8 Tips to Travel for Cheap in College

Utilize a variety of airline search engines and sights to find your flight. Different sites may be able to find better prices for your flight, and you’ll find the best deal by comparing.

You can also sign up for email alerts with Scott’s Cheap Flights — a site that monitors deals across the internet.

There’s one site in particular with a unique travel hack that’s earning some headlines — Skiplagged. This flight booking site uses hidden city loopholes for cheaper fares.

A hidden city flight is one where your destination is actually the layover stop on a flight heading somewhere else. For example, if you want to go from Seattle to Dallas, it could be cheaper to book a flight from Seattle to Orlando with a layover in Dallas. And then you simply don’t get on the second flight. There are a few caveats with this strategy. You can’t check a bag, can only book one-way flights, and airlines really don’t like it when you do this. If you use this method too much, airlines could take action against you. Also, don’t attach your frequent flyer number to the ticket, as airlines can seize your miles. This loophole is best utilized when you really can’t find a good price anywhere else and are on a tight budget.

At the end of the day, comparison is your strongest budget tool. We found flights on Skiplagged that claimed to be a good deal, but actually ended up being more expensive than booking the same flight on the airline’s actual website.

There are several travel programs that allow you to immerse yourself in the local life, learn some new skills, meet new people, and save on room and board. There are cultural exchange opportunities where you can work or volunteer on farms, ranches, vineyards, wellness centers, and other businesses.

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is one organization that will connect you with farms across the world. You’ll experience the daily life of your host, work on the farm, and get free room and board. There are farms across the United States as well, so you don’t have to go far for these opportunities.

Another program that arranges work for board programs is called Workaway. This service will connect you with work opportunities on farms and ranches as well as at hostels and babysitting gigs. On Workaway, you can find renovation projects in France, dog training opportunities in Norway, and teaching jobs in Tanzania.

Travel credit cards can score you a variety of travel discounts and perks. Miles and points earned with travel credit cards usually have more transfer value than regular credit cards.

Travel cards like the Platinum Card from American Express and the Capital One Venture Card can also grant you access to airport lounges. Translation: free food and drinks.

Your card may offer credits for a range of travel expenses, like baggage fees, lounge access, in-flight Wi-Fi, or Uber trips. For example, Capital One Venture Card will give you a $100 credit to go towards the application fee for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($80).

Paying for all your travel with a credit card can protect your spending too. Credit cards can protect you from strange hotel charges or deposits and dispute fraud. Many travel cards also have some form of trip insurance and can help cover expenses if your flight is delayed for a long time.

Checking a bag typically costs $30 each way. If you can slim down your packing to just a carry-on, that’s $60 in savings you can put towards food and souvenirs. Doing laundry on your trip is cheaper than checking a bag. Not to mention, it can be quite a bit easier to travel and navigate a new place when you’ve packed light.

If you’re really committed to packing light, you can try traveling with just a backpack.

According to Hopper, a site that predicts and analyzes airfare, you can save an average of $75 by flying out on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. The weekends will be the most expensive, so you can save money on flights if you time your trip to depart and return on a weekday.

Weekday travel is also likely to be less stressful when it comes to TSA lines, transportation, and general airport chaos.

There are a few ways to choose a destination that will be inherently more budget-friendly. The most obvious tip is to pick a place that generally has a low cost of living. For example, Thailand has a reputation for extremely cheap food and accommodations — you can find hotels for as little as $7 per night.

Opting for a destination with ample public transportation can also help you save money by skipping a rental car. Similarly, a city with many hostel options can make it easy to find budget-friendly accommodations.

Another way to lower your vacation cost is to choose destinations where you have friends or family to stay with. This can help you save money on accommodation.

We also suggest considering locations with plenty of free excursions and attractions. Washington D.C., for example, has an endless list of free activities and exhibits.

It’s also savvy to travel to popular destinations during their offseason. Hotel and flight prices for places like Hawaii will be cheaper in the fall than during spring break.

If you’re planning on traveling abroad, you can take advantage of student discounts. Get the International Student Identity Card. It works as proof of your student status and is internationally accepted. You can use it for discounts on accommodation, food, VPN services, shopping, and more.

If you’re not traveling internationally, you should still bring your student ID and ask about student discounts anywhere you go. For example, Amtrak and Greyhound offer student discounts for domestic destinations.

Check your (and your parents’) memberships and affiliations for travel discounts. Many banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and other memberships offer discounts for travel. For example, USAA will waive the under-25 rental car fee, and AAA can hook you up with free vacation planning ripe with discounts.

If you have a credit card, they likely have a travel portal where you can book discounted vacation packages, rental cars, and hotels. Memberships at businesses like Costco also offer travel and vacation discounts you can take advantage of.

We also recommend signing up for travel rewards programs with hotels, airlines, and rental car companies. This strategy is more of a long-game tactic, as you’ll earn rewards after spending money with these companies. There are some perks you can receive for simply signing up, though. For example, Hilton Honors members can get a discounted rate, no resort fees, free water bottles, cookies, early check-in, and upgrades on their room.