Great Ideas to Save on Travel this Year
Whether you’re a backpacker or a business executive, it is no secret that traveling can be expensive. It’s not just airfare costs that can put a dent in your checkbook. Entertainment, food, transportation, tolls, and parking can add up fast when you travel. If you want to avoid overspending and put your hard-earned money to good use (like experiencing your destination to the fullest), there are a few tips and tricks that can help you save.
Below is a cost-saving guide to keep you from wasting money on your next journey! Follow these eight tips to keep more cash in your reserves, no matter where you’re headed next.
If you’ll be staying in a hotel and/or renting a car when you reach your destination, you could save some cash by booking everything via a package deal. Many online travel websites, membership sites, and frequent flyer plans offer packages that can save you hundreds of dollars if you reserve and pay for all of your accommodations at the same time.
Books are typically expensive at airports. While having something compelling to read while traveling is a must for most, it’s smart to bring your books with you in your carry-on. Think of it this way: bringing a book you’re sure to love also saves you money. Use the extra cash on expenses related to other activities to pass the time, like in-air WiFi fees. Piggybacking on this, it’s also smart to download audiobooks and movies to your mobile devices before you leave the house. Just be sure to bring a portable charger on long flights.
When you can, traveling light is the way to go. When you travel by air with only carry-on luggage, you will bypass the cost of checking a bag ($25+ per bag, depending on the airline), and also avoid the potential hassle of delayed or lost baggage once you reach your final destination. There’s nothing worse than trying to track down your lost items after you’ve arrived on vacation.
Airport parking can be a hefty travel expense. Plus, with flight delays, costs can surprise you. According to SmarterTravel, on-site airport parking can cost as much as $50 per day. Near airport parking can provide you with an inexpensive solution. Save money, take advantage of more parking options, and enjoy other amenities.
The Parking Spot serves 22 U.S. airports with 38 parking lots. Reserve your spot today.
Take an inventory of everything your credit cards and memberships have to offer in the way of a href="https://www.theparkingspot.com/blog/discounts-on-business-travel">rewards and points before you travel. If you pay for a rental car with a certain credit card, for example, you may not need to pay for additional insurance. Plus, if you shop wisely, you could end up getting your whole trip paid for with airline miles and points.
What’s more? If you bank at a credit union or have an AAA membership, you might be able to access hundreds of dollars in savings. If you forget to check your existing memberships, you might accidentally throw away your hard-earned rewards!
The least expensive day to travel throughout the year is usually Tuesday. You can save by booking your arriving and departing flights on this day whenever possible.
Furthermore, airports aren’t bustling on national holidays at the same rate they are the days just before and after. For example, traveling on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve could offer significant savings compared to December 23 or January 2.
Like on-site parking, airport food is expensive. Rather than pay outrageous sums for spontaneous dining on the go, pack snacks in your carry-on. This way, you can save money and be more conscious about what you eat, which is especially valuable if you live with allergies or dietary restrictions. While airports limit the amount of liquids you can take through security to 3.4 oz per bottle, there are few restrictions on the amount of solid food you can pack. Take advantage of Trusted Traveler programs from TSA.
Consider packing bread, cereal, cheese, candy, cooked meat, cookies, dried fruit, and more in your carry-on bag. It’s worth noting the special instructions you must follow to bring baby formula, breast milk, canned foods, and several other liquid food items onto a plane. Check-in with your airline on what exactly they allow before you fly.
Of course, your rental car lot will have a shuttle, but that’s not the only time you can leverage free transportation. Many hotels also offer free shuttles to the nearest airport. So, find out which hotels near the airport offer a free shuttle so that you can return your rental car early plus save on the cost of a taxi or rideshare.
Final Thoughts
If you follow the advice here, you can easily save hundreds of dollars on your next trip. You can use that money to enjoy an extra spa day on your trip, pick up a cool souvenir, or even stash savings into an account to put towards your next vacation—the opportunities are limitless. Want to save even more? Consider parking with The Parking Spot, and join the Spot Club today. Save on reservations, use contactless entry and exit, and earn free parking when you choose one of our lots.