New Tripadvisor Program Promises Travel Savings

Planning to celebrate post-pandemic life with a little travel? Tripadvisor has unveiled a new annual subscription program it says can save you hundreds of dollars on your next trip.

Tripadvisor Plus promises a host of perks designed to cut costs on hotels, flights, car rentals and more.

For an annual fee of $99, Tripadvisor Plus members get:

• Member-only prices and other perks at hundreds of thousands of hotels around the world. Tripadvisor says average savings per stay will be $350.
• Discounts on close to 400,000 bookable experiences, including tickets, tours and attractions.
• Hertz rental car savings and elite benefits.
• Personalized travel tips via Tripadvisor Text, which is a text message-based travel guidance service.
• Additional benefits, such as flight deal alerts.

The new program arrives as millions of Americans are preparing to head back to something closer to their pre-pandemic travel routine.

Tripadvisor research shows that 74% of vaccinated U.S. travelers are planning a summer vacation this year. More than half (52%) expect to travel domestically, with 22% dreaming of venturing abroad.

In announcing the new program, Tripadvisor highlighted its new partnership with Hertz. Those who join Tripadvisor Plus get:

• Sizable discounts off base rates at Hertz and Dollar Car Rental.
• A free year of Hertz Five Star elite status, which lets drivers skip the counter, earn points toward free rentals and enjoy one-class upgrades.
• A waiving of the Young Renter fee.
• Free car/child seat rentals.
• Extended Hertz counter hours in case of a flight delay.

How to get a travel deal this summer

If being cooped up for more than a year has you ready for a vacation, check out the latest handpicked deals with Money Talks News partner ShermansTravel. You can browse deals by destination or trip type, such as cruise or vacation package.

For more travel tips, check out “18 Ways Save on Every Kind of Travel.”