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While average prices for airfare, hotels, and car rentals have been on an upward trajectory for the last few years, actual demand for travel has not slowed down. According to a study from MMGY Travel Intelligence, 76% of Americans plan to take a trip in the next 12 months, and 64% are still planning a trip in the next six months.
Fortunately, there are myriad ways for travelers to quench their wanderlust without breaking the bank, including through the use of rewards credit cards, shopping around to compare prices, and booking packaged travel deals. Consumers can also save money on travel by avoiding the biggest financial mistakes people make when booking trips.
Stephanie Montague of military travel blog Poppin' Smoke says a big mistake she sees travelers make is trying to visit too many different places in the same trip. Worse, they decide to move from one hotel to another without staying put for more than a day or two at a time.
She says you can save money on travel by choosing one place as your base and doing day trips from there rather than burning through cash (and time) on a train or plane every few days. You may also be able to get a better deal on a short-term apartment rental with a weekly rate versus a hotel stay, and you can save money by preparing some of your own meals.
Financial educator Nia Adams says far too many travelers never think about extra fees they may have to pay to use their credit card or debit card overseas. The biggest of these fees is foreign transaction fees, which typically tack on around 3% on every purchase made outside the United States.
"Depending on the bank or credit card terms, foreign transaction fees can really add up," she said.
To avoid these fees, consumers can apply for a credit card with no foreign transaction fees early enough to get it in their hands before an international trip.
Planning your own trip can make travel more stressful and confusing, but it can also cost you more money in the end. That's part of the reason so many consumers use a travel agent to help them figure out the phases of their trip while securing the best pricing on everything from hotels to tours. Many travel agents even offer their services for free. They get paid commissions for accommodations and professional tours they book on their client's behalf.
According to travel agent Krissy Yoder of Be Our Guest Travel Company, using a trusted travel advisor is the key to avoiding making many costly mistakes. "A travel professional can guide their clients through the options and make sure they are comfortable with the inclusions in their package and that they understand other costs they may incur."
Travel agent Erica Wood of Daybreak Travel Co. says many travelers don't realize their health insurance typically doesn't follow them to other countries. Then, if something unfortunate happens, they wind up with thousands of dollars (and potentially more) in unexpected medical bills.
"A broken bone, heart attack, and more would all need to be paid out of pocket during travel," said Wood.
On the flipside of that, buying travel medical insurance ahead of time can ensure you get the care you need without ruining your finances. Most travel insurance policies offer at least $15,000 or $25,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses that can apply overseas, but you can also find policies with much higher limits for medical coverage.
Other inclusions in a travel insurance plan can prove crucial. For example, these plans can provide coverage for lost or delayed baggage, travel delays, missed connections, trip cancellations and interruptions and more. You can even purchase cancel for any reason coverage that lets you cancel your trip and get a percentage of prepaid travel expenses back no matter the reason you can't go.
Christina Schlegel, a travel agent with Bluetail Travel, says you'll also want to have emergency medical evacuation coverage in place before a trip. This kind of coverage can pay for emergency transportation in an ambulance, a plane or a helicopter if you're injured and need transportation to the nearest medical facility or even your home country.
"It can save you thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, in the case of an emergency medical evacuation," said Schlegel. "Just like you wouldn't drive your car without car insurance, the adult thing to do is to always factor in and buy travel insurance, especially for overseas travel."
