feedback for this Hopper review, the answer to that question is mixed. 

When looking at Trustpilot, Hopper receives 3.4/5 stars. These reviews are primarily split between the five-star “Excellent” rating and the one-star “Bad” rating. Unfortunately, over half of the reviews (52%) are rated “Bad.” 

Positive reviewers are pleased with:

• Highly discounted prices 
• The easy to use app
• A helpful customer service team 

Despite Hopper having many happy customers, numerous negative reviewers note:

• Difficulty contacting customer service
• Issues occurring when making changes bookings
• Wrong details being added to bookings and reservations

With the app being free to use, there is seemingly nothing to lose by trying it. However, users have had issues making changes to bookings through Hopper. 

Therefore, it may be worth using Hopper to be notified of low prices but then book directly via the airline, hotel, or car rental firm if the price you want is available there. If you do decide to book through Hopper, the majority of users have a good experience, especially if no booking changes need to get implemented. 

Ready to Plan an Amazing Trip? 

Have you found a great flight, hotel, or car rental option on Hopper and now need to plan your trip? Then be sure to download the free Wanderlog app ! Our easy-to-use app will help you organize your flight and accommodation information and plan an awesome multi-day itinerary. 

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Hopper App Review [2024]: Are The Travel Deals Legit?

Like most people, I was also drawn to the travel deals that Hopper's app offers. There's plenty of hype, but are they legit? I downloaded and reviewed Hopper to find out exactly what their features are, and if they're really worth it!

As a fellow traveler myself, I've fallen in love with travel deals sites and providers that help you cut costs on that expensive flight ticket you need for your trip.

While there are many ways to find cheap travel deals online, I find it can be overwhelming sometimes to decide on the one for you to use!

Just like our review of Momondo or Thrifty Traveler , I'd like to make sure travelers know what they're signing themselves up for when they're looking at cheap flights online. After all, with the tremendous amount of cheap flight offers out there, it's easy to get caught with some that aren't real or are straight-up scams.

One provider, in particular, that’s frequently mentioned in the travel circles is Hopper app. Hopper has made its name in the travel industry, but is it any good? Find out what my take is on this well-known app!

What Is Hopper?

Hopper is an app designed to help you find the best prices on hotels and flights (in fact, their goal is for you to “spend less, travel better”). They focus on predicting fares and nightly rates so you can choose when to travel so it fits best within your budget.

The Hopper app was created in 2015 by Frederic Lalonde, an ex vice president at Expedia. Based in Montreal and Boston, Hopper has since received over 20 million downloads.

It’s only available on mobile apps, but you can easily send the app to your phone using their website! You can download the app on both iOS and Android devices.

The Hopper app saves an average of $50 on domestic flight and $120 on international flights per user, ranking #1 travel app in over 35 countries.

But just because it's the #1 travel app doesn't mean it's the one for you. I wanted to learn a little bit more on what people are saying about the app.

How Does Hopper Work?

If you've seen Hopper's advertisements lately, you're probably wondering the same question I'm wondering: How can Hopper book flights cheaper than I or others possibly can?

I discovered that Hopper relies on several data analytics, machine learning, and computing algorithms to track when a flight, or hotel, might be due for a sale or discount.

Some of the key factors Hopper look at is:

• Seasonal demand fluctuations
• Historical pricing trends

With a bit of data science prediction magic, Hopper claims that they can predict future prices of flight tickets, hotel room prices, or car rental rates consistently with a 95% accuracy. It's a bold claim for sure.

When they find an opportunity for a cheap flight or stay, Hopper will notify you instantly based on your select preferences at the predicted lowest rate so you can book immediately right from your phone.

Huh. Isn't that neat?

I do like that I'm also able to see its price projection charts on a calendar format to be informed of it's predicted pricing fluctuations throughout the near future.

How to Use Hopper App

Hopper flights.

Ever grappled with the unpredictability of flight prices? Hopper Flights is an in-app feature that tries to take away some of that stress.

All you need to do is punch in your departure and destination cities, along with your preferred travel dates, and Hopper Flights scours the internet, analyzing a whole load of flight prices.

It's that easy!

One of its coolest features is a color-coded calendar which aims to give you a bird's eye view of the priciest and cheapest days to fly. Its claim to fame is its ability to predict flight prices with 95% accuracy up to a year in advance.

Of course, it's not always a sure bet, but you can set the app to "watch" a trip and it'll ping you when it thinks prices are about to hit rock bottom. It's a nice touch if you're not in a hurry to book and enjoy playing the waiting game.

Hopper Hotels

Once you've taken a stab at the flights, Hopper doesn't leave you hanging for accommodations. Enter Hopper Hotels. Similar to the flight feature, you let it know where you're headed and the dates, and it sets off to find you potential places to rest your head.

It takes into account your preferences to personalize your search. Whether you're all about that five-star experience or you're more of a budget-friendly traveler, Hopper Hotels tries to find a match.

Like Hopper Flights, it boasts price prediction technology. It tries its best to give you a heads-up on whether it's a good time to book or if holding off might snag you a better deal.

Again, you can use the "watch" feature for your favored hotels, and the app will alert you if prices dip. This feature can be a handy tool in your travel-planning arsenal, especially if you're open to waiting for the best possible deal.

Top Features: Summarized

Not only does the Hopper app help you predict prices of flights, stays, and rentals, they also have some cool features that helps make budget traveling easier than ever.

Here are some of the best features I think you should take advantage of with Hopper:

Booking Options

While Hopper used to only have flight deals, they've since expanded to cover the whole range of travel booking functionalities, which includes hotels, car rentals, and even rental homes.

Hopper's travel deals feature that encompasses flight deals, hotel/homes booking prices, and rental rates allow travelers to look for cheap prices on all parts of their travel. This allows Hopper to compete with the likes of SnapTravel , Expedia, Skyscanner, and more!

Log-In Gifts & Frequent Deals

I'm always on the hunt for travel deals and down to be spontaneous, so this is one of my favorite features!

Hopper rewards you with a welcome cash gift. They'll also reward you if you open the app daily. Yes, you heard me right!

If you're hunting for travel deals, make sure to log-in into Hopper daily to check out some of the travel deals + rewards they're offering. Yeah, I know it's just building more addition to the app, but I'm already addicted to travel, so why not take advantage? 

To give you an idea of what they could offer, my Hopper app is currently showing $135.42 CAD (around $100.48 USD) off Fiji flights to Australia, NZ, and Fiji (my offers only for reference and not an expectation of service.)

Price Freezing

Looking at heavily discounted flight prices but not yet committed? I've been there, too.

Hopper's price freezing feature will helps me here, with a small deposit, I can lock in that travel deal to give me enough time to finally convince stubborn friends and family its time to go travel.

You'll get a full 24 hours for price freeze. After that, you can either forfeit the deposit or book the trip you've been meaning to go!

Carrot Cash

Carrot Cash is Hopper's very own internal loyalty and rewards incentive program.

When you book flights, stays, or rentals through the Hopper app, you'll earn Carrot Cash in return. You'll then be able to stack up the Carrot Cash and use that to redeem for future trips, similar to how many credit cards points system works.

Another cool thing with Carrot Cash is that they do Carrot Cash matching (Limited time offer!)

If you put in $20 in your wallet on the Hopper app, they'll match the $20 you've put in with Carrot Cash. This effectively doubles your cash to $40!

You'll only be able to redeem this for a limited time offer twice per user, so make sure you take advantage of this great deal!

Is Hopper Legit?

The reason you're probably here, you want me to answer: Can you trust Hopper flights, hotels, and car rentals? Are the deals on the Hopper app legit?

Simply put, yes, Hopper is definitely legit. In fact, I was delighted to learn Hopper is an accredited accredited travel agency, which means that the app contains privacy, trust and security measures that makes sure your data and personal information is safe.

I find that if you're traveling on a very tight budget, Hopper can be a great app to scan for cheap flights and hotels.

That being said, many online comments have indicated it’s an app best used to see what the best rates are, and then to book directly with the airlines or hotels themselves. This protects you should anything happen where you need to contact customer service, or should any other difficulties arise. I have also done this a couple times which I'll touch on a bit further down.

And remember there's plenty of other travel deal sites you can check out to expand your options when finding cheap flights.

What Are People Saying About Hopper?

Hopper's app features and how it works all sounds great, but is it actually a great tool or do they fall short, just like all of the other apps out there?

