9 Insider Travel Tips for Your Next Journey

Choose the In-Flight Asian-Vegetarian Option

If you're flight is long enough to serve a meal, be wary of mystery meat and greasy foods. Niche meals, like the Asian-vegetarian option, are made in smaller batches so they're often higher quality and won't contribute to jetlag as much.

Join an Airline Loyalty Program

Even if you don't think you travel often enough to make an airline loyalty program worth it, join one. This is your best chance of getting a flight upgrade, even if you stay at a low point level.

Embrace Tuesday Travel

The strategy of buying airline tickets on Tuesdays for the best deals is still a good idea. If your schedule is flexible, plan to fly out and back on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, or on (not around) holidays like Christmas.

Pack Earplugs

Excess noise and annoyances are part of the travel experience, but that doesn't mean they have to drive you crazy. Pack a good pair or two of earplugs for your flight and hotel room, just in case.

Ask for a Corner Room

When you check in at a hotel, discretely ask if there's a corner room available. These are usually larger and quieter for the same price as ones in the middle of the hall. Upgrades are most often offered at the end of the day when hotels have a better sense of their occupancy.

Choose an In-Town Rental Location

Airports tend to charge car rental companies high rent, and some of that cost gets passed down to travelers. If you don't mind a little inconvenience, it's often cheaper to take a shuttle bus or cab to a rental office in town instead of the airport.

Don't Pay for the Mini Bar

Mini bar charges are frequently disputed because they are stocked by hand and often miscalculated. Carefully review your hotel's itemized bill and if you see any mini bar charges that aren't right, dispute them. Most front desk staff won't hesitate to void the charges.

Fill Up a Reusable Water Bottle

Bottled water on cruise ships can cost up to $4! Save money by bringing an empty reusable one in your bag. The water is clean and flows from a filtered reservoir on the ship.

Ask Crew Members about Free Souvenirs

Lots of free stuff is lying around cruise ships, such as t-shirts, crossword puzzles, and postcards. Make friends with the crew members and nicely ask what kind of freebies may be available for souvenirs. Just don't forget to tip!

Get the Weekly Car Rental Rate

It's a bit puzzling that car rental companies charge more for driving less, but the weekly rate is often cheaper than driving just four days. You may be able to get the weekly rate for just five days, so keep the car a bit longer if you can.

We hope that you found the tips on this page helpful and can put them to use on your next vacation. Whether you plan to fly, drive, or cruise, become an expert trip planner by using our travel comparison tool for all your transportation and hotel needs. Please visit us again and sign up for our newsletter to keep getting the best deals and travel tips.