Vacation Calculator

Tips for saving on getting there

1. Be flexible in your dates

   Your trip dates can significantly affect the price of airfare. For example, it’s often less expensive to fly midweek or to include a weekend in your stay. Many search platforms let you choose flexible travel dates. Take advantage of this option to see all your choices.

2. Be flexible in your destination

   If your travel plans are taking you a bit off the beaten track, compare the cost of flying into a small, local airport vs. flying into a large metropolitan area and making your way to your final destination via ground transportation.

   Also, direct flights are sometimes more expensive than flights with one or even two stops. As long as you build enough time to change flights into your itinerary, the cost savings might be worth it.

3. Search across different sites and platforms

   Not only do different sites sometimes offer different rates, but searching on mobile devices might present different rates than searching on your computer — even on the same travel site.

4. Set up alerts

   If you’ve given yourself enough lead time to wait on those reservations — or if you’ve already made reservations with no cancellation fee — sign yourself up for trip alerts across different travel sites to get deal notifications.

Tips for saving on a hotel or other lodgings

1. Estimate your lodging cost.

   Your cost per night will vary a lot depending on your destination and the size of accommodations needed. Hotels in Bangor, Maine, will be less expensive than hotels in Manhattan or Honolulu.

   To get a good range of prices for your particular destination, search hotel aggregation sites like Expedia, as well as rental aggregators like Airbnb and Vrbo.

   Finally, remember to think about the number of travelers and how many rooms you’ll need. Three couples, for example, will need 3 hotel rooms but only one vacation rental that sleeps 6.

2. Include taxes, fees, and tips.

   When you’re pricing your lodgings, be sure to include all taxes and fees. Hotels are notorious for leaving these out of their quoted rates. Private rentals can also include things like cleaning fees and surcharges that will raise the total price of your stay.

   Once you start adding together all these incidentals, private rentals can look more and more appealing. If you decide to go that route, search for premium hosts with high ratings to be sure you’ll have a great experience.

3. Look for bundles and discounts.

   Some hotels include breakfast, which can significantly reduce the overall cost of your meals — especially if you load up in the morning and eat a light lunch.

   Places like theme parks or all-inclusive resorts offer packages that bundle everything together including all your food and lodging costs, your entertainment, and even your transportation.

   Keep these in mind as you add up your budget. As expensive as those packages look, they’re often better deals than paying for everything separately.

   Finally, think about the organizations you belong to, from alumni associations to AAA and AARP. Do any of them offer trip discounts with certain hotel chains? What about military discounts or age-based discounts? 

   Similar discounts can also apply to food and entertainment options, so remember to take advantage of them wherever you can!

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4. Consider your ground transportation costs.

   Are you renting a car at your destination to get around? What about taking taxis? Riding the subway or local buses? Catching rides through Uber?

   If you’re staying at a more expensive hotel in a downtown area, you might be able to save some money by using free hotel transportation from the airport and then walking or taking local public transportation. Research the sights you want to see so you can plan how to get there.

   When considering a rental car, remember that there are often taxes and fees there too — not to mention the cost of parking. Hotels in the suburbs and vacation rentals often include a place to park for free, but you should expect to pay for parking if you’re headed downtown. Even your hotel will probably charge a parking fee per night.

5. Book early when you can, or consider a non-refundable rate.

   If you’re traveling during a busy season, try to book your stay early at a refundable rate in case you need to cancel. Prices tend to rise as the season gets closer and rooms fill up.

   You can also save money by prepaying for a non-refundable rate, but don’t make that commitment too far in advance. If you have any doubt about the trip, be sure to book lodgings that will let you cancel your plans without a penalty.

   On the other hand, if you’re traveling during the off-season, some hotels lower their prices for dates that aren't fully booked. Consider making your reservations at a refundable rate and checking in as your travel date approaches to see if the prices have dropped.

6. Remember to check with your personal network! 

   Do you have friends with a lake house or vacation home? What about a rental property that stays vacant during the off-season?

