SkyAuction has come a long way since it launched in 1998. It's a traditional auction service where online users can find bargains on air, hotel and package vacations.

They've done a good job redesigning the site. The interface is clean and the buttons really jump out at you.

Here's how to use skyauction.com:

Find the vacation that interests you. You can scroll through the site and search by area or country. Once you find something that you might want to book, write the information down.

Then get off the site. Call a travel agent or go to expedia or travelocity. Use these sites to create a benchmark price that you can use as the 'retail price' for the package.

Write this number down.

Take 30% from this number -- This is the price you must get (inclusive of taxes and fees) to use skyauction to book your trip. Keep this number in mind. Let's call this number your Auction Stop Price...don't loose sight of it.

Now you can go back to skyauction.com and bid on your trip. The Travelsites Editors know through cruel experience that auctions are a commerce system that pit buyers against each other to drive up the price for sellers. Sometimes the buyers in this system are so driven to win that they push the price up and negate the savings promise of the auction. Because you know what to bid (your Auction Stop Price) you won't fall into this trap.

Make your first bid if the auction hasn't exceeded your Auction Stop Price. If it has, I'd recommend you book your vacation elsewhere. If it hasn't, take a few hundred dollars off your Auction Stop Price and make your first bid.

Increase if you're outbid until you hit your Auction Stop Price or you win the auction.

And one last thing... have fun on your vacation!

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