With the service only being provided on mobile apps, it’s important to look at what Hopper's customer service is like before you dive headfirst into purchasing a flight or a week in a hotel through them.

Generally, Hopper is widely positively perceived by millions of its users to be a trusted app available for budget travelers. They'll help you analyze pricing trends so you're able to book the cheapest deals to destinations across the world at your fingertips.

I've discovered that Hopper's not without its flaws, though.

If you have any concerns or problems, you must make any requests directly through your booking on the app. That is the only way to contact the support team directly. This means that you essentially have to make a purchase to speak with anyone, which I find a bit unsettling.

Do note that if you purchase a flight through a low-cost carrier, you’ll need to contact them to manage your bookings.

Cons: What Are the Complaints About?

Hopper reviews have an average rating of 3.3 stars out of 5 from over 2,400 users in public review platforms.

The majority of Hopper reviews either receive an excellent review, or a bad one, so it seems that customers have had very polarizing experiences.

I admit, there have been more positives than negatives for me, but it's fair to paint the entire picture. I'm going to dive into some of the negative experiences some travelers have with Hopper so you can decide for yourself.

Price Freeze Issues

One recurring complaint Hopper receives has to do with the prize freeze feature on Hopper.

Several Hopper reviewers commented that despite paying a deposit to freeze their fare at the low rate they wanted, they were ultimately charged more after returning to pay the remainder of the fare. In my opinion, this is something that feels a bit like a bait and switch. I would prefer to have total confidence in this feature.

Carrot Cash & Low Fares

If these Hopper users then requested a refund, they were only offered Carrot Cash, rather than the money itself.

Carrot Cash is Hopper's internal reward system, with 1 Carrot Cash being equivalent of 1 USD. The downside to getting Carrot Cash instead of real money back is that you'll only have the option to reuse that money within their app and nowhere else.

Another recurring complaint is that Hopper doesn’t offer the lowest fares available and that they won’t price match if you were to find a cheaper fare elsewhere after already booking through them. I tried to contact customer service in this situation and discovered this was the case and it certainly made things very disappointing.

I have even noticed some hidden fees popping up so the fare is actually more expensive than I thought it would be. Many reviewers recommend cross-checking Google Flights, or airlines directly to see how their fares compare, and I would co-sign that recommendation.

Customer Service & Cancellation Policy

Other Hopper reviews also speak to poor customer service, especially in regards to canceled flights.

Unfortunately, Hopper maintains a strict third-party and respects all stringent cancellation policies set by airlines or hotel booking providers out there. This also sometimes mean no cancellation for flights and hotel bookings. It's not they aren't polite, it's just seems sometimes they just can't help you.

Limited Options on Flights

Another downside to using Hopper is that while Hopper's been expanding their platform to encompass most of the travel booking functionalities like stays and rentals, Hopper still does not have all of the flights available for booking on their app.

This means that you'll sometimes find yourself leaving the app just to go back to square one on looking for the right flights with the right deals to book from.

Price Prediction and Fluctuations

While Hopper maintains a 95% accuracy on deal predictions, there's still a chance that predicted fares may not drop. In fact, some users have also seen a rare increase in price while hopper predicted a decrease.

I must stress though that Hopper does not guarantee best prices as it uses technology and prediction algorithms. So while frustrating, this is not a totally unexpected possibility.

Is Hopper Worth It?

While I may have seemed to be back and forth a bit, I wanted to give a full picture of the app. Overall, I definitely think Hopper is worth a try.

Based on the Hopper app reviews, the app has an average rating of 3.8/5 stars on the Google Play Store and 4.8/5 stars on Apple's App Store at the time this blog was written.

The Hopper app functions similarly to their website, offering travel deals up to 40% discount on flights, hotels, and rental services.

You'll also be able to receive personalized recommendations, helpful information on airports and hotels, and compare prices based on specific filters, and even flight tracking features.

However, as I mentioned prior, the Hopper app reviews often mention the lack of a great system for customer support. You can find reviews saying how inconvenient it was to contact customer support through email and receive responses from different agents.

Re-booking is often through email as well, which decreases many users' experience with the app.

Other issues mentioned in Hopper's app reviews are unfavorable travel packages and bugs.

So, is the hopper app just right for you? Sadly, you'll have to make that leap on your own. I think that they're definitely an option any traveler should consider. While there have been many negative app reviews on Hopper, the general consensus is that the app is super helpful and there is certainly a way to use the app as a tool and not the end all be all option.

Out of all the best travel deal sites out there, Hopper remains great at the core of what it does: finding cheap flight deals, hotel deals, and car rental deals.

Given that Hopper is free on both platforms, I recommend you giving it a try!

My Rating: 3.1/5

• Easily search flights & hotels
• Push notifications for routes or dates
• Easily monitor and navigate on app
• Price freeze with non-refundable deposit
• Hard-to-reach customer service
• Not available on desktop
• Fare offered not always the lowest
• No actual cash refunds

General FAQs About Hopper

How does hopper’s price drop guarantee work.

Hopper's Price Drop Guarantee is a feature that allows users to get a refund of the difference if the price of their booked flight or hotel drops before their trip starts.

Once you've made a booking, Hopper monitors prices 24/7. If they find a lower price, they'll automatically refund the difference to your account.

How Accurate is the Hopper App?

Hopper claims that its pricing is 90% accurate.

That being said, Hopper's accuracy largely depends on its complex predictive algorithms which analyze large amounts of data to forecast flight and hotel prices.

While it generally does a good job, predicting price trends in the travel industry isn't always foolproof. Reviews have been largely positive, with users finding the app helpful in planning and saving money on their trips.

What is Hopper Carrot Cash?

Carrot Cash is Hopper's loyalty program. Users can earn Carrot Cash through various activities like inviting friends to use the app or participating in certain promotions.

Carrot Cash can be used towards future bookings made within the Hopper app.

How Do You Call Hopper Customer Service?

Hopper primarily offer customer service through in-app messaging and via email. They didn't provide a direct customer service phone line.

How Do You Get a Refund From Hopper?

Refund policies on Hopper depend on the rules of the airline or hotel you've booked with. If eligible for a refund, you can request it directly through the app.

In the case of cancellations due to extraordinary circumstances, Hopper will work with the provider to try and get you a refund or credit.

What Are Hopper Alternatives?

There are several alternative apps and services to Hopper, such as Skyscanner, Kayak , Google Flights, and Dollar Flight Club .

These services also offer flight tracking and price prediction tools. The best choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Does the Hopper App Support Multiple Currencies?

Yes, the Hopper app does support multiple currencies. You can change your currency preference in the app's settings.

This allows for a more personalized and convenient experience for users around the globe.

Pair Cheap Flights & Planning With Pilot!

Hopper is a useful app to research flight fares and nightly hotel rates.

Based on reviews and user experience though, it is best to use it purely as research, and to then go book directly with providers. Sometimes booking with third-party vendors can be a risk, and Hopper is no exception.

Whether you decide to use Hopper for your next trip or not, you should definitely think about using a trip planner. Why not try Pilot?

Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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Travel app Hopper launches new offerings to give users more flexibility before and during trips

Travel booking app Hopper announced today that it’s launching a number of new flexibility products that are designed to help customers save money on hotel, flight and car bookings. Hopper says that almost 60% of app customers purchase at least one fintech product when making a booking. The company says these new fintech products will give customers flexibility not just before a trip, but during it as well.

The company is launching a “Leave for Any Reason” product that lets customers leave their hotel for any reason at or after check-in and book a new hotel of the same star category with 100% of the rebooking costs covered by Hopper. For example, Hopper notes that if your room isn’t as clean as you were expecting, you can rebook your stay via the Hopper app at another hotel nearby at no cost to you. The pricing for the new Leave For Any Reason option is averaging about $30 per hotel reservation, Hopper says.

Hopper is also expanding its “Cancel for Any Reason” option to give customers the ability instantly cancel their stay for any reason up until check-in and receive 100% of their room cost back. If a customer uses this plan, Hopper will pay any fees due to the hotel. The Cancel for Any Reason option is currently available for flights and will be rolling out for hotel bookings as part of the expansion. Like the pricing for the new Leave For Any Reason option, the Cancel for Any Reason feature is averaging about $30 per hotel reservation.

The company is also expanding its “Price Freeze” option, which is currently available for fight and hotel bookings, to cover car bookings. Price Freeze enables customers to freeze prices for up to 21 days, allowing them to take more time to finalize their plans before booking. If the cost for the booking goes up, Hopper will pay the difference up to $100. If the cost goes down, the customer will pay the lower price. The average price per Price Freeze policy is $30.

