Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about using WhatWhereVacay to plan your travels.
General
How does WhatWhereVacay work?
We help you compare prices across multiple trusted travel search engines. Enter your route and dates, and we generate deep-links to providers like Google Flights, Kayak, Skyscanner, FlixBus, Omio and more — so you can find the best deal without visiting each site separately.
Does WhatWhereVacay sell tickets directly?
No. We are a comparison and planning platform. When you click a provider link, you are redirected to their website where you book and pay directly. We do not handle payments, bookings or personal data.
Is WhatWhereVacay free to use?
Yes! All our tools and search features are completely free with no sign-up required. We may earn small commissions when you book through our provider links, which helps keep the site free.
Do I need to create an account?
No account is needed. All features work instantly without registration. Your packing list progress is saved in your browser automatically.
Flight Search
What are IATA airport codes?
IATA codes are 3-letter identifiers assigned to airports worldwide. For example, JFK = New York John F. Kennedy, LHR = London Heathrow, CDG = Paris Charles de Gaulle. Our flight search page includes a reference table of the codes travellers ask for most.
Which flight search engines do you compare?
We link to six major platforms: Google Flights, Kayak, Skyscanner, Expedia, Momondo and Trip.com. Each has different strengths — Google Flights for price alerts, Skyscanner for flexible dates, Kayak for filtering options.
Can I search for one-way flights?
Yes. Toggle the trip type to "One-way" on the flight search form. The return date field will be hidden and all provider links will search for one-way fares.
Do you support cabin class selection?
Yes. Choose from Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First Class. The cabin preference is passed to each provider where supported.
Bus Routes
Which bus providers do you compare?
We generate links to FlixBus (Europe's largest network), BusBud (global comparison), Omio (multi-modal: bus, train, flight) and CheckMyBus (meta-search across all operators).
Can I search for return bus trips?
Yes. Add an optional return date on the bus search form. Providers that support return searches will include it in their results.
Do bus prices include all fees?
Prices shown on provider sites typically include base fare and taxes. Some providers charge extra for seat selection, luggage or onboard services. Always check the total before completing your booking.
Hotels & Stays
Which hotel and hostel sites do you compare?
Booking.com, Hotels.com, Agoda, Hostelworld, Expedia and Trivago. We open your search on each so you can compare the same dates side by side, rather than trusting whichever one you happened to open first.
Do you show live prices and availability yourself?
No. We hand your search straight to the providers, who hold the real inventory. Anything we displayed ourselves would be a snapshot that is out of date by the time you read it.
Do you add anything to the price?
Never. You pay the provider exactly what they charge. We may earn a small commission from some providers, which costs you nothing and is what keeps every tool on this site free.
Travel Services
What counts as a travel service?
The things you book around the trip rather than for it: tours and attraction tickets, eSIM data, travel insurance, car rental and airport transfers.
Do you sell insurance or rentals yourself?
No. We are not a broker, an agent or an insurer. Every service links out to the company providing it, and your contract is with them.
How should I use the insurance links?
As a starting point, not as advice. Cover varies enormously by age, destination, activity and pre-existing conditions, so read the policy document before buying - we are not qualified to tell you which policy suits you.
Travel Tools
How accurate is the currency converter?
Our converter uses approximate exchange rates that are periodically updated. For precise amounts, especially for large transactions, verify with your bank or a live rate service before converting.
Does the weather tool show live forecasts?
It shows current conditions, fetched live from Open-Meteo when you search a city. For a long-range view of what a destination is like in a given month, the packing list generator uses seasonal climate data to decide what you should actually pack.
Can I save my packing list?
Your ticks are saved in this browser automatically. The trip itself lives in the page link, so copying that link and opening it anywhere rebuilds the same list - no account, nothing stored on our side. You can also print it.
How does the budget calculator work?
Enter estimated daily costs for accommodation, food, transport and activities. The calculator multiplies by your trip length and converts to your preferred currency. It helps set realistic travel budgets.