Sometimes planning a vacation is as fun as taking the vacation. But let’s face it, trying to find the best deals can be an overwhelming task when you just want to get away. We have some tips to get you on your way to planning some cheap travel for spring and summer.
Be Flexible on Destination
When you’re more flexible on place, you’re going to get a better deal. Try choosing an activity that you’re looking for like the beach, camping, or museums. or a general destination like Europe or South America. Then look for vacation packages that meet these general criteria.
Use Destination Search Engine
People who are more concerned with getting a good deal than landing on a specific beach can use Skyscanner. Instead of selecting a specific destination, enter potential dates and a location of origin to see flight prices for options across the country and around the globe.
Go Off the Beaten Path
Packing your Samsonite 5 Piece Nested Luggage Set from Buyding.com and going to underrated and under-traveled destinations can help you save money on accommodations and activities. It will also help you avoid the crowds associated with top tourist spots. Destinations like Bolivia, the Philippines, Honduras, and Albania have 4 and 5 star hotels costing as little as $98 per night!
Be Flexible on Dates and times
Just like with flexibility on destination, travelers who are flexible with when they go are going to get better deals. This includes days that you travel, how long you stay, and even time of day for flights. A great way to search based on flexibility is to start by checking out some search engines for flexible travel like Skyscanner, Wherefor.com, or Adioso.
Time of Year
Visiting a location during the off-season is often cheaper and comes with fewer crowds. It’s a good idea to identify where you want to go and determine the peak season for each location. For example, if you’re headed to Europe, any time during the winter months, with the exception of Christmas, will be cheaper than summer. If you want to go to Mexico or the Caribbean, the opposite is true. Summer is much slower since few people want to escape the heat by going somewhere even hotter. So if you’re willing to sit in the shade, you can save a few bucks.
Days of the Week
Before you pack your Samsonite Luggage from Buydig.com, know that leaving Friday and returning Sunday may be convenient if you work a Monday through Friday job, but you can expect to pay handsomely. You’re likely to pay 20% less for a flight that departs on Thursday and returns on Monday. An even better option is to depart Sunday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, and return Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Tuesday and Wednesday are the overall best bets for flights in either direction. If you want to get really specific, flying at 3pm on Tuesdays is the absolute best time.
Book at the Right Time
Your best bet is planning more than three months or less than two weeks in advance.
Booking Flight
When you book your flight matters. For instance, according to some sources, Tuesday is the least expensive day to purchase tickets when booked more than three weeks in advance. However, if you’re booking a last-minute vacation, aim for booking on Sunday. The time of the week matters, but so does the amount of time before you intend to travel. The best time to book a domestic flight falls within a window between one and four months before the flight, and the best time is exactly 47 days in advance. For international, the short answer is that you should make sure to book more than 90 days out if possible. But 9-12 months in advance would be playing it even safer.
The lesson here is that you don’t need to be rolling in disposable income to be able to take a breather somewhere outside your zip code. You simply need to know how to score some travel deals to make your trip less stressful on the wallet.
Thanks for the well-wishes everybody!