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Travelzoo is an online travel agency, a blog, a site for discounted travel, and a members club. But to get the most out of it, you have to know how to use it correctly.
Although there are plenty of ways to book travel, such as using points and miles, purchasing via a credit card travel portal, booking directly, or buying via a more traditional OTA, checking out Travelzoo is worth it. Being able to take a vacation while someone else arranges the flights, hotels, and activities can make the planning process hassle-free. Plus, Travelzoo focuses on finding the most affordable deals possible to save you money.
Everyone seems to be jumping on board with the easy vacation that requires little planning or work once you’re on it, like all-inclusive resort stays or cruises. An Expedia study reports that searches on Hotels.com using the “all-inclusive” filter jumped 60% year over year in 2025. People want to relax on vacation and not be constantly researching their next meal or on their phones arranging tours instead of lounging at the pool.
This is where Travelzoo comes in handy, as the site compiles travel promotions and packages so you don’t have to search for all the extras or dig around to find the best price.
Here’s what you need to know to find the best deals.
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Travelzoo is a website that offers discounted flights, hotels, cruises, event tickets, and travel packages. It often bundles together things like flights, hotels, and activities to make your next vacation more affordable and easier.
Travelzoo collaborates with thousands of suppliers to secure the best possible deals at the best prices. You can sign up to receive emails each week with the best deals or simply scour the site on your own to see what’s available. You can set filters to search by specific destination or type of experience, such as a vacation package, hotel deal, spa experience, and more. Then you can sort results by date, price, and more.
As someone who considers herself a savvy traveler, the game of combining award travel with paid travel, searching for affordable flights, and conducting research to select the perfect hotel is right up my alley. That said, during those busy periods, I wish a travel agent would do it all for me, or I could find an already set package so I don’t have to do all the legwork. This is the moment I turn to Travelzoo.
Note that some of Travelzoo’s deals take you through to a third-party provider, airline, hotel, or OTA where you can book the deal. For others, you pay for a voucher on Travelzoo and then reserve your travel following the instructions on the voucher.
Travel agents can save you time and money. Here’s everything you need to know about using a travel agent in 2025.
Travelzoo offers a wide range of travel deals. Some are as simple as affordable airfare with a specific airline, a cruise, or a hotel stay.
Others are 2-week adventures that include flight, hotels, transportation between different spots at your destination, and activities.
You can also book tickets to sporting events, museums, cultural shows, and more.
But some of the very best deals on Travelzoo might be the all-inclusive packages, which bundle airfare and an all-inclusive hotel stay into an affordable rate.
If you don’t see what you’re looking for on Travelzoo, check back in a week or two. The website is constantly updating with new deals and promotions. Subscribe to the Travelzoo newsletter, then check your email for deals delivered to your inbox.
Do you know the difference between an OTA and a metasearch engine? Travelzoo is an OTA, while Google Flights is a metasearch engine.
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Most people are using Travelzoo because it seems like a good deal or because they don’t have the the time or energy to price everything and pay for it separately. Of course, it’s worth a light evaluation to see if Travelzoo’s deals are legit. In most cases, they are.
Just make sure to read all the fine print and understand what you’re purchasing. If you want to fly business class and stay in a 5-star hotel, an affordable Travelzoo deal that offers economy tickets and a 3-star hotel may not make for your ideal vacation.
And remember, when you book travel through an OTA, your hotel elite status might not be recognized or you may not earn the points, so weigh that when deciding if you’re getting a good deal.
Here, we’ll break down a travel package and compare it to booking separately to see if it’s a good deal:
I decided to break out a Thailand package to compare the prices. Travelzoo offered a package (clicking through to Travelodeal.com) for a 7-day trip to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand for $1,299 from May 5 to 12, 2026. The price included airfare (without checked baggage), a 2-night hotel stay with breakfast at the Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Hotel (or similar) in Bangkok, a 5-night hotel stay with breakfast at the Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay, and air transfer between Bangkok (BKK) and Phuket (HKT).
I know that Thailand is a more affordable destination, but at first glance, I felt like this was a pretty solid price, especially given how far the country is from the United States.
However, May is one of the hottest months of the year in Thailand, so it is important to do some light research on your destination before booking to avoid any major surprises.
I dug into each separate cost and added them up:
In total, if I booked all the flights and hotels separately, I’d spend approximately $1,999.65 versus the cost of the package at $ 1,299. Booking via Travelzoo would save me about $700.
However, if I had had more time to research, used points for my flight, or found more affordable yet comparable hotels, I might have ended up having an amazing trip and spending less than the Travelzoo deal. Or I might be able to get the fourth night or fifth night free benefit at certain hotels if I paid with points, which would also save me a lot of cash on a 5-night Phuket stay.
Marriott and Hilton offer the fifth night free on points stays, while IHG offers the fourth night free to IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card holders. Unfortunately, Hyatt doesn’t offer a fourth- or fifth-night-free benefit.
