Archive for transport

5 Fun Ways to Save on Airfare

December 13, 2018 tips, transport No comments

Traveling can be stressful, especially when you’re flying with kids or a whole family. From finding the best deals to getting to the airport on time, flying doesn’t have to break the bank or wreak havoc. Follow these five fun tips to save on airfare and enjoy a great vacation.

 

5 Fun Ways to Save on Airfare

 

1. Shop Around on Different Sites

Shopping for airfare is a lot like shopping for jeans. It could take a couple of stores and plenty of different styles before you find the one that works. Flyers can get the best deals on airfare by following the same practice. Metasearch engines such as Kayak, Expedia and Orbitz will display the lowest fares every day. Check these engines first, then go to individual airlines’ sites to see if they’re the same or even less.

 

 

2. Be a Little Spontaneous

Flight prices can drastically change in a matter of a day. While some flyers might want to travel on a Sunday, even waiting until Tuesday could yield better results. Try keeping a loose timeline of travel dates that work for the whole family. Shoulder season or off-season flights are cheaper depending on where the flight is going. Check the destination ahead of time to see which times of the year are peak travel times and which are the off-season.

Flying at off-peak days of the week such as Tuesday through Thursday will also cut costs. Tuesday afternoon is one of the best times to find a flight. Set a reminder to look then, and book within minutes if a cheap flight pops up. Many airlines offer a 24-hour cancelation policy, which can help ease some of the anxiety that comes with booking a flight immediately.

 

3. Follow Some Favorite Bloggers

Another fun way to save on airfare is through following different bloggers. Watching blogs and airlines’ sites for deals can lead to steals through social media. Flyers can also set alerts for price drops on metasearch engines and other sites to get notified when a flight falls into their price range. If someone flies frequently, they can also join reward programs with a certain airline such as Southwest, American, United and more.

 

4. Use a Credit Card for Travel Points

It’s hard not to gulp when you’re booking a family vacation abroad and seeing the price for the first time. It’s often even more stressful to put that amount on a credit card. However, some credit cards offer travel miles or other travel rewards with each purchase. Putting flights — or even just a dinner out — on that card can help flyers pay for their next vacation or flight abroad.

 

5. Explore During a Long Layover

A layover isn’t the worst thing in the world. Choosing a flight with a layover gives families and solo travelers a chance to explore a new city or destination away from the final vacation spot. In addition, many airports today have quiet lounge areas and places to sit and grab a cup of coffee, making it the perfect spot for business people to work between flights.

It also pays to book one leg of the trip at a time. Although flexible traveling doesn’t work for everyone, travelers can sometimes find cheaper flights on one airline and connecting flights that are cheaper on another. Check different airports, and look for layovers with cheaper connecting flights before booking one airline the whole way through.

Always Find the Deals

There’s no reason to pay the sticker price on a flight. Be patient, and watch numerous sites to find the best deal. Travelers without kids or a set schedule can also benefit from flexible dates and different flights, including layovers and booking one leg at a time. Through following these five tips, flyers can save on travel and have fun doing it.

 

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by PSECU, a Pennsylvania-based credit union.

 

How to Find Cheap Business Class Flights to Mumbai and Delhi

March 28, 2018 tips, transport, travel No comments

What makes people look for business class tickets is the extra comfort and ease that they offer. But what happens when exactly the opposite happens? According to News.com.au, Thai Airways has announced plans to install seatbelt airbags in business class cabins on its new 787 Dreamliners. Although the move is good for flyers who may get nervous, it can turn out to be uncomfortable for people who are overweight because it will reduce the space in the seats. It is to avoid such situations that expert spend a lot of time in choosing the best cheap business class flights for their clients.

If you are looking to travel business class, you need to ensure that you book your tickets through an established agency that will help you get value for your money. They will not only help in choosing you the most suitable airline but also ensure that you get your tickets at the best possible rates.

 

Why is it Important to Find the Right Flight?

I am sure nobody wants to walk out off a plane greasy and tired, especially when one has to attend a business meeting or get to work immediately. So, when one is looking for first class flights to India, the need is to reach your destination feeling refreshed and comfortable. And this is where the services available in first class come in very useful. Spacious seats, amenity kits, good food and fine wine make the whole travel experience a relaxing and luxurious one, rather than those cramped seats and plastic cutlery you have to struggle with on economy class.

The next thing is to find the right flight at the right cost. But as we all know, first class or business tickets will cost more than economy class. Does this mean that people wanting comfort will always need to pay very high prices? The answer is No. One can actually find business class tickets at attractive rates by approaching the right agency. Established and experienced agencies can help their customers find the best deals even on Air India flights and flights operated by other renowned airlines.

