10 Ways You’re Spending More on Vacation Than Travel Experts
10 Ways You’re Spending More on Vacation Than Travel Experts
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https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-ways-travelers-accidentally-spend-more-on-vacation
Travel can be one of life’s greatest pleasures — but it can also quickly become far more expensive than it needs to be.
After helping thousands of people resolve costly problems over the years, I know that travelers frequently overspend. From booking errors to missed discounts and overlooked perks, even experienced travelers make mistakes that can end in unnecessary charges and expenses.
Here are ten ways travel experts keep those vacation costs under control.
PHOTO: WeBond-Creations/iStock
1 OF 10
Don’t Skip Travel Insurance
The number one way you can protect your vacation dollars is by investing in a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Should you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason, you’ll be reimbursed for your nonrefundable expenses. Even better, if things go wrong during your travels, you’ve got a 24-hour hotline to call for guidance.
Trip insurance remains highly misunderstood and mysterious to many travelers. However, I know from the complaints that land in my inbox at Consumer Rescue that this confusion is often rooted in traveler error. Buying a travel insurance policy is only the first step. The next one is to read the document and understand what it does and doesn’t cover, and under what circumstances.
Travel insurance policies purchased in the United States come with generous look-over periods of 10 to 15 days, depending on the company. If you use that time to actually look over the policy, you will be armed with the information you need to protect the money you spent on your trip. If, after reading that policy, you decide it doesn’t provide the coverage you want and need, you can cancel for a full refund. After the look-over time, though, your policy is nonrefundable.
PHOTO: Sam Antonio/Dreamstime
2 OF 10
Use Airline Miles and Loyalty Points, but Use Them Correctly
If you have a stash of airline miles or loyalty points, redeeming them for all or part of your next vacation could dramatically reduce the overall cost of the trip. However, it’s crucial to remember that just like with cash, there are smart ways to spend those points and miles, and then there are easy ways to waste them.
In fact, if you redeem your miles incorrectly, you could be throwing away hundreds or even thousands of dollars. I saw this firsthand recently when my mom redeemed Capital One points directly through the travel portal for a flight to France. Had she first transferred points into a Flying Blue account (the awards program for Air France and KLM), she could have spent thousands fewer points.
To make sure you’re maximizing your earned points and miles, The Points Guy offers a free tool: the Award vs Cash calculator. That tool will tell you whether you’re wasting your miles or if you’re getting a great deal.
PHOTO: Zoran Jesic/iStock
3 OF 10
Enroll in Hotel Loyalty Programs
Hotel loyalty programs are free to join and include appealing perks, like complimentary upgrades, welcome gifts, bonus points, and members-only deals. Not only that, but the more you stay with a particular hotel brand, the more your benefits will increase. It’s a good idea to read over all the terms and conditions so that you understand what’s available to you and make the most of your membership.
PHOTO: Natalia Volkova/Dreamstime
4 OF 10
Skip Basic Economy
Booking the lowest possible rate your airline has to offer might seem like a great way to save money. Unfortunately, it almost never works out that way for the travelers who contact me.
During the pandemic, most airlines removed cancellation penalties. That was great for passengers, and the policy remains in place today, except for basic economy tickets. Those super-restrictive fares typically come with use-it-or-lose-it conditions. If a basic economy passenger needs to adjust their schedule, they’ll be out of luck. Suddenly, that great deal becomes anything but, as the ticket becomes worthless if the passenger can’t use it exactly as booked.
Also, travelers should keep in mind that basic economy tickets are bare bones. Checked luggage, seat assignments, and even carry-on bags aren’t complimentary with those fares. When all is said and done, basic economy tickets can cost more for the traveler than if they’d simply booked a regular fare.
PHOTO: Glenn Carstens Peters/Unsplash
5 OF 10
Visit the Online Tourism Board for Your Intended Destination
The official website of the tourism board for wherever you’re going is a great place to find information and discounts. You can usually download the free annual guide directly from the internet. But if you prefer a hard copy, most tourism boards will mail it to you on request.
Those destination guides are filled with valuable details about the area and almost always include discounts for local attractions, hotels, restaurants, and more.
If you’ve already arrived in the area, tourism guides can usually be found on racks at the airport in the baggage claim area and in rest areas along major highways.
PHOTO: Roman Tiraspolsky/iStock
6 OF 10
Inspect Your Rental Car Before Driving off the Lot
Recently, I shared a free, printable car rental inspection checklist in response to the hundreds of complaints I receive every year from travelers falsely accused of, and billed for, causing damage to rental vehicles. Hertz customer Bernadette Berset recently contacted me to say that she’s been using that inspection checklist and how, during her last rental, it proved invaluable.