Lastly, Hopper is rolling out “Standalone Trip Protection,” which will allow non-Hopper bookers to add the company’s Flight Disruption Guarantee to their booking that they made elsewhere. Hopper’s Flight Disruption Guarantee feature helps ensure that customers get to their destinations on time. With the Standalone Trip Protection offering, users can reschedule a delayed flight and Hopper will cover any fees. Standalone trip protection is about $25 per passenger.

The company says it’s on track to sell over $4.5 billion of travel and travel fintech services this year. Hopper’s travel fintech features, such as Price Freeze and Flight Disruption Guarantee, now represent 50% of its total revenue. Hopper says a user who has previously bought one of its fintech options is between 2.5x and 7x more likely to purchase that product again when it’s presented on their return visit.

Today’s announcement comes as TechCrunch confirmed that Hopper has raised $35 million in a secondary share sale that values the company at $5 billion earlier this year. The startup was valued at a little over $3.5 billion in August 2021, when it raised $175 million in a Series G round of funding . There is no date as of yet for when it might go public, which is one reason for running a secondary sale to give liquidity now. But Hopper has confirmed that this is the plan.

Travel booking app Hopper upgrades its valuation to $5B on secondary sale

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Capital One Launches Capital One Travel, Powered by Hopper

The new travel booking experience delivers smarter features not found anywhere else in the credit card industry.

December 3, 2021

While the COVID-19 pandemic limited opportunities to travel in 2020, Americans are visiting  their favorite destinations again. In July 2021, Americans spent $98.5 billion on travel, which approached that of 2019 levels.

“As the pandemic recedes, we’re seeing tremendous progress and recovery in the industry,” says Fred Lalonde, CEO and Co-Founder of Hopper. “While international travel has still not fully recovered and business travel is still down from pre-pandemic levels, we are seeing strong signals of recovery, and we expect travelers to continue to get back out there.”

Lalonde is right. There’s been significant momentum around domestic flight searches for folks planning to head home for the holidays . Nearly half of Americans (44.9%) are planning to take at least one holiday-related trip this season, just slightly less than 2019 levels (52.8%). While travelers are getting accustomed to the idea of working from anywhere, allowing them to travel more freely, there has been an increased desire for flexibility and improved customer experience.

That’s why Capital One partnered with Hopper to develop a new, smarter travel booking experience—Capital One Travel—which is currently live in beta.  

“We had several conversations with different travel companies, viewed countless demos, and found that Hopper was really doing things differently,” says Jamie Nettles, Head of Travel Rewards at Capital One. “Not only were they extremely data-driven and design-forward, but they were customer friendly, which aligns completely with Capital One. We felt that together we could create a unique travel booking experience for cardholders and combat existing pain points in the current booking process.”

Introducing Capital One Travel

The new travel booking experience will deliver smarter features not found anywhere else in the credit card industry, including predictive pricing models, free price drop protection on flights,  and the option to freeze a flight price for up to 14 days, so you can come back and book it later.

“Capital One customers love to travel, but we knew there were pain points they experienced throughout the travel process," Nettles said. "We spent a lot of time talking to our customers to truly understand where those pain points existed so we could deliver more value. We studied the entire travel journey—from our customers’ initial desire to travel to booking a trip to being in transit to being at the destination itself.”

“We learned that the booking process is one of the most stressful parts of traveling as customers juggle searches across a variety of sites without a clear indication of what constitutes a fair deal," said Matt Knise, Vice President of U.S. Card and Head of Travel Strategy. "Capital One Travel solves this need by providing one site for all booking needs to give customers the assurance they are getting our best prices and options available.”

The ultimate goal with Capital One Travel is to deliver an experience that bridges the gap in what customers want with how the experience actually unfolds. 

Providing A Seamless Travel Experience

During the initial beta launch, Capital One Travel is providing dynamic features that help protect customers from price volatility and provide flexibility when booking travel. In the coming months,  we plan to release additional features. While offerings may vary by booking, here's what's currently available:

Price prediction and price watches : Capital One Travel analyzes billions of data points on real flight prices and trends, leveraging AI-powered dynamic pricing to deliver flight recommendations and 24/7 price watch alerts, which can help save customers an average of 15% per flight. 

Free price drop protection : As a demonstration of the confidence in the price prediction technology, Capital One Travel gives free price drop protection to customers who purchase flights we recommend and offers customers a partial refund if the price drops after booking. 

Price match guarantee: Capital One is offering price match guarantee on thousands of flights, hotels and rental cars. That means that if a customer finds a better price for a flight, hotel or rental car on another site within 24 hours of booking, Capital One Travel will refund the difference.

Lowest hotel prices: Capital One Travel compares hotel rates against Expedia, Orbitz and other travel booking sites and proactively adjusts their prices to beat or match competitors, ensuring that customers are seeing the best available price. 

Option to freeze a flight price : If a customer finds a great price but isn’t quite ready to book, Capital One Travel gives them the option to freeze the price for a small fee for up to 14 days so they can book it at a more convenient time. 

“Today’s customers are expecting more than just the ability to book flights and hotels,” says Lalonde. “These days, everyone shops and compares prices before booking travel. As consumer preferences evolve, we’ll continue to see companies invest in better technology and improve on mobile offerings and innovations. Capital One is uniquely positioned to broaden its travel offering and deliver on new, innovative technology and experiences for its customers.”

Making Memories

Capital One Travel is integrated into the Capital One rewards ecosystem, allowing customers to both earn and redeem rewards through the Hopper-powered platform, while also leveraging Capital One’s industry-leading mobile app and digital messaging capabilities. 

It is one of several areas in which Capital One is elevating travel support to help customers get the most out of their experiences. 

This fall, Capital One introduced its new class of travel card, Venture X and opened its first Capital One airport lounge at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), with additional Capital One Lounges coming to Denver International Airport (DEN) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) in mid-2022. 

“What truly differentiates us from other banks in the travel space is the end-to-end experience—our new travel card that delivers best-in-class rewards, our exceptional booking experience, and our airport lounges that provide things like curated menus by local chefs and wellness-focused amenities like yoga rooms and Peloton bikes, says Nettles.”

Over the coming months, Capital One plans to release additional features including improved digital self-servicing tools that make it easy for customers to cancel their travel plans all through their mobile device. Early next year, we’re launching a partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant trees for every flight, hotel or rental car a customer books to help with forest restoration. 

Capital One Travel is available for Venture X cardholders, who can earn unlimited ten miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and five miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel. 

The booking experience is also open to Venture, VentureOne, Spark Miles and Spark Miles Select cardholders, who can earn unlimited five miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Cardholders can see the option to start booking trips when they sign in and view their rewards . For more information, click here . 

Capital One Travel bookings include services such as price prediction, price watch, price drop protection, price matching and the ability to freeze a price. The availability of these services vary by account and they may not be available on all bookings. Terms apply.

Certain services and amenities, such as cycling and yoga rooms are dependent on the Lounge location.

Related Content

Capital one lounges: start your vacation before you arrive.

article | December 3, 2021

Capital One Launches Venture X

article | November 9, 2021

Capital One Eliminates Overdraft Fees for Customers

Overdraft protection will continue to be offered for free.

article | December 1, 2021

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Score 50% Off Hotel Stays Around the World Thanks to Hopper — When to Book

The sale ends on May 10.

d3sign/Getty Images

Summer is almost here, and travel booking app Hopper is making it easier to score a great deal on a getaway with a three day sale offering up to 50 percent off hotels.

The sale, which can be booked from 12 a.m. ET on May 8 through 3 a.m. ET on May 10, is available in more than 40 popular summer destinations from Orlando and Nashville to Paris, Rome, and beyond, Hopper shared with Travel + Leisure . The sale is only available to book through the Hopper app.

"The busy summer travel season is approaching fast,” Hayley Berg, a lead economist with Hopper, told T+L. “In order to get a good deal, we recommend travelers book summer trips no later than mid-May to score the best savings.”

Travelers can save up to 50 percent off hotels in South Lake Tahoe, Prague, and Sydney, according to Hopper. Or save up to 40 percent off hotels for an epic beach vacation in the Cayman Islands or in the Dominican Republic.

