Everyone loves to talk about where they went, what they did, and share their amazing photos from their trips. However, no one discusses the harder parts of traveling like how it was planned, how much was spent and how they got around once there. When the process of planning isn't discussed we begin to imagine that these journeys aren't attainable for ourselves. I am here to tell you guys that you are more than capable of traveling the entire world and being able to afford it. One of the biggest excuses we tell ourselves is that we don't have enough resources like money or time. But what if I told you in two weeks, I traveled to 8 countries and spent a total of around $1,500 which included the airfare, food, transportation within Europe, and where I lodged. Traveling may seem like a luxury, but it is affordable in the large scheme of things. It's also a worthwhile investment for your mind and overall life. After traveling and getting away from your normal routine your mind will not think the same thus, shifting your entire perspective.
My name is Nicole Gonzalez, I recently graduated from Penn State and decided to do a solo backpack trip to Europe for two weeks. After sharing my trip details and how much was spent people couldn't believe me. Like yes, I only spent $1,500 in two weeks and you can too! Thanks to the internet and apps, we have everything at our fingertips. I am ready to share with you all my favorite apps and tips to book your flight overseas.
The biggest expense in traveling is the airfare ticket. The first app everyone should download is called Skyscanner. This app has saved me money on flights all over the world.The purpose of this app is to find you the cheapest flight by looking in a database and comparing dates, airlines and other search engines.
My tip for this app is it's a great place to start if you don't have a specific destination in mind or just want to plan a spontaneous last-minute trip. This app gives you the option to hit "Explore" located at the second button at the bottom of the app. You then would choose the airports closest to you and for destination you would type "Everywhere". Under date of travel you would put "Anytime". Then boom it gives you a list of the cheapest places within United States then other countries follow. Typically, this where I look first every time I want to go somewhere. I let the prices take me to wherever is affordable.
Key factor of this app: must be flexible in your timing of travel. Meaning that your ideal dates might not meet your ideal price unless you leave a day earlier or later. Being flexible when you travel can save you hundreds of dollars at times.
Let's talk about timing. Timing before your flight is important but not always necessary.I have heard many myths like booking your flight on a Tuesday night, or booking your flight 6 weeks prior to leaving to find the cheapest price. Overall prices are based on algorithm from your own cookie searches and demand in the market. Meaning that you constantly looking up the same flight can tell the airline company that you need this and soon raise the prices. Sneaky huh? Obviously, there are seasons like summer who have a higher demand in the market than for example September which is a lower demand season. I use an app called Hopper for this specific purpose to help you predict if flights are going to continue to increase or decrease in the future. I would suggest that once you do find a trip of your liking and at a good reasonable price DO NOT WAIT just book it! It has happened to me more than once where I see an amazing deal and tell myself to hold off only to try to book later that same day and see another price.
Hopper
IMPORTANT FACTOR: before booking your flight is making sure you check how far away the airport is and how to get to the city. I mainly used Google Maps because they would provide train and bus routes with their schedules.
Airports: with this app you can look at multiple airports in the area to see which one offers the cheapest flight. Typically, the larger the airport the more flights available thus giving you better prices. For my flight to Europe, I left from Orlando to Manchester for only $300 one-way. Then I used the app to look for the cheapest flight back to America and was able to find one from Paris to Miami for another $300. This was extremely cheap especially since I was flying in a higher season time like the summer. I tend to use the Explore option a lot on Skyscanner especially during my Europe trip, when I needed to go to another country but didn't care where to go as long as it was affordable. I was able to find multiple one-way flights within Europe like Cologne to Brussels for $18 dollars. You can easily travel within Europe for less than $20 dollars each way.
Finally let's talk about seats and luggage aka the additional costs that every airline wants you to add. Airlines have separated these features in order to lower their airfare prices and remain competitive. You not picking a specific seat will save you money and airlines will automatically assign you a seat once you check in for your flight. Many airlines are not including luggage within the price of the airfare. If you are a light packer then this will not be an issue for you! Since mostly all airline allow a personal item like a backpack for no additional cost. However, for my heavy packers this will add up your costs, each luggage cost around $30-$50 each way depending on the airline. Be sure to check the airlines website for baggage information before booking your trip. My tip is try to pack light and take only the things you need -this not only will save you money but will also make your trip more enjoyable with less things to worry about.
It is important that you are aware that majority of these flights are usually nonrefundable due to the price you are getting them. Very few times you do get a 24-hour free cancelation window depending on the airline and how far away your trip is. Be sure to include the correct name and information of the passengers flying because changing or fixing them could cost you the money you were potentially trying to save.
Thank you for reading if you would like some more tips, or have some specific questions please feel free to reach out.
Instagram: nicoleeegonzalez
Email: ngonzo1234@gmail.com
