New Year, New Adventures: 6 Travel Hacks You’ve Got to Try in 2019! Tasmiah Rashid January 15, 2019 Budget Travel, Travel Tips New year, new adventures! Sound like your motto for 2019? If one of your new year resolutions is to travel more, you probably already know that you have your work cut out for you. From working with shoestring budgets to trying to make the most of those limited vacation days, it’s never easy embarking on a trip, especially if you’re not an avid traveler or are a complete newbie to the travel scene. Luckily for you, we’ve got some expert tips on how to turn your resolution into a reality! With a few easy workarounds, a bit of creativity and some thorough planning, traveling more can be a much more attainable goal for your new year. Read on to see our best 2019 travel hacks to get you going on your new-year excursions. Take More Weekend Trips Of course, a two-week vacation in an exotic destination on the other side of the globe sounds like a dream. But realistically, between the piling expenses, planning around busy schedules, and trying to figure out how to maximize those numbered vacation days, chances are that you won’t be able to fit more than one or two of these a year. Split those two weeks into a few mini getaways, and those two trips just turned into five (or more)! If getting in lots of travel is your goal, you can tick off more destinations while also saving a pretty penny if you opt for weekend trips. Whether it’s a road trip, a train ride, or some short domestic round trip flights, exploring nearby states and cities is a great option. Not only can you discover a new destination in just a few short days, but you’ll also be able to get that much-needed, revitalizing break from daily life, without breaking the bank! Opt for Long Stopovers Stopovers have a bad reputation. Many novice travelers assume layovers just mean waiting around in an airport to save some money. But, it’s time to change that mindset in 2019! When you’re booking a flight to a foreign destination, see if they have options for extended layovers. Free or low-cost stopover programs are terrific and present the opportunity to get extra trips out of your travel itinerary, without having to pay for additional flights. In hopes that you contribute back to their tourism economy, many country-specific airlines offer anything from free hotel stays to sponsored airport transfers if you choose to hang back and spend some time in their mainstay locations. Can you think of a better way to see two different places in one trip on a budget? No? Us either. What are you waiting for? Jet set on your 2019 adventures today with cheap round trip flights! Don’t Be Afraid to Mix and Match Airlines If you’re not one for loyalty points or a die-hard, one-airline-only kind of traveler, don’t be afraid to mix and match carriers. Sometimes referred to as “fusion fares”, choosing assorted airlines on various legs of your trip allows you to book the cheapest fares, getting you the best deal on your tickets. Booking this way does take a bit of work, especially if you’re switching carriers mid-trip, but it’s also a great way for you to save money on round trip flights. Some online travel agencies do the work for you and actually offer these types of fares right off-the-bat. But, if you’re someone who doesn’t mind rolling up their sleeves to get to work, just remember to give yourself enough time in between connecting flights and be sure to read through the baggage allowance rules as they vary from airline to airline and ticket to ticket. Embrace Bleisure Although not an entirely new concept, bleisure (business + leisure) trips have grown quite popular in the last few years. And in 2019, the number of people who travel for work is only increasing. If you have a few work trips coming up, take advantage of those paid-for flights and ask your boss if you can add a few extra days on to a trip. Turning your vocation travel into vacation travel by staying a little longer is a total win-win! Not only will you get some solid work done with that clear mind, but you’ll also be maximizing your paid time off at the same time (not to mention that you’ll probably return to your job refreshed). Travel in the Off-Season If you’re set on traveling to those long-haul or oh-so-expensive popular destinations and won’t settle for anything less (even if you can’t afford it), plan a trip in the off-season. This might not be the easiest task for some (like those who teach during the school year) but if you’re able to take off the time, traveling to a destination during its quieter months is the best way to go. Prices on everything from flights and hotels to food and entertainment are cheaper during the off-season, not to mention you might actually get a proper selfie in front of that monument you’ve been waiting to see…without a ton of strangers in your picture. Sure, the weather may not be ideal, but if you want to avoid long, endless lines, chaotic crowds, and want your wallet to thank you, it’s totally worth it! Book in Advance Baby boomers have already caught on to this trend, planning their trips earlier than ever; in fact, many of them are already booked for their 2019 travels! So, Millennials, Gen Xers and GenZers…it’s time to catch up. So many of us are guilty of waiting to book our travels until last-minute in hopes of either scoring an unbeatable deal or simply because we put it off too long (oops!). In any case, jumping on the Baby Boomer trend of booking well in advance can help avoid running into overpriced flights and accommodation while also allowing you to get your time-off approvals before everyone else. Not to mention, all the time you’ll have to plan your perfect itinerary. Which of these travel hacks will you be using to book your new year adventures? Let us know in the comments below!
