The number one tip to reduce travel expenses is to plan your trip early. This includes booking the aeroplane tickets and confirming the accommodation. Even more so if you are planning a summer getaway. After all, you don’t want to fight tooth and nail for a room booking when bookings are full or paying for an expensive plane ticket with insufficient leg space.
But contrary to popular notion, you can plan for a last-minute trip and save on last-minute travel costs. Not sure how you do it? Here are eight tips we curated to help you do just that.
8 summer travel hacks to save costs on travel
- Choose a destination based on flight ticket costs
One of your biggest problems is last minute ticket fares. The good news is that you can fly out for cheaper, provided you don’t have a travel destination. Here’s how you do it.
Know how much you want to spend on your summer trip beforehand. Make your budget and decide on a figure you will spend on ticket costs. Then use an app like Skyscanner to get a list of the air ticket prices for different destinations. Now you can choose a destination based on your preferred travel dates and budget and save costs on travel.
- Ditch hotels and book rentals
You’re most likely booking a hotel room if you’re planning a summer trip. And that’s costing you more money than you think. Instead, you can look for rentals to cut down on accommodation costs.
Visit different rental sites to search for rentals during your travel days. You can find one at a fraction of the price and at your preferred location closer to your travel dates. The key is to look at the available inventory and use the filters to select a room you want. Then right before your trip contact the booking company and bargain for a reasonable price. This is effective for private property rentals.
- Choose an alternate travel destination to popular places
Believe it or not, your travel bucket list may stretch your budget. Especially if you’re looking to go to a popular, cooler place for your summer trip. You can change your bucket list and save on the cost of travel instead.
For instance, consider going to a lesser-known hill station like Valparai instead of a more popular Shimla. This way, you can save on travel and accommodation costs even during peak season.
- Fly mid-week
You may get an extra day off if your club leaves with a weekend. But deciding to fly out on the weekend will only increase your last-minute travel costs. So, choose your vacation days wisely.
Here’s a summer travel hack for you- look for airline tickets for the middle of the week. This is typically when ticket fares are the lowest. You can get an even better ticket price if you fly out iearly in the morning or late at night.
- Follow airlines on social media
Time and again, airlines encounter higher rates of cancelled tickets. This is when they announce tickets at lower prices. And they usually do so on social media.
So, here’s another hack to cut down on those last-minute travel costs- follow airlines on social media and turn on notifications for their posts. This way, you know every time there is a cancelled booking, you can book your ticket at a better rate.
- Travel light
When you’re looking to save costs on travel, you don;'t want to pack heavy. After all, this means you’ll be liable for baggage charges, depending on the airline. So here’s another hack to cut back on those last-minute travel costs.
Travel light. Check the baggage limits for your chosen flight and pack accordingly. This way, you can carry your bags into the cabin without worrying about paying excess baggage charges at the counter.
- Use reward miles and credit card perks
If you own a credit card and are looking to save costs on travel, this is your chance to use those travel miles. Check with your card provider and ask for discount codes or travel offers on your credit card. These can get you cheaper flight tickets and discounts on hotel bookings as well.
- Don’t exchange currency at the airport
Planning to travel to a different country for your summer getaway? Here’s a hack to cut back on last-minute travel costs - exchange your currency online.
Although most countries have currency exchange desks at the airport, they offer higher rates at the physical desk than online. So, check the airport currency exchange rates online. This way, you not only get to purchase currency cheaper but also save waiting time.
Conclusion
The above summer travel hacks can help you save many last-minute travel costs. But if you find that your vacationing dreams are stretching your budget, apply for a travel loan with a reputed lender like Tata Capital. This way, you benefit from the affordable loan interest rates and quick disbursals. Visit the Tata Capital website to learn more.
11 January 2023
5 mins read
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