by Robert Firpo-Cappiello: Want the best prices on flights, hotel rooms, cruises, and rental cars? Free upgrades?
The fastest way through airport security? The smartest way to “do” major cities, national parks, and romantic islands? Congrats! You’re a Budget Traveler like us. Here, in a nutshell, is our manifesto!
When I tell people that I’m editor in chief of Budget Travel, I always get the same response. Whether I’m chatting with a twentysomething on her first overseas adventure, a seatmate on a fixed income, or a well-heeled TV personality at a dreamy ski resort, they invariably reply. “Cool! I’m a Budget Traveler myself!” I love the notion that each and every person I speak with understands that being a Budget Traveler doesn’t just mean saving money, but also traveling in the smartest, most stylish way possible. It inspired me to jot down a few—well, 25—of the things that we Budget Travelers know. Did I leave any of your personal travel tips out? Drop me a line!
1. A REASONABLE PRICED HOTEL ROOM
Budget Travelers don’t snap up the first appealing room at a decent price that they find. They research location—how close will they be to a city’s major sights?—and make sure that a good price doesn’t also come with a time-wasting long-distance schlep every morning. Budget Travelers call the hotel and ask for the best price, the most appropriate room options, and for a free upgrade. And in a pinch, they turn to HotelTonight for last-minute deals. We’re also pretty proud of our own hotel research-and-booking tool.
2. THE “BEST” DAY FOR AIRLINE TICKETS
This is the question we get asked most often at Budget Travel. Traditionally, the simple answer has been: Buy your airline tickets about two months before you fly, and you’ll likely get the best price by booking early in the week, when airlines often adjust fares. The “real” answer is, of course, “it depends,” and you must arm yourself with an array of information to make an informed choice. That said, we also recommend that you follow all the major airlines on social media, sign up for their rewards programs, and subscribe to their free e-newsletters to get the inside track on deals.
3. PICK UP YOUR RENTAL CAR EARLY
Budget Travelers book the smallest possible rental car and a pickup time as early as possible because in this case the early bird gets the free upgrade. At, say, 8 a.m., most customers won’t have returned their cars yet and it’s likely that the lowest-priced compact cars will be out of stock. The rental agency is obligated to give you an available car at the same price.
4. BOOK YOUR CRUISE EARLY – OR LATE
Nabbing a cruise six months to a year in advance usually means getting the best price. At that early point, supply is high and demand is relatively flat, so you’ll find appealing prices. As rooms get snapped up, of course, demand rises and so do prices—with one exception. Once you get down to the final few weeks before a cruise, the line may scramble to fill empty rooms, and you can again swoop in and find a deal.
5. KNOW THE RESORT FEES
Resort fees are quite a bit like the old joke about the weather: Everybody talks about it but nobody does anything about it. The reality is, there’s not much you can do if you’ve already spent your week at an all-inclusive resort and are staring at a bill that includes a hefty resort fee (which typically covers things you thought were free—those comfy poolside towels, the wi-fi in your room, the newspaper delivered to your door). The only thing you can do about it is to ask before booking so you understand the resort’s fee policy. Don’t care for it? Try another resort. (While you’re at it, find out what beverages are included in an all-inclusive package and which you’ll have to pay for out of pocket.)
6. CHECK OUT VACATION RENTALS
When faced with the notion of shelling out $1,400 per week for a beach house, some travelers will blanch. That’s $200 per night, right? Way more than a Budget Traveler wants to pay for a hotel room. But consider the size of your brood. A rental home that comfortably sleeps five and includes a full kitchen is going to be much more comfortable and likely save you money on food.
7. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS YOUR FRIEND
Those of you who don’t live in major cities may regard life without a car as a bit like that nightmare where you arrive at work and realize you forgot to put on any clothes. Those of us who dwell in urban areas know better. When visiting New York, London, Paris, or just about any major city, learning the routes and pricing systems of the light rail, underground, and bus systems can save you tons of time and money compared with renting, gassing up, and parking a car. These days, even notoriously auto-loving Los Angeles is playing the public transportation game. Get in it.