Escape to the mountains with 30 percent off hotels in Denver, or head to Europe and save 30 percent off hotels in Paris, London, or Rome. Trips to major cities in the United States are also on sale with travelers able to save up to 25 percent off hotels in Washington D.C., up to 20 percent off hotels in Boston, and up to 15 percent off hotels in Miami.

The sale comes as summer flight prices are expected to rise this month with peak prices coming at the end of May and into early June. When it comes to trips in the U.S., travelers are searching for hotels in “smaller, more off the beaten track cities and towns” this summer, like Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Cody, Wyoming, and Bar Harbor, Maine.

The sale also makes a great last-minute Mother’s Day present since Hopper offers gift cards for flights, hotels, rental cars, and home rental bookings.

Related Articles

What is Hopper and How Does it Work for Vacation Rentals?

Top 5 things vacation rental hosts and property managers need to know about Hopper Homes

• Bookings can only be made on the Hopper app.
• Hopper charges 14% commission. There is no guest service fee.
• It does not hide guest details from hosts.
• According to Hopper, 50% of its users don’t book on other OTAs.
• Gen Z and Gen Y make up 70% of its customer base. It also attracts older and more affluent users through strategic partnerships.

What is Hopper?

Hopper is an accredited online travel agency (OTA) that brings together four verticals - flights, hotels, vacation rentals, and car rentals - into one easy-to-use booking platform. The fast-growing, app-first OTA has gained plenty of buzz for being a one-stop-shop for travelers that not only helps them save on travel bookings by being notified of the best prices available at any given time but also provides fin tech products like price guarantees and rewards. And unlike larger competitors like Airbnb , Hopper has built a reputation for providing good customer support.

Hopper is said to have helped over 75 million travelers. According to Apptopia , it is the most downloaded OTA app in the US and third in the world. It is also the fourth most downloaded travel app in the US, behind Uber, Google Maps, and Lyft. Having raised over $600 million of private capital and backed by some of the largest institutional investors like Goldman Sachs, Hopper looks well on its way to hopping success.

Based in Montreal, Canada, Hopper was founded by CEO Frederic Lalonde and Joost Ouwerkerk, both of whom previously worked at Expedia .

How Does Hopper Work?

Hopper aims to be a modern, full-service travel agency that alleviates the pain points of booking your travel itinerary.

It pulls price data – 30 billion price points in real time every day - on air tickets, hotel rooms, vacation rentals, and car rentals from a variety of online sources so it can provide the lowest price.

It uses historical data, comparing the current available price to its previous prices in order to make predictions on how likely the price will decrease or increase in the future. It also provides suggestions on when the best time to book for the best price will be and claims an accuracy of 95% for its algorithms up to one year in advance. Users can track prices of what they are interested in and Hopper will notify them soon as the price changes.

While Hopper does operate a website where deals are visible, full functionality is reserved for the app alone. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Hopper allows users to search for prices but they must create an account to make a booking. Creating a profile includes verifying your number and ‘choosing your bunny’ avatar.

What are the Features of Hopper?

Hopper sells bookings across four travel categories, i.e. flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation rentals, offering customers the best deals to be found online.

1. Hopper Flights

Hopper partners with over 200 airline carriers, monitoring prices in real-time to alert users on the best time to book for the best deal. Hopper Flights is backed by 63 trillion price points and claims to save users an average of $65 per flight booking.

2. Hopper Hotels

Hopper partners with top hotels to provide exclusive deals from over 2 million properties worldwide, saving users an average of $61 per night. Rates are monitored 24/7 and users are notified when it’s the best time to book.

3. Hopper Rental Cars

Hopper Rental Cars features 180 different retail brands from across the world. It claims its rental car rates are 20-25% cheaper and save users an average of $40 per rental.

4. Hopper Homes

Featuring 2.5 million homes located around the world and managed by individual hosts as well as professional property managers, Hopper Home s promises lower prices in even the most demanding markets and an exclusive cash back program.

What are Hopper’s Products?

Carrot cash rewards.

Each time a user makes a booking or refers friends to Hopper, they earn rewards of 5% back on hotels, 3% back on cars, and 1% back on flights.

Price Prediction

Perhaps Hopper’s biggest draw, Price Prediction is the Hopper feature that predicts prices with 95% accuracy, saving users an average of $65 per trip. When a person searches for their trip, Hopper analyzes trillions of price points to provide the cheapest prices as well as provide predictions on prices in the future. If it doesn’t tell you to Book Now, you can choose to Watch the Trip instead and Hopper will notify you when a great deal is available or if prices are starting to climb.

Price Freeze

By choosing Price Freeze and paying a service fee, users can freeze a price for a specific period of time. According to Hopper, it saves travelers an average of $45 per booking.

Cancel for Any Reason

By adding Cancel for Any Reason when making a booking, users can literally cancel their booking sans fees for any reason up until departure. According to Hopper, it saves travelers an average of $214 per use.

Change for Any Reason

By choosing Change for Any Reason on booking, travelers can change dates, airlines, destination, or trip type, for any reason, up until departure. According to Hopper, it saves users an average of $252 per use.

Leave for Any Reason

By adding Leave for Any Reason, travelers can leave the hotel they booked at or after check-in and book a new one for free.

Flight Disruption Guarantee

Users who choose Flight Disruption Guarantee can instantly rebook a flight or receive an instant refund if their flight is delayed or canceled or they missed a connection. According to Hopper, it saves travelers an average of $508.

VIP Support

Travelers who add VIP Support when booking are provided priority service including instant access to expert agents at any time.

What is Hopper Cloud?

Hopper Cloud is its B2B initiative. It is how the company makes its solutions, products, and infrastructure available to businesses such as Amadeus, Kayak, MakeMyTrip, and Trip.com. It also allows other brands to sell their own travel products and content to its customers as white-label offerings.

How does Hopper work for Vacation Rentals?

Hopper Homes, its category for vacation rentals, is the latest addition to its portfolio. It launched in January 2022 with over 2 million properties around the world, a portfolio that has continued to grow since.

To grow its supply fast Hopper directly engaged with large property managers to supply properties. These include but are not limited to Evolve, VTrips, FrontDesk, RedAwning, SkyRun, Kasa, Casago, and Casiola. Hopper also has a partnership with Vrbo , where it taps into Vrbo’s inventory while allowing Vrbo to manage the booking.

Here are the top things property managers and vacation rental hosts need to know about Hopper Homes:

Guests can search properties using filters like location, number of bedrooms, amenities, and even price.

Hopper does not charge a commission from hosts or a service fee from guests. Instead, it gets a discounted net rate from each property and adds a markup to it that is dynamic to ensure that the price is the lowest available while also maximizing its own revenue. This is cheaper for hosts than the 14-17% fees charged by OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com. It is also cheaper for travelers.

In August 2022, Hopper revealed the average booking value on Hopper Homes as:

ADR - $268 Average order value - $946 Average length of stay - 3.5 nights

In comparison, according to Airbnb’s Q2 2022 results , ADR grew to $164.

Hopper assumes the cancellation policy being used by the host.

Hopper offers instant booking capability.

Hopper does not hide guest details from hosts like Airbnb and Booking.com do.

Hopper works with instant bookings only but hosts can still run their own checks and verification process on the guests. If a guest does not pass the check, a host can always cancel the reservation. There is no host cancellation fee or penalty to your ranking. What the verification process entails is entirely up to the host. Some examples include, min age, no local bookings, requirement of ID verification and photos, a conversation with the staff, signed rental agreements .

As Hopper continues to collect more and more data coming through Hopper Homes and analyzes it to discern patterns in booking, cancellation, etc, it will be able to offer its much-loved fin-tech products like Price Prediction for Homes as well.

Hopper offers its Carrot Cash Rewards for Hopper Homes bookings too.

Hopper claims it has more engaged users than other OTAs. Its app has more monthly active users than any other travel app.

According to Hopper, its users are more loyal: 50% of Hopper users do not book on other OTAs.

While many OTAs rely on Google Adwords to reel in customers, Hopper’s strategy is based on social media such as TikTok.

With its app-first approach, Hopper is known as a Gen Z focused product. And according to Hopper data, the app is primarily used by Gen Z and Millennial females. Nearly 70% of its bookings are from users below 35 years of age.

Hopper recently announced a partnership with Capital One with a separate portal where Capital One customers, who are older and more affluent, can access Hopper Homes.

To list on Hopper Homes, property managers must create a Hopper account here form and then follow the step by step instructions to link the account with Hostaway.

property managers must fill out a short after which Hopper will get back to them.

