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Delta’s American Express platinum credit card earns you 75,000 bonus miles if you spend $3,000 or more in the first 3 months. That could be a one-way flight to Europe in Business class or even a round-trip flight to Australia. Travel hacking is key to budget travel and this was a great card when I first started. Check it out here.
Booking.com is the only website I check for hotel searches. Usually I stay in hotels, however the amenities in hotels are inarguable (like free phone chargers during the stay if you forget yours, as I always do). Hotels can be quite affordable if traveling with multiple people. Booking multiple times through Booking.com also has its benefits once you reach “genius” status, including 10% off stays at many popular hotels, free airport shuttles, and more. Book your hotel here.
Scott’s Cheap Flights is how I purchase 90% of my flights. Basically, it’s an email newsletter that shares mistake flight fares from the subscriber’s airport. I bought a roundtrip flight to Hawaii from DC for $340 with the free newsletter, then upgraded to premium and have booked several flights from there. There isn’t an affiliate program, but I swear by this company and would be wrong not to share it with you. Check it out here.
A Lonely Planet guide accompanies me on most of my travels. A lot of my travel planning involves Pinterest and travel blogs before taking off, but once I’m in-country I depend on LP for last-minute recommendations and cultural/history advice. Plus I love highlighting all the places I’ve visited!
Rosetta Stone has helped me learn German, Russian, and Spanish. I love learning languages and Rosetta Stone’s immersive-like teaching method is incredibly effective. Communicating with locals in their native language is a great way to show respect for their country and for you to immerse in their culture. People love when foreigners try their language!
Hostel World is the only booking engine I use to search for hostels. I love using the filters to find trendy hostels with female-only dorm rooms and free breakfast. I’m loyal to the HI hostel brand, so sometimes I’ll book directly through them if it’s a better deal.
Couchsurfing is a really fun way to explore a new city! Plus, it’s free. I’ve met fantastic people by using this platform. I can’t wait to host travelers one day.