“I received an email from Hertz with a vehicle incident report for damage to the car during my rental period,” Berset told me. “I called the listed phone number, completed the incident report, attached my photos, and submitted the inspection report showing the damage was present when I picked the vehicle up.”
Hertz withdrew the charges. Before you get behind the wheel of a rental car and drive away, you must do the same as Berset. Inspect the vehicle, noting any scratches or dents, and don’t forget to check the roof. Any unusual odors should also be noted, and do not leave the lot until you report any oddities to an employee. Don’t accept a rental car with undocumented pre-existing damage, or it will become your expensive problem later.
Keep in mind that most car rental locations are franchised—independently owned and operated. That means that even if you are comfortable with the brand name, the experience may not match your expectations. My investigations suggest that some franchised car rental locations pad their bottom line with false damage charges. Don’t fall victim to this scheme.
PHOTO: Tada Images/Shutterstock
7 OF 10
Avoid Fake Airline Customer Service Centers When Booking
If you’re booking your own airfare for your next vacation, it’s important to use reputable sites to do it. Unfortunately, the internet is filled with AI-created, professional-looking websites posing as official airline customer service centers. Travelers searching for specific airlines often land on these sites and call the number, which is usually advertised as “No wait time.” These scammers have become especially proficient in tricking Google into promoting their fraudulent operations.
Each week, my Rescue Me helpline receives a flood of requests for help from travelers who have fallen into the hands of one of these fake airline customer service centers. Those interactions have led victims to lose thousands of dollars.
PHOTO: AnnaStills/iStock
8 OF 10
Search for Hotels, Airfares, and Car Rental Rates With a VPN
Frustrated travelers often ask me why a rate they saw earlier is no longer available. If you’ve ever had the same thing happen to you, I have a little trick that sometimes makes that rate magically reappear. By clearing your browser and deleting any stored cookies, you can remove the website’s memory of your past search.
Because of dynamic pricing, your original search likely signaled that demand was increasing. As a result, the algorithm showed you a new rate. If you erase your history and internet cookies, and the website sees you as a new visitor, the lower rate may reappear.
Using a VPN (virtual private network) in incognito mode during your initial search for flights, hotels, and car rentals can help reduce the chance that rates are influenced by your search history.
PHOTO: DrazenZigic/Shutterstock
9 OF 10
Stay at Hotels That Offer Free Breakfast and Cocktail Hour
A great way to save on food costs, especially if you’re traveling with your family, is by choosing brands that offer free breakfast. Hampton Inns, Staybridge Suites, Embassy Suites, Best Western, and Holiday Inn, among others, often include breakfast in the rate. Double-check, though, because some city locations charge a hefty fee for the same morning buffet.
Another money-saving perk some hotels offer is a nightly cocktail hour that often includes food, as well. Staybridge Suites has been a favorite of mine ever since my daughters and I arrived one evening after a long drive to a property in Fargo, North Dakota. It seemed pretty remote and I wasn’t sure where we were going to be able to find dinner. The employee who was checking us in gave me the good news that we had arrived just in time for Chicken, Waffles, and Wine Happy Hour. It turned out to be a full meal, and it was included in the rate, and my problem was solved.
PHOTO: Zheka Boss/iStock
10 OF 10
Watch Out for Hidden Hotel Fees
Read the fine print of that hotel reservation you’re making. Many rates exclude hidden mandatory fees that you’ll only see at check-in. Those charges should be disclosed in the terms of the reservation before booking. Unfortunately, many travelers don’t read those details and end up getting blindsided at checkout.
Daily resort and parking fees, city taxes, and more can quickly add hundreds of unexpected dollars to your final bill. Look for hotels that have free parking and no resort fees, which often are just junk fees. Travelers should scrutinize their bill at check-out for surprise charges. Some less reputable hotels add resort fees even though the property is not a resort and doesn’t provide anything of value for the fee.
Ashford Trust sells Virginia asset as it sheds portfolio
CEO Stephen Zsigray said the REIT was marketing the sale of 18 properties, including a Virginia hotel that sold in late March.
https://www.hotelinvestmenttoday.com/Deals/Mergers-and-Acquistions/Ashford-Trust-sells-Virginia-asset-as-it-sheds-portfolio?
