Everything comes with a price tag. So whether it’s skiing in Niseko, or volunteering in Africa, the key to taking your holiday to the next level is first deciding where you can be smart with your money before you even get on the plane. Before you book your ticket, consider these simple tips from KAYAK.com.au to stretch your dollar on the next trip.
Be flexible with travel dates and times
Having the flexibility to travel on a number of dates can help you track down lower fares. When searching flights, select +/-3 days to see which has the best times and prices around the period you are leaving, or use “Explore” to view flights across larger timeframes like spring or summer. When searching on KAYAK, simply select the “flex month” option and it will calculate the cheapest day for you. You can also have a look at our tips for saving with the best time to book in advance and the best days of the week to travel.
Split group fares into separate purchases
When searching for flights in a group, most travel booking websites will show you the lowest price for the total number of seats you have selected. This means if you have a group of four, and there are only two seats available at the lowest price, instead of selecting these, the site will show you the lowest price for all of the four seats together. To make sure you’re getting the cheapest seats for your group, search for one passenger first to see what the best price is and then compare it to the results you get when searching for multiple passengers. If you don’t mind splitting up the group, it can save you hundreds of dollars.
Think outside the round-trip box
If you’re planning to backpack your way through Europe or Asia, use KAYAK’s “multi-city” flight search to fly to one place and then back home from another, adding your internal flights in to the one purchase. You can fly between any destinations on the dates that suit you – essentially booking your own personal itinerary.
Embrace the “second city”
Famous destinations like Rome and Barcelona are well versed in the tourism industry. Millions of people head to these hotspots every year and their popularity is often reflected in the daily travel costs – which is why we recommend embracing the road less-travelled. Visit Ankara instead of Istanbul, Cádiz instead Madrid, and Carcassonne instead of Paris. Go where all the other tourists aren’t and reap the savings as a result. By doing this, hotels, transportation, and the cost of goods and services tend to be lower than what you will find in the bigger cities. Not only do you get to experience different destinations, with shorter lines at attractions, your dollar will go further every day.
Go where the dollar is the strongest
To get more bang-for-your-buck, think about travelling to countries where the Australian dollar is stronger. The dollar may be falling against the most favoured overseas destinations like London or New York, but there are still plenty of places around the world that won’t break the travel budget. When planning your next trip, look to places like our neighbouring New Zealand, or to far-flung destinations like Russia, Turkey, Brazil or Japan, all places where your Australian dollar will stretch that bit further.
Main image credit: Eisenstein@Shutterstock.com
Also Read>> Travel Hacks Around Europe That Save You Money
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