Planning a trip away? Here are some simple hacks to a cheaper, less stressful holiday.
Saving Hacks
1) Flying Midweek
Flights on a Tuesday or Wednesday tend to be 15-25% cheaper than other days of the week. While this may not be ideal if you’re looking for a weekend break during term, it's worth taking advantage of during summer months. Why pay for a Monday flight when you can get one for half the price on a Wednesday?
2) The Earlier, the Better
While you may regret booking that flight when you hear the dreaded sound of your alarm at 3am, you certainly won’t when you check your bank balance. Additionally, it’ll give you a full day to explore, and kickstart your tan, rather than cutting your first day short by being stuck in an airport. So why not arrive ASAP and make the most of your short trip while also saving money? Exhaustion also happens to be the perfect excuse for a long sunbathe!
3) Travel at off-peak times
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This is probably the most useful travel advice you can get as a student. You can save ridiculous amounts by traveling at seemingly random times. The price difference between a holiday in July and a holiday in September is insane! Have your big summer blowout just before going back to college – it’ll mark the end of summer nicely, and save you a lot of money.
4) Going Incognito
Though unproven and often denied by airlines, many experts and travelers suggest going incognito to find the lowest prices for flights, so your browser can’t track and target you with inflated prices. While this may not be true, it’s definitely worth a try. So make sure you clear your cache and cookies when you’re booking your flight online just in case the theory is true.
Airport Hacks
5) Mark your baggage as fragile.
This may be extremely cheeky but it will get you out of the airport and into the sun a lot faster. Before checking on your bag, ask for a fragile label. Your bag will be handled with care and will most likely be kept at the top of the pile at all times, meaning it will most likely be the first bag off the plane and you won’t be waiting a century to reclaim it. If you’re traveling in a group, make sure all your friends do it so you’re not all painfully waiting on that one suitcase.
6) Avoid Families like the plague
Terrible as it sounds, it works. When queuing up to go through security, slyly scan the lines. Choose the one with the fewest children and the most adults who appear to be traveling alone. You can assume they are on business trips and are used to traveling. They know airport procedure well, and will get through security as quick as they can, giving you more time for duty free shopping. Big families with young children tend to be extremely slow, so do yourself a favour and avoid them at all costs.
7) Wear your heaviest clothes on the day of the flight
This isn’t really relevant in relation to a sun holiday as most summer clothing and shoes don’t weigh much. However, if you are flying during winter or at any cool time of year, make sure you wear your heaviest coat, jumper, jeans and shoes on that flight. You may be sweating like crazy rushing around the airport, but it’s worth it to be sure your luggage is within the weight restriction.
