Vacation is one of the greatest rewards we can give ourselves after working the remaining 50 weeks of the year. But you do not have to spend your hard-earned money to go away. There are deals and savings programs you can use to secure free travel rewards, and these are the best rewards out there. Below are some of the easiest ways to get free travel and perks.
Get free flights
Get a promotion. Yes, airlines really oversell their flights because every seat is precious money, and they prepare for last-minute cancelations. But sometimes everyone shows up and they are overloaded. In that case, they look for volunteers to take another flight and often offer you a flight voucher. If you are flexible and wait for the next flight, you can earn a free flight.
Register for an airline credit card
There are cards that will give you up to 50,000 bonus miles if you spend a certain amount (between $1,000 and $5,000) within the first 90 days of the card being issued. Of course, the cards rely on you not paying off the debt so they earn interest, but if you use your card in the first 90 days and post all spending on it and (this is important) pay off the debt before the new billing cycle, you’ll get the bonus miles without spending more than you intended. These miles are enough to get you a free flight.
Enroll in a frequent flyer program
If you fly a lot, you can earn points toward a free flight every time you fly, especially if you live near an airport hub and can use the same airline for all your flights. Signing up is free, so it does not hurt.
Get free seat upgrades
Sign up for a frequent flyer program. These programs can qualify you for free upgrades. Depending on your status in the program, you may automatically receive an upgrade without having to ask. If you do not have high status, you can request an upgrade, and if there are enough seats available, you’ll get an upgrade. As a member of the programs, you can often choose preferred seating for free, which means more legroom, even if you have a regular seat.
Free access to the airport lounge
Airline credit cards save the day. Another reason to sign up for an airline credit card is that members often get free access to airport lounges. Instead of spending your time at the airport sitting on the floor loading up your food and eating greasy fast food, you could enjoy a comfortable and quiet lounge with free hors d’oeuvres and drinks, as well as plenty of charging stations.
Free Jump-the-Line Access
Another benefit of credit cards. Credit cards with travel rewards increasingly offer $85 and $100 worth of TSA Precheck and Global Entry reimbursements, respectively. With these government-issued cards, you can pass through security with your shoes and belts on and pack away laptops and liquids. The lines are shorter and you only have to go through a metal detector rather than a full-body scanner. With Global Entry, you can use a kiosk with your pre-processed passport at U.S. ports of entry and avoid hours of queuing.
Free hotel nights
Sign up for a loyalty program. Just like airlines, hotels have programs where frequent flyers can earn points. You can earn points that you can use to get a free night at any of the brand’s hotels. There are other loyalty options as well, especially with aggregators like Hotels.com. If you book a hotel through Hotels.com and stay 10 nights, you get a free night regardless of the brand. The price is equal to your average spend. So if you book 5-star hotels, you get a free night at a 5-star hotel.
Register for a credit card with hotel partnership
Hotels also partner with credit card companies, and travel credit cards allow you to earn points for your spending that you can use toward your loyalty program. For new cardholders, like airlines, there are big bonus points if you spend a certain amount within 90 days. Again, spend big, but pay down the monthly debt so you do not have to pay interest.
Get free room upgrades
Ask. You’ll be surprised how many hotels are not fully booked, so you can always ask for a better room when you arrive. This works best if you check in late, well after check-in time, as hotels will have turned away most guests by then and will be aware of the cancelations. It also helps to tip the hotel clerk.
Contact the loyalty program
Earning points for a free night’s stay is not the only reason to sign up for a loyalty program. It lets the hotel know you are a frequent guest, and you are more likely to get an automatic upgrade because of it. You also get other perks like free WiFi and bottled water.
Free entrance and free meals
Watch out for coupons. Hotels near attractions and restaurants often have coupons for those attractions available at the front desk or from the concierge. You can also find coupons and deals in in-room magazines, which feature all the destination has to offer. You may also find deals on the websites of your destination’s tourist offices. Often you will find 2-for-1offers or BOGO.
Try Groupon
Before your trip, log on to sites like Groupon and LivingSocial and enter the location to see what special deals are available if you buy tickets in advance. Many of these deals can also be found at BOGO and extend to restaurants as well.
Stalking on social media
Follow your favorite attractions and restaurants or those at the places you will be visiting. You’ll be surprised how often there are BOGO offers there that the rest of the public does not know about.
Celebrate your birthday
Remember these offers? A free meal on your birthday? They are still around at many chains across the country. All you need is a paying adult to accompany you, and your meal is free. Check your favorite restaurant’s website to see if they have birthday programs you can sign up for.
Sometimes it feels like it’s too good to be true, but in reality, these deals really do exist and you do not have to do much to earn them. As the commercial says, “They are your rewards, use them!”
