Traveling doesn't have to mean spending a fortune. Here are tips on how to plan your trip and get the most from your travels while minimizing cost.
1. BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR TRAVEL DATES
Airline tickets prices vary depending on the day of the week. It's always cheaper to fly on a weekday than on a weekend or around major holidays. Try several dates to see which yield the best schedule and price. Sometimes adjusting by a day or two can save you hundreds of dollars.
The most expensive month to travel is August and the time around major holidays.
According to USA Today, there are two “dead zones” for travel within the U.S. These are times of the year when few people travel, flights are less in demand, and hotels are hurting for business.
They are:
Early December right after Thanksgiving
The last three weeks in January and very early February
2. CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE AIRPORTS
Whenever possible, consider the choice of airports. A lot of airfare search engines have options to search for nearby airports. Take advantage!
3. BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR DESTINATIONS
If you can't be flexible with your travel dates, try to be flexible with your destinations. Flight search engines such as Skyscanner, Kayak, Google Flights, Momondo, Kiwi and many others have an excellent tool that allows you to search for "any destination" deal from your home airport. For example, if you've been planning a trip to Italy but found a really good deal to Greece, it's worth considering putting Italy on hold and heading to the Land of Gods. Or perhaps take advantage of the Greece deal and find cheap airfare from Greece to Italy.
4. TRAVEL LIGHT
Carry as little luggage as possible. That will allow you to take advantage of low cost airlines. They offer great fares but charge extra fees for the luggage (sometimes it equals the price of your ticket!). Also, you don't have to waste your time waiting for your luggage to arrive at the airport. Plus, if you are taking a trip to multiple countries, traveling light is a must to have a pleasant and hassle-free vacation.
5. PRE-BOOK AIRPORT PARKING
If you plan to leave your car at the airport for the duration of your trip, be sure to find cheap rates in advance. We usually find great deals on Airport Parking Reservations
6.COMPARE DIFFERENT FLIGHT SEARCH ENGINES
When looking for the best deal, keep in mind that different travel search websites offer different prices. Compare at least 3-4 search websites to ensure you get the best possible deal.
7.MONITOR THE PRICE CHANGE
If you still have plenty of time before your upcoming trip, start monitoring the airfare price for your selected destination. You can do it manually or subscribe to one of the websites which have automated fare comparison and alert systems.
8.TAKE ADVANTAGE OF STOPOVERS
Don't be afraid of long connections. Tickets with long connections are usually cheaper than direct flights. Plus, it's a great opportunity to visit other destinations for free. Some airlines offer free accommodations in case you have long connections, or you can take advantage of free city tours offered by the airports below:
Singapore (Singapore Changi Airport)
Seoul, Korea ( Incheon Internationall Airport)
Taipei, Taiwan (Taoyuan International Airport)Tokyo
Japan (Tokyo Narita Airport)
Istanbul, Turkey (Ataturk International Airport)
Doha, Qatar (Doha International Airport)
9. THE MORE, THE MERRIER
Traveling with someone or with a group of friends can be a lot cheaper since you can share the cost of transportation and accommodation. You can rent a house or hire a private boat for your private tour, and you don't have to worry about feeling lonely. Also, if you are in charge of planning the trip for everyone, and your friends don't mind paying cash, you can put all the expenses on your travel credit card and earn extra miles.
10. LOOK FOR TICKETS IN OTHER CURRENCIES
You can save a good amount of money if you purchase airline tickets or accommodations in foreign currency. Search travel websites of the countries where the currency is currently weaker compared to U.S. dollar. Note: Some credit cards may apply foreign transaction fees to purchases made in foreign currency. Be sure to use a credit card that waives foreign transaction fees.
11. USE TRAVEL PROMO AND DISCOUNT COUPONS
A lot of travel websites offer various discount codes. You can find them simply through Google. Some websites offer up to 30% off on selected hotels or packages!
12. VISIT MULTIPLE DESTINATIONS IN ONE TRIP
All experienced travelers know that it's a lot cheaper to fly to multiple destinations in one trip especially if you travel far away. Let's say you already spent 20 hours flying from NYC to Bangkok. Why not add a 57-minute flight from Bangkok to Siem Riep, Cambodia and go there for a day or two for only $50 extra? You can find budget flights between European cities for less than $20, so you can experience the contrast and diversity of different cultures all in one trip. Be creative when planning a trip - add extra destinations and experiment!
