The internet is full of ‘travel hacks’ – some less useful than others. Over the years we’ve seen some really curious tips. Flyers have been urged to wear all their clothing to avoid baggage fees; hotel guests have been advised to boil noodles in their room kettle to save money; Beachgoers fearing theft have been encouraged to wrap their valuables in a diaper.
The following suggestions aren’t crazy, but they do work – and could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your next vacation.
Fly home on Monday, not Sunday
The timing of your long weekend getaway – Thursday to Sunday or Friday to Monday – makes a surprising difference, both in terms of costs and experience.
Usually it is the last option that is cheaper. Why? Because Sunday is a quiet night in city hotels, with demand dropping dramatically compared to all other days of the week. This makes it much more likely that you will get a competitive rate (or, in busy times, availability).
In addition, Sunday is often an excellent day for visiting the opera or ballet, and although many shops are closed, it is also the main day for Europe’s major flea markets.
Travel at the end of August, not the beginning
When it comes to saving the cost of your peak season vacation, good things come to those who wait. If you book for the end of August instead of the beginning, you will probably save several hundred euros. The reason is simple: most families want to get to the airport as soon as possible after schools break up and higher demand means higher prices. When Telegraph Travel investigated the phenomenon earlier this year, we found savings of up to £1,072 on hotel packages, up to £1,466 on villas, up to £115 on flights and up to £150 on car hire.
Do not reduce your deductible, but make sure you are insured
One of the annoying quirks of car rental agreements is the way the insurance works. All cars come with some level of cover, but if you have an accident, even a minor one, you’ll be charged a huge excess – most now costing £1,000 or more. To increase their profits, car rental companies will try to sell you a policy – sometimes through sales pressure – that either reduces the overpayment or waives the fee entirely.
Travellers, who are understandably reluctant to leave this £1,000 Sword of Damocles hanging on their holiday, will often just cough up the extra cash. But policies can be purchased for significantly less through independent insurers. Indeed, a Which one? An analysis earlier this month found that holidaymakers are being charged up to £199 for inferior excess waivers at the car rental counter, while superior policies are available online for as little as £16. Which? recommends Cover4rentals and ReduceMyExcess.
Skip the lines at airport security
At peak times – say early morning on a Saturday in summer – the security checkpoint lines can be depressingly long. But there is a simple solution. If you’re willing to pay to skip them, most airports now offer a fast-track pass (usually around £7 per person), which you need to book in advance via the airport site.
Take out travel insurance for the entire year
For anyone taking more than two or three holidays a year, a multi-trip policy usually offers the best value for money. These include all trips you take in a calendar year, with limits on the duration of each individual trip. A minimum of three or four trips usually results in total savings.
The other major advantage of a multi-trip policy is that you have continuous insurance and do not have to purchase a new policy every time you book. Normally you can choose, in order of cost, between global coverage, worldwide without North America or Europe only. Some paid bank accounts also come with good quality travel insurance that covers all your travel during the year.
Always choose the local currency
It is becoming increasingly common for shops, restaurants and overseas ATMs to offer the choice of a payment already converted into British Pounds, as an alternative to the amount being displayed in the local currency. Selecting the pre-converted rate will almost certainly cost you more. I’ve checked the comparison several times over the years and that option has always been more expensive. Always choose the local currency.
Play your cards right
But not all bank cards are the same. Many simply charge you for the privilege of using them abroad – typically an extra 2.99 percent on anything you buy and three percent or more if you use it to withdraw money from an ATM. Moreover, they may also offer you a lower exchange rate. So you’re hit with a double whammy every time.
However, if you choose the right card you can avoid all that and potentially make a real difference to your holiday costs. A select few offer exchange rates that don’t disadvantage you and don’t incur transaction fees if you use them abroad. Which? currently highlights three credit cards that do not charge such fees: the Halifax Clarity Credit Card, the Bip Credit Card (both MasterCard) and the Barclaycard Rewards Visa. For debit cards, Monzo, Starling Bank and the First Direct 1st Account offer good deals.
Start your long-haul flight in Europe
If you’re willing to start your long-haul journey outside Britain, you can save a small fortune, especially on business class tickets. Research carried out by Telegraph Travel last month revealed savings of up to £3,392 for those willing to fly to far-flung corners of the world via Oslo, Dusseldorf and Warsaw, with Gulf carriers Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates – usually offering the best options.
Fly ‘open jaw’
Similarly, so-called ‘open-jaw’ tickets, which involve a flight to one city but a journey home from another, can provide savings. A little planning is required. You’ll of course have to find a route that makes logistical sense – for example, flying to Paris and home from Lyon (after a 90-minute train journey), or arriving in Barcelona and departing from Zaragoza (also a 90-minute train journey). minute by train). In addition to small savings, this tactic can also encourage you to discover two cities on one trip, instead of just one.
Buy an eSim
While many younger travelers are likely familiar with eSims, older ones may not be. Post-Brexit, most major phone companies (O2 is an exception) have reintroduced data roaming charges for travel to EU countries, meaning British travelers could face huge bills when using their mobile phone.
Buying a physical Sim at the airport upon landing has long been a way to mitigate this. Some UK providers also offer data bundles in advance. However, the eSim is even simpler. You simply buy and activate a plan with a cheaper provider on landing, via an app, and can start using your phone straight away, often at a fraction of the roaming charges charged by your existing UK network.