These tricks with help you to save time, funds and money to see and feel more during your journeys.
Watch Prices
Even those who leave home to visit the nearby shop, know that reserving tickets long before a trip helps to save significant funds. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend days on websites of air companies to catch the expected sale. For instance, “Aviasales” website though out it all for you. It is enough to sign up for the certain city or country, and you will receive notifications about discount prices for tickets onto your email.
There are applications in Google Play and App Store, that help you keep an eye on prices as well (Skyscanner, Aviasales, etc).
It is useful to sign up for air transport companies’ news. Yes, nobody likes receiving spam messages, but there can be something worthy, too.
Use Stopovers
Stopover — is a free stop in the transit point with the possibility to stay there for a day or more. For instance, if you fly through North America, you can have a stopover for 4 and more hours; through Central America – for 6 and more. If to fly to Thailand through Sri-Lanka, you can stay in Colombo for 4 days. The most pleasant thing for stopovers – ticket price remains unchanged. You can’t see the whole Rio-de-Janeiro in five hours, but you can see the overall picture of that city for sure.
The information about possible stopovers is in the tariff rules (fare conditions, fare rules). If a stopover is allowed, tell the company you want to stay a bit longer in the transfer point city.
In order to not be cheated, see the prices of separate tickets, taking the arrival and departure dates into account.
Look for “Multiple destinations” on websites of air transport companies: those are stopovers. If your tariff has stopover included, the company registers visa for you, presents hotel and transfer. If the duration of your stop is longer than 24 hours, you need to receive your luggage and take it with you.
Besides, there are special communities in many cities of the world, connecting guides who expect for stopover tourists to come. Google and Facebook will help you there.
Choose Plane Seats Beforehand
Those who ever traveled by plane know how important is to choose a good seat, especially if it is going to be a long flight. While planning a trip, see the plane scheme in advance. There are enough websites in the Internet allowing doing that. If you feel weak and sick on the board of a plane, choose a seat in the front part of the airship.
Join a Group
Aren’t you brave enough to travel on your own? You don’t have to do that. Become a part of a tourist group. There can be professional guides and newbie travelers like you. You will find companions and possibilities to practice your language skills for quite a moderate price. There are lots of tourist groups: “Flash Pack”, “Interpid”, “Travenly”, etc.
Use Bags and Baskets to Store Things
A folding basket for clothes will be useful on a journey: keep dirty clothes in it. The bag for delicate clothes wash can be useful as well. In a large zip-lock-bag you can easily transport wet clothes (a swimsuit that was used some hours before the departure, for example).
Take a Facial Spray to the Plane
Wetting facial spray in the format that is allowed to be brought to the board will support hydro-balance of your skin and save you from dry air.
Have “Functional” Clothes
Functional and light jacket that can just be rolled up and placed into a special and light cover-bag won’t take much space and will be useful if you need to leave early in the morning, to arrive late at night, or when flying from one climate zone to another.
Order Meals In Advance
Are you going to travel through the USA? Pay attention to the app named “Grab”. It will help you choose and order a dinner or a cup of tea in the restaurants that are close to your required terminal. This can be done in most airports of the country.
Pay for Wi-Fi Beforehand
Some companies (for instance, Virgin America and JetBlue) do not offer free Wi-Fi on boards of their planes. Ask about that, and pay for Internet access in advance.
Ask About Free Services
Numerous companies have a wide range of free services for their passengers. You may not know about them if you do not ask directly. Toys, puzzles, pencils for children, wet handkerchiefs, cookies and juices: do not be too shy to ask, they are free.
It is hard to believe in, but some companies (Air Canada, KLM, Eithad Airways) still offer free alcohol to passengers during international flights. Yes, all you need to do is to ask.
Rent a Car
In many countries, it is easier and cheaper to rent a car than to use taxi or public transport. You’ll find apps helping to rent cars in different cities and states on App Store and Google Play.
Know More About Destination Point
Knowing cultural specialties, you can save funds on small details. Before you leave for a trip, find out the standard amount of tips for waiters in this or that country, know if you need to pay for pure water in restaurants, and at what time products on local markets are the cheapest.
Use a Tourist Card
This card can help you save lots of money on city routes. For example, you can buy a two-day “ticket” for 50 museums of Paris with only 48 euro. The Italian “Firenzecard” costs 72 euro. It offers 72 hours of visits for 72 museums of the country.
Look for Free Places of Interest
Free places of interest and entertainments can be found in every city. In New York City, guides-enthusiasts offer free excursions (there can be found ones who spend them on foot). In Madrid, entering museums is free on Sundays. In Amsterdam, volunteers provide excursing tours through the city.