39 Tips for How to Save Money While Traveling

by Jenny Javitch, Founder of Global Game Plan

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase.

Traveling can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’ve spent a lot of time and effort building up your travel savings, or if you just want some tips for how to save money while traveling, you’re in the right place. We listed our favorite ways to save money while traveling below for you to use on your next vacation. All of these are tried and true methods we’ve used ourselves!

You will notice some themes throughout, including flexibility, some DIY activities, spending your time creatively, adding value to what you are currently planning, and combining vacation activities together to save. Also keep in mind that money-saving tips that work at home (like skipping the Starbucks and searching for discounts) can also save money on vacation.

Timing and Flexibility

1. Travel to budget-friendly destinations. London, Tokyo and Iceland are amazing vacation spots but they aren’t known for being inexpensive places to visit. Consider some cheap vacations in the U.S. or explore these budget alternatives to popular international destinations.

2. Travel in the off-season or during the week. A destination’s busiest time of year is simply not the best time to visit in terms of both costs and crowds. Traveling during less popular times can result in better prices for flights and lodging, as well as fewer people. If it’s unavoidable, or you just really want to visit that destination, then browse through the rest of these tips to learn how to save money while traveling.

3. Flexibility with your flights is the name of the game. Most airlines have a search that allows you to click “plus or minus” a certain number of days, so you can see if the price is lower if you arrive or depart on a different day. You may also be able to take a red-eye flight or include a long airport layover to reduce the cost of your flights.

Google Flights is a very helpful tool and a great place to begin your flight search.

The Kayak website will help you predict when to buy your ticket at its cheapest. Set an alert and then when the time is right book your ticket. Even if you’re using this Kayak feature, you should still book directly on the airline’s website.

4. Check low-cost airlines like Southwest Airlines, Sun Country and Jet Blue. These companies fly to popular destinations, but are typically not found on search engine sites like Orbitz or Expedia.

Long-Term Travel Savings

5. Think about how to save money while traveling from a long-term perspective. There are a number of ways to save over the course of multiple trips, not just on one specific vacation. For example, an annual AAA membership for your automobile can also yield a variety of travel discounts, including at major hotel chains and museums.

6. Take advantage of brand loyalty and get one of many travel-friendly credit cards. Do you have a preferred hotel chain, live in an airline hub city, or tend to fly the same airlines over and over again? Use a travel credit card to earn points and miles on your current travel costs to reduce the cost of your future travel…just don’t forget to redeem them when the time comes.

For example, we use the Delta American Express Card that offers double miles on Delta charges, free checked bags, an annual companion pass and a $100 one-time statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check, among other benefits. The annual companion pass almost always offsets the annual fee, so this is a great option if you want to avoid adding annual fees to your budget. Be sure to review all terms and conditions to ensure they fit with your needs.

7. Rakuten is a reputable website that offers cash back for travel and other shopping purchases. You can start an account, use the site for shopping throughout the year, and see the travel savings add up over time.

Money Saving Tips on Lodging

Lodging is typically one of the highest expenses on a trip, but there are ways to save money on hotels and other accommodations or increase the value of your stay.

8. Camping and staying in a hostel are two simple ways to reduce the cost of lodging. Check out the best campsites near major U.S. cities and consider these ideas to make camping more comfortable.

9. Stay in a vacation rental. Especially if you are traveling with a big group or you want to cook any of your own meals at home, booking a vacation rental can save you money. Airbnb typically gives weekly or monthly discounts for longer stays (although this is up to the individual Airbnb owner). Even if you love to eat out, breakfast is the perfect meal to eat in your vacation rental – and you can refill your reusable water bottles and store snacks in your refrigerator too! Pro tip: Airbnb now has a feature that allows you to search for vacation rentals all over the world with date flexibility to see more inventory at varied price points.

Related: How to Be a Great Airbnb Guest

Hire Global Game Plan for your Vacation Rental Search

Do you prefer to stay in a hotel? If so, then use these tips to save money on hotels:

10. Before booking your hotel, read the description and check for hidden fees such as a resort fee, amenities fee, pet-fee and parking costs (choosing self-park vs. valet can reduce your costs) and add these expenses to your budget from the get go.

11. On the flip side, choose a hotel that offers complimentary breakfast and free Wi-Fi – an effortless way to cut costs!

12. AAA discounts – Yes, this is still a thing! If you book direct on hotel websites (especially the larger chains like Marriott and Hilton), you can receive a significant discount for using your AAA card.

13. Do you have any points or a membership with a particular hotel chain? If so, remember to check your point balance and see if you can use them for a free night or two. If you’re new to the hotel membership or points game, why not start now? Sign up to be a member (it’s free!) and start accruing points for future trips. Sometimes the bigger chains will have “members only discounts,” but it’s free to sign up so it’s a win for you!

