CheapOair recognized with Gold Awards at the Horizon Interactive Awards

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Online Travel Agency recognized for outstanding achievement in website and app design

 

CheapOair, a leading flight-focused, next generation concierge travel service, was recently presented with two Gold Awards at the Horizon Interactive Awards for innovation during 2016 for the CheapOair website and mobile app.

The Horizon Interactive Awards is an independently-run, international competition that recognizes outstanding achievement in UX Design, Creativity, Technical Functionality, Messaging, and Effectiveness of web sites, videos, online advertising, print media, and mobile apps. This is CheapOair’s second consecutive year winning Gold at the Horizon Interactive Awards.

“It is such an honor to receive Gold Awards from Horizon Interactive for the second year in a row,” said Daniel Lizio Katzen, SVP of Product and Revenue at CheapOair. “Our development teams are continually enhancing the CheapOair website and mobile app to improve design and functionality in order to deliver the best possible travel booking experience to our customers.”

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a flight-focused hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rentals. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

Fareportal Named Top Tier Supplier by China Eastern Airlines

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Next generation travel company recognized as a top performer by Asian airline partner

FarepotalFareportal, the travel technology company powering CheapOair and OneTravel, has been awarded the Top Tier Supplier Award by China Eastern Airlines based on sales performance in 2016. This award is given annually to recognize the top sellers of China Eastern Airlines tickets during the previous year.

China Eastern Airlines operates non-stop flights to Shanghai from five North American gateways including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Vancouver and Honolulu.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized by China Eastern Airlines as a Top Tier Supplier,” said Thomas Spagnola, Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations at Fareportal. “Our ability to support our partners is a direct result of our investments in our staff, products, and technology offering a better experience for our customers and greater success for our partners.”

About Fareportal

Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing customers access to over 450 airlines, 1 million hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies around the globe. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat. Fareportal provides its airline partners with access to a broad customer base that books high-yielding international travel and add-on ancillaries.

 

 

CheapOair Launches Immersive City Guides for 10 U.S. Destinations

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Online Travel Agency enhances travel experience with addition of rich destination content to compliment booking services

CheapOair, a leading flight-focused, hybrid travel agency, has launched Things To Do, a new online resource aimed at inspiring travelers to explore destinations with engaging guides for 10 cities around the United States.

The new microsite offers original content for Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco, with more destinations soon to come. This helpful feature makes CheapOair a one-stop shop for all travel needs, including inspirational content, researching, booking, and resources for during a trip.

 Things to Do

Traveling to a major city can be daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start. CheapOair kicks off each city guide with basic details on how to spend the first 48 hours and offers suggestions for cost-free activities.

Recommendations are then broken down by interest, such as dining and nightlife, shopping, outdoor activities, or arts and culture. To give travelers the most trustworthy advice, CheapOair leveraged the knowledge of locals to curate content for each destination. Many of CheapOair’s suggestions also include video content for a deeper dive into the recommended listings.

 A Personal Touch

Each destination features at least one personal story from an area native exploring their individual connection with the city. These stories give the reader authentic insights the typical traveler may not know about.

CheapOair also provides Community Recommendations and Reviews from other CheapOair customers for an added layer of validation during the planning process.

 When to Go and How to Get There

Of course, the most important part is planning when to go and determining the best way to get there. CheapOair offers insight on when to experience the best weather, the cheapest months to travel, and the best ways to reach each city.

 CheapOair’s mission is to educate and aid consumers in both planning their travel and staying current on the most popular destinations. With a portfolio of products, including rate and schedule information from 450 global airlines, CheapOair is a great way to research and book the travel that’s right for you.

 For more information about booking travel to these destinations, please visit www.CheapOair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, our blog, http://www.cheapoair.com/miles-away or our social media pages, www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and www.twitter.com/cheapoair.

 About CheapOair

CheapOair is a flight-focused hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rentals. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

 

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CheapOair Names Top St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations to Attend in 2017

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Online travel agency identifies best cities and events to celebrate Irish-American heritage month

As the saying goes, everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so for those with Irish heritage or those who are just Irish for the day, CheapOair®, a leading flight-focused hybrid travel agency, has identified the best cities for over-the-top celebrations, parades, and plenty of Irish pubs.

