Like other travel aggregators, Priceline lets you compare airline fares, hotel prices, and car rentals from major companies with one search. But unlike other sites, Priceline also includes the option to name your own price for hotel rooms—the catch is that you won’t know which hotel you’ll be staying at until your bid is approved. This wikiHow teaches you how to book your travels on Priceline, as well as how to use the Name Your Own Price feature to bid for hotel rooms.
StepsMethod 1Method 1 of 2:Booking a Trip
1Go to https://www.priceline.com in a web browser. Priceline’s website allows you to search the best rates on flights, rental cars, cruises, hotels, and vacation packages available for your desired dates.If you have an account with Priceline, you can click the Sign in menu near the top-right corner of the page to sign in now.If you’re using a phone or tablet and prefer using a mobile app, download the official Priceline app from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Play Store (Android). The app looks different than the website, but the functions are similar.
2Select the type of reservation you’re looking for. In the “Save more” box at the top of the page, you can select the type of accommodations you’re looking for, such as FLIGHTS, HOTELS, or CRUISES. Make your selection to bring up the appropriate search form.Select Bundle + Save to search for deals on bundles, such as flights and hotels, flights and rental cars, hotels and rental cars, or all three.
3Enter the details into the form. The form options vary depending on what you’re looking for.For example, if you’re looking for flights, you’ll first need to select whether you’re flying Round-trip, One-way, or doing a Multi-destination trip. You’ll also need to enter the airport you’re flying from, the one you’d like to fly into, the number of passengers, date(s) of travel, and desired cabin class.If you selected Bundle + Save and want to book a hotel for only part of your trip, you can check the “I only need a hotel for part of my stay” box.When searching for rental cars, you’ll need to specify the pickup location, as well as pickup and drop-off times.
4Click the Find Your Deal button. This searches Priceline’s database for rates and deals that match your search criteria.
5Refine your search results. In addition to seeing a list of deals that match your search terms, you’ll also notice a long list of settings running along the left side of the page. You can adjust these options to change what you see in the results.For example, if you’re searching for flights and only want to see those that are nonstop (no layovers), select “nonstop” in the “Stops” section and remove the checkmarks from the other options.If you’re searching for hotels, you can filter the results based on amenities, star ratings, neighborhoods, and more.
6Click Choose on your desired reservation. This displays additional details about the search result, including check-in/check-out times, amenities, car types, upgrades, and other varying details. Make sure you read and understand the details of a reservation before booking.If you decide not to go forward with the reservation you selected, you can click the browser’s back button to return to the list.
7Follow the on-screen instruction to make your selections. Once you find a reservation that meets your needs, you’ll usually need to make some selections to finalize the rate. If your search includes multiple types of reservations (e.g., a flight and a car), you’ll start with one type of reservation and then move to the next. The subtotal will update as you make your selections.For example, if your search includes hotel reservations, you’ll see a list of available rooms and upgrades at that property. Click Choose or Book next to a room or upgrade to select it. If the search included another type of reservation, this will immediately take you to the next step of your reservation (e.g., flights or cars).If your search included flights, you’ll see a list of available fares for the trip from which to choose (there may only be one). You can switch to a different fare by clicking Choose this Fare if available.
8Review your reservation information and the terms. Once you’ve made all of your selections, make sure the dates, rates, and subtotal at the top-right corner of the page look correct. Other details to check before you continue:Click the terms and conditions and privacy policy links at the bottom of any reservation to review that information. By booking your reservation, you agree to all of the terms in these documents.If you’re booking a car, make sure the pickup and drop-off info is correct, and then scroll down to the “Complete Your Booking” section to review the booking conditions. This section specifies what you’ll need to have with you to complete the rental, information about additional drivers, age limits, and more.
9Enter your reservation information. You’ll need to provide your name, billing details, payment method, and other information to confirm the reservation.
