In the world of Business Travel, I am kind of a big deal. People know me… Okay, not really. But my job does require me to travel a lot and over the past 2 years I have learned all the in’s and out’s of traveling like a pro. And in the spirit of my recent trip to San Fransisco and Napa, I want to share some of my expert knowledge on how to travel on a budget.
1) Sign up for hotel and airline reward programs:
Whether you travel a little or a lot, sign up for as many travel rewards programs as you can. Most of them are free and easy to setup. Luckily, my work allows me to keep my airline and hotel points that I earn while on the job. As a result, I have already built up 8 free nights at all Hilton Hotels and 2 free flights from American Airlines that I can use toward my vacations… Money!!!
Bottom line, every time you book a flight or a hotel, join their rewards club (if you are not already a member). I used to fly United Airlines on rare occasions but I decided to sign up for their rewards program anyways. I am now beginning to fly more frequently with this airline and it is nice to already have some points built up from my past flights with them… I am that much closer to a free flight! Just remember; when it comes to traveling, every point counts!
Also, when you become a member to airline or hotel rewards program, even if you do not have many points at all, the company will still send you emails on when and where they are having sweet deals. I get great exclusive deals through Marriott all the time even though I have only stayed there twice.
Another great tip is that if you do travel frequently (and especially if you are loyal to a particular hotel brand or airline), consider joining a travel rewards credit card to maximize your reward-earning abilities!
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2) Setup email alerts through Kayak and Farecompare to get the best prices on your airline tickets:
FareCompare makes forecasts on the direction air fares are headed, so that travelers planning weeks and months in advance have a better idea on when to buy the cheapest ticket. You can also track your desired itineraries on FareCompare and the wesbite will send you email alerts on when prices drop.
Kayak is very similar to FareCompare as it searches for the best travel deals. Kayak, however, is great because it compares quotes from Hotwire, Priceline, Expedia, and Travelocity. Kayak also has the capabilities to send email alerts when prices drop and the website allows you to search for the best Hotel and Car Rental deals as well.
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3) Know when to fly, know when to buy:
If you can be flexible with your travel plans, you may just be able to save some serious bucks. The best days to travel are in the middle of the week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) as well as in the middle of the weekend on Saturdays. Not only will you get the best prices by flying on these days but you will avoid all the airport crowds of business travelers and weekend vacationers that you would normally encounter on the other days of the week.
You can also find the lowest fares by knowing the best purchase time for your flight. Many experts say that Wednesday around midnight is the best time to find the lowest prices for tickets because this is when airlines get rid of the reserved but unbooked lower fare reservations. Now, there are opinions on how legit this argument is. However, I recently booked a flight to Long Beach, CA and paid $329 on JetBlue when I purchased it on a Monday. That Wednesday at midnight I went back to the website and the price had dropped to $219…whoops!
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Lastly, the tourism industry is seeing major losses in today’s turbulent economy and prices are lower than ever. So do your research, pack your bags, and go on that dream vacation of yours…
You might just return home with your financial dignity still intact!
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