Boston, Massachusetts
According to 2015 U.S. Census data, 21.6% of people in the Greater Boston Area identify as having Irish ancestry and it is clear through their annual celebration that they are very proud of that heritage. The St. Patrick’s Day parade began in 1737 and runs through the traditionally Irish neighborhood of South Boston. The event is held annually on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick’s Day and features floats, marching bands, and bagpipe bands. In addition to hosting one of the largest parades in the country, Bostonians are known for their post-parade party. With more Irish pubs than any other U.S. city, parade goers are sure to find the party going well beyond the end of the parade with local pubs hosting live music and holiday food and beverage specials. This year’s parade will be held on Sunday, March 19th

Dublin, Ireland
Of course, there’s no better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than in his home country of Ireland. Dublin, the nation’s capital, hosts one of the largest celebrations around the world with four full days of activities. An impressive parade, carnival, plus theater and musical performances headline the annual festival. The locals typically keep their celebrations low-key with modest expressions of their Irish pride, the tourist population can be found engaging in the debauchery that has come to be associated with the holiday in Dublin’s Temple Bar neighborhood. This year’s festival will take place from March 16th – March 19th with the parade on March 17th.

New York, New York
As with many cultural festivals, New York is known to hold the biggest and the best St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S. and also has the distinction of being the oldest in the world. The annual event held on March 17th attracts over two spectators and up to 250,000 participants. The procession up 5th Avenue can last as long as six hours and is only open to people marching on foot, no floats or cars are permitted. The parade first began in 1762 by Irish soldiers serving in the British Army. Today the parade features participants including bands, performers, public servants, social clubs and associations.

Savannah, Georgia
Despite being a smaller city, Savannah takes St. Patrick’s Day seriously with a celebration that rivals the major cities. The parade first began in 1824 by the Irish population that had settled in the area. Today the celebration draws over 300,000 spectators and features a parade, live performances, and street vendors. Since Savannah doesn’t have an open container law, parade goers can enjoy an Irish draught while still catching the parade. But, of course, remember to please drink responsibly.

For more information about booking travel to these destinations, please visit http://www.CheapOair.com, http://www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, http://www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and http://www.twitter.com/cheapoair.

About CheapOair
CheapOair is a flight-focused hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rentals. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

CheapOair Announces Top Spring Break Destinations for 2017

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Data Shows the Most Popular Travel Days, Trends and Average Price Points for Vacationers this Season

CheapOair, the first flights-focused hybrid travel agency, announced today the top ten international and domestic destinations consumers are traveling to for spring break, between March 2nd and March 27th.  This year, an overall trend that CheapOair is seeing with consumers booking air travel, is that in addition to full week getaways, some travelers are booking weekend trips, with departure days on Thursdays and return flights on Mondays.

“After analyzing our data booking trends for this year’s spring break travel, we’ve found that, due to the decrease in many airfare prices in recent years, travelers now have more flexibility to take weekend trips. However, a common mistake for travelers is to book a trip from Friday to Sunday, which are the most popular days to travel,” said Tom Spagnola, Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations for CheapOair. “Booking a longer weekend trip from Thursday to Monday allows travelers to get in a full five-day vacation, while also saving costs on hotel and flight rates, and even vacation days.  It’s win-win.”

Among this year’s top domestic destinations for Spring Break, Orlando, Florida is the most popular city, with an average roundtrip airfare of $295.  Additionally, Florida stole six out of the ten spots on the top destinations list, as airfare has decreased year-over-year to its many of its cities. Ultimately, this has driven more travelers to Florida, to take shorter trips to its popular cities more often than usual. Following Florida’s destination cities, on the list this year was also Las Vegas, NV, Denver, CO, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Cancun, Mexico.

By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair’s mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. With a portfolio of products, including rate and schedule information from 450 global airlines, CheapOair is a great way to book the travel that’s right for you.

Travelers can sign up to receive daily travel deals to various destinations, including the top spring break locations for 2016, by making a CheapOair profile at CheapOair.com. For more information, please visit CheapOair.com, CheapOair.com/mobile, or check out CheapOair’s Miles Away blog for travel tips and trends.

 About CheapOair

CheapOair is a flight-focused hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rentals. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

CheapOair profiles notable African Americans in Celebration of Black History Month

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Online Travel Agency Curates Content to Pay Tribute to African American Culture

CheapOair®, a leading flights-focused hybrid travel agency, has partnered with several members of the African American community to share their stories of overcoming adversity, embracing their heritage, and contributing to the rich history of African Americans.

CheapOair’s Miles Away blog kicked off the campaign with an exclusive profile of two-time Emmy Award-winning violinist, Damien Escobar. Escobar is a native of Queens, New York and was the youngest student to be accepted into The Juilliard School at the age of 10. Following numerous hardships, Escobar found himself hitting rock bottom and living on the New York City subway in 2012. He has since worked his way out of his personal struggles and has used the power of his music to become one of the most recognized violinists in the world.

Through all of his success, Escobar remains committed to giving back to the community and is an activist for keeping the arts in public schools. He has worked with various charitable organizations and even founded his own charity, M.A.D.E – Music and Arts with Damien Escobar – to purchase violins for schools with limited musical education funding.