Hopper is more than an exciting platform that generates a lot of buzz. Its solutions, products, and service also make it worthy of that buzz.

A disruptor of a market that originated as a disruptor itself, Hopper is combining a fun sensibility, an attractive business model, and a focus on loyalty to provide a striking platform. Despite its reputation for being a Gen Z focused platform and its large customer base of those under 35 years old, it is also going after older and more affluent users through strategic partnerships like that with Capital One, combining old and new customer acquisition strategies. There is even speculation that Hopper will eventually allow bookings on its website as well though this remains to be seen.

Interestingly, younger U.S. travelers prefer short term rentals over hotels, with more than 4 in 10 short term rental travelers being under 35. According to Hopper, 40% of its customers have indicated they prefer homes over hotels while 24% have no preference between the two. This makes Hopper Homes even more attractive to hosts, providing an engaged and enthusiastic base with potential to keep returning. Thus Hopper and Hostaway ’s partnership provides the PMS’ customers access to the award-winning platform while Hostaway provides Hopper with access to a significant market share of short term rentals across North America.

Hopper’s acquisition of PlacePass, one of the largest activity aggregators in the world, saw it make available its over 300,000 experiences in over 800 global destinations through Hopper Cloud. Incidentally, this makes Hopper the engine that powers the Marriott Bonvoy Tours and Activities platform. However, this also provides Hopper a means through which to add experiences as a fifth vertical in the future, competing with Airbnb Experience s, which revealed a gross booking value of $15.6 billion in Q3 2022 .

Ultimately its core strengths are its price algorithms which have thus far lived up to their promise, providing the lowest prices, predicting prices into the future, and alleviating the frustrating pain points of planning and booking travel online and fin-tech products which provide peace of mind and ease of use while catering to the different scenarios encountered with travel. Traditional OTA products like travel insurance for guests are more afterthought in comparison to Hopper’s fin tech suite. In fact, about 70% of Hopper’s revenue comes from these ancillary products than its traditional travel verticals.

While Airbnb pivots to focus on private rooms again while showing a total fee in an attempt to curb its reputation for high prices, Hopper Homes’ model is refreshing for both hosts and guests, particularly the younger demographics who may age into their loyalty for the platform.

Ready to find out how Hostaway can transform your business?

Launched in 2015, Hostaway has helped thousands of vacation rental property managers regain their focus on growing their business. Hostaway takes pride in aligning itself with the needs of the fast evolving landscape and always provide reliable technology and great support. Sign up today!

Don't get stuck in a broken routine with poor software, manage your properties with Hostaway and experience a better business and life right away!

How To Change Traveler Information On Hopper

• Last updated May 08, 2024
• Difficulty Beginner

• Category Travel

Planning a trip? Have your plans changed and you need to update your traveler information? Look no further than Hopper, the popular travel app that allows you to seamlessly modify your travel details. Whether it’s a change in your passport information or updating your contact details, Hopper has got you covered. In this guide, we will walk you through the quick and easy process of changing your traveler information on Hopper, so you can have peace of mind and enjoy a stress-free travel experience. So, let’s dive in and discover how you can effortlessly update your travel details with just a few taps on your smartphone.

What You'll Learn

Registering an account on hopper to access traveler information, editing and updating traveler information on hopper's platform, deleting or removing traveler information on the hopper app, troubleshooting common issues when changing traveler information on hopper.

If you have booked a flight or hotel using Hopper, you may need to update your traveler information for various reasons, such as a name change, correcting a typo, or adding a frequent flyer number. To do this, you will need to register an account on Hopper to access and make changes to your traveler information. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Download and Install the Hopper App

First, you need to download and install the Hopper app on your mobile device. Hopper is available for both iOS and Android, so you can find it in the App Store (for iPhone users) or Google Play Store (for Android users). Simply search for "Hopper" and tap on the download/install button.

Step 2: Open the Hopper App and Create an Account

Once you have installed the Hopper app, open it on your mobile device. The first time you open the app, you will see an option to create an account. Tap on "Sign Up" or "Create Account" to begin the registration process.

Step 3: Provide Your Email Address and Create a Password

In the registration form, enter your email address and create a password for your Hopper account. Make sure to choose a strong password that includes a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to ensure the security of your account. After entering your email address and password, tap on "Continue" to proceed.

Step 4: Verify Your Email Address

Hopper will send a verification email to the email address you provided during the registration process. Open your email inbox and look for an email from Hopper. If you don't see it in your inbox, check your spam/junk folder. Open the email and click on the verification link to verify your email address.

Step 5: Log in to Your Hopper Account

After verifying your email address, go back to the Hopper app and log in to your account using the email address and password you provided during the registration process. Tap on "Log In" or a similar button to access your account.

Step 6: Accessing and Updating Traveler Information

Once you are logged in to your Hopper account, you can access your traveler information by tapping on the "Profile" or "Account" section of the app. Here, you will find options to edit your name, passport information, frequent flyer numbers, and other traveler details. Simply tap on the relevant field you want to update and make the necessary changes. Remember to save your changes before exiting the app.

Congratulations! You have successfully registered an account on Hopper and now have access to your traveler information. You can now update your traveler details as needed, ensuring that your booking is accurate and up-to-date.

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If you have made a booking through Hopper and need to update or edit your traveler information, you can easily do so on their platform. Whether you need to correct a name, add or remove a passenger, or update contact details, Hopper makes it a breeze to make changes. Follow these steps to edit and update traveler information on Hopper:

• Open the Hopper app: Make sure you have the latest version of the Hopper app downloaded on your mobile device. Open the app and log in to your account.
• Access your trips: Once you're logged in, you'll see your upcoming trips on the home screen. Tap on the trip that you need to update the traveler information for.
• Select the booking: After selecting the trip, you'll see a summary of your booking details. Tap on the booking that you want to edit the traveler information for.
• View traveler information: On the booking details screen, you'll see the traveler information section. This will include the names of the passengers, their dates of birth, and other relevant details. Take note of what needs to be changed or updated.
• Edit the information: To edit the information, tap on the "Edit" or "Edit traveler information" button. This will allow you to make changes to the existing details.
• Update the information: In the editing mode, you can update the passenger's name, date of birth, gender, or any other relevant details. Make the necessary changes and double-check for accuracy.
• Save the changes: Once you have made the updates, tap on the "Save" or "Done" button to save the changes. Hopper will prompt you to confirm the changes before proceeding. Confirm the changes and proceed.
• Review the updates: After saving the changes, review the updated traveler information to ensure that everything is correct. Double-check the spelling of names, birth dates, and any other details that were modified.
• Contact customer support if needed: If you encounter any issues or need further assistance in updating the traveler information, you can contact Hopper's customer support for help. They are available through the app or their website and will be able to assist you accordingly.

Remember that some airlines may have their own policy regarding changes to traveler information, and you may be subject to additional fees or restrictions depending on the specific airline's rules. It's always a good idea to review the terms and conditions of your booking and contact the airline directly if you have any concerns.

By following these steps, you can easily edit and update traveler information on Hopper's platform. Keep your booking details accurate and up to date for a smooth travel experience. Happy travels!

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If you are a frequent traveler and use the Hopper app to book your flights, you may sometimes need to update or delete your traveler information. Whether it's a change in your name, passport number, or loyalty program details, Hopper makes it easy for you to manage your traveler information directly within the app. In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of deleting or removing traveler information on the Hopper app.

To delete or remove traveler information on Hopper, follow these simple steps:

• Open the Hopper app on your device and log in to your account, if you haven't already.
• Once you are logged in, tap on the "Profile" icon at the bottom right corner of the screen. This will take you to your profile page.
• On your profile page, you will see a section called "Travelers." This section lists all the traveler profiles associated with your account.
• Tap on the traveler profile that you want to delete or remove. This will open up the details of that specific traveler profile.
• At the bottom of the profile details page, you will see a button that says "Delete" or "Remove." Tap on that button to proceed.
• A confirmation message will appear asking if you are sure you want to delete or remove the traveler profile. Read the message carefully and make sure you have selected the correct profile.
• If you are certain about deleting or removing the chosen traveler profile, tap on the "Delete" or "Remove" button in the confirmation message.
• After confirming the deletion or removal, the traveler profile will be permanently deleted from your Hopper account. You will no longer be able to use that profile for future bookings.

It's important to note that once you delete or remove a traveler profile, any upcoming or existing bookings associated with that profile will not be affected. However, you will no longer be able to access that profile or make any changes to it.

