Air Travel
Join frequent flyer and rewards travel programs to earn credits toward free flights. Value airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue offer a plethora of rewards seats on most flights, and you can qualify for a freebie quicker than you might think, thanks to the rise in frequent flyer rewards perks.
Book your flights during low-traffic times when airlines cut prices to sell more seats. Go for a vacay on a Tuesday or Wednesday and return on a mid-week day or a Saturday and you'll increase your chances of finding cheap airfare.
Try discount travel sites like Priceline, Expedia or Hotwire to save money on your airfare. Go for air and hotel package deals and you'll save even more.
Be flexible on your travel times and dates if you can. If you are willing to travel at 6 a.m. or on a holiday, you'll find great deals on plane tickets.
Hotels
Be flexible about the area you plan to stay in. If you are willing to stay in a suburb or outside the main tourist hubs, you can save more than enough money to make up for commute costs.
Search hotel sites for package deals or specials and look for deals on third party discount sites like Priceline.
Check out hotel reviews before booking a cheap hotel. You'll want to make sure the hotel is safe and satisfactory for your standards. Trip Advisor is a great resource for reviews.
Forego the unnecessary luxuries in favor of getting out and seeing the city more. It may be tempting to order breakfast in bed or purchase a spa package, but if you don't really need these extras, skip them and go exploring instead.
Attractions
Most destinations offer plenty of free attractions you can find with a quick Google search or by asking your hotel concierge for recommendations. Some common free or low-cost places include parks, monuments, museums, churches and historic structures, zoos and festivals. One of the best parts of traveling is exploring, so strike out in search of your own fun freebies.
Bon voyage!
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
