Now, I’m going to start off by saying I am NOT a professional traveler! My mom used to book everything for me until I learned how to do it myself. The idea of buying my own flight terrified me – all I could think about was doing something wrong. But don’t let that be the case for you!
Travel agents are great for some people, especially those that don’t want to deal with booking things themselves or are not used to traveling. They are often free to use and can find you great deals, and I’ve heard during the Covid-19 pandemic they’ve been great at helping people get refunds. I’ve even been considering becoming an independent travel agent myself! However, it’s totally possible to book it all on your own as well, and I prefer to. I’m that person that will spend several hours looking through flights and hotels until I find the one that best suites my needs (and my wallet!). For instance, for our Costa Rica trip, since we bought it at a NWTF banquet, I had to book the hotel through the travel agency. Out of curiosity, I asked them to pick us out a flight too. The one they sent us was almost $100 more than the flights I had been looking at already! Obviously, I told them not to book the flight and we would book one ourselves. By doing this, we saved ourselves some money!
So, I figured I would share some of my tips for how I book trips. I’ll start with flights!
- I like the simplicity of the Expedia app and tend to book through it, BUT will admit it is not the BEST. So don’t be afraid to compare other websites such as Priceline or Travelocity, or even more uncommon ones such as Kiwi or Momondo! Airlines give a certain amount of seats to each website to sell, but that doesn’t mean they will all be the same price.
- Search for flights by time of year! I like to do this using Hopper and Skyscanner. For instance, this is checking out flights from Chicago to Rome using the Hopper app. The green dates are cheaper than the red dates! Obviously, the summer months of June through August will be the most popular, but as you can see at the end of August and through September, flights are starting to get cheaper! If it was me, I would personally prefer those days because not only will it still be plenty warm enough for a great trip, but also likely to be less tourists! I also really like Hopper because it will tell you if you should wait to book your ticket because prices are expected to drop, or if you should book now. You can also price freeze if you’re still trying to decide, or set a “flight watch” to get notifications! You can also book through these apps.
- It’s true that the more you look at a flight, the price will go up. You can combat this by searching in “incognito” mode! The instructions are different for different computers/browsers, so google how to do it on your device. I’ve also found it helps to not constantly look at the flight every day, so sometimes I will try to only check once a week, or look on a different device. Using the flight watch tool on the Hopper app is also a great way to keep an eye on it!
- Fly during the week! It’s often more expensive to fly on a weekend instead of during the week. As a nurse, I only have to work 36 hours a week (3 twelve-hour days). Since I make my own schedule, it’s super easy to work Monday – Wednesday, fly out on a Thursday, come back the following Wednesday, then work Friday – Sunday! That’s a week-long vacation without taking any PTO or missing work. I know not everyone can do this, but if your job is flexible, you should try it! For example, I typed in a flight search for Chicago, IL to Athens, Greece in September. A Friday to Saturday was $881 round trip. Same location for a Thursday to Wednesday was $831. $50 may not seem like much to some, but to me it is! That $50 could go to paying for luggage on your flight or paying for a meal or excursion on your trip.
- Speaking of Chicago…did you think about how some airports are more expensive than others? I personally LOVE to fly out of St. louis; it’s a short drive from where I live, airport is easy to navigate, and I can often find some good deals. But when I’m shopping for a flight, I always check multiple airports! Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Louisville, Evansville, Nashville…where I live, I have lots of options! The price often depends on the locations you’re going to as well. Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States, so the airport is prettttyyyy big. It’s a great spot for flying to further away locations such as Asia or Europe. For instance, a flight from Chicago to Bangkok, Thailand in September is $687. St. Louis to Bangkok for the same dates is $963! But guess what the kicker is…there’s a layover in Chicago! So, save yourself almost $300 and either drive to Chicago or take a train (Pssst…I’m going to Chicago in July and a train ticket is only $44 roundtrip!)
- Don’t be afraid to book one-ways. We went on a cruise two years ago and flew from St. Louis to Ft. Lauderdale, then when we got back, we rented a car and drove from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando, THEN flew back to St. Louis. Even with the rental car, it was actually cheaper than to just fly back home from Ft. Lauderdale! Plus we got to do some site seeing while driving up the coast.
- Compare different airlines baggage fees. A weekend in Denver, Colorado with Frontier Airlines is only $163 dollars, but each bag (even your carry on!) costs $55. Same dates with Southwest is $177, BUT all your luggage is free, so you would actually be saving money! Keep in mind that to book with Southwest, you have to do so through their website.
- Get a credit card you can earn points on! Probably the most widely recommended one is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. If you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, you get 60,000 bonus points which equals $750. You can fly to MANY places with that! There’s also no foreign transaction fees, you get double points if used while traveling, and the annual fee is only $95. I don’t have this one (yet!) but am hoping to soon. I do have a Carnival card though and so do my parents and boyfriend, and at this point all 4 of us could go on a free cruise with our points!
- Search for flights on certain days of the week! Supposedly, Tuesday is the best time to find the cheapest flights. Apparently this is because most airlines launch discounts on Monday nights!
Now, for a place to stay!
- Once again, use multiple websites and figure out which website is best for which location! Here in the US area, I really like Booking.com. I use their app which is very simple to use and has lots of different filters. I also really like to use their map feature, because I prefer to stay somewhere that is close to the things I want to do. If I’m going to Asia, I like to use Agoda, which is very similar to Booking. But for anywhere, I love AirBnB! I actually just started using it within the last 2 years after a friend recommended it. You can find anything from hostels, apartments, condos, hotels, and even an entire house on there. So far, I’ve had really good luck with it, and you can often save money by using it as well. For instance, when we went to Nashville in March, we were able to get an entire house that sleeps 10 people for cheaper than a hotel would’ve been! If you want some $$$ off your first time using AirBnB, use my link by clicking here to make an account!