Certain cards, such as the Platinum Card^® from American Express, earn bonus points for booking airfare via AmexTravel.com or directly via the airline. If you booked the aforementioned Cathay Pacific ticket to Bangkok via Cathay Pacific, you’d earn more than 4,000 Amex Membership points.
How you book a Travelzoo package, flight, hotel stay, cruise, or event ticket depends on whether Travelzoo is the seller (you purchase a voucher) or just the finder, in which case Travelzoo sends you to another site.
Start by creating a Travelzoo account and logging in. Click on the deal you want to book and look on the right where it says “How To Book.” This will tell you if you need to click through to another OTA or purchase a voucher.
If you choose the voucher, read all the fine print carefully before making a purchase. Some vouchers are time-sensitive, some expire quickly, and some may have blackout dates.
You are allowed to buy more than 1 voucher for the same deal, although they must be in separate transactions. Once you receive an email confirmation with the PDF voucher, follow the instructions to book and ensure you keep a printed copy of the voucher with you for your trip or activity, if necessary.
Scroll down to the How To Book section for information on how to book travel on other websites. In most cases, you’ll be redirected to a different website (sometimes an OTA, sometimes an airline or hotel website) where you can select your dates, check availability, choose upgrades or add-ons, and book and pay. There may be some deals you have to call to book.
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Obviously, if you want to use points for all or part of your trip, booking via Travelzoo isn’t the best choice. However, if you are working on accruing a points balance, it might be worth booking an affordable Travelzoo or package and using a credit card that offers bonus points for travel to book your package.
Make sure to use the right credit card when purchasing deals and packages on Travelzoo. Remember, certain credit cards only give you bonus points if you book directly via the airline or hotel, so only use those if Travelzoo’s How To Book section sends you directly to the provider. If not, use a card that gives you bonus points on general travel.
The information regarding the American Express Green Card^® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
While the joy of Travelzoo packages lies in their lower cash price, you can also use your points. You can always use Capital One miles to wipe travel charges off your statement within 90 days at a value of 1 cent per point. It’s not the best value, but it can work.
There’s also Chase’s Pay Yourself Back when travel is an eligible category. This means you can redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel purchases within 90 days. However, travel would need to be the category available on the card, and you’d be able to reimburse your Travelzoo purchase for between 0.8 and 1.5 cents per point.
While using points for Travelzoo purchases is always an option, it’s not the best option. The best part about Travelzoo promotions is their affordability, so it’s best to pay cash. We value most points and miles at 1.6 to 2.2 cents each, which is significantly higher than the value you’d receive if you were to wipe the travel charges from your statement or pay yourself back.
Travelzoo has a travel membership that costs $40 per year (however, there’s currently a limited-time offer where you can get it for just $30 a year). Members have access to all the best offers (many of which are only available to club members). You also get access to the Member Services team for assistance, early access to the Top 20 newsletter, and airport lounge passes if your flight is delayed for an hour or more.
But is Travelzoo’s membership worth it?
It depends. I suggest starting with a regular Travelzoo account. If you frequently book deals and use the site regularly, consider signing up for the club membership. It’s relatively affordable, and you may get even better deals.
However, if you’re a points and miles enthusiast (which you likely are if you’re reading Upgraded Points), it may not offer much value to you. Either way, sign up for the basic membership, check out your email inbox, and see if any deals catch your eye.
Travelzoo may not offer endless value for the points and miles community. Still, there are moments when it can offer excellent value in certain situations, especially if you’re traveling somewhere that doesn’t have many points hotels. Either way, take the time to ensure you’re getting a good deal by breaking things down by cost and comparison shopping. There’s something to be said about securing an incredibly affordable cash deal, which is why Travelzoo can offer genuine value to many travelers.
Yes, Travelzoo deals are real, though sometimes they’re so affordable you might not believe it. When you book a Travelzoo deal, take time to carefully read all the fine print, especially if you’re purchasing a voucher. Ensure that terms, blackout dates, flexibility, etc., all work in your favor and you’re aware of any limitations.
We usually recommend booking directly with an airline or hotel, as it’s easier to troubleshoot if something goes wrong. Plus, you earn all your points and miles and your elite status will be recognized. That said, if the deal is worth it on a website like Travelzoo, book it. You may be directed to an airline or hotel website anyway.
 
Receiving a refund for your Travelzoo voucher depends on the terms of the package you purchased. Some are refundable, while others aren’t. Read the fine print before purchasing so you’re fully aware of the refund policy.
Book deals at Travelzoos by purchasing a voucher from the website or clicking through to another travel provider that’s selling the package. This might be another online travel agency (OTA), or it could be an airline or hotel.
The information regarding the American Express Green Card^® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect Visa Signature^® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi Custom Cash^® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here. 
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Lori is an intrepid traveler who loves creating itineraries that exude “luxe on a budget.” She’s written for CNN, NBC, The Infatuation, and Forbes and has taken points-fueled trips to Sri Lanka, Sicily, and Myanmar.
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