Travel is starting to become more expensive. Costs of flights are rising. Accommodation prices are higher. And then a person has the cost of dining out. No one wants to erase travel from their list of things to do. So, many people are choosing travel hacks instead. Travel hacking is basically finding ways to take a vacation without paying a small fortune. There are numerous ways to hack a travel expense. A person simply needs to determine which options are best for their needs.
Travel Hacking for 2022
Earn and Redeem Reward Points
One of the easiest travel hacks is to earn points using a credit card. To do this, you’ll need to select one of the best credit cards for travel. Those points can then be redeemed for free airfare, accommodations, and more. A person who has been travel hacking for some time understands the benefits of credit card points.
Sign-up bonuses are an excellent way for a person to get a good start at accumulating points for travel. Taking advantage of extra points through bonus spending categories is another good way for everyone to earn additional points for free vacations.
Anyone who wants to save their reward points to use for a bigger trip will want to make sure their points do not expire after a certain amount of time. It is also recommended to choose a credit card that offers flexibility for redemption of points.
Choose a Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees
One of the biggest ways a person can spend more money while traveling is by using a card that charges foreign transaction fees. Those transaction fees can really add up.
There are plenty of credit cards that offer no foreign transaction fees. A little research for this travel hacking option can save a person thousands of dollars if they do a lot of international travel.
Fly on Tuesdays
Tuesdays have long been known as the slowest travel day of the week. Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that flights are at their cheapest on this day.
Anyone who doesn’t have enough reward points to pay for a flight can still save some money by flying on this day of the week. It is one of those travel hacks that should be well known by now but isn’t.
Fridays and Saturdays are the most expensive days to fly.
As a person is searching for flights, they should also clear their browser in between. It is common for airlines to use the browser cookies to track a person’s searches. When that happens, the prices of some flights jump substantially when demand is high.
Another option is to use the incognito, or private, tab while searching for flights.
Join Frequent Flyer Programs
Not a fan of using credit cards? Anyone can sign up for an airline’s frequent flyer program. This is an excellent option for earning free miles for future travel. These programs work best for those who stick with the same airline for the majority of their travel.
There are other perks to being a part of these programs. In addition to the travel hack of earning free miles, a person can also gain access to that airline’s lounge, as well as potential upgrades on certain flights.
Do Not Check Luggage
One of the biggest travel hacking options is to avoid checking luggage. Most people do not think this is possible. However, there are multiple types of excellent carry-on bags that hold quite a bit. Anyone who chooses to simply carry on a bag can save hundreds of dollars in travel expenses.
Research Free Tours at Destinations
Over in Europe, many of the free tours are walking tours. Those tours last between an hour or two. They are just as good, and sometimes better than the paid tours too. It is recommended that everyone tips at the end. So, while this travel hack is not completely free, it is considerably cheaper than the amount people pay for other tours.
Plan Trips Around Free Entry to Museums, Galleries, and Concerts
Travelers normally arrange their vacations around the time of the year they want to travel. However, one of the best travel hacks is to determine when the local museums and galleries offer free admission. Postponing a trip to a time that coincides with free entry can save travelers hundreds of dollars or more. This is especially true if there are free concerts, or other performances, being held at the same time.
Most people would think these savings would be more than enough to schedule a trip for a different time of the year!
Exchange Money in the Right Place
Airports make it seem so easy to exchange currency. But the exchange rates at airports are terrible! Anyone who really wants to get the most out of their cash should determine where the best place to exchange it will be prior to leaving for their trip.
Dine Out Wisely
Restaurant meals can get pricey, especially for those traveling with larger families. When a person is travel hacking, they will want to dine out wisely. Street foods are delicious, and filling. And yet, they cost a lot less than a restaurant meal. Grabbing local produce, and other snack items, from local markets is another way to save some money on food while traveling.
If those are not options a traveler wants to use, then the next best travel hack is attending happy hours. The happy hour prices are normally a lot less, but so are the food portions. Something for everyone to keep in mind.
Packing snacks for flights is another travel hack that saves people money.
Book Accommodations Carefully
Third-party apps always seem to offer the best prices on hotels, until it gets to the checkout process. Then the taxes, fees, and even tariffs make the price jump. Travel hacking for accommodations includes considering booking directly with a hotel. Most of the time, hotels have deals available for anyone who contacts them directly.
It is important for travelers to do direct booking with hotels when they are part of the hotel’s reward program. Those members normally get better pricing, as well as upgrades.
Travel hacking is the way to go in 2022, especially for those people who want to travel more without spending a lot. There are numerous travel hacks out there. So, everyone can choose which hacks will save them the most money.