- Book places that include breakfast! AirBnBs typically don’t have this, but a normal hotel would. You’d be surprised how much time and money you can save by eating breakfast at your accommodation!
- Book places that allow you to pay when you get there! I love this because I don’t have to dish the money out immediately, I have longer to save up! I mean really, who likes paying for a place they are going to months before they get to actually be there?! Free cancellation is also super important, because you never know what could happen!
- Go during the “off” season. I’ll be the first to admit I want to go to a place during the best time of the year, but you’d be surprised what kind of deals you can find if you don’t. We were supposed to go to Canada in mid-July, but obviously since the border is still closed that won’t be happening. I rescheduled our hotel to September (It’s a book now, pay later place) and was shocked to find the price drop $300! Weather should still be pretty good if we get to go then, plus less people, so hopefully it works out!
- Book far enough in advance. The longer you wait, the more likely prices will go up because other people will have already snagged the best, cheapest places!
Other tips to save money…
- Walking is not only good for you, it’s good for your wallet! I love to stay in hotels that are close to things I’m wanting to do. You’ll not only save money on transportation, but you’ll never know what kind of cool things you’ll discover on the way!
- Download Uber/Lyft. They are usually less expensive than a taxi. Also, if you aren’t on a time crunch, try out the carpooling feature on Uber. You’ll get to meet new people during your ride and it’ll be cheaper! Always remember to practice safety, though. Don’t just get into ANY vehicle – if you think it’s your Uber, say “Who are you here for?”, not “Are you here for…?” to make sure it’s not someone pretending. If you’re by yourself, it’s also smart to screenshot the Uber screen on your phone with plates, type of vehicle, and driver information and send it to a friend or family member just in case.
- Take public transportation! Buses, subways, trains, etc are always an option. Some places even have passes that last several days!
- Ask for deals. While looking into options for our Indonesia trip coming up, I discovered many dive shops offer packages for a certain number of dives. Never be afraid to ask, the worst they can do is say no!
- Find free activities to do! Not everything on your trip has to cost money. Pretty well every location has something interesting you can see at no cost to you.
And now finally, packing tips plus other general tips for your next adventure! I’m sure my dad will say I should not be giving ANYONE packing tips though (he says I overpack), but I promise there’s a method to my madness!
- Invest in a good suitcase. I love the iFly brand from Walmart, and it has a 10-year warranty! Any hard-shell suitcase is a good idea though as they tend to be sturdier, lighter, and have more room. This is the one I have.
- Form an itinerary for your trip. Not down to the minute, but at least have a plan for your days so you know what outfits to pack for which days. For example, if you’re going to the beach in the morning, visiting a museum in the afternoon, and then out for supper, then for that day you’d need a swimsuit and coverup, an outfit for the museum, and an outfit for supper (or wear the same thing for the last two, depending on location and how fancy it is). I like to lay everything out before putting it in my suitcase, as well as trying it on beforehand to make sure it fits and looks good. Speaking of itineraries…do your research and MAKE ONE! I haaaate going on a trip and not knowing what to do when we get there. Being spontaneous is fun and all, but frantically searching the internet for something to do isn’t. Look up things to do, prices, and see if you need to book tickets for any activities in advance. This way you kinda have a guideline for your trip! I like to save mine in the Files app on my phone so it’s easily accessible.
- Roll your clothes! I actually learned this from my aunt last year during our Philippines trip and have been packing this way ever since. Rolling your clothes instead of folding saves so much room!
- Use all the space! I’m constantly stuffing things into hats and shoes to save room.
- Re-wear stuff! Sounds silly but don’t be afraid to wear the same pajamas for a few nights in a row, same pair of shorts to the beach twice, same pair of shoes with different outfits, etc.
- Travel cases are my life-savers. I have this makeup case from Amazon that I keep my makeup in 24/7, and it’s so easy to zip up and toss in my suitcase, no real packing necessary. I also have this Vera Bradley travel bag that I keep stuff like shampoo, conditioner, razors, etc. in. It’s kinda pricey but you can find it cheaper at an outlet, or here is a nice one on Amazon!
- Travel-sized items! Who needs an ENTIRE bottle of shampoo for a weeklong trip? Considering I wash my hair about twice a week, I know I don’t! You can typically buy travel sized items in almost everything, but you can also just buy mini containers from someplace like Walmart and fill them up on your own! Saves room AND weight in your bag.
- Speaking of weight, get a baggage scale! Nobody likes to get to the airport to discover their bag is overweight. This way, you can test it before you go to make sure you’re within the limits! The average is 50 lbs. or less.
- Backpack as your personal item! I always take a tiny purse and stick it inside of it too so that I can still take a normal carry on. Backpacks are great because they are easy to carry but can also be used during your trip for hiking, tours, etc. I also always make sure my backpack and carry on have essential items such as medications, money, chargers, electronics/camera, books, and spare clothes. Never know when your checked luggage will get lost!
- Print off and makes copies of everything! What happens when your passport or I.D. gets stolen, or you don’t have signal and can’t pull up the address or confirmation e-mail for your accommodation? A paper back-up is the most reliable method!
- And finally, bring your own snacks! Don’t pay outrageous airport prices. Security will let pretty much any kind of food past, so bring your favorite snacks along, just no liquids. Obviously always check the rules though as some places may be different!
I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, so let me know if there are any great tips you’d also like to share! I hope this helps somebody out! I also hope you are all staying safe and healthy during this pandemic. I can’t wait until we are all able to explore the world again!