For the campaign, CheapOair also partnered Erick Prince, a photographer, philanthropist, and world traveler seeking to be the first African American to visit every country in the world. Prince uses his photography to share his view of the world and its people, through his lens.

Additionally, Miles Away highlighted Gloria Atanmo, a world-renowned African American solo female traveler, and Myra Parks, a woman from Los Angeles who moved with her family to rediscover their roots to Ghana.

The CheapOair Miles Away blog is dedicated to creating an inclusive community and is proud to celebrate the diversity, culture, and history of people around the world. To learn more about our featured African Americans and for additional content on Black History Month, visit the CheapOair Miles Away blog.

For more information on CheapOair, please visit http://www.CheapOair.com, http://www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, http://www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and http://www.twitter.com/cheapoair.

Going global: Fareportal and Amadeus extend partnership to deliver travel distribution services around the world

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Leading online travel agency seeks to expand its marketplace scope and reach in North America and beyond with new long-term global agreement

Fareportal, the travel technology company powering CheapOair and OneTravel, has entered into a new and extended distribution agreement with global travel technology company and long-time partner, Amadeus, as part of Fareportal’s ambitious plans to expand on a global level.

Under the new agreement, the two companies have renewed their long-standing partnership whereby Amadeus has served as Fareportal’s global distribution provider in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the UK. Now the partnership scope has been extended to empower Fareportal’s vision and plans for global expansion, providing it with access to over 40 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

“This is an exciting milestone in our growth and evolution as well as a testament to our truly collaborative relationship with Amadeus over many years. This will enable us to take our brands and business to a new level, to grow and best serve consumers in North America and around the world,” said Werner Kunz-Cho, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Fareportal.

The new long-term agreement marks an ongoing story of success and collaboration between Fareportal and Amadeus, a relationship dating back more than a decade. The two companies have worked together to deliver industry-leading merchandising, search and shopping capabilities and choice to consumers. Fareportal is a leading innovator in the ancillary services category, bringing more options and flexibility to travelers.

Amadeus provides a wide array of services to Fareportal from distribution of air, hotel and car content to merchandising solutions for selling ancillary services and fare families to leading search and shopping technology. Fareportal was ahead of the curve as one of the first online travel companies in North America to implement merchandising services with Amadeus. They were an early adopter of ancillaries, embracing them as a critical part of bringing a better shopping experience, greater transparency and more choice and personalization to travelers. This is why Fareportal was selected by Amadeus as a partner to pilot its leading merchandising functionality.

“Ours is a unique, reciprocal partnership with Fareportal, truly one of the most innovative travel companies around today.  As they pursue their growth, we will be there to deliver the best global reach, technology and commitment. And while we are pleased our long-standing partnership has delivered value to Fareportal, they have also been instrumental in helping Amadeus become a leader in the online search and online travel segment. We are delighted that they recognize our investment and strategy to keep serving the most successful online travel companies worldwide,” Scott Gutz, Chief Executive Officer, Amadeus North America.

Going from startup to travel industry leader and innovator since its founding in 2003, today Fareportal is one of the largest online travel agencies in the world in terms of air segments booked annually. Fareportal was named among the top 10 on Travel Weekly’s 2016 Power List, posting $4.5 billion in sales in 2015.

Fareportal’s next-generation “hybrid” business model offers customers of CheapOair and OneTravel the best of all worlds – the expertise of booking with a live, expert travel agent via their contact centers or the convenience of booking online, on an award winning mobile app, by phone or via live chat.

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About Fareportal

Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing access to over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies that serve millions of customers every year around the globe. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands, including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal’s airline partners can benefit from access to a broad customer base that books high-yield international travel and add-on ancillaries.

About Amadeus

Amadeus is a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (e.g. airlines, hotels, rail and ferry operators, etc.), travel sellers (travel agencies and websites), and travel buyers (corporations and travel management companies).

The Amadeus group employs around 14,000 people worldwide, across central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters), Nice (development) and Erding (operations), as well as over 70 local Amadeus Commercial Organizations globally and has a presence in more than 190 countries.

The group operates a transaction-based business model.

Amadeus is listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under the symbol “AMS.MC” and is a component of the IBEX 35 index.

To find out more about Amadeus please visit www.amadeus.com, and www.amadeus.com/nablog for more on the travel industry.

CheapOair Announces Top Destinations for Valentine’s Day 2017

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Booking data shows warm weather destinations lead the list for popular romantic getaways

 

CheapOair®, a leading flights-focused hybrid travel agency, today announced its most popular North American destinations for 2017 Valentine’s Day travel. Orlando, FL, Las Vegas, NV, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL lead the list of this year’s top places to visit. In addition, CheapOair’s data shows that average airfare prices have decreased dramatically since last year, with an average 18% reduction.

