Passenger Through The World

tips from my suitcase

I love apps! I mean, c’mon, we live in the world of technology and travel apps are the best way to see the places on your bucket list one $1 less at a time. Here, I put the apps, sites or tips I’ve gotten throughout my travels to give my pocketbook some relief. There are some times that I have to splurge and that’s ok, “twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do” and I’d rather be rich in experiences than in money. One of my favorite quotes puts perspective into travel and money and that’s “travel while you’re young and able. Don’t worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money will ever be.”

How I book flights:

• Skycanner: You can find cheap flights by comparing from different airlines. Think of it as a Orbitz or Travelocity, but a little cheaper. The app is owned by Trip.com and the travel agency is based in Scotland. I’ve gotten great deals for European flights through this app!

• Southwest Airlines: I love Southwest because they’re not only cheaper than most airlines, but you can use your points towards flights and cancel at anytime without cancellation fees. No one likes to feel punished for having to change or cancel their trip and Southwest does a great job of being flexible to your changes. The downside, sometimes there are no direct flights. I’ve flown to New York over 20 times and always have a connection, but hey, that’s an excuse to check out that airport and have a glass of wine in between flights, right? You can also buy points and transfer points from other travel cards!

• Chase: Let me tell you, the investment and commitment I’ve made in paying the annual fee for the Chase Reserve Card has been the best decision I have made! Besides all the perks you get, 3x the points for travel, dining and hotels, free Priority Pass lounge access, Global Entry fee waived, you also get access to Visa benefits.  This card is worth paying the $450 annual fee! You get back $300 just buy making purchases on flights and hotels through their Ultimate Rewards Program. If you travel even once, you’ve paid off the fee for the year before you know it. If Chrissy Teigen ever needs an assistant spokesperson for this card, I’m available!  

How I book hotel/place to stay:

• Hotel Tonight (app): Your perk levels allow you to get cheaper deals on great hotels. The best part is you can get rewards of $50 if you invite a friend to book through the app. Don’t worry, they get $50 also on their first book (we don’t want to be selfish now). I love that it tracks your cities and countries and allows you to now book 3 months ahead and you get concierge service to help you with anything you need. I also love that I can make another person primary for check in purpose! I looooooove this app and the customer service is Uh-mazing!! One drawback is that once you book, you don’t really have an option to cancel and get you money back. The words Final pretty much echo in my mind before I slide the bed image to book.

• Airbnb: This is a great option especially if you’re traveling abroad because you can get a room or someone’s whole house for cheap. Besides in the states, I’ve used Airbnb in France, Spain, and Puerto Rico and the experience was overall positive. I believe Airbnb now has a partnership with Hotel Tonight (app) so you get more perks or discounts on hotels specifically. All the “room renters” communicate well, but I have heard horror stories from friends when the renter decides to cancel last minute (Cuba for example) and leaves them a bit stranded. I opted for hotel for my trip to Cuba but I went directly through the hotel rather than one of these options. Expensive? Yes! But price doesn’t matter when you stay at the same hotel Presidents have stayed at, right? lol.  The upside, sometimes cheaper than a hotel, flexible and has a kitchen you can use. The downside, the check-in process might be difficult, communication isn’t always clear or immediate and you’ll have to share the space sometimes with others if you’re renting a room.

• Booking.com: The one thing I love about this website is that you can “book now, pay later” and even have the option to cancel up to 24 hours prior. That’s a lot of flexibility in case things change with your trip or if you find a better deal. You can find cheap hotels through the site, however, always read the reviews. Trust me, just because that hotel is $40 a night compared to the next one at $80, doesn’t mean you might not have visitors (roaches or rats) staying with you. The thought of motels makes me cringe but sometimes hotels are not as clean either.

How I book adventures and excursions:

• Viator.com: Just as their app says, “discover amazing things to do everywhere you go.’ In every top destination, you can find amazing deals from low entrance fee into attractions such as The Grand Canyon Tour, St. Marks Basilica and a gondola ride in Venice, El Yunque Rainforest and Casa Bacardi in Puerto Rico. Boat tours and hop on/hop off bus tours are a great way to see the city as well. I’ve booked a swamp tour in New Orleans, a boat tour in Chicago, a Seine River hop-on hop-off cruise in Paris and a hop-on hop-off bus tour in New York.  You can reserve early and pay later as well and there are additional discounts you can use through codes emailed to you.

• Research: Booking directly through websites are a great way to get all access. For instance, Viator.com definitely has deals for the Vatican Museum in Vatican City (Italy), but I opted to do a little more research and found a deal that allowed my cousin and I the opportunity to get early entrance AND have breakfast prior to entering in. Those pancakes were heaven sent (pun intended) and the buffet spread was out of this world.  I can still taste the maple syrup and now my mouth is watering. We didn’t have to deal with much of the crowd and got to see the Sisten Chapel at our own pace. We also got to hang out in the Gardens of Vactican City and walk around St. Peter’s Basilica. This adventure was well worth going through the site, www.museivaticani.va.