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Hopper is a popular travel app that allows users to book flights and hotels at great prices. One of the features that users frequently use on Hopper is changing traveler information. Whether you need to update a name, add a passport number, or change other personal details, Hopper makes it easy to modify your traveler information directly from the app. However, like any technology platform, you may encounter some common issues when trying to change traveler information on Hopper. Here are some troubleshooting steps to help you overcome these issues and successfully update your traveler information.

Issue 1: Unable to access the traveler information page.

If you are having trouble accessing the traveler information page on Hopper, check your internet connection. Hopper requires a stable internet connection to load the necessary data and information. Make sure you are connected to a reliable Wi-Fi network or have a strong cellular signal.

If your internet connection is fine but you still can't access the traveler information page, try closing and reopening the Hopper app. Sometimes, restarting the app can resolve minor glitches and allow you to access the necessary pages.

Issue 2: Incorrect information displayed on the traveler information page.

If you notice that the traveler information displayed on the Hopper app is incorrect or outdated, it could be due to syncing issues. Hopper retrieves traveler information from various sources, such as airlines and hotels, and sometimes these sources may not provide the most up-to-date details.

To resolve this issue, try refreshing the traveler information page. Swipe down on the page to trigger a refresh. If the information is still incorrect, try logging out of your Hopper account and then logging back in. This should force the app to sync with the latest data and display the correct information.

Issue 3: Error message when trying to save changes.

If you receive an error message when trying to save changes to your traveler information on Hopper, it could be due to invalid or unsupported characters in the data. Hopper has certain restrictions on the format and content of traveler information to ensure compatibility with airline and hotel systems.

To troubleshoot this issue, carefully review the information you are trying to input. Make sure there are no special characters, non-English characters, or symbols that could be causing the error. Stick to alphanumeric characters and standard punctuation marks.

If the error persists, try entering the information on a different device or computer. Sometimes, compatibility issues can arise due to the specific device or browser you are using. Switching to a different device or browser may resolve the problem.

Issue 4: Changes not reflected on the booking confirmation or ticket.

If you successfully update your traveler information on Hopper but do not see the changes reflected on your booking confirmation or ticket, it could be due to a delay in syncing between Hopper and the respective airline or hotel. Give it some time, as these updates may take a while to propagate across all systems.

If the changes still don't appear after some time, contact Hopper customer support to ensure that the updated information is correctly communicated to the airline or hotel. They can assist you in resolving any issues related to syncing or data transmission.

Remember, when changing traveler information on Hopper, it is crucial to double-check all the details before saving the changes. Ensure that the information you provide is accurate and matches the identification documents you will be using during your travel. By following the troubleshooting steps mentioned above, you can resolve common issues and update your traveler information smoothly on Hopper.

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How to Get Cheap Last-Minute Flights, According to the Experts

By Mark Ellwood and Blane Bachelor

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Taking a spontaneous trip is one of the most rewarding forms of travel. Finding cheap last-minute flights, on the other hand, can feel like an impossible barrier to flying by the seat of your pants. But booking with low-cost carriers isn't the only way to avoid forking over exorbitant fares. There are last-minute deals to be found—if you know where and how to look.

Before you get started, having a basic grasp of how airlines determine their ticket prices can be helpful. Increasingly, airlines are implementing what’s known as dynamic pricing, a model used by hotels and other segments across the travel industry. With dynamic pricing, airfare costs go up or down depending on market conditions, which means the same seats on the same flight can be sold for many different prices at different times depending on the specific airline's pricing algorithm.

Fortunately, a growing selection of technological tools with predictive features take the guesswork out of knowing when the best time to buy flights is—or when you should wait it out. Along with a few time-tested guidelines, getting the best deal doesn’t have to be a stressful, time-consuming task.

If you feel like you're the only flier still paying full-price for airfare–or feeling overwhelmed by all the newsletters and flight deals to keep track of—don’t fret. We've assembled the best tips and tricks from frequent travelers and budget travel gurus to ensure you can take those spontaneous trips without breaking the bank.

Take advantage of tech tools

Tech tools can be a traveler’s secret weapon to scoring a cheap flight—and there are more options than ever to choose from.

Already a favorite for its functionality, Google Flights upgraded its ability to tell passengers exactly when to buy tickets (or wait) with a feature it launched in August 2023 backed by trends data on and around the flight route and trip dates. Google Flights also has a handy tracking feature that notifies you by email when prices drop on routes that you have specified. In fact, Google is so confident in its predictive data that it will guarantee the lowest fare on select flights ; if you buy a flight marked with the colorful price guarantee badge, Google Flights will pay you the difference (up to $500 per year) if the airfare decreases after you book.

Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) is another fan favorite for its ability to deliver excellent flight deals straight to your inbox. There’s a free option, but for the most serious savings, consider the Premium or Elite membership options, the latter of which also includes some great deals on business class fares.

Other platforms, including Hopper and KAYAK , also have features that notify passengers via email when prices drop on preferred routes. Via Hopper’s “Price Prediction” tool, passengers can choose whether to “book now” or “watch this trip.”

Avoid peak travel periods

A virtually guaranteed way to save money on flights (and battle with fewer tourists at your destination)? Avoid flying to destinations during peak travel times.

Times depend on the destination, but passengers can keep in mind a few general rules of thumb. For example, flying to Europe during the summer months of June, July, and August in Europe is almost always more expensive than a trip during the fall or winter (except around Christmas, another peak travel period). Similarly, the Caribbean heats up with visitors during the cold weather months, followed by spring break crowds, from December through April.

The bottom line: aim for the offseason whenever you can for more affordable flights and an unforgettable experience.

Be flexible with destinations and dates

Travel experts often advise checking to see if flying a day earlier or later or from a nearby airport—options that are now offered on most online search sites—might result in cheaper fares. But for bigger savings, consider extending your flexibility to the destination as well. If your dates are fixed, browse the options on Skyscanner , which allows users to select “explore everywhere” as the destination. Then skim for the best value over a certain timeframe.

When flying to Europe, remember that you don’t need your ultimate destination to be your first stop. If direct flights to Paris are pricey, look around and see if routes to, say, Amsterdam are cheaper on those dates. Then, you can take a budget airline for the final leg—instead of sacrificing your comfort for the entire long-haul journey.

Huw Owen, cofounder of TravelLocal , an agency that specializes in creating uniquely local trips, also advises looking at “secondary and tertiary cities” throughout Europe. “This is a great option for those who are doing a week- or two-weeklong itinerary in a particular country, where it doesn't matter where you land and you can have your local operator collect you and start the adventure from there,” Owen explains. “We're seeing this above all in Europe, where the competition with low-cost airlines has allowed secondary cities to become the new gateways to a destination, for example flying into Porto instead of Lisbon in Portugal. And in Georgia you can now fly to the historical city of Kutaisi, which is a lot cheaper than flying into the capital, Tbilisi .”

Take advantage of waived change fees

One traveler-friendly benefit from the pandemic: Many airlines finally scrapped those dreaded change fees once and for all—hallelujah! So if you see a too-good-to-pass-up deal, grab it while it’s still available—and if you do end up changing it, you won’t take as big of a hit. “The reason this is beneficial for last-minute bookings is if you're especially worried that the fare might drop after you book, now you're covered,” explains Scott Keyes, founder of Going. “If you pay $300 for your flight and a few days after booking the price drops to $200, you can rebook it at the new price and get the $100 difference back in flight credit.”

Search for fares individually

It takes some extra time, but searching for a single seat—even if you’re flying with a family of four—can save you big. The reason? Airlines’ automated pricing systems are poorly designed and will only look for four seats of the same exact price, returning you a quote of $400 each, perhaps.

Rachel Chang

Sophie Morgan

Lale Arikoglu

If there’s one or more in a lower fare class —a seat priced at $320, say—the system will overlook that in favor of consistency as it can’t divide up the query. Search by single seat, though, and the system will find that cheaper seat —savings that can really add up when you’re traveling with a group. Just make sure to link the reservations together after you finish booking so the airline knows you’re all flying together. “Most airline phone agents should be able to walk you through this, though any travel agent can do it quicker and easier,” says Brandon Berkson, founder of trip-planning service HAP Concierge .

