Starting Your Travel Search


 

Travel offers two ways to start a travel search:

  • The Home tab starts a quick search for round-trip flight, with optional hotel and car rental.
  • Use the Travel menu to choose Trip Planner for one-way or multi-city itineraries, or to choose Flight (with flight options), Train, Hotel, or Car Rental.

Starting from the Home Page

You can start a round-trip flight search, and also include a search for a hotel and car rental, from the Home page (click the Home tab if you are not on the Home page). A round trip assumes that you return to the same or a nearby airport.

The Home page shows the Flight/Train, Hotel, and Car Rental sections. If the checkbox next to a section is not checked, you can click the Add button to expand and use it. 

Tip: After expanding the Flight/Train, Hotel, or Car Rental section, you can remove it from your itinerary by clicking the Remove button in the section heading, or by clicking the checkbox to uncheck it.

The Flight section includes fields for outbound and return flights. Once the flight information has been entered, the hotel and car rental search fields are populated with information matching the flight if these checkboxes were selected. For example, your car rental search will match pickup and drop-off locations, dates, and times to your flight arrival time at your destination, based on what you have already entered in the Flight section.

Follow these instructions for searching, selecting, and purchasing travel services:

Using the Travel Menu

If you want to book a one-way or multi-segment itinerary, or start a search for just a flight, train, hotel, or car rental, use the Travel menu. Hover your pointer over the Travel tab to see its dropdown menu, and click one of the following:

  • Trip Planner: Shows the Travel page with the Round Trip tab already selected, and sections for Flight/Train, Hotel, and Car Rental. If the checkbox next to a section is not checked, you can click the checkbox to expand and use it. Choosing Trip Planner is the same as clicking the Travel tab itself.
  • Flight: Shows the Travel page with the Round Trip tab already selected, the Flight/Train checkbox checked with Flight expanded for use, and Hotel and Car Rental unchecked. Choose Flight if all you need is a flight.
  • Train: Shows the Travel page with the One-way tab already selected, the Flight/Train checkbox checked with Train expanded for use, and Hotel and Car Rental unchecked. Choose Train if all you need is a train.
  • Hotel: Shows the Travel page with the Hotel checkbox checked and expanded for use, and Flight/Train and Car Rental unchecked. Choose Hotel if all you need is a hotel.
  • Car Rental: Shows the Travel page with the Car Rental checkbox checked and expanded for use, and Flight/Train and Hotel unchecked. Choose Car Rental if all you need is a car rental.

The following choices are not included in this topic:

Choosing Multi-City or One-Way

Choose Trip PlannerFlightHotel, or Car Rental from the Travel dropdown menu, choose an itinerary type by clicking the Multi-City, or One-way tab (Round Trip is selected by default).

  • Round TripA round trip assumes that you return to the same or a nearby airport. 
    The Flight section of the Travel page includes fields for the return flight. Once the flight information has been entered, the hotel and car rental search fields are populated with information matching the flight destination. For example,
     your car rental search will match pickup and drop-off locations, dates, and times to your flight arrival time at your destination, based on what you have already entered in the Flight section.
     
  • Multi-CityAfter choosing a multi-city itinerary, the Travel page shows three segments (three destinations). The Flight, Hotel, and Car Rental sections of the Travel page are included within the segments (the Train section does not appear). 
    Complete each trip segment separately. If you need additional segments, click Add Another Segment at the bottom of the Travel page. 
    Click the checkbox next to each service (Flight, Hotel, and Car Rental) in each segment's heading. Once the flight information has been entered for each segment, the hotel and car rental search fields for that segment are populated with information matching the flight. 
    To learn more about a multi-city itinerary, see Making Multi-City Reservations.
     
  • One-waySelect a one-way flight or train. The Flight/Train section of the Travel page assumes a one-way flight or train ride.
    Once the flight or train information has been entered, the hotel and car rental search fields are populated with information matching the flight or train destination. For example, your car rental search will match pickup and drop-off locations, dates, and times to your flight or train arrival time at your destination, based on what you have already entered in the Flight/Train section.

Searching and Selecting Travel Services

Follow these instructions for searching, selecting, and purchasing travel services: