Luxury travel might sound like it’s completely out of your reach, but you might be surprised how affordable you can make a luxurious getaway. Before you settle for another red-eye flight and dorm-style hostel room, check out these tips on making luxury travel more affordable.
Start doing your research early
Start looking at hotel prices and airline rates as early as possible, and don’t forget to shop around. With a little digging, you might find alternative resorts, travel deals, a budget-friendly package or flights that could save you a bundle on your luxurious trip.
Choose undiscovered destinations
When it comes to luxury travel, the well-known destinations are typically going to command a hefty price tag. While you probably won’t find a bargain on flights to luxurious destinations like Tahiti or Bora Bora, you’ll have much better luck with rates if you book an upscale resort at a less-visited destination. Think Portugal’s Azores rather than Greece’s Santorini, or Thailand’s Koh Lao Liang instead of the crowded beaches of Phuket. Undiscovered destinations can offer all of the luxury of a popular tourist destination but without the high prices.
Travel during off-season
Luxury resorts and upscale destinations don’t turn off the charm come off-season, but they do lower their prices. Shoulder season (a period between peak and off-peak seasons) is another great time to visit, thanks to fewer crowds and more affordable rates. Consider visiting outside of peak season when possible to make your trip that much more affordable.
Use points and miles
If you haven’t been earning airline miles or hotel points through loyalty programs, it’s time to start. You can cash in your miles and points for free airline tickets or hotel nights, both of which will make your next luxury trip much more affordable. Try flying with one airline and its partners or staying at one hotel group so you can maximize the amount of rewards you have with a single entity, rather than having a few points across a half-dozen different brands. You might also want to consider a credit card that earns miles or points, so you can start earning rewards for your everyday purchases. While most credit cards that offer mileage rewards come with an annual fee, it can be worthwhile if it earns you a couple of free, round-trip airplane tickets in first class.
(Main image: Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
