If one of your aims for 2023 is to travel more and explore different parts of the world - you will need to make sure you are up to date with how to travel cheap this year.
As the shadow of the pandemic recedes even further, it looks like 2023 is going to be the year when many travelers can enjoy much more travel options than in the past few years. More destination flights are becoming available and flyers will have to deal with fewer of the delays and restrictions which have plagued travel in the past few years.
So, now is a wonderful time to start investigating the best travel hacks which will allow you to make it to your dream destinations this year. Read below to discover the best cheap ways to travel in 2023.
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The Cheapest Ways to Travel in 2023
Start With Booking The Cheapest Flight
One of the biggest puzzle pieces when it comes to budget travel is snagging the cheapest flight possible. Finding the cheapest flight available for your destination and then booking your time off accordingly can potentially save you a lot of extra cash to spend on your vacation.
However, most people will book their time off first, and then look for the flights available within this time. This can severely cut your chances of finding a great deal for your flights.
So, if you want to find cheap ways to travel in 2023, you should try to find the cheapest flights available before booking any other elements of your travel. Making this adjustment in your planning will help you to travel the world while keeping costs down as much as possible.
To get started, head to the Google Flights search engine and input your ideal destinations or a general period in which you want to travel in. You can use this search to research the cheapest days to travel for your vacation (you may find that traveling or returning a day or two later or earlier will save you money.)
Reaming flexible about elements of your travel such as your flying dates, destinations, and the airport you are willing to travel from can also help you make substantial savings.
If your job doesn't allow you much flexibility when it comes to flight dates, then you can set up a price alert on Google Flights so that you are quickly notified when a cheap flight becomes available. You may still be able to save quite a bit of money by booking a flight using this method.
Use Google Flights to Research How to Travel Cheap
One of the best travel hacks online which is hard to beat when it comes to cheap flights is Google Flights. This search engine will let you search and compare the flight prices available from nearly every airline and you can filter these according to the price you are looking to pay. You can also access information about baggage fees and additional fees on basic economy tickets to get an accurate idea of the total cost.
If you can't find a flight deal that meets your requirements on your first search, then set up an alert to notify you when new deals become available.
So, before you begin planning any journey in 2023, using Google Flights is one of the best ways to find cheap ways to travel this year. After that, you can also use other travel websites such as Expedia to make sure you are getting the very best deal.
Use Your Frequent Flyers and Rewards Points
There are a wide variety of different travel credit cards available which will allow you to collect discounts for travel bookings, hotel stays, travel insurance, and rental cars amongst other offers. So, applying for a card that will allow you to earn points for travel during your everyday spending is an essential travel hack.
Whether you want to discover how to travel cheap, get a discount on first class flights, or increase how often you explore the globe - travel points could be the answer! So, researching and applying for a rewards credit card with travel benefits is an essential step.
The majority of cards will reward you with a large rewards points bonus when you successfully apply. These could be in the realm of 60,000 or more points if you meet the spending requirements within the first few months of owning the cards.
You can then add onto this initial bonus lump with points you gather while spending in supermarkets, restaurants, partner companies, and using online shopping portals associated with the card.
However, before you rush to apply for a travel card, remember you should assess whether this fits into your current financial lifestyle. If you can't afford the annual fees, or can't pay off your balance right away, you could fall into debt and harm your credit score.
Remember, the goal here is to save money overall and there is no point in using a travel card if it is going to harm your finances in other areas.
Remain Flexible and Open to Offers and Opportunities
If your work schedule allows you a certain amount of travel freedom, remaining flexible about both your destination and travel dates is going to be the best travel hack for saving money.
Many of us have a bucket list of dream destinations we would love to visit, but too often find the cost prohibitive. But, now using services such as Google alerts, you can set up notifications so that you are instantly made aware of when a flight deal become available that falls within your budget.
You may also find that some of your favorite trips end up being to locations you have never really thought about before. Google flights will let you search for the cheapest locations available from your nearest airport or within a certain period. Remaining open to different destinations can therefore be a great way to enjoy a memorable trip in a great location for a reasonable price.
Being open-minded about when you would like to travel is also a key component in learning how to travel cheap. Airlines will price their seats according to how much competition there is for seats. So, booking a vacation during the height of summer is unlikely to give you access to many cheap flight deals.
Instead, you should be open to booking flights during the shoulder seasons of May to early June and August to October. These flights are in less demand and cost less as a result.
And remember, going on vacation abroad during this time doesn't necessarily mean missing out on the best weather. In fact, some countries can be uncomfortably hot during peak summer and more comfortable in the earlier and late summer months.
Takeaway - How to Travel More in 2023
2023 is looking to be a great year to commit to traveling abroad and if you want to make the best of the deals available you need to keep up to date with the best travel hacks.
One of the keys to learning how to travel cheap is flexibility. Being open in terms of your destination, your travel dates, or the airport you are leaving from can all increase your chances of finding cheap ways to travel in 2023.
Using the travel hacks we have highlighted above; you should find that you can enjoy some great deals and discounts on your travel this year.
