Adioso: A travel deal search-engine for the spontaneous

By JD Rinne
October 3, 2012
blog_101104_adioso_popup_original.jpg

As a travel editor, I'm always looking for ways to improve my search for the cheapest airfares. I've got it down to my own particular science: Kayak, Bing Travel, Airfarewatchdog.com (for alerts), and a few other sites* are my go-to resources for cracking the cheap-fare code.

That's all well and good, but there's something so appealing about being spontaneous—when traveling and when planning. Search engine Adioso tickles that fancy. The site specializes in searches on budget airlines (like JetBlue, Easyjet, and Virgin America) and was completely overhauled this fall to create a faster, more intuitive search. What makes Adioso a great tool for flexible travelers is its natural-language style of search, much like a Google search.

For instance: I typed in "New York City to Sydney under $600." The site popped up a timeline of when I would be able to get a one-way flight under $600 (Nov. 9 was the first option, with one-way prices at $570). I also tried more general ideas, like "New York City to International," which hit me with a bunch of destinations starting at $360 one-way, and "NYC to Anywhere February," which gave me a totally different list, this time with one-way flights from just $52.

Like most sites, you can click off easily onto a booking site to get the actual fare.

Adioso launched in Australia in 2008 but recently expanded into the U.S. market—the newest version of the site is still in beta. It's no Kayak, but I think it could compete after adding some more flights. Overall, it's a site worth bookmarking, especially for the next time you feel a bit of wanderlust.

*Interested in how I find cheap fares? My usual regimen starts with Kayak, where I use the newish Explore tool (good for getting ideas) or simply search specific dates. The site is so intuitive that even web novices can get the hang of it quickly. Then I go to Bing Travel, previously Farecast, to get a recommendation on whether to wait to purchase the fare or to take it before it goes up. If I'm looking in Europe, I'll also check out dohop.com, a Kayak-like site that offers some budget airlines that larger sites might not have. If I'm not happy with any of the options and I'm not in a hurry, I'll add the route to my watchlist at Airfare Watchdog.

MORE FROM BUDGETTRAVEL.COM

Leave tomorrow: Airfares to Hawaii are down

An airfare search with a sense of humor

The best flight search tool you've never heard of

Plan Your Next Getaway
Keep reading

San Francisco: 5 best November values

The Agave nature trail at Alcatraz The half-mile Agave walking trail on Alcatraz island, which is closed for most of the year for the bird-nesting season, just re-opened. Take advantage of the great southerly views of the city and rare glimpses of the island's birds (including the snowy egret, pictured) and tide pools. The trail is named for the spiky agave plants that were planted to keep invaders off the island (and later made it hard for prisoners to escape). The trail starts just south of the Ferry Dock. $26 ferry ticket. Discover Dogpatch fair New businesses keep popping up in Dogpatch, a waterfront neighborhood just below Potrero Hill that's often overlooked by visitors. But the Discover Dogpatch street fair is a perfect opportunity to see all the nabe has to offer. There will be lots of indie arts and craft stands—including Botany Factory's incredible terrariums—as well as pies galore thanks to a pie-baking contest. And be sure to grab a scoop of Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous ballpark ice cream made with beer, peanuts, chocolate, and pretzels, in honor of the Giants World Series win. Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2325 3rd Street, free. Galeria de la Raza's 40th birthday Founded in 1970 by a group of Chicano artists and community activists, Galeria de la Raza is an international cultural icon and a key element of San Francisco's rich Latino culture. The Mission district gallery is celebrating its history with a 40th-anniversary retrospective of its renowned Latino and Chicano art. Make sure to check out Rio Yanez's "Ghetto Frida," a huge comic-book-style mural outside the gallery, depicting Frida Kahlo in '90s "chola" gear at spots around the Mission. (see an interview with the artist here) Through Jan. 29, 2011, 2857 24th Street, free. Post-Impressionists at the de Young: Part Two The second set of post-Impressionist paintings on loan from the Musee d'Orsay is now on display at the de Young. The exhibit features work by such marquee names as Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir, and a highlight is Van Gogh's works, including the famous Starry Night Over the Rhone and Bedroom at Arles. The de Young is the only North American museum to feature this must-see exhibit and is hosting extended hours to handle the fans. (last tickets sold at 7:30 p.m.) Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, tickets $21 (includes general admission). Bring your bus transfer pass for $2 off. Speakeasy at City Lights Lawrence Ferlinghetti's beat-generation landmark bookstore, City Lights, is hosting Subterranean SF: Harboiled Fiction with an Edge, a speakeasy-themed event at an undisclosed location in the city. Two "darkly inspired" crime writers, Jim Nisbet and Sin Soracco, will read from their new San Francisco-based books, and drinks will be served (naturally). To find out the location, stop by the bookstore and ask for the black envelope, which contains an invitation, map, and "navigation instructions." The store is giving away the invites for free, but on a first-come, first-served basis through November 15, so stop by early. Event details: November 18, 7 p.m. 21 and over only

