I’ve been asked multiple times how I can afford to travel as frequently as I have been (at least as often as I was before COVID took over all of my plans).
The answer isn’t just as simple as, “I save my money.” There’s more to it.
Yes, obviously I save money in order to travel, but I have a few other tricks up my sleeve.
1 - Flexibility
Be flexible with your dates.
That's one of the biggest things I've learned in order to find affordable travel. Airlines, hotels and resorts know that most people are going to book their travel around holidays and vacations. Try to avoid booking during "spring break" or winter holidays such as Christmas or New Years.
*Though, keep in mind, if you’re traveling with kids who are in school, you might not have this as an option.*
2 - Plan
If you want to find a reasonable flight, plan ahead!
I booked a roundtrip flight to Italy for $700 - seat, baggage and insured my ticket. The reason I was able to find such a good deal was because I purchased my ticket six months in advance. The same goes for booking accommodations. When it comes to finding a hotel or Airbnb, the further ahead you plan the better rate you'll find.
*I also booked the trip for September - when kids were in school.*
3 - Shop around
Don’t stick to just one airline!
Many people have an airline they swear by because it’s their favorite, but if you want the best price you might need to stray away from your usual habits. I use two different apps to help me find the best flight options - Hopper and SkyScanner.
Both of these apps allow you to search for flights based upon the price, duration, number of stops, airlines and airports. They will also let you know when's the best time to travel. You can set notifications alerting you when/if prices of the flights change!
*I personally use Hopper more because it's color coded and easier for me to navigate.*
Photo from hopper.com
4 - Give & take
Sometimes you have to weigh your options.
A flight may look $100 cheaper than another, but that could be due to a long layover in another airport. Before immediately booking the cheapest flight, think about how long the layover is, how many meals you would need to eat and if you're going to want to book a hotel room or sleep in the airport.
The “cheaper flight” might not end up being any cheaper after you've purchased a few airport meals and snacks to hold you over. Remember, it's about budgeting your ENTIRE TRAVEL, not only budgeting the flight(s).
*Avoid purchasing overpriced snacks at the airport by packing your own in your carry on.*
5 - Weekdays > Weekend
Traveling on a weekend is convenient, but not budget friendly!
You will, most likely, spend more money on a weekend flight than you would for one during the week. With work schedules this can be difficult, but budget travel all circles back to flexibility. If you can plan your trip without flying on the weekend, you will most likely save yourself a decent amount of money.
When searching for flights, plug in a few different departure and return dates. This will give you an idea of what days would fit better into your budget. Flights on Fridays and Sundays are often more expensive than any other day.
*I flew to Italy on a Monday and came home on a Tuesday - another reason my flight was so reasonable*
Traveling doesn't mean you're going to break the bank, and if you do it correctly you won't!
Next time you plan a trip, try some of these. I guarantee, by even putting one of my tricks to use, you'll save yourself some cash.