10Click the Book or Confirm Your Reservation button to confirm. Once you click the button at the bottom of the form, the payment method you entered will be billed for the total amount. You’ll also see a confirmation screen containing your trip details, which you can print if you’d like. A receipt and itinerary will be sent to you via email. Method 2Method 2 of 2:Naming Your Price for Hotels
1Go to https://www.priceline.com/hotels in a web browser. Although Priceline once allowed you to use their Name Your Own Price service for all types of travel reservations, you can now only use the feature to bid on hotels and other lodging accommodations.XBefore bidding, check other sites to find the going rates for hotels in the desired area. Checking for rates on sites like Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity can help you figure out a good price to bid for a room.Also check forums like BetterBidding.com and BiddingForTravel.com before placing your bid. Priceline users use these forums to share details about their winning and losing bids, including which hotels they were assigned once their bids were accepted.
2Scroll down and click Start Your Hotel Bid. It’s about ¼ of the way down the page under the “Name Your Own Price and save” header.
3Enter a location, travel dates, and number of rooms. This information goes into the form at the top of the page.When you start typing a city’s name, a list of matching results will appear. Click the correct result when it appears.To enter your travel dates, click Check in – Check Out to bring up the calendar, click the date of your arrival, and then click the date you’ll be checking out. The selected dates will then appear in the “Check in – Check Out” field.The default option of 1 Room is selected by default. To book multiple rooms at once, select the desired amount from the “Room” drop-down menu.
4Click the green Bid Now button. It’s at the bottom of the form.
5Select your desired area(s). A list of neighborhoods appears on the top-left area of the page, while a corresponding map appears in the top-right area. Check the boxes next to each neighborhood you’re willing to stay in. For the best chance at a great room rate, choose more than one area.X
6Select a star rating. Although there’s no way to specify a specific hotel by name, you bid on a tier of hotels based on quality. Choose your desired star level from the list to bid on rooms with that rating only.Click the name of the star rating (e.g., 4-Star Deluxe, 2 ½ Star Moderate) to see examples of hotels that tend to have those ratings.If a star rating is grayed-out, it’s because there are no available rooms in the selected area(s) that meet that star rating.
7Enter your price bid. Scroll down to the “Name Your Own Price” area in the bottom-left area of the page, then enter the price you’re willing to pay per night (per room).You’ll see the median retail price for the selected area(s) next to the “Name Your Own Price” box. Make sure to bid lower than the amount you see here.Consider fees and taxes when naming your own price. Your bid amount does not include those added charges—those will be added to the final total.
8Enter a name for the room reservation. If you requested multiple rooms, you’ll need to enter a name for each room. The name you enter must belong to a person with a valid ID and credit card.
9Click the Preview Offer button. It’s the green button at the bottom of the form.
10Review the details and make final adjustments. Before your bid is placed, you’ll see a page that displays the selected dates, regions, city area(s), subtotal, and amount with fees and taxes. Review this information and make sure it’s correct.If you have a Priceline coupon, click Apply Coupon next to the “Total Charges” line to enter it now.In the “We Recommend Trip Protection” area, choose whether to add trip cancellation insurance to your final bid amount. To learn more about this service, click the Plan details and disclosures link to check out the terms.
11Read and agree to Priceline’s Terms and Conditions. Toward the bottom of the page, you’ll find a box labeled “Important Information.” This is crucial information about your reservation, including what you’ll need to do if/when your bid is accepted. You’ll also find links to Priceline’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy in this area. If you agree to everything you find in this area, check the box next to “I have read, accept and agree to abide by priceline.com’s terms and conditions and privacy policy.”
12Click the green Continue button.
13Enter your billing information. The form you see requires you to enter your billing address and credit card information. As soon as your bid is accepted by Priceline, the credit card you entered will be charged.If you’re logged into Priceline with an existing account, you’ll have the option to select an existing billing method. If you already have an account but haven’t signed in, click the green Sign in for faster checkout button at the top-right corner of the form to sign in now.If you don’t have an account, enter and confirm a new password in the “Register now and save!” box to ensure that one is created after placing your bid.
14Click the Buy My Hotel Now button. It’s the green button at the bottom of the form. Priceline will then search for a reservation that meets your requirements and either accept or reject your bid.If your bid is accepted, your credit card will be automatically charged and you will see your travel details on the screen, including the name and address of the hotel.If your bid is rejected, you can place another bid for the same specifications in 24 hours—however, you can rebid right away if you change something in your search, such as the dates, hotel stars, or neighborhood. If the travel dates are non-negotiable, try changing the location and/or hotel star quality.