Travel Tips

Controversy: Are you the cause of 'sidewalk rage'?

Cities love tourists for the money they bring to the local economy, and yet the locals often hate how visitors clog the streets and sidewalks. One city wants to do something about it. The city is London, and the specific street in question is popular Oxford Street. As the Wall Street Journal reports, the tactic being suggested is an unofficial line to segregate store browsers and travelers shuffling underneath the burden of heavy backpacks to half of the sidewalk closest to the buildings and shops, and to reserve the sidewalk's outside edge as a fast lane to be utilized by anyone -- locals, most likely -- walking with more of a sense of mission. How would the system be enforced? Actually, it wouldn't, not in any official capacity anyway. There wouldn't be fines or any repercussions for absentmindedly strolling or even for standing still and yakking away on a cell phone on the "fast" side of the sidewalk. But local area maps would advise travelers to stick to the slow side, and a team of neighborhoods hosts in red caps may approach slow walkers and "put visitors in their place, tactfully," as the Journal writes. if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('2f2f6e50-f0f3-4363-a6e5-2fcecab4c7a4');Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)The concept is only in the proposal stages, and it is a tricky business, obviously: Cities such as London, as well as New York, Paris, and others, certainly don't want to make tourists feel even the slightest bit unwelcomed. On the other hand, it'd be nice to be able to walk to work without having to weave and maneuver among a crush of travelers and browsers shuffling, pausing, and otherwise obstructing foot traffic. Staffers at Budget Travel's New York City office, which is near Times Square and where I've heard the phrase "sidewalk rage" used more than once, understand this as well as anyone. But is there a smarter solution than the one being proposed in London? If an invisible line down the sidewalk seems off-putting, what might work instead? Or should the locals simply suck it up, and accept that sidewalk congestion is the tradeoff for being a popular tourist hub?

News

Liverpool: John Lennon remembered with series of cultural events

Liverpool is an essential stop on any Beatles-inspired journey, and the birthplace of the band is offering the perfect excuse to make the trip across the pond now—especially if John is your fave of the Fab Four. Earlier this month, Liverpool launched a two-month-long cultural program honoring the life of former Beatle John Lennon through a series of live music, film, poetry, and art events. Dubbed John Lennon Tribute Season, the celebration kicked off October 9—what would have been Lennon's 70th birthday—and runs through December 9, the day after the 30th anniversary of his assassination. Leading things off on October 9, Lennon's first wife, Cynthia, and their son, Julian, unveiled the city's newest Beatles-related artifact: an 18-foot peace monument, Peace and Harmony, dedicated to Lennon and now on permanent display in Chavasse Park, a five-acre green space in the city center. Commissioned by the Global Peace Initiative as part of a program to put a peace monument on every continent, the metal sculpture incorporates themes of music and peace, along with a white feather (a symbol of personal significance to the musician). Other noteworthy tribute events include: "Astrid Kirchherr: A Retrospective," an exhibit of photography by Kirchherr, an early Beatles photographer and the girlfriend of original band member Stuart Sutcliffe, at the University of Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum through January 2011 (free), and Lennon by Bob Eaton, a musical biography playing through November 13 at the Royal Court Liverpool (from $16). Bed-In at the Bluecoat commemorates Lennon's activist side, with a daily re-creation of Lennon and Yoko Ono's 1969 peace protest at the Bluecoat creative arts center; each day, a different set of performers, artists, and organizations will promote peace, tolerance, and nonviolent protest in a new way from, of course, a bed (free). Capping off the tribute season is a memorial concert, Lennon Remembered, on December 9 at Echo Arena Liverpool. The show will highlight nine stages of Lennon's life, with performances by people who knew and worked with him, including members of his first band, the Quarrymen, and Plastic Ono Band drummer Alan White, who played on "Instant Karma" and "Imagine" and later joined the band Yes (from $31). Go here for a full list of John Lennon Tribute Season events. For more info about what to do in Liverpool, visit the city's tourism site. Where to stay: There's nowhere more appropriate than the Hard Days Night Hotel. The penthouse Lennon Suite, inspired by "Imagine" and decked out in a dominant white color palette with a white baby grand piano, might be a bit out of your price range ($1,185 a night!), but there's more than enough Beatles memorabilia to enjoy throughout the rest of the hotel—even if you don't stay there, it's definitely worth a visit. Getting there: Liverpool is just over two hours from London by train (Virgin Trains, from $17.50 each way).

