As 2025 approaches, you may already be making a list of places you'd like to visit. And while travel going to new destinations can be expensive, there are ways of seeing the world that are not break the bank.
Whether it's a hotel offer, a sale of flightsor by choosing a place where your money goes a little further, you can plan your dream trip on a budget. If your 2025 plan includes checking off a new city or country, we spoke with a few travelers to get tips and tricks on how they've had an affordable trip this year.
Saint Martin, West Indies
Christane “Kris” Njatcha
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Christane “Kris” Njatchaa digital creator based in Washington, D.C.recently traveled to Saint-Martin, a French Caribbean island shared with the Dutch Saint Martin.
“I’ve been to the destination before and absolutely fell in love with it,” she says. “As a French speaker who loves French culture, Saint-Martin is a 4-hour flight from Washington DC, and you get a mix of beautiful beaches and superb cuisine. »
Njatcha says she spent a total of $1,850 on a seven-day trip, and some of the highlights of her trip included dinner at Royal Villa and check Pinel Island, a small island just a five minute ferry ride from the French side of the island. Njatcha also says she saved money by flying on a weekday, booking a direct flight to SXM on United Airlines for $400. She also rented a condo on VRBOwhich costs $98/night, and rented a car for $118/week from Value Car Rental, which she says is an affordable way to see the small island.
“The best way to save money on travel is to choose a destination based on your budget,” she advises. “Open Google Flights and see some of the most affordable places based on destinations. Let the destination choose you, not the other way around. When you're trying to save money, you need to be flexible.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Branda Ayo
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If you need some fresh mountain air, a trip to Charlotte, North Carolinais a great option. It was the first choice of a freelance writer and content creator based in New York. Branda Ayo, who went to town to attend the black travel conference NoMadness Festival after a work trip to Washington, D.C., she made the weekend affordable by staying in the walkable downtown area, carpooling with other festival-goers, and ordering food from her hotel.
“My flights cost $304.95 for a multi-stop trip from Washington DC to Charlotte and then back to New York,” says Ayo. “My hotel, Hyatt Place Charlotte-Downtownis $643.41 with travel insurance. My Ubers were affordable, costing only $107.84 for the four days I was there.
Ayo also recently signed up for a AAA membership, which includes free breakfast at her hotel. Ayo's other weekend activities included a rooftop party at Merchant and tradedinner at Tupelo Honey Southern Cuisine and Bar, and brunch at Downtown yellow, A comfortable, Black-Owned Brunch downtown location. If you're looking to save money, she also advises traveling in the off-season, which can result in lower costs for flights and hotels.
“Start planning your trip early. The earlier you plan, the better your chances of finding good rates and avoiding peak season prices,” says Ayo. “If you are flexible with dates, try to plan your trip off-season. I'm sure if I had gone a few weeks earlier, during Labor Day, the prices would have been much higher.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Malika Kelly
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Malika Kelly lives in Hong Kong full-time, and the travel marketer and content creator was recently able to take an affordable trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand, using his credit card points and rewards.
“Chiang Mai has always been on my to-do list. I was never able to organize this trip when I lived in the United States, but I wasn't going to miss it since I was so close,” she says. “Visiting the Elephant Nature Park was one of the best parts of the trip. It cost $150 and was one of the most expensive activities, but the money goes directly to supporting operations and caring for the elephants.
For the five-day trip, Kelly says she spent about $350 on flights and $700 on activities, while her hotel was free thanks to her credit card points. Before her trip, she opened an IHG Rewards credit card with a $95 annual fee, which came with a huge welcome bonus and a free birthday reward night, which covered the annual fee.
“Don’t sleep on credit card hacking,” says Kelly. “It seemed so gimmicky to me for a while, but since I started about a year and a half ago, I've been to Vietnam, ThailandAnd Baliand I'm planning a longer 10-day multi-city trip to Sri Lanka, Bali or Cambodia for February 2025. Just make sure you only charge your usual expenses and pay your balance. Don't rack up credit card debt with irresponsible behavior and impulse purchases.
Chicago, IL
Sierra Redmond
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The Windy City is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States, especially in summer, when the city comes alive with concerts, outdoor dining, and free movie screenings.
“After hearing so many amazing things about summer in Chicagowe decided to reserve it to face the summer heat of Las Vegas“, said Sierra Redmondcontent creator and marketing director based in Las Vegas. “Some of the highlights were staying at the Kimpton Gray Hotelvisiting the largest in the world Starbucks Reserve Roastand try some of Chicago's iconic dishes.
Redmond says he spent about $1,200 for a family of three for four days: $600 for round-trip flights from Las Vegas, $250 for the on-site hotel and restaurant (after Amex points redemption) , $300 for off-property food, $200 for attraction passes. and $150 for transportation within the city. She saved money by taking public transportation and using credit card points.
“The L train costs $5 per person per ride, saving us hundreds of dollars immediately,” she says. “Second, we used our AMEX Platinum points to book the Kimpton Gray. We also saved money by purchasing the Chicago C3 CityPass. This allowed us to pay a fee and choose the three attractions that were most important to us.
Like the others budget travelersRedmond says to be flexible about where you want to travel instead of having your sights set on a particular location.
“I always tell travelers to follow the deals and not the destination,” she explains. “We booked the trip without any destination in mind. Instead, we came up with a few ideas that fit what we wanted to accomplish and chose based on flight price and city amenities.
Tirana, Albania
Vivienne Dovi
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If a romp Europe If that's more your style, consider Albania, a southeastern European country that's quietly growing in popularity. Journalist and content communications consultant based in London Vivienne Dovi says she spent about £962 (about US$1,225) on her seven-day trip, including hotel, activities and food. His trip included stops in three cities: the capital, Tirana, Himarë and Ksamil. The highlights were a speedboat ride to Grama Bay, visiting remote caves and beaches in Ksamil and paragliding for the first time.
“I’ve been thinking about Albania for a few years after seeing a photo of the Albanian Riviera,” says Dovi. “I love emerging destinations and, as tourism in Albania is just starting to boom, I wanted to experience this country before it becomes more popular.”
For Dovi, some of his money-saving methods came down to booking hotels in person (one hotel gave him a discount and a room upgrade), taking buses instead of taxis, and choosing an inexpensive destination and promising.
“Try to choose destinations where the cost of living and tourism prices are reasonable,” she says. “You’ll get better value for your money, which means fewer compromises and a better overall experience.”
Cartagena and Medellin, Colombia
Brittany Smith
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If you plan to visit Colombiaconsider this your sign. Freelance educator and writer Brittany Smith traveled to Cartagena and Medellin, Colombia, on a week-long trip, and she was drawn to these destinations because of their affordability.
“Colombia has been on my bucket list for a while now because of what I've heard about its food scene, scenery, nightlife and, most notably, affordable options,” she says. “When I researched Colombia, I realized that Medellin and Cartagena offered incredible experiences at a fraction of the cost compared to other destinations. Plus, I knew that if I managed to visit both cities, I would experience a perfect combination of city life, history, and time spent in nature.
Smith says she spent less than $800 on a weeklong trip, which covered food, excursions and a hotel, which she shared with two friends. Some memorable moments from the trip included an island hopping trip to Cartagena and a day trip to Palenque, the first free African city in the Americas.
Smith attributed his low-cost trip to using credit card points to pay for his flight and comparing excursions on platforms like Airbnb Experiences,A Get your guideAnd TripAdvisor.
“One of my best travel saving tips “It's talking to the people who live there,” she says. “Locals know where the deals are and can offer you more authentic experiences if you genuinely connect with them. Plus, traveling during shoulder season can help you avoid peak prices and large crowds.
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