13. BOOK A PACKAGE
If you going to only one destination, it can be cheaper to book flight, hotel and/or car together. Always check both scenarios and see if you can save by combining all components together. Sometimes you can find a package which is cheaper than a plane ticket itself.
14. CONSIDER BOOKING A VACATION RENTAL
Vacation rentals are becoming increasingly popular and can be much cheaper than traditional hotels. You can find great accommodations on rental websites such as AirBnb, Vrbo, and HomeAway.
Vacation rentals are also a great way for a large group to get away together in a big house without having to pay for individual hotel rooms.
Vacation rental prices vary as much as hotel prices. Case in point: A search of one-bedroom vacation rentals in Manhattan during September results in options ranging from $60 per night to $2,800 per night. Vacation rentals are ideal for longer stays (seven nights or more). Many vacation rentals require minimum stays, so if you’re hoping for a weekend getaway, you may have to look elsewhere.
FOLLOW THE WEBSITES AND BLOGS WHICH PUBLISH TRAVEL DEALS
Here are a few newsletters that might help:
Scott’s Cheap Flights
Although it's a paid service, Scott's Cheap Flights states that members who use their service end up saving an average of $550 per international flight. It could be worth the investment.
Airfarewatchdog
Airfarewatchdog alerts you to cheap flight deals tailored to your location. That way, you're ready to act on your dream trip as soon as the email hits your inbox.
Secret Flying and Fly4Free
Secret Flying and Fly4Free are known as error fare trackers.
Travel Vikings
15. PLAN LAST MINUTE TRIPS
If you’re feeling spontaneous (and brave!), consider planning last minute trips! Many airlines offer discounted fares for last minute trips, as do many hotels and vacation rentals—sometimes up to 50% off the original price! Just remember that these types of deals require flexibility; if something comes up (like bad weather) at the last second, it could ruin your plans.
16. TRAVEL DURING OFF-SEASON OR LOW SEASON
If you’re flexible with your travel dates, consider traveling during off-season or low season. Many popular destinations have peak tourist seasons that drive up prices significantly; if you visit during off-season or low season, you can usually find much better deals on hotels and flights. Just be sure to do your research beforehand; some places may be cheaper during certain times of year because they lack amenities like restaurants and attractions that close down during the colder months.
JOIN LOYALTY PROGRAMS
Many airlines, hotel chains, and other travel companies offer loyalty programs that allow members to accumulate points which can then be used towards discounted trips or free upgrades. By signing up for loyalty programs, you can rack up points quickly while still getting great deals on flights, hotels, car rentals and more. This is definitely an easy way to save money on future trips!
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a month-long trip around the world, it pays to take time to find insanely cheap travel deals. By doing your research ahead of time and being flexible with your dates and destinations, you can save big on flights, hotels, cars rentals—you name it! So what are you waiting for? Start planning your dream vacation today!
Here are the Best Websites to Find Travel Deals
There are loads of websites out there that can help you find great deals on flights, hotels, experiences, and more. To save you some time and effort, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite websites to help you find travel deals.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner is one of the most popular flight search engines around. It quickly compares prices from hundreds of airlines and online travel agents so that you can easily find the best prices on flights. You can also use Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search feature which shows you a map with all possible destinations from your chosen departure airport along with their corresponding airfare prices.
HotelsCombined
HotelsCombined is a hotel price comparison website that aggregates hotel prices from around the internet in real-time so that users can quickly compare offers and find the cheapest deals available. They also have a rewards program where customers who book directly through HotelsCombined get rewarded with points which they can use to get discounts on future bookings.
Groupon
Groupon is an online marketplace where users can discover local businesses and activities at discounted rates. Groupon offers deals on everything from restaurants to skydiving experiences, so it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for budget-friendly activities during your travels.
Kayak.com is one of the most popular websites for finding great travel deals. It's easy to use and has a simple layout that lets you search by destination, dates, and type of trip. You can also filter your results by price range, airline, hotel amenities, and more. Kayak also offers search tips so you can get the most out of your results.
TripAdvisor is another great website for finding travel deals. This website is especially useful because it allows users to leave reviews about their experiences at different hotels and attractions around the world. This way, you can get an idea of what to expect before booking and make sure you're getting a good deal. Plus, TripAdvisor allows you to search by budget so that everything fits within yours!
