Best Travel Hacks for Planning a Vacation
If the thought of searching through dozens of websites while planning your vacation makes your head spin, you can relax.
With a minimal amount of Internet or smartphone savvy, a few easy hacks will help you iron out all your vacation details quickly.
Pick a date and Save – Airfare Savvy Strategies
If you take your vacation in late October, you’ll miss the summer crowds and catch the autumn scenery. Plus, you’re likely to save money on airfare, tours and hotel rates. That day you fly matters, too. Look to depart and return on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and you could save more than $100 on a domestic flight. You can easily nail down your travel dates using the flight-cost prediction calendars on Fly.com or the Hopper mobile app.
Determine Your Destination
If you’re unsure about where you’d like to go, travel apps with a lot of pictures might be your best friend. Minube offers suggestions based the type of travel you enjoy, the regions you’d most like to visit or even your mood. You can dig a bit deeper with Trippy, a social media app that lets you ask locals or seasoned travelers questions about an area. The best answers rise to the top based on the number of “likes” they receive. Adventurous travelers can go to Skyscanner’s website and enter “everywhere” as the destination to see where the best deals will take you.
Get There for Less
While some travel discount sites can help you find the lowest airfares, most only cover major airlines and flights that conclude at your destination. Skiplagged searches flights that include your destination as a stop, sometimes saving you hundreds of dollars on a domestic flight. For example, a flight from Phoenix to Nashville might stop in Charlotte along the way. It is sometimes less expensive to book this flight and simply get off in Charlotte than it is to book a direct flight to Charlotte. You won’t be able to check baggage using this method, however, because it would wind up at the final destination. Another way to get the best deal is to check the websites of little-known carriers like Allegiant or TransMeridian.
Attend to the Details
Travel apps can help you plan every aspect of your vacation, from booking your hotel room on the Choice Hotels app to finding the top cultural sites and eateries. Download the Roadtrippers app or visit their website to find local attractions along your route that range from the interesting to the offbeat. Travelers looking for tours and guides can find and book activities at Viator. Those interested in organization might like TripIt. This app collects your reservations and confirmations and creates a master itinerary. It will even tell you if a better seat becomes available on your flight.
Discover more travel tips and recommendations here.
More to Explore
Helpful Packing Techniques
With these tips, you can stuff everything you need in a carry-on luggage!
Travel with Friends
Follow these tips on how to travel with friends to make the most of your trip.
Family Vacation Planning Tips
Here are some must-know tips for planning a family vacation and more.