The demand for travel has steadily increased over the last year, even though the Covid-19 pandemic is far from being over. Through the first nine days of August, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened over 18 million passengers, nearly three times more than the same time last year.
While still 20% lower than the traffic seen in 2019, the roaring comeback of travel has lead to a lack of airline seats, hotel rooms and overwhelmed staff. However, competition is as fierce as ever to get consumers back on the road and there are plenty of deals to be had if you look in the right place.
With the tools and strategies listed below, you'll be well prepared to save on your upcoming travel expenses.
How to save money on travel
Use flight search aggregators and deal websites
You should always start your flight searches on a search aggregator such as Google Flights or Momondo. These websites bring together a list of flights that match the needs of your itinerary, and will send you to an external website like the airline's website or an online travel agency to complete the booking process.
This is a great place to get a sense of what your airfare will cost, and give you additional options and booking ideas if you are flexible on dates and times.
However, if you are the type of traveler that is always looking for a bargain, there are several flight deal websites that will send you alerts when a particularly good deal is live. Some have a recurring subscription cost. Here are a few popular services:
There are also dozens of social media accounts that post flight deals regularly. There is likely at least one page curated for your preferred airport. Type into Google "______ (insert your preferred airport) flight deals on social media", and you should be able to find an account that posts regularly.
Several accounts that can help you find deals are:
- NewYorkFlightDeals on Instagram (Flying out of JFK)
- FlightsFromHome on Instagram (Flying out of SLC)
- MinneapolisFlightDeals on Instagram (Flying out of MSP)
- PhiladelphiaFlightDeals on Instagram (Flying out of PHL)
Rental cars
The car market has been on tilt since the start of the pandemic. Prices for renting and purchasing vehicles have been at record highs in recent months, leaving travelers with few affordable options.
Instead of booking directly with one of the large rental car operators, consider these options as additional resources before reserving a rental car the old fashioned way.
Costco rental car
Costco is a favorite for many American shoppers, but did you know they offer travel services as well? Next time you're looking for a rental car, take a look at the Costco rental car website. By putting in your travel dates and location, the site will aggregate the best deals for you. In addition, Costco members qualify for additional discounts and free upgrades.
You do not need a membership to search through Costco, but you will need one to check out and secure a rental car.
Autoslash
Similar to the Costco rental car site, Autoslash is an aggregator that pulls together information of the best rental car deals at your destination.
Once you input your travel information and preferences, Autoslash will email you within minutes with the best rental car deals.
Autoslash is completely free to use and is well known for being one of the best places to secure a cheap car rental.
Turo
Sometimes referred to as the 'AirBnB of cars', Turo is a peer-to-peer marketplace where you can rent cars from owners directly.
You'll find all sorts of options through Turo, including regular everyday cars all the way to super luxury vehicles.
The benefit of using Turo is that prices typically do not surge like traditional rental car agencies, so it can be a great alternative if you want to save money.
Hotels vs. Airbnb
This is a debate among many travelers. Yes, they each provide a place to rest during your travels, but the amenities and experience they provide are quite different.
Yes, a hotel has housekeeping, amenities and other services attached to it. Also, staying at a hotel allows you to earn hotel rewards that can later be redeemed for free hotel nights, and pairing it with a hotel credit card can make it an even more enjoyable experience because of elite status perks.
Airbnb provides a much different experience as there is no check-in desk or dedicated staff at every property. You're mostly on your own once your at the property, but you can still get assistance prior to or during your stay by communicating with your Airbnb host.
While one is not automatically cheaper than the other, having more options can help reduce your costs if you are flexible with where you stay.
Generally, if you are traveling with a large group, it will be much more cost efficient to go with an Airbnb. In addition, an Airbnb home will likely come with a fully stocked kitchen, so you can prepare meals at your Airbnb rather than going out to eat every night. And unlike many hotels, you will not be on the hook for things like resort fees or parking fees.
Using airline credit cards to save on baggage fees
Many travelers have an allegiance to one side of the checked bag versus carry-on bag argument. For some, a carry on means not having to worry about your bag being damaged or lost. For others, checking a bag means one less thing to carry and worry about during your journey.
For those who like to pack heavy or need to bring items that aren't allowed inside an airplane cabin, you can save on checked bag fees by using an airline credit card. Many airline cards, including several of the Delta SkyMiles credit cards, $0 checked bag fees for cardholders and companions traveling on the same itinerary. In many cases that can save up to $60 per person on a round-trip ticket.
But if you don't have an airline credit card, you'll likely favor a carry-on bag. Each airline has different specifications as to what qualifies as a carry on, but you'll usually end up with more money in your pocket if you stick with a smaller bag.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has the right mix of benefits if you occasionally fly with Delta, such as free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts.
- Earn up to $300 in travel credit every year
- First checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on eligible flights
- Discounts on eligible in-flight purchases and on Delta award flights (Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees).
- Annual fee after the first year
- Delta flight credit benefit has a high spending requirement to earn
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that's a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Drive to a different airport
If you don't mind a road trip before your next flight, departing from a different airport than normal can save you serious cash.
For example, if you live in Salt Lake City, you are only roughly six hours away from Las Vegas and Denver. Or if you live in San Diego, the quick trip to LAX may be worth it. It could make the difference between hundreds of dollars and several layovers in some cases.
In a search for flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (NRT) for Sept. 18-25, the most reasonable itinerary is $610 in economy on Air Canada with a four hour layover in Vancouver. For the same dates but departing from San Diego, you would be paying $947 on American Airlines and Japan Airlines with two layovers — with one ironically at LAX.
Don't forget about points and miles
Lastly, don't forget to earn valuable points and miles for your flights and hotel stays. This is by far the best way to save money on traveling as you can seriously reduce your out-of-pocket costs for flights and accommodations. In fact, some credit card enthusiasts rack up millions of points per year, and are able to cover almost all of their travel costs just with rewards they've earned.
There has never been a better time to earn travel rewards as travel surges back in popularity, and there are plenty of credit card welcome offers to jump on, including the 100,000-point welcome offer for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See rates and fees). You'll earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
With the right travel credit card, you can earn heaps of rewards and have access to travel perks such as rental car insurance and travel insurance — saving you even more money and protecting your trip.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Bottom line
As the demand for travel continues to rise, prices will likely see an increase as well.
Saving money on travel may take an extra few steps or a bit more research, but it can prove to be beneficial for your bank account. Between credit card rewards, being flexible with accommodations and using social media to your advantage, traveling can still be affordable.
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For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