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — Dallas-based REIT Ashford Hospitality Trust has sold another asset, the 252-key Hilton Alexandria Old Town in Virginia, to Chicago-based Lodging Capital Partners for $58 million in an all-cash deal, according to a SEC filing on March 31.
This is the second time that Lodging Capital Partners has owned the asset. After owning it for five years, it sold the hotel to Ashford Hospitality Trust in 2018 for $111 million.
When Ashford Trust purchased the property in 2018, it received a $73.5 million, five-year interest-only, nonrecourse mortgage. According to the filing, Ashford Trust repaid $32.5 million on a loan after the sale. The REIT reported a $28.4 million operating income loss on the property as part of its 2025 year-end earnings.
Ashford Trust President and CEO Stephen Zsigray said selling assets is an essential part of the REIT’s plan to grow EBITDA and its value to investors. In February, during the REIT’s Q4 and year-end 2025 earnings call, he said the company is currently marketing and negotiating off-market transactions on 18 additional hotels.
In December, Ashford Trust formed a special committee “to evaluate strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, including a potential transaction.”
The REIT has sold a number of properties in the past six months, including:
- The La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa in New Mexico sold to New Mexico-based Abo Empire for $57.5 million.
- The Le Pavillon New Orleans in Louisiana was sold to an investor group led by New Orleans businessman Bobby Guidry and Florida developer David Bansmer for $42.5 million.
- The Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront in Florida sold to Delray Beach, Florida-based Kolter Group for $96 million.
- The Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Arboretum in Austin, Texas, and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria in Houston (a total of 300 keys) to Galleria Lodging LP and Arboretum Lodging LP in a combined transaction for $27 million.
War in Iran will redirect hotel capital flow to other destinations
Cautious investors and travelers likely to stay in Europe and Asia away from Middle East
Geopolitics and the conflict in the Middle East are expected to see both guests and investment capital move to destinations deemed less turbulent such as Spain and Portugal. Shown in the photo is the Spanish resort of Lloret de Mar. (Getty Images)
https://www.costar.com/article/533851570/war-in-iran-will-redirect-hotel-capital-flow-to-other-destinations?
BERLIN — War in the Middle East will have some impact on hotel investment capital flow, along with merger-and-acquisition activity and general travel trends.
Pablo Callejo, managing director and head of investment banking for Continental Europe at business advisory CBRE, said an already-fraught macro backdrop will be further complicated by the war in Iran and surrounding regions.
James Liddy, global co-head of gaming, lodging and leisure investment banking at Jefferies, said private equity is currently more cautious now.
“There will be a lot more structured solutions coming to the market. Financial investors looking for liquidity will need more creative solutions,” he said.
He added changes in air routes and corridors would affect capital flows.
The increase in price of refined airplane kerosene, and where it is available for refueling, will also play into the new algorithm.
The two joined others to speak at the recent International Hotel Investment Forum EMEA in Berlin on a panel titled “M&A trends in hospitality: Shaping the next stage of consolidation.” Much of the conversation turned to short- and longer-term impacts of the current war in Iran on hospitality capital flow and other industry behavior.
Matthew Janukowicz, managing director of business advisory Moelis & Co., said that as with other stressors that have challenged the hotel industry since the COVID-19 pandemic, high-end luxury hotels likely won't see as much of an impact on their business as geopolitical events unfold.
"The high end has a more resilient consumer, a customer willing to spend, but they might go somewhere else. Southern Europe is likely to be a short-term beneficiary,” he said.
Janukowicz and Liddy agreed that recent events would see a heightened return in the regionalization of the hotel industry.
European guests might head to Spain and Portugal, and Chinese guests might stay at home or travel more to Southeast Asia, a trend that has not ceased since the end of the pandemic.
U.S. travelers, on the other hand, "will stay at home more than we would like,” Liddy added.
Development and capital type
While speakers said they believe hotel development will continue, it might look different. CBRE’s Callejo said he expects more hotel conversion activity.
Hotel investors underwriting development will require increased due diligence, Janukowicz said. Whether guests will tolerate higher daily rates for hotel stays — a constant industry headline — is now even more important when viewed against the reality that development and operations costs will only grow due to the conflicts in the Middle East.
“Amid rising costs, the total construction cost is more important. Getting deals penciled is more difficult, but there is demand … lifestyle and boutique [hotels] have runway,” Janukowicz said.
He added it's also critical to have strong oversight of day-to-day operating costs at the hotel level.
Liddy agreed.
“To attract capital, more diligence has to be done. Also, can you keep costs down, and can you get capital out?” he said.
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