Bit by the travel bug? Got wanderlust? Champagne taste…beer budget? I’ve heard it all before. I wouldn’t consider myself a world traveler but I’d say I am pretty good at finding cheap ways to travel when I do. Some places I’ve visited are Paris, Rome, Puerto Rico, Cuba, London, Prague, Iceland, Panama, and quite a few cities here in the United States. Here are my tips for traveling on budget, both domestically and internationally:
1. Don’t be afraid of budget airlines: Guys, I was not looking forward to flying Spirit to Puerto Rico. My friends convinced me that it would be fine and I did it. And you know what? I had the best experience! Granted, I did fly in the middle of the night both ways, but it was cheap and the flight was still comfortable. If you’re young, you can rough it a little bit, trust me. (If I can do it, anyone can, I tend to be a bit of a diva lol) I’m not going to lie, dealing with paying for the extras like having to pay for your bag, seat assignment, travel insurance, etc. can be annoying. But, do the math, do your research, compare with other airlines with the add-ons and you’ll see that Spirit is still probably the most reasonable option. One thing I do recommend with Spirit or other budget airlines is playing with dates if you are flexible. This will guarantee you the best deal.
On that note, sign up for Spirit’s emails, they literally send 50% off coupons all the time!
2. Create an account with an airline of your choice (if you fly regularly to one location): I am very loyal to Southwest for my regular flights from Tampa to North Carolina. If you know you will be flying somewhere relatively often or even just flying domestically often, I recommend trying to book flights through an airline that you have an account through. You can accrue points through that airline and eventually get a free flight with those points!
3. Use Travelzoo: I cannot recommend this website enough. My family booked our trip to Europe using this website and we loved how many options there were. We visited three different countries and spent roughly three nights in each location. Travelzoo booked our flights, hotels, and flights between countries once in Europe. It gives you a package price that is second to none. I also noticed that Travel Zoo has vacation packages for young people – def want to do this. Can we just acknowledge this 10 Day Guided Tour of Thailand INCLUDING FLIGHTS for $999 (is this real life?)
4. Priceline Express Deals: I cannot recommend Priceline Express Deals enough. Literally just booked my Savanah hotel using this. 4-star hotel in the best part of the city – $86 (!!!!). With Priceline’s fees, it comes out to $111. Split three ways with my friends, $37 for a 4-star hotel in the heart of the city. Can’t beat it!
5. Use Hopper to find the best flights at the lowest prices: Hopper is super easy to use and helps you find the cheapest flights to and from your location. They will combine airlines, layovers, etc. to find you the best deal. They essentially do all the hard work for you. This site is great for traveling domestically. Again, play around with dates if you can, you’ll get the cheapest flight by doing this.
6. Stay with your friends and family/ask them for recommendations: If you know someone who lives somewhere you’d like to travel, talk to them! They will likely give you recommendations and maybe even a place to stay! When I travelled to Puerto Rico with my friends, we were lucky to stay at one of my friend’s family’s hotels. This greatly reduced the cost and made us feel significantly safer where we were staying.
As always, thanks for reading and let me know you have any travel tips!
XO, Emily
