Citi's hotel pricing may be better than it looks

Key Points:

• Citi Travel’s hotel search results often show higher nightly rates before taxes compared to prices revealed after clicking through to room selection, which is the opposite of the usual pattern on most booking platforms.
• A sample check of several Lake Placid hotels found that Citi Travel’s initial search prices were sometimes $10-$27 higher per night than the actual room rates available after clicking through.
• This pricing inconsistency was unique to Citi Travel and not observed on comparable platforms like Agoda, AAdvantage Hotels, Hotels.com, Priceline, or Chase Travel, where prices remained consistent or were easier to interpret.
• The price drops on Citi Travel were not limited to non-refundable rates; in many cases, fully flexible rates were also cheaper after clicking through, making it worthwhile for users to verify prices beyond the initial search page.
• Travelers are advised to carefully check final prices on Citi Travel and other platforms before booking, as the initial search results may not reliably reflect the best available rates, potentially affecting hotel choice and budget decisions.