posted on February 29, 2016
Lucky for us, we live in an age where travel hacking is not just possible, but the norm. Travel hacking has evolved from an obscure idea to a well organized system of earning miles and points.
To follow up on last week’s tips from a travel hacker, here are some more under-the-radar sites to help you explore the world affordably.
The Points Guy
The Points Guy, Brian Kelly, is a traveler and blogger who created a mini travel hacking empire. The Points Guy website is filled with tips, tricks, and ideas to build up massive mile and point balances with airlines and hotels to travel the world at a very low cost.
The key to unlocking the loads of miles and points is credit card rewards bonuses. If you have debt, spending, or credit troubles, this isn’t a great idea for you. However, if you always pay your credit card balances in full and have the discipline to track your new cards, spending, and fees, you can use this site to get nearly anywhere in the world for less than $100 out-of-pocket.
Million Mile Secrets
Another travel hacking site, Million Mile Secrets, is run by writers Daraius Dubash and Emily Jablon, who have redeemed millions of miles and points for their travels around the world.
In addition to credit card deals, you can find information here on manufactured spending, a method to create credit card spending without actually spending that much out of pocket, and the latest deals and bonuses available to pick up miles quickly.
StudentUniverse
If you’re a student and cannot or do not want to earn miles with a credit card, StudentUniverse offers tons of great travel deals at a great price.
It’s a full-service, student-focused travel agency built around the online experience. Students can find discounted flights, accommodations, group travel tours, and resources to plan an amazing trip.
Student or not, the StudentUniverse blog is filled with clever tips and itineraries that anyone can enjoy.
Adioso
Flight searches can be frustrating; you can search across several sites and never know if you’re getting the best deal possible. And if you’re flexible with your destination and/or dates, how can you translate that flexibility into real savings?
Adioso allows you to do just that. You can say that you want to go to Europe on a specific date, and the site will return the cheapest flights to a handful of popular destinations. You can also sign up to track prices over time to help book at the right moment to get the best price.
When you’re booking, you can also choose between the best price, easiest route, and fastest trip.
Eric Rosenberg
Eric is a personal finance, entrepreneurship, travel, and real estate blogger. When he's away from the computer, he's out flying planes, riding bikes, and DJing the occasional dance party.
