Don't let gas prices get the best of your summer vacation.
Jetsetting has never been more of a headache. Jet fuel prices have caused airfares to surge just as airlines have cut the number of seats available on planes this summer by up to 2 million. The world seems to be bearing down on your summer getaways, with conflicts around the world conspiring together to inflate the price tag on your summer vacation.
While times might feel dire, and your wallet seems to be in the world’s crosshairs, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t deals to be had and ways to navigate the travel marketplace that can make it work to your advantage. That’s where Brian Kelly, the founder of The Points Guy, comes in. Whether you’re looking for last-minute getaways this travel season, or more trips down the road, there are plenty of ways to make sure you stretch your dollar.. Most of it comes down to attitude and planning: be patient, use the host of tools available to you online, and try not to chase trends. That can take you further than you realize.
Being flexible means more than just dates—it means being open to destinations you weren’t thinking about, and perhaps going off the beaten path. “Get back to what travel is supposed to be about,” Kelly said in an interview with Playboy, “which is exploring and not just going to where everyone else is to take an Instagram [photo].”
To that end, Kelly walked us through the numerous tips and tricks at our disposal that can help with airfare, hotel, car rentals, refunds and more — some even after your summer trip has been bought and paid for.
If you want to go to a popular destination at peak vacation time, it’s going to cost you. Adjusting expectations — either on destination or time of year — can be extremely helpful when it comes to saving a bit of money.
“There are still deals to be had, but not if you’re going to Italy in June or July,” Kelly said. For instance, if you want to go to Europe, look for lower-volume times, such as August, or even once kids have returned back to school.
Part of being flexible also means being patient. Sometimes the day that you’re looking to book is not the best. You can set alerts through most sites for multiple trips and then, when the price drops to a level where you’re comfortable, it’s time to book. “Just because you want to book today, it may not make the most sense,” Kelly said.
Every year, the same pictures of the same destinations show up as you doomscroll through your summer feed. Sure, they’re nice to tick off the bucket list, but if you have to travel during peak summer months — and in this particular economy — choose a destination that’s off the beaten flight path.
Decide what’s important to you — beaches, culture, food, etc. — and look elsewhere. “Go against the grain. If you want arts, culture and food, go to Mexico City,” Kelly said. “In the summertime, it’s temperate weather and a beautiful time.” Kelly also shouted out other destinations where you can stretch your dollar, including Argentina or Morocco.
We all know the sites that can make booking hotels feel more convenient, or offer us potential cost-cutting discounts, such as a couple night’s stay free or even a free airfare when booking vacation packages. Such a deal could be tempting, but Kelly said to make sure you have a keen understanding of what the trade off is in the long run.
“You’re making yourself a second class citizen in terms of the airline and hotel,” he said. “The airlines treat you horribly when you book through those sites.”
Kelly said he’s heard of many people who have run into flight delays and cancellations — par for the course in today’s travel landscape — and have had trouble rebooking because of using a third-party site. They also put you last in line in terms of room quality for some hotels. “There could be great deals,” he said, “but just always do the math.”
While some people look to online travel agents to find deals, Kelly instead suggests that you learn to master Google Flights, which he called “the best lesson you’ll ever teach yourself.” Aside from showing you both the cheapest and best flight options, as well as letting you exclude restrictive fare classes such as basic economy, the tool lets you reverse engineer trips based on your search. Namely, Kelly suggested getting familiar with the “Explore” tool. If you want to go to a destination on a certain week, you can put in your home location, such as New York, and Google Flights will show you the cheapest flights to a number of locations during those dates. If you’re flexible, and follow Google Flights suggestion, you can save hundreds through its suggestions. And, you can set alerts to monitor prices. “With the sleuth work it does, it’s the technology that any good flight expert should know about,” Kelly said.
Just because you’ve booked your flights or hotel, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still savings to be had. In fact, there are tools out there that can help you cut costs even after your tickets have been bought and reservations made. Kelly recommended Autopilot, which will monitor your flights for you, free of charge, and automatically rebook you if it finds a cheaper price. You’ll get a credit and they take a cut of the difference. There’s also a similar version for rental cars called Autoslash. Google Hotels also has tracking features that allow you to rebook and save. On top of using these specific sites, Kelly said that if you’ve used miles to book your flight, most airlines will allow you to cancel and rebook if the price dips. “That’s how savvy travelers are doing it,” he said. “You’ve got to be on the hunt, use technology and then also be willing to cancel and rebook when prices drop.”
You ever hear the trick about airfares being cheaper on Tuesdays, or using an incognito browser to change location? Yeah, they’re all pretty much hooey, according to Kelly, who said to beware of online travel influencers who are trying to sell you these tips to generate clicks or a following. Pricing these days is algorithmic and always updating, regardless of the day of the week, which is why tracking tools are the way to go. “Private browsing isn’t going to miraculously drop your prices 50%,” Kelly said. “IP addresses are not the secret that’s going to save everyone tons of money.”
With so many geopolitical fiascos going on right now, travel abroad can sound stressful. That said, you’re most likely going to be fine. But if the world’s calamities are bearing down on you, even in terms of the price of fuel, Kelly suggested looking for domestic alternatives. “Don’t just travel because all your friends are,” Kelly said. “If you want to stay home and wait for things to get better, then so be it. Go on a road trip. There’s unbelievable places to go in the US.”
They say that you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, and that also matters when trying to call a hotel, cruise line or any aspect of your vacation in hopes of getting a fee waived or rebooked. “It never hurts to ask. Be nice,” Kelly said. “Don’t just give up, always try to recoup some of the cost of your ticket.”
Most people’s idea of travel insurance is the tacked-on fee that you get while booking a flight or hotel. But you have more options at your disposal — many of which are also much less expensive. “What they offer you at checkout is often not even insurance,” Kelly said. “It’s called travel protection. It’s much more expensive than insurance. It’s like paying for a Lexus and you’re getting a Kia.”
For example, Allianz offers annual travel insurance plans, as well as one trip travel plans that are often cheaper than the ones available on OTAs. Kelly also recommended InsureMyTrip.com, a marketplace for travel insurance that can often save you money versus what’s being offered to you at the point of purchase.
Kelly underscored that travel insurance is essential these days, no matter who you are. “In America, we do not have flight protections. There’s no Bill of Rights for passengers,” he said. “You might be able to go on social media and complain about an airline. But guess what? They don’t care.”
