The last time I tried to save money on a trip (and much against my instinct, I should add), I booked a Spirit flight.
I think you can guess how well that panned out for me.
A few hundred lost dollars later and I’ve certainly learned the hard way that travel can be a tricky tightrope to walk when it comes to splurging vs. saving. Some attempts to save can actually end up costing you more money, like my ill-fated, never-to-be-flown Spirit flight. Others, meanwhile, can feel like you’ve hacked the system and won. To help tell the difference, I compiled expert-approved strategies that can ensure your hard-earned money goes towards creating a trip that works for you.
Here's what travel experts recommended for splurging vs. saving on travel expenses.
In this article
Splurge-Worthy: What's Important to You
Steve Schwab, CEO of Casago, a vacation rental platform, points out that what you should splurge on is ultimately a very personal decision.
And he’s right. Some people may really value a gorgeous, well-decorated hotel with all the amenities while on vacation. Others may see their room as just a place to sleep.
Don't be afraid to "go against the grain" when planning your trip and budgeting for what matters most to you.
"Ultimately, it depends on what you value or look forward to most when it comes to traveling," Schwab says.
Splurge-Worthy: Your Health
While this splurge can depend on where you're traveling, Evelyn Duran, Sales Manager at Ecuador & Galapagos Insiders, an Ecuador-based travel company, advises never skimping when it comes to measures that can protect your health.
This means seeking out meals that will properly nourish you, or purchasing travel insurance policies that cover medical needs in an unforeseen emergency.
"Never curtail anything linked to health, be it safe food or water," she says. "Spending a bit more on good bottled water and clean, sourced restaurants will save you the cost of illness, and let you fully enjoy your trip."
Splurge-Worthy: Your Comfort
Husband and wife travel bloggers Brian and Shio Gorman add that comfort is one travel aspect they "never skimp on."
Comfort splurges might include direct flights, a good neck pillow, a seat pad for long flights, and a hotel with luxury touches such as comfortable beds, linens, and pillows.
In his early travel days, Brian admits he prided himself on embracing the "suffering" of cheap travel, taking the "sketchy" bus or booking the bare-minimum hotel with tiny pillows and a rock-hard bed.
But these days, he says he has learned that a little self-care can go a long way in ensuring you enjoy your trip. "Honestly, the best trips my wife and I have taken are when I do splurge on comfort," Brian Gorman explains. "Especially at night, when the day's over, having a really nice hotel room with comfortable beds and a good shower to come back to is really important, because if you're not getting your rest and refreshing your body and your mind as the days go on, your enjoyment of the trip is going to decline."
Splurge-Worthy: Time-Sensitive Experiences
Nearly all of the experts we interviewed recommended splurging on experiences, especially if they are linked to seasonal or unique events.
"Blow the big bucks on unique, time-sensitive experiences, like limited Galapagos permits, short Antarctic tour seasons, and annual wildlife migrations," Duran advises. "Once they are lost, you will not get a second chance to experience them."
Brian and Shio agree that splurging on experiences is worth it, especially for experiencing things that are unique to the place you're visiting.
For instance, he visited the Sakura festival in Japan, which can't be found elsewhere, as well as a local museum with a one-of-a-kind water feature. "You roll up your pants and walk through multiple exhibits with the floor filled with water—we still talk about it!"
Save: The Plane Ride
Some say the joy comes from the journey, not the destination, but when it comes to air travel, Schwab disagrees.
He explains that in general, he tends to look for ways to save on the plane ride instead of splurging for a premium cabin.
"Sure, a nicer seat can make a plane ride more enjoyable, but the plane ride is such a short amount of time," Schwab notes.
The one important caveat to keep in mind for air travel, however, is that all our experts agreed that booking several connections or even different airlines to save money is rarely worth it.
The risk of what you might end up paying for a missed flight, connection, or delay is much higher than saving a hundred bucks.
Save: Recreation and Souvenirs
Duran encourages travelers to look for low-cost recreation options at their destination, such as free entry days at local museums, free parks, or hotel packages with built-in discounts.
And although it may be tempting, skip the hotel or resort gift shop entirely, she says. "No overpriced souvenirs!"
Save: Hotel Meals & Tourist Traps
Hotel food can be overpriced, and the same goes for popular tourist traps. Avoiding these places can be an easy way to save big.
"Skip hotel meals, go local," says Brian Gorman. "In Japan, for instance, hotels often serve huge, fancy meals that cost a lot of money. You're almost always better off going out into the neighborhood and eating where the locals eat—it's cheaper and usually more memorable."
He also advises avoiding tourist traps, as they are often expensive, hard to book, and overcrowded.
Instead, look for more off-the-beaten-path activities whenever possible. You can use some of the resort or hotel offerings as inspiration and often just book independently for a much lower price.
In the end, because travel is so personal, only you can decide what is most important to you to save or splurge on. And that can even vary trip to trip, such as when you're traveling with kids or other family members. But if you're looking for ways to save, ask yourself what's most important to you on a trip first.
The Shortcut
Booking multiple connections or different airlines to save money rarely pays off. The cost of a missed connection almost always exceeds the savings.
Hotel meals and tourist traps are reliable ways to overspend. Eating where locals eat almost always wins on price and experience.
Timely experiences, health, and comfort top the splurge list, but ultimately, you should prioritize what's important to you.
