Save Big On Travel

15 Things You Need To Know To Save Big On 2017 Summer Travel

Summer is just around the corner so to get flights and accommodations at the right price you need to plan ahead. The dollar strength paired with plummeting flight prices has made 2017 a good cost-effective year to travel. For those that even make a comfortable amount of money, traveling outside the country feels like an unattainable goal. It may seem too expensive and demands on planning even when you have vacation days can seem over the top. However here are 15 tips that can keep your costs low and hopefully start to plan a summer vacation that you've been putting off.

The dollars in a strong place now, which helps those traveling from the United States. There is no guarantee that this will hold up into the summer but as of today, one dollar is equivalent of €2.94. In perspective in August 2015 one dollar converted to €0.89.
Hotels can become your second choice compared to prices offered by airbnb’s, hostels or other housing options such as HomeAway.com. According to the American Express global business travel report, hotel prices may rise between 2% and 4% in North America this year. Please read more how to How to Get Hotel Discounts.
Alternative housing options are making travel more affordable. Busbud compared hotel and Airbnb prices and found that across 22 cities in North America, Australia and Europe, Airbbnb ended up being the cheapest way to go.
Summer of 2017 travel can be cheaper than last summer. June 6 is the cheapest day of summer to travel and July 9 is the most expensive date of fly. If you have to travel around July 4 try to travel on that day it is the cheapest day in July to travel.
You can get a pass to every national park in the U.S. for $80. For senior citizens there is a lifetime national park pass and it is $10.
You can save money by going against the grain. Summer is peak season so picking a less common summer destination is a great way to cash in on deals. For example, May through August in Costa Rica is supposed to be reasonably priced and there are typically fewer tourists.
You can have someone else plan your trip for you and keep it within your budget. Pack Up and Go will plan your trip after you enter your budget and your travel preferences. They even send you a packing list and plan everything for you.
Sundays may be the worst day to fly that they are the best time to book. The best time to book seems to be constantly changing, in the past; Tuesdays and Thursdays were the best time to buy a plane ticket. However this summer, Sundays are the best time to book.
You should always book more than 21 days in advance. Spontaneity is fun but costly.
Brexit is making it cheaper to travel to England. London is cheaper the summer because the pound is losing strength. The summer tickets to Europe are supposed to hit their cheapest and in May and flights to Zürich saw 42% drop this year.
Bundling your travel can save you money. Skip over travel deals offered on websites like Expedia or Kayak, but sometimes they drive down the price of your trip. Do a price comparison before opting for the flight hotel car package.
Flying on Tuesdays and Wednesdays will save you money on airfare. This summer Cheap Air found that flights on Tuesdays were $65 less in flights on Sundays.
The biggest itinerary drops have been for travelers going to South America to Southeast Asia. If you're traveling from Brazil to Thailand you're in luck.
When you find the best travel deals, beware of the places that boost cheap air but are expensive once you get there.
There are travel deals where you least expect them. Sites such as hotels.com, Expedia and Kayak are good but Groupon and LivingSocial also offer travel deals worth looking into.