The 6 BEST Ways to Save Money on Travel

Our job at Daily Drop, simply put, is to help you learn how to travel for less. We do consider ourselves expert travelers around here, so it only makes sense that we also have expert tips on how you can save some serious cash on your adventures.

Curious how we’re jet-setting around the world for (almost) free? How about finding accommodations that don’t cost a dime?

We’re ready to reveal our travel secrets, so buckle up, turn those noise-canceling headphones on, and keep reading 😎

1. Save money with a browser extension

We’re upping the creativity here, because this might just be our favorite non-miles and points travel tip…

I’m talking about the Capital One Shopping browser extension.

Here’s why it’s great:

• You’ll increase your odds of saving money on everyday purchases.

• It takes little to no extra effort on your end to reap the rewards.

• You don’t need a credit card to use it.

• It’s free.

Well then, how does it work? This simple browser extension will live in the background as you do your normal online shopping. If you’re on a site that is supported by Capital One Shopping (there are over 5,000!), you’ll get helpful pop-ups that will alert you if different (e.g. better) deals are present.

It’s just another solid way to save money when you’re saving up for your next bucket list trip!

Want to see it in action? Check out this resource.

2. Save up to 80% on flights with FareDrop

Maybe miles and points aren’t your thing. If you’re dead set on only using cash to book flights, then FareDrop should be the next app downloaded to your phone.

This customizable platform allows you to pick your preferred departure airports and regions of the world you’d like to travel to.

Whenever the price of a flight drops (and it meets your preferences), FareDrop will send you an alert to jump on that deal pronto!

There are TONS of real-world examples where people have saved hundreds and even thousands of dollars on flights 🤯

We like to think about FareDrop as letting the deal determine the destination—so if you’re down for an adventure with a cheap flight, FareDrop has you covered.

3. Earn free nights at hotels

Yes, this is a real thing.

We love the value that travel credit cards can have when used responsibly, and one perk that we take advantage of year after year are Free Night Awards (FNAs).

For some hotel credit cards, you’ll receive an FNA each year on your cardholder’s anniversary date that can be used to your heart’s desire.

Some of our top picks for this perk include the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, and the World of Hyatt Credit Card.

There are many hotel cards with other perks and benefits, so if you’d like to see our favorite picks across all hotel brands, we have a dedicated page here.

4. Or get free house-sitting accommodations

This is the ultimate travel tip for animal lovers: Become a pet sitter today and explore amazing pet-sitting stays around the world!

If you’re down to travel the globe and get free accommodations in exchange for caring for someone’s pets… then Trusted Housesitters is the service you never knew you needed 😍

They have verified, safe, and secure properties in 140+ countries, so you’re guaranteed to have a unique and fulfilling experience.

Get started by setting up an account here.

5. Access airline and hotel partners with credit cards

If you want to book that dream trip to London on Virgin Atlantic or experience business class to Rome on United Airlines, but you don’t want to pay thousands of dollars for it…

Consider getting a travel credit card with (super flexible) transferable points to dozens of airline partners just like Virgin and United.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of our go-to cards for both beginner and expert travelers alike for this very reason.

This particular credit card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards which are some of the most popular and valuable points in the travel world!

In fact, you can transfer Chase points to 11 airline partners and 3 hotel partners to redeem for (nearly) free travel!

So yes, a $95 card could get you a seat on United’s Polaris Business Class without the $6,000 price tag attached 😏

If you want to learn more about transferable points and how to actually transfer credit card points to airlines and hotels, we have an entire resource dedicated to showing you how.

6. Get cash-back (or points!) with online shopping portals

Shopping portals allow you to earn rewards on purchases you’re already making—these rewards could be in the form of cash-back, airline miles, or even bank points.

There are dozens of portals out there, but our favorite is definitely Rakuten.

By simply going to a retailer’s site via Rakuten’s site, you’ll automatically earn bonus cash-back on your normal, everyday purchases 🤗

And did I mention Rakuten is partnered with over 3,500 retailers?! There’s truly something for everyone.

So you have the potential to earn 2% back, 5% back, or even up to 20% back on purchases you make through Rakuten—maybe that’s fitness clothing, a new TV, or even just cat food.

PLUS, there’s also a way to earn American Express Membership Rewards® (instead of cash-back) with Rakuten, and Amex points are some of the most valuable when it comes to travel redemptions!

If you want a further deep-dive on how to earn lucrative Amex points with Rakuten, we have an entire resource here.

Bottom Line

As you can see, we have a few different tools in our travel toolkit that help us travel for less.

Whether that’s signing up for a credit card, pet and housesitting around the world, or just saving money on everyday purchases, it all adds up and gets you a step closer to your next travel adventure!