1.) Decide WHERE you want to go.
Is there a special event your traveling for? wedding? Somewhere you have been dreaming to see, or maybe a place that has always sparked your curiosity? Well, no time like the present to get out there and see the world.
TRAVEL TIP => A great way to stretch your vacation days, break up long travel and see as much of the world as possible is to incorporate a stopover. Airwander is a site that helps factor in stopovers. I always play around on here to see
- Layover: anything less than 23 hours
- Stopover 24 hours +
2.)
The time of the year you travel to locations can make a BIG difference in price. Pick a few dates and do some research on the times of the year. US Holidays tend to be more expensive, the rainy season in certain areas are less expensive, but then you run the risk on a drenched holiday. Also, look into the local holidays, some countries will shut down during these times. I always suggest doing some research on the areas before you decide.
TRAVEL TIP= > Utilize HOPPER to help plan your travel dates. It helps
3.) DURATION: How many days can you travel
I know the duration depends on the amount of vacation time we have and of course our funds, but its good to have an idea of how many days you can allot to your travel.
TRAVEL TIP => Remember traveling (no matter where) but especially across the world takes TIME! A lot of time, so make sure to factor in the days you will lose in the air when planning your travel. If you are flying to across the globe you want to make sure you’re spending more time exploring and enjoying then in the air.
4.) HOW are you going to get there
This is the most difficult part of any trip for me.
I utiliz flight Matrix to help figure out which days/months will be best (cheapest) to fly. If you are unfamiliar with flight matrix click HERE for GREAT how to by The Flight Deal. I also suggest trying different departure cities, like JFK or LAX.
TRAVEL TIP => Utilize domestic flight points to get you to the city you need to depart, so you can invest in your international flights. Frequent flyer points and Chase sapphire reserve is a MUST!
SITES TO HELP FIND GREAT FLIGHT DEALS:
- The Flight Deal
- Book through Chase Travel (we LOVE the Chase Saphhire Reserve)
- Costco Travel– best if you want more of a guided/mapped out trip, we tend to research and plan our own, but they have GREAT deals on top hotels, flights, and rental cars.
- Travel Zoo– I always check here to see what they are offering and get ideas for travel.
- Book Direct through the Airlines Website
TRAVEL TIP => If you find a great deal DONT WAIT!! BOOK ASAP! I can’t tell you how many times I second-guessed myself and came back and the price had skyrocketed.
Happy Roaming….
Coming soon: How to Plan your Adventures and make the most of your time abroad.