By Danielle Garrett, PlanIt Itineraries
Planning a trip can be an overwhelming and a sometimes frustrating experience, especially if you are planning a family trip. Finding flights and accommodations at your desired price point can be a challenge! At some point during your research the reality sets in….this isn’t cheap! However, there are several things you can do to be a more savvy traveler. Here are 3 tips to bring your cost down for your 2017 travels.
1) PLAN AHEAD!!
This is especially important for families planning around kid’s schedules and school breaks, or anyone that has a busy or complicated life. Those “last minute deals” are not realistic for many people regardless of your stage of life. If you are working with a specific window of time, looking for a last minute deal can feel like a needle in a haystack (especially during the peak travel season). Start much earlier than you think you should! For those that have more flexibility with their travel dates, it still pays to start early. This is most important when finding accommodations or using points/miles to fly. The accommodation options that offer the biggest bang for your buck usually book up first. Another great way to save is by using points or miles to fly. Points/miles do not work like buying flights, especially Delta Skymiles. The earlier you plan, the more likely you are to secure a seat at the lowest mileage point. The miles or points per seat will increase the closer you get to your travel dates.
2) WORK THE SYSTEM!
If you love to travel, then it’s a must to get credit card savvy. Many credit cards will give double or even triple points and offer attractive bonus points/miles for signing up. Here are a couple cards you should consider. First, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (CSR.) They are still offering an amazing sign up bonus of 100,000 points. This alone has a dollar value of $1,500 because your points are worth 50% more when you redeem for airfare, hotel, cruises, etc. The CSR card gives 3X points for every dollar you spend on anything travel related or when dining out. To get the 100,000 bonus you must go in person to your local Chase Bank by March 11. This deal is no longer available on-line. You will only get 50,000 points on-line. Stop in at Chase Bank…it’s totally worth your time! This card seems expensive at $450 per year, but you get a $300 annual travel credit and $100 reimbursement for global entry (or $85 for TSA PreCheck) and the rewards mentioned above. In the first year, your net cost is $50. Click here for information on the benefits of the CSR. I recently signed up for this card and those 100,000 points are going towards my family summer vacation.
Another card that is a must if you fly mostly Delta is the Delta Skymiles Platinum American Express. This card offers an annual free companion certificate with the purchase of 1 ticket (so 2 for 1). That companion certificate comes in handy every year for us!! Click here for details. There are bonus points you can earn when signing up for this American Express.
3) TRAVEL DURING SHOULDER OR OFF-SEASON!
This is hard to do for families who need to travel when their kids are on summer break (which is peak season for many destinations). If you must travel during the summer, try to travel as soon as your kids get out of school (late May/early June). Not only is it typically less expensive, most destinations are less crowded. For example, if traveling to Europe, most European kids are not out of school until mid June. Additionally, consider going to a destination that is not peak season during the summer. There are not many, but the Caribbean would be one option. Spring and Fall travel is typically considered shoulder season, which will provide a discount (however, some destinations during spring breaks are just as expensive as summer, due to demand). Off-season is dictated by the destination, so do your research! Planning ahead for peak season travel is the #1 way to avoid paying more than necessary.
Happy Travels!
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