8. PSST! MOST MUSEUMS ARE FREE!
Sure, the world’s most beautiful museums often have an admission price (or suggested donation) topping $20 per person. But they also typically offer free hours each week and a free day each month. Budget Travelers don’t necessary schedule their vacations around a museum’s free days, but they do weigh the option and decide if they can put that money to better use. They also take full advantage of everything a museum has to offer on a given day. There’s no need to high-tail it from room to room trying to see everything—instead, find out when there’s a guided tour, a hands-on class for the kids, or evening hours when the joint if often much quieter than during the day.
9. GO TO NATIONAL AND STATE PARKS
When documentary filmmaker Ken Burns called national parks “America’s best idea,” he probably didn’t have Budget Travelers in mind. But compared with any other vacation spot on earth, our national parks—and many state parks for that matter—deliver serious bang for the buck. Sure, there’s an admission price (usually per car rather than per person), and you’ve got to line up lodgings (inside a major national park that can be around $200 per night), but once inside the park the wildlife, trails, ranger talks, evening presentations, junior ranger programs, and just about everything else is on the house. To paraphrase Verdi’s famous quote about Italy: You may have the universe if I may have a fire-lit ranger talk at Glacier National Park on a crisp late-summer evening.
10. LOOK FOR PACKAGE DEALS
Don’t tell! Airlines and hotels are willing to practically give away their inventory rather than see it go empty. That’s right. Airlines sell their seats at rock-bottom prices. Hotels do the same for their rooms. Why haven’t you heard this before? Because they don’t exactly go parading down the street announcing it to the world. Instead, they roll those empty airplane seats and hotel beds into package deals. When you book a package deal, you’ll get a good rate on airfare and hotels, some meals, often guided tours, and some ground transportation. Don’t believe us? Take a look at a package deal and then try to book the airfare and hotel separately—the package will almost always be significantly less.
11. PACK LIKE A PRO
Budget Travelers know that a light suitcase is not just easier to travel with but can also save you money on baggage fees. Pack early so you’re not in panic mode, and put some thought into packing matching tops and bottoms (rolled, not folded), as few shoes as you can handle emotionally, and wearing your heaviest layers on the plane. When in doubt, leave it at home. You never regret the things you don’t pack.
12. WEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVE
Honeymoon? Romantic island getaway with your sweetie? Engaged? Tell everybody! It may seem counterintuitive when you’re trying to get some alone time with your Sig-Oth, but mentioning your romantic status to flight attendants, waiters, and hotel managers can yield complimentary wine, upgrades, private balconies, and other surprises.
13. GO TO SMALL TOWNS
Budget Travelers know that some of the coolest places to visit in the United States are towns with populations under 20,000. Whether you want a warm welcome, a vibrant main street, a craft beer, cutting-edge gallery, or tasty bowl of chili, America’s small towns make for some of the finest—and affordable—vacations on earth.
14. ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE
Problem: You booked a hotel room with two king-size beds at a decent rate for your family of four, but now you have dreams of an unaffordable suite where the kids could have their own room. Solution: Ask for a free upgrade. Worst case scenario: The hotel manager says no. Was that so hard? You’d be surprised at how few people bother to ask for upgrades, late checkouts, complimentary breakfast, and other negotiable perks. You’re a Budget Traveler. Go for it.
15. TRAVEL WITH A SMILE (AND CHOCOLATE!)
The announcement just came over the loudspeaker: Your flight has been canceled due to bad weather. You jump on the airline’s website to find out what your options are, and you get in line at customer service. When it’s your turn to speak with the ultra-harried airline employee, you’re going to do two things: Smile and offer him/her chocolate. Because Budget Travelers aren’t just the smartest people at the airport. They are also the nicest. Make the difference in that beleaguered airline rep’s day and he might make the difference in yours.
16. KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE
In general, Budget Travel has not always recommended travel insurance. Instead, before you travel, check all your existing insurance policies to make sure you’ll be covered wherever you’ll be traveling—including health, auto, and any possessions (which are sometimes covered by home insurance). That said, if you’re booking a package tour or cruise make sure you understand the cancellation policy and consider paying a small premium if you think there’s a chance you’ll cancel.
17. KEEP THE LITTLE ONES BUSY
Keeping traveling children “happy” may be impossible. But keeping them busy is a breeze. You just have to travel with plenty of activities, games, art supplies, and patience. Old standbys like license plate bingo and I Spy still get plenty of mileage—and the fun of playing together (instead of losing themselves in a tablet screen) is priceless. Some Budget Travelers hit the dollar store right before traveling with little ones. Stock up on affordable activities and hand them out whenever the kids get restless.
18. SENIORS HAVE MORE FUN
Start with the fact that travelers 55 and up can usually get a cruise discount by mentioning their age, then consider the boatloads of seniors taking off for the Caribbean in a few weeks. Book a package tour of any European country and you’ll see busses packed with empty nesters and retirees. Sure, Millennials and Gen-Xers are happily checking off their bucket list items, but these days it looks as if the Boomers are the ones having a blast out there. You know who you are, and we know you’re proud Budget Travelers.
19. GET YOUR SHOTS
In addition to T-dap, measles/mumps/rubella, and annual flu shots, Budget Travelers know to check the health risks of the region they are planning to visit. A travel clinic is a one-stop-shopping option for obtaining vaccines for serious risks such as typhoid and hepatitis before visiting a developing region.
20. GO ROAD TRIPPING
Budget Travelers know that a plane or cruise ship is optional when going on vacation. Some of the best trips are to be had on America’s highways. And to celebrate the Great American Drive, we regularly cover accessible getaways, including itineraries, directions, lodgings, attractions, and food along the way.
21. KNOW YOUR HOME’S “ONE-TANK ESCAPES”
Looking for something between a staycation and a road trip? Budget Travelers love “one-tank escapes.” You can start by exploring locales within a two-hour drive from your home. For most Americans, that includes gorgeous parkland, cool small towns, food you won’t find at home, and often the kinds of surprises that most of us travel for.
22. LEARN CULTURAL ETIQUETTE
Don’t be “that guy.” You know, the one hitting McDonald’s in Rome. Or wearing an “I’m With Stupid” T-shirt to a museum of tolerance? Learning how to say hello, goodbye, please, and thank-you in a foreign language will yield more goodwill than you can imagine. Learning the ins and outs of a culture’s body language, hand gestures, food customs, and tipping will help you fit in, avoid embarrassment, and possibly nab you a deal at a bazaar or shop where haggling is expected and even encouraged.
23. TRAVEL FRIENDLY WITH CREDIT CARDS
No, Budget Travelers don’t charge trips they can’t afford. (One rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t ask your parents or close friends for a travel loan, don’t borrow the money from a credit card company!) But there are credit cards that partner with airlines to deliver rewards points, mileage, free upgrades, free baggage checks, and more.
24. FASTEST WAY THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY
Ok, this isn’t exactly a secret—and we don’t have a magic wand to get you through security any faster than this—but we’re seeing more and more people using the TSA’s Pre-Check program, which allows pre-approved individuals to bypass much of airport security for a more efficient arrival at their gate.
25. KNOW WHEN AND WHERE – OR NOT- TO DRINK THE WATER
Water and food safety is an issue in most parts of the world. When traveling outside the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia, there are many countries where tap water should be avoided, including ice cubes and mixed drinks unless you’re on the grounds of a resort. When in doubt, drink bottled water or other bottled beverages, and don’t eat fruit or vegetables unless you peel them yourself. Avoid street food unless the food is hot out of the oven and the cart is free of flies.