In the same way, always check one-way flights alongside returns, especially on domestic trips, since stitching together an itinerary by taking one carrier outbound and another return could offer some savings, too. And if you’re looking at different seat prices within the same class, keep in mind that airlines' clunky systems struggle with combining different classes on the same itinerary. Say you want to take an economy round-trip flight, but only premium economy seats are left on one leg. The booking system will adjust the price or force you into the higher category to reflect that difference. Book each leg separately, and you can avoid that risk.

Timing is everything (kind of)

Another good rule of thumb for cheap last-minute flights: There is no secret time to score the perfect deal. While some research says flights are cheaper on certain days of the week (a 2024 report by Expedia found airfare is, on average, the least expensive on Sundays and the most expensive on Fridays), it usually isn't that simple.

Generally, the best prices tend to drop off once the flight is less than three weeks out. If it’s 21 days before you plan to travel and you haven’t seen a flight deal to your destination, go ahead and book. That’s because airlines’ automated fare systems are configured to treat later bookings as last-minute business traveler flights and price them accordingly (high, in other words). Case in point: Going’s Keyes watched one trip stay at $489 for weeks, before booking on day 21; just 24 hours later, the same flight cost $630. “The 21-Day Rule is still the gold standard if there's a flight you're looking at and it's getting close and you're trying to decide whether to book or not,” he says.

To get a jump on booking for winter holidays in 2024, consider that most airlines release their tickets between six and 11 months out—so it’s never too early to keep an eye on fares to snag early deals (and the best selection). But according to Google Flights , for mid-December trips, it could pay off to wait a little closer to booking, as average prices tended to be lowest 71 days before departure, based on the most recent data.

If you haven’t yet firmed up your summer vacation plans for 2024 , it’s time to get moving—especially if you have your eyes set on Europe. Per Google Flights, the best time to book flights from the US to Europe is at least 72 days prior to departure. And flights to Europe tend to increase over time, especially at about 10 weeks prior to departure.

Try a last-minute rewards search

Last-minute flights can be a smart time to burn off frequent flier miles , as airlines will sometimes release unsold seats as cheaper-than-normal mileage tickets. Don’t just search online for these, though; sometimes, it may be worth calling the airline’s customer service number or chatting online with a rep, even if the rewards app or website shows no redemption opportunities.

This is also a good time to make sure you’re using the right credit card for your travel habits and airline loyalty, which can easily pay for flights through points. There’s a learning curve involved, but it’s never a bad time to get started, especially since most major credit cards offer significant sign-up bonuses several times a year. All major airlines have their own credit card (or one that’s co-branded with a bank), and most major banks, including Chase, CitiBank, and Bank of America, also offer travel-specific cards that can offer big-time savings on flights (plus hotels and more travel expenses). Take a peek at the deals on offer—and how you can snag them—with our monthly Points and Miles Travel Deals column .

Consider fifth freedom flights

Fifth freedom flights , in which an airline offers service between two countries outside of its home base, can be a boon to budget-minded travelers for several reasons. First of all, they’re often serviced by larger aircraft on popular international routes, which means more competition and lower prices, and they also sometimes offer overlooked frequent-flier availability—all of which can translate into significant savings, not to mention a superior onboard experience.

Beware of ‘skiplagging’

Say you need to fly from DC to Dallas , but the price is too high. Since booking a longer flight with a layover is usually significantly cheaper than a non-stop route, some passengers might book a flight from DC to Los Angeles via Dallas, and deplane in Dallas with no intention of traveling on the next leg. This controversial tactic is known as a “hidden-city ticket” or “skiplagging."

Skiplagged is the best-known search engine for this workaround, but be super careful if you decide to give it a go. The tactic is strictly prohibited in many airlines’ contracts of carriage, so if they catch you flying this way, your ticket could be invalidated—or even worse, you could be sued . United Airlines and American Airlines have both cracked down on passengers taking advantage of hidden city booking in recent years.

Hidden-city tickets "can get travelers cheaper fares, but there are significant potential problems if you're caught," says  Brett Snyder , president of Cranky Concierge . "It's just not worth it, especially for the casual traveler who won't really fully understand the potential ramifications.”

Don’t be afraid to ask for a deal in person

Instead of shelling out big bucks online for an upgrade, try a more human approach—a strategy that paid off big-time for Kimberley Lovato , a travel writer who specializes in France, on a transatlantic flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam about five years ago. At the check-in desk at SFO, Lovato jokingly asked the agent whether anyone had bought one of the $10,000 business class upgrades she’d been monitoring online. No, the agent replied, but did she want one?

Not for $10K, Lovato responded, countering with $400—and, to her surprise, the agent said, “Done!”

“I’m not sure if it was because she was in a good mood or I just got lucky, but it made my flight, for sure,” Lovato says. The moral of the story: “You never know. More times than not, I’ve asked for things that seemed crazy and gotten them.”

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Watch CBS News

Travel expert says now is the time to book — and use credit card points

By Nicole Nielsen

Updated on: May 8, 2024 / 6:36 PM CDT / CBS Texas

NORTH TEXAS —  If you've been dreaming of a summer getaway, now is the perfect time to book, according to travel experts. This summer marks the first since 2020 when the prices for flights have decreased compared to the previous year.

Lindsay Schwimer from the travel app Hopper notes that early May is an ideal time to find deals, from lots of locations like Dallas to Denver, Nashville or even Las Vegas.

"Eighty-seven percent of Hopper users plan to travel this summer, yet three-fourths of these travelers haven't booked their trips yet. People are eager to make plans, but many have yet to finalize them," Schwimer explains.

Currently, the average domestic airfare out of Dallas is around $265 for a round trip, which is a 13% decrease from last year.

However, prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks.

The bottom line is simple: if possible, book now. Better yet, consider using any accrued credit card points.

But it's important to know how to maximize the value of your points.

"People often use their points through their bank's travel portal," says Mila Temnyalova, a points expert and co-founder of "The Miles Couple," a social media blog aimed at helping travelers use their credit card points more effectively and affordably.

"Using your bank's travel portal can limit the value you get from your points, as flights are often overpriced there," she continues. "By transferring points to hotel and airline partners, you can significantly increase their value."

Temnyalova advises being diligent in searching for deals, as airline prices fluctuate dynamically.

Once you find a good deal, she recommends transferring your points directly to sites like Hilton or American Airlines, where they can be worth 1.5 cents per point or more.

If you get lucky, you could find deals where your points are worth 5 or 10 cents or more.

"You just have to stick with it!" she said.

But even if you have to pay some cash, experts say you should still be able to find a good price. 

• DFW Airport
• Dallas Love Field

Nicole Nielsen joined the CBS 11 news team in June 2020. Born and raised in Keller, Nicole is a North Texas native who is thrilled to work for the station she grew up watching.

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Cities where you can fly for $100 or less round trip from Nashville in May 2024

Looking for a last-minute trip this month? Whether you want to go east, west, north or south, you can still book flights out of Nashville in May for less than $100.

The latest data from Hopper, an online travel agency that tracks airline fares, shows 14 destinations out of Nashville International Airport with round-trip tickets still available in May for $100 or less.

These low-cost bookings are getting rarer. Fares overall are rising in May — the start of the summer travel season. The average ticket is predicted to peak at $315 towards the end of May and start of June, Hopper said.

Where is the cheapest place to fly right now?

Florida is an inexpensive destination in May. Hopper found several round-trip flights this month to both Fort Lauderdale and Miami for $50, along with $60 round-trip flights to Orlando for all the Disney fans.

Six other destinations could be reached from Nashville for $60 or less: Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Dallas; Chicago; and New York City.

When booking, be aware that discount airlines like Allegiant and Spirit, which often have the lowest fares, also charge fees for carry-on bags, seat-assignments and other amenities.

Cheap places to fly from Nashville in May 2024

These are the cheapest flights out of Nashville in May that Hopper could find:

• Fort Lauderdale, Florida: $50
• Newark, New Jersey: $50
• Philadelphia: $50
• Dallas: $54
• Chicago: $59
• New York City: $59
• Orlando, Florida: $60
• Boston: $72
• Denver: $73
• Tampa, Florida: $90
• Baltimore: $90
• New Orleans: $95
• Los Angeles: $98

Todd A. Price is a regional reporter in the South for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at [email protected] .

Travel over Memorial Day holiday weekend expected to be busiest in years

by KOMO Staff

SEATTLE (KOMO) — The unofficial start of summer is almost here. But this year, the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend could be the third-busiest in about 23 years, according to AAA.

"The desire to travel is high," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. "It's back to what it was pre-pandemic."

