6 Sneaky Tips To Score Cheap Flights and Accommodation
Written by
Joel Lim
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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One of the greatest shifts in younger generations is their emphasis on experiences over things. One of those experiences is travel. Millennials and Gen Z travel so much more than Gen X and boomers did. But that doesn’t mean we can’t all take lessons from that now.
How do they get away with it? After all, they’re the generation that graduated from college as the economy imploded and the housing bubble burst. They can’t be making that much more money than previous generations. In fact, they’re not.
They’re just sneakier at finding the great deals that let them traipse around the world.
Here’s what we can learn.
Be Flexible With Dates
You’ve probably already locked this one in. The more flexible you can be with your dates, the better rates you’ll get for both flights and accommodations.
It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. If everyone wants to travel from Friday to Sunday, the prices for flights and stays will rise. If fewer people are traveling from Tuesday to Thursday, you’re more likely to get a better deal.
This is also true of specific dates. Have you ever noticed how one Tuesday on sites like skyscanner.com or Airbnb may be cheaper than the next Tuesday? Or is next month cheaper than this month? Play with your dates and find the cheapest deals you can.
Avoid Peak Travel Times
Just like with specific dates, try to avoid peak travel times to get better deals. Don’t go to Europe in the summer. Don’t visit New Orleans in March. Don’t head to Quebec City for Christmas. The prices to travel to and stay in destinations known for specific times of year will skyrocket.
Seriously, a hotel room in Leavenworth, Washington, will cost twice as much around Christmas as it will just a couple of months later in February or March. If you’re trying to travel on a budget, skirt those peak travel times and go either right before or right after the time when everyone else is traveling. You’ll often get extremely cut rates.
Be Open to Destinations
Also, who says it has to be New Orleans? Why not visit the Everglades in Florida or Savannah in South Carolina, instead?
Why visit Quebec City when you can travel to British Columbia? There are so many places to visit in the world. While everyone else is going to Seoul, you could visit Bangkok, Thailand, for just as much beauty at a fraction of the price.
So, while you’re focusing on traveling more, focus less on specific places and instead let your pocketbook be your guide. Research inexpensive places to fly to and stay in, and then look into fun things to do while you’re there. It’s a backward way of traveling that can save you a ton of money and allow you to see so many more places.
Stay Longer
Speaking of being open and flexible, if you’re able to stay longer, you can end up saving way more money than you imagine. Many millennials and Gen Zers are taking on the lifestyle of digital nomads, with 64% of all digital nomads being in that age range. This allows them to stay in countries for extended periods, often several months.
Instead of living and working in the United States and traveling for only two weeks a year, more millennials and Gen Z are hopping from country to country while working from their laptops, while living in a short-term rental.
With the cost of living so high in the United States, digital nomads both save money and get to travel at will. It’s kind of a no-brainer. If you can stay longer, you can save on travel.
Stay Outside of the Touristy Area
Okay, so let’s say you’re determined to visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras (peak travel time). Fine, but don’t stay in New Orleans proper. Instead, book an Airbnb or hotel in LaPlace or Covington, which are only 30 to 45 minutes away from New Orleans.
You can travel into the city when you want to, but you can also spend time exploring more of Louisiana than most visitors to New Orleans. And you’ll pay way less to stay.
You can even check flights for the Baton Rouge Airport instead of the New Orleans Airport to see if you’ll get a better deal. Go to the places no one else thinks of going, and you’re more likely to see the things everyone else wants to see.
Consider Hostels
Finally, you don’t have to stay in the nicest hotels or the best Airbnbs, right? If you’re on a budget, you just need a safe place to crash and store your stuff while you’re exploring the cities and towns you’ve never been to. The solution? Hostels.
Hostels were designed for world travelers like yourself who need to stick to a budget. You can often get a private room, but you’ll probably share a bathroom. And if you’re on a super tight budget, you can bunk in a dorm-style room with other travelers.
Hostels are usually fun spaces with game nights and shared meals where you can meet people from all over the world. And you’ll do it for super cheap.
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