Welcome, 2017! It’s time to start planning a new year of travel adventures. And, to help you out — and ensure you save a few bucks in the coming 12 months — the travel experts at Cheapflights.com have pulled together a host of money-saving tips, smart destination swaps and sneaky ways to cram in more vacations in 2017. You’re welcome…
Currency check-up
Image: Images Money, Euro Denominations via Flickr CC BY 2.0
1. Embrace the strong dollar: With the dollar strong, it’s a great time to take that overseas trip that’s been collecting dust on your travel to-do list. This year, your dollar will go further everywhere from Canada, London and Madrid to Rio, Tokyo and New Zealand.
2. Buy right: Withdrawing local currency from an ATM in your destination is the best value option when it comes to buying your vacation spending money. Despite the fact that users are charged a fee, cash withdrawals from an ATM offer the highest exchange rates. Pre-loaded cash cards offer good value, too, and are a better option than buying currency at an airport or the Post Office or using travelers’ checks.
Perfect planning
Image: Markus Spiske, neourban hipster fashion travel,via Flickr CC BY 2.0
3. Double that vacation allowance: The average American full-time employee typically received between 10-20 vacation days each year, according to a 2016 study. You can maximize this time off by cleverly combining 2017 paid holidays and weekends.
4. Mix business with pleasure: If your vacay days are limited, but you have the opportunity to travel for work, take advantage of it. Tack time onto your trip to explore a new city, or use your work destination as a jumping off point to explore a nearby area. Often times you can save on travel expenses and maximize the use of your limited vacation time by taking advantage of a little “bleisure” travel.
Swap and save
Image: A. Munar, Tropical Beach via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
5. Keep your options open: Swapping destinations can bring big savings, without compromising on the vacation experience. Instead of choosing a specific destination, consider the type of trip you want to take. Looking for an island vacay, a weekend in the city or a winter ski escape? Don’t limit yourself to one destination, but instead consider where the deals are. Be open to an island getaway anywhere in the Caribbean rather than just to Aruba. Or, don’t limit yourself to Colorado for that ski weekend, and instead explore options in Wyoming, Utah and Oregon as well.
6. The alternative airport advantage: Where you call home can have a huge impact on the price of a flight. Before you book that flight from your go-to airport, consider nearby alternatives. Oftentimes you can save money simply by flying in or out of a different airport. For example, SoCal travelers who typically use LAX should check out the fares from Long Beach, a little more than 20 miles away. Same goes for East Coast travelers. Flying from New York? Compare prices to and from LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy Airport and Newark International Airport before you book. Check out our annual Airport Affordability Index to see which airports fare the best (in more ways than one).
Time it right
Image: Guy Sei, Dress wristshot via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
7. Midweek is golden: Tuesdays are the least popular days to travel and therefore the cheapest. Friday is generally considered the most expensive day to fly because of the increased demand from those trying to get away for the weekend. While prices are constantly fluctuating, you can’t go wrong flying midweek when demand (and prices) are typically lower.
8. Fly by night (or in the early morning): The time a flight departs can also impact the price you pay for it. Traveling at night (between 6 p.m. and midnight) or in the early morning (think first flight out) will save. A general tip to remember: fly when people would rather be sleeping. After all, families with small children aren’t usually lining up to take a 4 a.m. or 11 p.m. flight. And, an added bonus for the early bird: the first flight out is the least likely to be impacted by delays.
For the full line-up of tips and tricks for saving on travel in 2017, go here.