 

How to Get Cheap Business Class Flight Tickets?

 

You can get cheap tickets by:

  • Planning your trips and making the bookings well in advance, when the demand has yet to rise and rates are reasonable.
  • Using an airline’s loyalty reward program to get the maximum possible discounts.
  • Checking for special offers and discount schemes offered by airlines.

 

Due to their regular association and interaction with various airlines, established agencies are generally the first ones to know about any special discounts or schemes. This first hand information enables them to ensure that their clients get the best possible rates. Another advantage of booking cheap flight tickets through an agency is that they are generally the first ones to know about any change in amenities or luxuries being offered by an airline.

 

TIP: Visiting Mumbai? Check my articles about India and places I visited in Maharashtra state around Mumbai 🙂

My experience hitchhiking around the world

December 5, 2012 Argentina, Europe, Malaysia, Slovakia, Spain, transport No comments
hitchhiking in Cameron Highlands

I am not a person who goes hitchhiking a lot. When I am alone it feels a bit weird and I am not used to it, I guess. And also, it is no secret that I have no patience. So even waiting for a few minutes makes me nervous and, or I just want to jump in front of a car to make it stop, or just to take the dumb hitchhiking idea out of my mind and go to pay for any kind of transportation available.

But there is still a bunch of places where I did hitchike and I would like to share my experience with you.

 

1. Snina – in my home town in Slovakia I hitchhike pretty often but it is always with my mom only. When we go tomy grandparents house in a village 10 km away and we don’t make it to catch a train/bus, we hitchhike. I don’t think it has ever taken us more than 5 minutes because many people know us here so they stop to take us. We also hitchhike when going to the Rybniky swimming pools in summer or to the closest town Humenne.

2. Spain can be tough for hitchhiking, I learnt this when trying to hitchhike in Madrid but it deserves a whole separate story.

3. The only other time when I hitchhiked in Slovakia was back in summer 2005 when me and my best friend of that time decided to hitchhike to Madrid. We just spent 5 months there during Erasmus scholarship at the University and just after a couple of weeks back home we missed our friends so much we wanted to go back for summer. The only problem was that I ended up in Italy instead of Spain then.

4. Ipoh – Malaysia. Ipoh turned out to be a hidden gem not many tourists know about yet. I don’t even think I have seen any other tourists during my 2 days in Ipoh and the looks I was getting from the locals just proved it. One of the most beautiful things one can do here are no doubt the temples just outside of the town. I did take some buses but also did hitchhiking to get to the rest of the temples. It was around 10 minutes to make an Indian guy to take me to Kek Lok Tong temple where I was headed. He even waited there for me to take me back to Ipoh.

hitchhiking in Cameron Highlands

hitchhiking in Cameron Highlands

 

5. Cameron Highlands – Malaysia. I spent just 2 days of my holidays in Cameron Highlands but I would regret it for ever if I did not bother to visit at all. The mountains are such a marvelous place to visit with all the fresh fruit, beautiful flowers and butterflies, tea plantations and strawberry farms. I knew before I went there it was very popular for hitchhiking so I just stuck my thumb up between each 2 destinations on my bucket list. Absolutely easy to stop even the first car coming. The only small problem I had was to get to BOH Tea Estate so I walked there but on the way back a car with a young couple stopped to ask me if I needed a lift.

6. El Calafate to Perito Moreno glacier. It is not cheap at all to take a bus with one of the travel agencies to take you from El Calafate to Perito Moreno glacier and back. I met up with an American girl in El Calafate with who I traveled together already for a bit before and we said yes to hitchhiking. I have to say our local friend Pablo warned us saying

You will not get any car going to Perito Moreno as just organized buses go there. But if you still want to try, go early morning.

 

So we listened to him and around 9 am we were already at the outskirts of El Calafate taking turns with a thumb up. I lost all the hope after 30 minutes as it was definitely the longest hitchhiking I have ever done. At that moment I sweared to myself I was never going to hitchhike again and I have not ever since. At least not until December 2012. But in the end a huge truck pulled over. Yes, 4 crazy Argentinian guys were staring at us with their mouth open, but come on, some 20 euros saved on the bus was worth it. It even turned out to be a perfect day at Perito Moreno glacier.

 

I know some people do hitchhike regularly. The friend I went to Perito Moreno with is one of them. Another friend, Arne, I met as well that day hitchhiked most of the route from Argentina to the US.

What is your experience hitchhiking around the world?