   If you care more about taking a vacation than where you go, be sure to see what your friends might have available.

   Do you have close friends who live in a different part of the country? Consider a vacation swap! In exchange for pet sitting or house sitting for each other, you can both enjoy free lodgings as you explore a new city.

Tips for saving on the cost of food per day

1. Estimate your food costs.

   When traveling in the U.S., the average person spends about $58 each day on food, most of it in restaurants, with an extra $27 a day if that traveler decides to include alcohol.

   If you’re traveling to an expensive destination like Singapore or Zurich, you can expect to double that amount easily, especially if you aren’t watching the bill. Add in a couple of kids who suddenly get hungry in the hotel room late at night, and your room service or mini-bar snacks can send that number through the roof.

   Fortunately, you can bring that number down considerably with a little planning (or an all-inclusive package).

2. Bring your own food for the flight.

   Even if you’re a traveling foodie, your local airport probably isn’t the culinary destination you had in mind. Skip the lines and the sky-high prices by bringing your own snacks for the plane. 

   Of course, airplane snacks do require their own planning. Liquids still won’t pass the security check, and you can’t bring a knife to cut that hard salami. But finger foods are a great way to save money before your vacation even gets off the ground. Just be mindful of your fellow travelers and don’t bring any strong, pungent foods!

3. Hit the local grocery at your destination.

   When you’re putting together a food budget for your vacation, think about the meals that aren’t included with your lodgings. Do you need to cover your own breakfasts? Lunches? Dinners? Snacks? What about coffee or drinks?

   Room service and minibars are one of the fastest ways to blow your vacation budget if you don’t plan ahead. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Many people choose to make room service part of every trip at least once. Just make sure you’ve considered it so you can build that expense into your budget.

   For most meals, you can save money and enjoy more of the local flavors by staying off the beaten track. Visit the local grocery and look for things like pre-made sandwiches or hot bars to see what’s popular. Avoid tourist traps and explore local restaurants full of new delicacies to sample — and brand new favorites.

4. Think about your alcohol budget.

   Your alcohol budget will be entirely unique to you and the nature of your vacation. Just remember to think about it as you’re planning your trip. 

   Hotel bars can be astronomically expensive, and minibars are just as bad. Rather than counting on those conveniences, consider exploring stores at your destination for local microbrews or vineyard offerings.

Tips for saving money on vacation activities

1. Consider buying tickets in advance

   Buying tickets in advance, or in bundles, often comes with reduced rates — not to mention saving you time standing in line when you arrive.

   Investigating those local activities ahead of time is also a great way to start enjoying your vacation before you even get there!

2. Check out local brochures for deals

   For side ventures and day trips, be sure to check out the brochures at your hotel or in local travel and tourism centers. They usually offer coupons, and you’re sure to discover options you didn’t even know existed.

3. Consider all-inclusive packages

   If your vacation is starting to look too expensive as you add up all the incidentals, consider looking into all-inclusive vacations at resorts or theme parks. The more you know about the real price of your vacation, the better these packages might look.

1. Check for benefits you might already have

   Some credit cards offer special travel benefits like deals or refunds on flight incidentals, membership in airline lounges (with free food), late checkout options at hotels, or automatic rental car insurance. Be sure to make the most of those benefits.

2. Remember tips and “incidentals.”

   Many hotels offer free wifi, only for you to discover that the free version is slow as molasses and that the “upgraded” version costs $10 per night or more. If you’re planning on streaming data in your hotel room at night, be sure to factor that in.

   Also, remember to include a tip fund for baggage assistance, cleaning services, valets, wait staff, and even food delivery.

3. Pet-related costs

   Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to include the cost of your pets when it comes to travel, whether that means paying for a kennel or paying additional fees for pet-friendly lodgings.

   One great money-saving solution is to swap dog sitting services with a friend if they’re not vacationing at the same time you are.

   If you’re bringing your dog, be sure to confirm that your lodgings are pet-friendly, and keep in mind that pet-friendly accommodations often charge an extra cleaning fee.