Here are 3 things to do to save money when booking solo travel.
1. Let the price determine where you go.
Everywhere I go is based on the price. While I have a list of places I would like to visit, WHEN I will get to those places is completely determined by when I see a deal. This is why I do most of my travel in the winter and in the fall because that’s when airline and hotel accommodations prices are lowest. Save money when booking solo travel by letting the price determine where you go.
2. Book early
Whenever I find a great rate, I book it! Often the travel dates are 8 – 12 months in the future. I book early. The earlier you book the better rate you’re going to get. So, if there are places you know you want to visit in 2023 you should be booking them now. You should be tracking the best rates you can find using a service like Scott’s Cheap Flights and you should be booking them as soon as you see the best rate. Save money when booking solo travel by booking early.
3. Use credit card points
I only use credit cards that give me points and do not charge foreign transaction fees. My favorites right now are Chase Sapphire Preferred and my American Express Hilton Aspire.
If I see a good flight deal on Going (formerly Scotts Cheap Flights), I pay for it with credit card points if I can instead of cash. If I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred, I get five times the points if I book my trip directly through them using the information I got from Scott’s.
Or alternatively, if I have enough points, I just use the points for the trip that I found at the lower price either way I’m saving.
So, I make sure I get the deal but I’ll use points to cover it. For example, I found an inexpensive flight to Lisbon Portugal last year (2021) for travel this past March 2022 and I used Chase Sapphire Preferred points to cover the cost of the flight which was about $350
I love my Chase Sapphire Preferred card!
Benefits include:
- 2X points on travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- 3X times point for Uber rides and 5X for Lyft
- 2X points for restaurant meals worldwide
- No blackout dates or restrictions when you book reservations through Ultimate Rewards
- Trip cancellation and trip delay reimbursement benefits for any trip booked using the card
If you have a big-ticket purchase that you know you’re going to have to make anyway charge it to your credit card and get the points.
The key is to pay your full balance every single month and avoid interest because interest rates on these cards are extremely high.
Apply for a Chase Sapphire Preferred and take advantage of its great benefits.
Another relevant tip:
I tend to use hotel accommodations for short stays 4 nights or less and short-term rentals for longer stays 5 days or more.
If I’m staying in a hotel, I am going to look at hotels where I have a loyalty points program. My favorite is Hilton Honors.
I also like to use Booking.com because I can find hotels with free cancellation policies and often places where there is no pre-payment required for booking.
So, if I can’t find a Hilton with a nightly rate that works for me, I go with Booking.com.
But my first choice nowadays is Hilton because I get a reduced rate for being a member of Hilton Honors and I earn double points on my stay when I use my American Express Hilton Aspire card. I also earn points for future stays. Benefits also include Travel Insurance, trip cancellation, and Trip reimbursement.
The way the airlines are behaving nowadays it doesn’t make sense to use a credit card to book airline reservations that will not provide you with trip cancellation and Trip reimbursement benefits.
With the American Express Hilton Aspire card, I not only get points for my stay at Hilton hotels but it includes:
- $250 Airline Fee Credit
- $100 Property Credit
- Priority Pass™ Select
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
- Baggage Insurance Plan
So consider applying for the American Express Hilton Aspire card and take advantage of its benefits when planning solo travel. Save money when booking solo travel by using credit card points.
So, to recap my top 3 tips for saving money when booking solo travel are:
1. Let the price determine where you go.
2. Book early
3. Use credit card points.
Check out my Youtube Video where I talk a bit more about how I use these 3 steps to save money on solo travel!
Enjoy these top 3 tips for saving money when booking airlines and accommodations for solo travel. I hope they are helpful!
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Check out these solo travel blog posts:
HOW TO TAKE GREAT PHOTOS ON SOLO TRAVEL: 5 THINGS TO DO!
3 WAYS TO BUILD A SOLO TRAVEL MINDSET
10 SOLO TRAVEL MISTAKES TO AVOID!
4 MORE OF MY FAVORITE SAFETY APPS & GADGETS FOR SOLO TRAVEL!
7 SAFETY TIPS FOR WOMEN OVER 40 TRAVELING SOLO
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