Inspiration

London: 5 surprising essentials to see before you die

Visitors to London already know about its highlights. On your past trips, you probably soared to the top of the London Eye, gawked at the Queen's jewels at the Tower of London, and contemplated the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin marbles, and Van Gogh's sunflowers at the National Gallery. But what about the attractions haven't you heard of? You know, the ones that are affordable and truly worth seeing? After months of reflection, I'm tossing out my five picks. • Listen to a heavenly choir London's contributions to music and religious faith have been enormous over the centuries. Breathe it all in during a service at Westminster Cathedral. Even atheists will bliss out at the world-class choir, which sings during mass. Daily. For times, see westminstercathedral.org.uk. • Visit a haunted mansion For a city that's all about capital-H History, this is a spot where you can walk right into it: Dennis Severs' House is a little bit history, a little bit gallery, and a little bit kitschy. Somehow, it all works. Interiors are decorated in authentic eighteenth- and nineteenth-century furnishings. You are escorted through the rooms in silence by candlelight, listening and feeling for the presence of ghosts. dennissevershouse.co.uk, admission fee from £8, or $13. • See the classic art collection of a British eccentric London may be the art capital of the world, and the favorite museum of many Londoners is Sir John Soane's Museum. One of the founders of the British Museum, Soane collected many eccentric treasures, which are on display in his former home, including the sarcophagus of Egyptian king Seti I. The architecture and decoration varies wildly in this group of buildings, with one room crammed with Roman marble and miniatures while another is decorated like a Gothic monk's parlor. Located in Holborn (between the city's political and financial districts), the museum can be spun through in about an hour. free, soane.org. • Laugh into your beer at a comedy show London is the world capital of stand-up. Pick up a copy of Time Out London and catch one of the shows—which happen every night of the week in every part of downtown. Prices range from free to dirt cheap. With luck, you may see the world's next Ricky Gervais before he becomes a household name. timeout.com/london/comedy. • Roam the historical center's back streets after dark Many Americans are so afraid of getting lost that they never stray from the familiarity of central London's busy sidewalks. But the true charm of the British capital lies in its side streets and medieval pathways, which buzz with entrepreneurs and bristle with centuries-old architecture. After the sun goes down, the side streets look cinematic. So, be bold! Wander around the courtyards of the Inns of Court, the one-way streets in the district surrounding St. Paul's Cathedral, and the pedestrianized passageways off of Regent Street—such as Beak Street. For inspiration, pick up a guidebook with maps of self-guided walking. Still nervous? Then walk with in a small group with one of guides at the award-winning London Walks. walks.com, from £8, or $13. What is *your* pick for a lesser-known attraction that all visitors to London should see before they die? Please share your recommendation, below. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL London's top fish and chip shops How staying near Paddington can make your trip better London hotels: Want that towel? You have to pay $2.40