This year, travelers are taking the opportunity to celebrate with that special someone in warmer climate destinations. The list of top cities is dominated by hotspots in Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Mexico, California, and Puerto Rico.

 ValentinesDay

 

“With the average fare for the weekend coming in under $300, a quick Valentine’s Day trip is easily accessible for consumers seeking a romantic getaway,” explains Tom Spagnola, CheapOair’s Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations. “With the lower airfares, people are able to jet away to warmer locales and escape the winter weather this holiday.”

Four cities have seen over a 20% decrease in airfare versus the previous year. Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ saw the largest decrease, dropping about 26% compared to 2016, with Los Angeles, CA and Orlando, FL trailing behind, decreasing by 25% and 22% respectively.

By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair’s mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. With a portfolio of products, including rate and schedule information from 450 global airlines, CheapOair is a great way to book the travel that’s right for you.

 For more information, please visit www.CheapOair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and www.twitter.com/cheapoair.

 

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a next generation concierge travel agency (online/traditional) that enables consumers to book travel online, on its award winning mobile app, by phone or live chat. CheapOair bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and many car rental companies worldwide. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less or go to www.cheapoair.com or call 1-646-738-4820).

 

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CheapOair Announces Top Cities for Lunar New Year 2017 Celebrations

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Online Travel Agency Identifies Best Cities For Ringing in the Year of the Rooster

 

Visiting East Asia may be the most authentic way to experience the Lunar New Year, but there are plenty of places to ring in the Year of the Rooster in the United States. CheapOair®, a leading flights-focused hybrid travel agency, has identified the top cities across the country where Americans can go for over-the-top celebrations, award-winning parades, and traditional dragon dances.

Los Angeles, California

On February 4th, Los Angeles will celebrate the Lunar New Year with the 118th Annual Golden Dragon Parade. This parade is the highlight of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Southern California and attracts over 100,000 spectators every year.  It features over two dozen floats and marching bands, firecrackers, and plenty of confetti. 

New York City, New York

The Lunar New Year in New York City consists of several days of celebrations including multiple parades.  The Firecracker Ceremony kicks off the start of the New Year on January 28th with dancing dragons and drummers performing at the Sara Roosevelt Park. The main event is the Lunar New Year Parade and Festival on February 5th, which attracts nearly half a million spectators each year to the Chinatown neighborhood in Manhattan. 

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago‘s Chinatown neighborhood is over 100 years old and still maintains its commitment to fostering the Chinese culture and traditions. This year’s parade takes place on February 5th and will feature the famous 100-foot-long dragon costume brought to life by traditional dancers. Attendees can also expect to see marching bands accompanying a myriad of colorful floats.

San Francisco, California

San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Festival and Parade is known as one of the oldest and largest celebrations outside of Asia. The parade began in the 1860’s when the Chinese population in the city was rapidly growing and wanted to celebrate share their culture with other residents. Today the parade attracts over 1 million spectators and has been recognized as one of the top ten parades in the world by the International Festivals and Events Association. This year’s parade will be held on February 11th and will include elaborate floats, lion dancers, Chinese acrobats, and the signature 268- foot Golden Dragon.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston’s Chinatown is the third largest Chinese community in the United States and is known to host an authentic celebration with lion dances, drums, firecrackers and more. Food vendors and local restaurants also serve traditional Chinese New Year dishes specifically for the occasion. This year’s celebrations are scheduled for February 12th.

For more information about booking travel to these destinations, please visit www.CheapOair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and www.twitter.com/cheapoair.

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a next generation concierge travel agency (online/traditional) that enables consumers to book travel online, on its award winning mobile app, by phone or live chat. CheapOair bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and many car rental companies worldwide. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less or go to www.cheapoair.com or call 1-646-738-4820).

 

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CheapOair takes home two Gold Awards from AVA Digital Awards

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Online Travel Agency receives recognition for excellence in website and app design and development

CheapOair, a leading flights-focused, next generation concierge travel service, was recently honored at the AVA Digital Awards for its creative excellence in web-based production for the CheapOair website and mobile app.

Gold-site-bug (1)The AVA Digital Awards are sponsored and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). The international organization consists of several thousand production, marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, and freelance professionals. AVA Digital recognizes outstanding achievement by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design, and production of media that is part of the evolution of digital communication.

“We are thrilled to receive this award recognizing the efforts of our mobile and web development teams,” said Daniel Lizio Katzen, SVP of Product and Revenue at CheapOair. “The CheapOair website and mobile app are designed to be a seamless tool for booking travel while providing an excellent customer experience.”

This award is the first for CheapOair in 2017, but is just the latest in a list of prestigious awards from 2016 for excellence in website, mobile web, and mobile app design including the Interactive Media Awards, the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, and the Stevie Awards.

 

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a flights-focused hybrid travel service that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (http://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.