How To Travel for Cheap Around New Year’s
It’s only October, but we’re already deep into the holiday travel booking season, and that includes New Year’s Eve travel.
New Year’s Eve travel isn’t as popular a reason to travel as Thanksgiving or Christmas, for example, but it’s still an incredibly busy time at airports and other travel hubs. More than 107 million Americans planned to travel for New Year’s Eve 2022, according to a study by WalletHub.
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New Year’s Eve is already a cause for big spending, with 65% of Americans spending at least $50 on food and beverages on New Year’s Eve, according to research by WalletHub. Adding travel expenses to the tab can skyrocket costs enormously.
So how to travel cheaply around New Year’s Eve? let’s explore
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“In fact, some industry experts recommend looking for fares 8 to 10 months or even a year in advance, because that’s when most people don’t book,” said Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst at DealNews.com. “But that doesn’t guarantee you’re getting the best price, so it’s best to use an app like Hopper or a site like Google Flights or something similar to track your preferred routes.” The sooner you start tracking the better, as apps like Hopper will tell you when is best to book and when to wait a little longer for a better deal. And if the fare is unlikely to go down any further, they will let you know about that too.”
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Be flexible with your dates
“This is crucial for saving money on any trip, but if you’re planning a trip around the New Year, you might think it might be more difficult to be flexible,” Ramhold said. “But the truth is that if you can be flexible for even a day or two, it could mean you save more than sticking rigidly to specific travel dates. The more flexible you are, the better chance you’ll get a great bargain on whatever trip you’re planning at this point.”
Avoid foreign transaction fees
“If you’re traveling internationally, you should use a credit card that waives these fees,” Ramhold said. “When you’re abroad, it can be easy to get absorbed in the trips and experiences you’re taking part in and not worry about the cost until you see the bill later. But things like foreign transaction fees can add up and make your trip more expensive, so consider using a credit card that avoids them to save on your trip overall.”
Use miles or points to book flights
“If you’re a frequent flyer, you may have accumulated miles or points from your many trips,” Ramhold said. “It’s worth using these to book your flight around the New Year as it saves you money on your actual booking and allows you to use that money for other things such as shopping. B. a nicer hotel to stay or even experiences on your trip make it even more memorable.”
Use cashback apps
“Use sites like Rakuten to earn cashback on your qualifying bookings,” Ramhold said. “For example, online travel agencies like Expedia, Priceline, Hotels.com, Marriott.com, Hilton, IHG and others are featured on these sites with cashback rates as high as 4%. If you’re flexible, you can also access special promotions that these sites offer — for example, Rakuten sometimes has triple cash back days, or select stores have higher cash back rates.”
Book through your credit card portal
“Select credit cards may offer discounts for booking travel directly through their dedicated portals,” Ramhold said. “For example, you might find better rates, but that’s not a guarantee, and you should also be wary of losing privileges as a result if you’re a member of loyalty programs for things like hotels or car rentals.”
Book through Costco
“If you’re looking for alternative booking options and you’re a member of a warehouse club, you should book through these portals instead,” Ramhold said. “For example, Costco has special packages, as well as hotel, cruise, and car rental deals, and you can usually get Costco member savings on those bookings, and in some cases you’ll get other perks like Costco store cards, free nights, daily meals.” and free minibars and more.”
Don’t give in to tourist traps
“It can be so easy to give in to the hype about certain places, especially around the holiday season, so it pays to book all experiences before you actually arrive at your destination,” Ramhold said. “If you’re going to New York City, for example, you might be tempted to go to Times Square on New Year’s Eve, but it’s an expensive experience. You may have to pay to even get onto the square and if you want to visit any of the bars or restaurants in the area expect the prices to be absolutely exorbitant. You’ll save even more if you book a hotel and party somewhere else in town, avoiding the tourist hotspots. When in doubt, ask a local how they celebrate and take a page from their book – it’s more authentic and usually a lot cheaper than following the outsiders.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How to travel cheap around New Year’s Eve