14. Not that it’s a great idea to wait until the very last minute to book a hotel room, but if you do, the app Hotel Tonight will sell you a discounted room.

For any of these options, try staying in an area convenient to a lot of tourist attractions so you can walk or take public transportation. This will allow you to save on parking and other transportation expenses.

Car Rental Tips and Tricks

15. Use a search engine like Orbitz or Expedia to see a large amount of rental that are available and at what price. Be sure to keep clicking through the listing to ensure you find the total price including all of the taxes and fees.

16. Check out rental car companies located away from the airport (but keep in mind you will need to pay for transportation to and from the city-located company). If you are visiting friends or family, ask them to pick you up from the airport and take you to an offsite rental car company, like Enterprise Rent a Car.

17. If you're a member of Costco, you can try looking at their travel site to find a travel deal. National Car Rental allows you to join their program for free and become a member, giving you the ability to skip the rental car counter and choose your own car from your section of the lot. Book direct online or on their app to save.

18. Try to book a rental car using points and miles.

19. Use the Turo car sharing marketplace as an alternative to a rental car company - it's like Airbnb but for car rentals.

20. Ask yourself if you really need a rental car for this trip...are you able to use public transportation, Uber or Lyft instead? This decision can also help save on parking costs and the hassle of searching for parking.

21. Speaking of Uber and Lyft, they are now offering car rental services in a variety of places throughout the United States.

22. Consider booking a refundable car at whatever price is available to ensure you have a vehicle, then check regularly before your trip to see if the price goes down and then rebook at the lower price.

How to Travel Cheap with Food and Drink

23. Bringing a reusable water bottle can save you a lot of money, especially in place of buying bottled water in the airport! The next best thing is to visit the grocery store to buy large jugs to refill your bottle during your trip. Pro tip: If you’re traveling internationally, be sure that the local water is safe to drink. If it isn’t, for safety reasons, bottled water is the way to go.

24. Eat lunch as your big meal and dinner as a lighter one. Or look to see if your desired restaurant has lunch specials or happy hours that you can use as your dinner meal. Google will help you find “the best happy hours in X city.”

25. Check to see if your destination offers a Restaurant Week and/or date night specials and take advantage of the opportunity for discount meals.

26. Have a picnic! Stop by a small local farmer’s market or grocery store (bonus points for finding the local cheese, wine, chocolate, and other treats) or get takeout from a neighborhood restaurant; and head to a city park or the beach to turn your meal into a chance to spend some time outdoors and people watch.

27. Skip the Starbucks and grab an afternoon coffee or tea in the lobby of your hotel or from the self-serve coffee maker in your room.

28. One of our top budget travel tips: combine a meal and an activity! Take a food tour during the time you would normally have a meal.

29. Enjoy an inexpensive night out at a local taproom. Drink some craft beer (for non-drinkers they typically offer root beer, kombucha or other non-alcoholic beverages), play some board games and while the hours away.

Vacation Activities

Tourist activities are the heart and soul of any vacation. You can save money while traveling and still have a wonderful time exploring your destination. Here’s how to do it:

30. Search discount sites like Groupon or Living Social to find vacation activities for less.

31. Pick up a tourist brochure at the airport or a tourist information center. You can also order or download one online in advance. In addition to the advertisements, they sometimes include coupons.

32. Instead of booking a fancy hotel because they have an awesome pool or a spa, check to see if you can get a day pass to enjoy these amenities as a guest.

33. See if you can find last-minute Broadway show tickets, sometimes called “rush tickets.” This isn’t just at TKTS in New York City, but at various theaters across the United States. Students and teachers may also have access to advanced discount tickets in several cities.

34. Planning to visit a U.S. National Park? If so, there are multiple days each year when they offer free admission. The downside is that the parks are likely to be crowded, but you will save big. They also offer several reduced-price or free annual and lifetime passes which you can find here.

35. Many museums always have free admission or specific days of each month that are free. Some offer a “reciprocal membership,” which means if you are a member of a museum in your hometown you may be able to receive free admission in other cities.

36. Take a self-guided tour or choose from a variety of free walking tours (but don’t forget to tip your guide).

37. Google “free things to do in” your destination and you will find some great ideas!

38. Take advantage of your location’s natural beauty and visit the great outdoors…watch a beautiful sunrise or sunset or hang out at a free outdoor festival.

39. Going on a road trip? For a nominal fee you can download this awesome audio guide that narrates a tour through your car’s audio system. It’s like having a tour guide in the car with you!

Hopefully after reading through all these ideas for how to save money on traveling, you will be able to spend your travel savings wisely and have a wonderful vacation at the same time. Have any questions? Global Game Plan is always happy to help you plan your next trip! Schedule a free phone consultation to discuss it.

Why you will love using global game plan

You can receive helpful travel tips through our Global Game Plan monthly newsletter (you will also receive a FREE Airbnb Comparison Chart) or follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.