These days, I make practically all of my hotel bookings through services on the Web or directly on hotel or hotel-chain websites.

CNN: Technology: Flight Planning 101

They also need to offer services that airline Web sites, which handle the majority of online bookings, don't have.

FORBES: Travel Web Sites Get Personal

It does mean all bookings, almost 90% over the Web, are firm credit-card sales, the flight costs determined by yield-management software familiar to any airline customer.

FORBES: Proving Papa Wrong