Vayama mainly focuses on the international travel sector. To represent this, its slogan is “international travel purposeful”. With this focus, the site claims to offer the best deals on international flights.
Vayama claims to provide “a massive selection of airlines, flights and fares, many never available online before, so you can find the lowest prices and best schedule options.” The main feature of the site is its international flight booking functionality. Along with this, it also provides guides to various destinations and information on issues that may arise regarding passports, visas, etc.
In a market filled with competitors like Expedia, Travelocity, and Sidestep, it’s quite difficult to make a name for yourself. Vayama stands out thanks to the deals and offers it offers alongside previous map functionality. The map feature would allow you to “see” your flight options before you even book a flight.
Why is Vayama so cheap?
The online travel industry is saturated with so many competitors that it seems like a daunting task for another site to take over. The creators of Vayama.com, however, took on this challenge. They’re trying to carve out a piece of the industry.
Launched in 2007, the site has established itself as an alternative to the many other sites available. Unlike most other travel sites, Vayama primarily caters to travelers looking to leave the country. If you are a frequent international traveler, you have probably already come across the site and the flight prices are really cheap.
Does this uniquely international focus give it an advantage over its competitors or is the site struggling as much as they are? The answers to this question are mixed. Vayama has spectacular deals for some situations, but it seems to be somewhat lacking in others.
Here’s everything you need to know about Vayama and my personal take on the site.
Flight booking to Vayama
The Vayama site has a neat and ultimately user-friendly presentation. It features a world map that you can click on as the main attraction. The map can be used to select the cities you are traveling to and from or by using the site’s search fields.
The map was useful especially if you were looking for the airports present in the city you are traveling to.
By clicking on the map, you will be able to see all the airports present in a country that you have also chosen. This feature was largely useless when booking flights, however. It didn’t help you in any way except to look classy. This is probably why it is no longer the main functionality of the site.
If you want to book flights, using the search boxes would make things much easier. It provides all the necessary information such as prices, timings, flight schedules, etc. All of these would be displayed below the map in the initial design of the site.
Aside from the neat and simple design, the site lacks some key features. These features like flexible dates, how prices can vary by day, etc. are generally found on competing sites. The ability to select a preferred airline somewhat makes up for this.
All that aside, the booking process is straightforward and easy to follow. You don’t need to create a Vayama account before booking a flight and you can choose your seats on a 3D representation of the plane.
In addition to this flight booking capability, the site also provides you with information on a wide choice of destinations. This is presented in the form of tourist highlights, travel blogsAnd navigation aid any city you might visit.
If you are a frequent traveler with Vayama, you can apply for the role of City Expert in a city you visit often. This role will allow you to provide information to future travelers in exchange for credit toward any future flights you may take with Vayama.
You should take special care to review the details of your flight. It’s easy to miss omissions such as possible transfers and gaps in your itinerary. You should keep an eye out for these kinds of things when booking on the site.
Is Vayama good?
Vayama will help you locate and book the following
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Flights
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Car rentals
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Hotels
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Airport transfers
You can pay for all of this through different means. Vayama accepts payments for flights and hotels using various credit cards such as Visa, American Express, Mastercard, etc. Payments for flights can be made via Paypal, but this does not work for hotel payments.
If you are paying for a car rental, your location and provider will determine the payment method. It is best to check this before making a reservation. Airport transfers can be paid using the following: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, UnionPay and Visa.
How does Vayama stack up against its competitors?
Vayama’s website, compared to any other online travel agency, doesn’t really stand out. Beyond its easy-to-navigate design, nothing really screams better when it comes to Vayama.
The site may occasionally offer a better option for long-distance flights, but for more common routes such as New York to London, there isn’t much difference. In fact, some of these flight comparisons ended up with a slightly higher price for the Vayama, a difference of about $5 to $10.
Although it offers you the option to choose a preferred airport, Vayama does not offer the option to search for nearby airports for customer use. This flaw causes some of Vayama’s deals on theft to lose their appeal.
You may find that a cheaper flight includes a train ride between destinations, just to take you to a more suitable airport in Vayama. This airport can end up being a big inconvenience for you during your trip. This distortion of data constitutes another major flaw in Vayama’s operations.
If you book a multi-city flight, you might encounter another set of problems. Flights may vary from the normal routes you would normally take.
Take for example a flight New York-Tokyo-Bangkok-New York. You may have to pass through Bangkok to catch a connecting flight in Auckland, just to reach your destination in New York. In my books, this is a completely unacceptable feature and one that makes flying more stressful than it already is.
Benefits of using Vayama
Here are some benefits of using Vayama:
1. The site has an excellent filter for searching for hotels.
Vayama is in partnership with Booking.com. This allows you to easily connect with hotels. This connection goes even further in that you can filter hotels based on several criteria, including accessibility, beach access, distance from city center, and more.
2. Vayama serves a large number of airlines
Vayama compares the prices of the different airlines that offer you flights. This can be helpful, especially if you’re trying to travel on a budget.
Disadvantages of using Vayama
Here are some disadvantages of using Vayama:
1. Vayama charges high ticket change and cancellation fees
If you want to change or cancel a flight, Vayama asks you to pay a $100 fee. This does not include fees that airlines may charge you.
2. There are service fees on all flights
Whether it is an international flight or a domestic flight, Vayama requires you to pay additional service fees. This fee is $25 for domestic flights and goes up to $50 for international flights.
3. There is a history of poor customer service
The company has already built a reputation for being very poor at handling customer issues. There are several complaints against the company. The general opinion is that Vayama does not help its customers with complaints.
This can be very terrible for business, especially for an online travel agency.
Last words
Vayama may be able to offer you deals for your international flights. The company keeps its promise to do so. It’s worth it check.
The site gives you flight options for exotic destinations as well as options for airport amenities. This alone makes it a good online site for booking flights.
The site doesn’t deliver on its promise of better options, however. Its offers and good deals are not necessarily the best or cheapest in the sector. There are other services that match or offer much better options than Vayama.
The many negative reviews online are also food for thought. They might leave a bad taste in your mouth even without using their services. Personally, I don’t think it’s a risk worth taking, unless of course you’ve come across the site before.
I recommend you look at other sites besides Vayama and decide whether or not you want to vote with Vayama. This is the best way to make the best choice.
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