I read an article recently that said over 600 million vacation days go unused per year. While American’s tend to travel less I have a feeling those numbers will continue to change over the years. Our generation is traveling more than ever – with opportunities to work remotely, and advancements in technology it only makes sense.
With that being said, our days are still limited when it comes to taking time off – most of us only get about 16 days off per year, so I want to make it easier for you to book your travel. After all, booking the flight is the hardest part. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stared at a flight – tracking it for weeks, re-working departure dates to see if I could get a cheaper flight and prolonging booking just because I was ‘nervous’ or didn’t have the ‘right plan’.
The most common misconception with traveling is that it’s crazy expensive. Which can be true if you’re not careful about how you’re going about booking and planning your trips. These steps have helped me feel more confident when I book and allow me to really enjoy the planning process. They’ve also saved me hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars and I hope they help you too!
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Track your flight before you buy
I like to use apps like Hopper and GoogleFlights to help me find the best price possible. I use these apps for every single flight I book – whether it’s booking a 2 hour flight to Los Angeles or a 36 hour flight to South Africa (we’re going in December and I’m so excited!) I set alerts on a few different flights I’m interested in and track them for days/weeks to see what the numbers look like. As soon as I think about going somewhere I start messing around with dates and track flights early – sometimes even months in advance. GoogleFlights let’s you select the exact flights you’d like whereas Hopper allows you to select the days. I hardly ever book a flight immediately after searching it unless Hopper tells me it’s the best price it’s seen in months – which has happened a few times and in that case I’ll book immediately. The key here is to be a planner and be patient. I know it’s hard when you’ve finally decided to go on a trip and you can’t wait to book the flight but make sure you’re doing your research and getting the best price possible.
Join reward based programs
Think about enrolling in frequent flyer programs or reward based programs to get the most of your travel experience. Is there an airline you really like flying or one that makes the most sense for the destinations you’re traveling to? Sign up for their frequent flyer program and earn to fly. I personally really love using Orbitz to book my flights. Once I do all my research and finalize what flight I’m going to buy – I look up the flight on Orbitz and book. I love using Orbitz because they price match and you receive 1% back on your flight. It doesn’t seem like much but it adds up. I do the same thing for hotels but typically use Hotels.com since i’ve been using them for so many years now and I have Gold status. I also really love Hotels.com customer service. They have saved me so many times!
Day of the week matters
I’ll do anything to save a penny and I love a good deal. When I track my flights I’ll start checking on them 2+ times a day just to see if anything’s changed. It’s been said that Thursday is the cheapest day too book travel, it used to be Tuesday, and Sunday is the most expensive day. Obviously this varies and isn’t a very strict rule, but it’s a good one to follow. For example, I wouldn’t recommend booking travel on Friday/Saturday since most people are likely looking at flights during their time off. Try to book during the week.
Invest in travel/points based credit cards
Obviously this one takes a bit more research on your part and varies greatly based on your travel frequency and preferences but take your time to look into different options for points based travel credit cards. I always look on TPG to get some good insight on what credit cards are currently offering. My personal favorite is the Chase Reserve and Chase Preferred card. I got the Chase Reserve card when it first came out because it was offering 100k points. If you’re looking for a card that’ll work best for you – checkout this TPG article as they break it down and explain the perks of each card.
Travel during off-season
While it’s nice to explore the South of France or Cabo during July/August – these are busy months for tourism. Typically families go on vacation during these times, or around holidays, and prices sky rocket. Be strategic about when you’re going to travel and look up busy seasons. I went to Europe last year in late September/early October and the weather was so beautiful but the crowds were minimal. Same thing with Cancun/Cabo – I went in November and hotels and flights were hundreds of dollars cheaper. If you don’t have much flexibility with your dates and have to travel during busy season then just be sure you’re using the other tips above to get the best prices!
Share your travel or app recommendations in the comments! I’d love to hear yours!
Thanks for reading!! Xx