According to AAA, more than 42 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day holiday weekend. That's a 7% increase over last year.

Nearly 3.5 million of them will choose to fly, per AAA. That's an 11% increase from 2022.

RELATED | Avoid the hassle: Here are the best times to hit the road Memorial Day weekend

And according to Hopper , many travelers will head to places like Las Vegas, Miami, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Boston. Cities like Paris, Tokyo, Rome, Hyderabad and Milan are trending travel destinations overseas, per Hopper.

More people feel comfortable flying now; more people are booking trips ahead of time," Diaz told ABC News. "And what that shows is that there's a demand for flights despite inflation.

Travelers staying in the U.S. over the Memorial Day holiday will pay "considerably less" than last year and even before the pandemic, experts told ABC News.

The cost for last-minute domestic airfare is averaging $275 per ticket, according to Hopper. That's about $100 cheaper than last year.

But roundtrip international tickets to places like Europe are up more than 50%. Average airfare costs are $1,300.

On the road

Gas prices have dropped significantly over the past 12 months.

According to GasBuddy, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded is now about $3.50. That's down more than $1 from a year ago.

In Washington, the average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded is now $4.50, per GasBuddy. That's down more than 50 cents over the past year.

I would expect if you want to travel this summer, the highest prices will probably be on Memorial Day," GasBuddy Head of Petroleum Analysis Patrick De Haan said. "But then by July 4, prices should be moderately lower. And then Labor Day weekend will probably be the cheapest of the 3 major summer holidays. And that has a lot to do with the fact that over the course of the summer, gasoline supply goes up and prices tend to go down.

If you're looking to take a last-minute trip over the upcoming holiday weekend, there's still time.

Booking two one-way fares instead of one round-trip can sometimes help you save cash, a Going expert told ABC News.

Also, see if booking your departure and return flights on different airlines will end up costing less.

And taking some extra time to see if flying out of an alternate airport can also save some cash, even if it takes more time to get there, the Going expert told ABC News.

How my family of 6 spent nearly $9,000 on a Disney vacation — and what we'll do differently next time

• My wife and I took our four children to Disneyland for five days, which cost us $8,767.
• We saved money by driving instead of flying, sharing meals, and not staying on Disney property . 
• Next time, we'll consider bringing some of our own food and visiting the park for fewer days. 

Over spring break, my wife and I took our four children from Utah to Southern California for a week at Disneyland and Universal Studios.

For the five-day Disneyland portion of our visit, we spent:

• Lodging: $2,664 for six nights at a Courtyard by Marriott hotel
• Gas: $251 for our drive to the parks from our home in Utah
• Parking: $210 in parking fees at our hotel
• Tickets: $4,170 on Disneyland park tickets, including $2,820 for the base tickets, $900 for Genie+, and $450 for the option to park hop from Disneyland to California Adventure during our stay
• Souvenirs: $187
• Meals and snacks purchased in the parks : $1,285

Altogether, five days at Disneyland cost my family $8,767 . Given families of four spend thousands on a typical Disney trip, we didn't do so badly for our group of six.

We would've spent more if we hadn't taken three important cost-saving steps, and we could've saved extra money by making four additional adjustments that we'll consider the next time we visit the theme park.

First off, driving instead of flying saved us a lot of money

We saved money by driving to Disney instead of flying .

Based on the $336 round-trip ticket cost to fly Delta that week from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, our decision to spend a total of $251 on gas instead of $2,016 worth of airfare for our family saved us about $1,765.

That's not even counting the $100 or more we would've had to spend on rideshares from the airport to Disneyland and back if we'd flown.

Because we drove we were also able to add a mini vacation to Las Vegas to our itinerary, which our kids loved.

We also cut costs by not staying at one of Disney's on-site hotels

We saved even more by choosing a Disneyland good-neighbor hotel instead of one of Disney's three on-site resorts .

We picked the Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance and loved it. Our room overlooked Space Mountain and Matterhorn Mountain, and we had a fantastic view of Disneyland's nightly fireworks display from our balcony.

The hotel also had a 20,000-square-foot water park far larger than any we've experienced at Disneyland-based properties.

Our room had bunk beds and two queen beds, so all six of our family members slept comfortably. Our favorite part, though, was that the Marriott hotel was only about a six-minute walk to the main entrance of Disneyland, which is as close to or closer to the park than any of the on-property Disneyland resorts we've stayed at before.

Plus, staying the same six nights at the Disneyland Resort hotel would have cost us $4,428 at the nightly rate that week of $630.90 plus 17% tax in a standard (non-view) room if the resort had even allowed it. Five people is the bed limit for Disneyland's standard rooms, so I'm unsure we would've been able to stay in one of these hotels anyway.

It's more likely we'd have had to spend $1,000 or more a night on a special suite or villa designed to sleep six or more people.

In other words, we had a great experience staying at the Marriott resort, and we saved at least $1,700 by doing so.

Lastly, we saved money by cutting back on character-dining experiences and sharing most of our meals

Yes, we saved even though we still spent a whopping $1,285 on meals and snacks in just five days.

It's worth noting that we've spent more than double this amount on food on previous Disneyland trips by doing three or four character-dining experiences and by allowing each family member to order their own meal. (Consider that many Disney character dining experiences start at $59 for anyone 10 and up and dining near a few Disney princesses inside the Grand Californian resort runs a whopping $135 per person of any age!)

To save money on this trip, my wife and I chose to share meals at almost every place we ate. We also ordered two meals for our four kids to share at almost every stop.

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By splitting three meals between six people, we saved a bundle and gave ourselves a bit of wiggle room in the budget to afford $6.79 churros and our favorite Dole Whip snack .

But we could've saved even more money by bringing pins to trade instead of buying them at the park

Pin trading is a popular activity at Disney parks and our kids loved the trading stations scattered around Disneyland and California Adventure.

But we could've saved money if we'd brought our own pins to trade instead of having to buy the ones sold at the park. Nearly all our souvenir money went to buying a couple of pins for each child. Unfortunately, most of the pins we found started at $15.

I wish we'd bought pins online before we left because I've since found many Disney-themed pins for only a few dollars from third-party sellers. Plus, my kids would've had more options and variety.

We could've also saved hundreds of dollars on food by bringing more of our own snacks and meals into the park

Disney mercifully allows cost-conscious families to save money by allowing outside food and drinks ( with some understandable conditions and limitations ).

My wife and I could've taken advantage of this by packing in sandwiches for at least a couple of our lunches or dinners.

We also could've saved $256.45 if we had skipped the Minnie & Friends—Breakfast in the Park character-dining experience we splurged on one morning.

I also think we could've gone to the park for 3 days instead of 5

Despite Disneyland being especially crowded during spring break, we hit every ride and show our kids cared about within the first three days of our trip.

In hindsight, this means we could've saved some serious money on tickets and food costs by cutting out our last two days at Disney.

We would've saved a lot of money by skipping the park-hopper upgrade and Genie+

We could've cut our costs a lot if we hadn't dropped an extra $1,350 to be able to park hop and use Disney's "line-skipping" service , Genie+.

The service costs a small fortune — which we were still willing to pay — but I was frustrated with the inconsistency of its value.

On our first day at Disney, I felt it was worth the cost because we were able to easily get on most of the rides we wanted to.

But a few days later, we got to the park an hour before it opened and were still only able to use the service to skip the line of just one popular attraction the whole morning.

After that, no other popular ride attractions were available to reserve skip-the-line return times until 5 p.m. Even then, the next two attractions we selected for that night ended up breaking down, and we thought the alternative rides offered as replacement options for each one were far inferior.

In other words, we felt we wasted $180 that day using a service that ended up serving us very little.

Although the service was convenient and made our kids happy at times, its inconsistency and unreliability caused us stress and made my wife and I hesitant to want to use it again.

Overall, we had a good trip — but we're rethinking future ones now that half of our kids are aged into adult prices

Despite the spring-break crowds, Disney's steep price tag , and some of my frustrations using its Genie+ service, my family enjoyed this trip.

But we'll have to rethink future ones because Disneyland's "adult" ticket and food pricing starts at age 10, a threshold two of our four children have now crossed.

As our kids get older, we'll have to continue finding ways to cut costs. Otherwise, my wife and I will be dreading the next Disney vacation nearly as much as our kids will be eagerly anticipating it.

Watch: Marriott International's Tina Edmundson tells Insider that the travel mindset has changed since the pandemic

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