Sarah Allard travel tips

Travel is, for many of us, a distinctly rewarding experience—yet it comes at a price. Sky-high flight costs, accommodation costs, and overpriced restaurants can make budgeting seem impossible, and suddenly, booking that trip quickly becomes daunting instead of exciting. While we can’t promise your dream getaway will ever be a bargain, our editors have picked up a few tips and tricks during their years of traveling for cutting costs. Travel is for making memories, so it is important to carefully plan your spending to make the most out of your trip. Here is how to stretch every penny with the golden rules of affordable travel our editors swear by.

With additional reporting by Sarah Allard

If you’ve ever settled in for a long-haul flight and begun watching a movie only to find yourself sobbing after the opening credits, you’re not alone–it’s an occurrence that many travelers have experienced. “I always cry on planes,” says Sarah Allard, Condé Nast Traveler’s UK digital editor. “No matter what kind of headspace I’m in if I’m watching a movie with any sentimental or emotional theme, it’s only a matter of time before the tears start falling. On my last long-haul flight, I watched Aftersun and thought I might die from holding in the sobs.” Amber Port, audience growth manager for Condé Nast Traveller, agrees. “I watched Past Lives in the cinema, and while I was moved, I didn’t cry—but then I rewatched it on the plane and was silently sobbing by the end of it. I’m not sure what changed, but something did.”

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If you travel regularly you’ve probably learnt to spot the difference between a frequent flier and a rookie—the most obvious tell-tale sign being a bulky travel pillow, typically carried by an inexperienced flier, hanging from a backpack or being worn (wrongly) around the back of their neck before they even get on the plane. Many of us are guilty of buying one of these beanbag worms from the airport duty-free shop, only to realize that they’re more trouble than they’re actually worth.