Traveling on a budget is no easy feat, but when you have the right information, it makes it much easier. One common way that people travel on a budget is by booking their flights through budget airlines. The caveat to booking with these airlines is that it doesn’t include a lot of things that you may be used to having when flying. Things like complimentary food and drinks or extras like TV’s on the back of the seats or WiFi usage may not be available on these flights. It’s the sacrifices you make to be able to save some money on your trip.
As someone who has traveled to over 40 countries, and loves going on last minute solo trips whenever I can snag a deal, I think I’ve gotten the gist of managing the ins and outs of booking with a budget airline. I’ve flown on Spirit Airlines across the United States, Ryanair to get from country to country in Europe, and I’ve even flown on Norse Atlantic Airways to get from New York City to Paris. While it’s not the most glamorous way to travel, I love that by choosing these airlines, I can save money–allowing me to go on more trips each year.
Now, one source that knows the ins and out of everything related to budget traveling is none other than The Points Guy. I went ahead to see what they had to say about tricks to save even more when using budget airlines, and took notes for myself for future trips. Keep on reading to see what budget-flying wisdom The Points Guy can impart.
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Research exactly what is included on the flight
In an Instagram reel made by The Points Guy, they share ways to save hundreds on your next budget airline flight. This trick, however, takes place after you purchase your ticket. Once you secure that money-saving seat, the work doesn’t stop there–instead, you need to do a little bit more research. In the video, they explain that each airline has various criteria for what is included in your plane ticket and what isn’t. Spirit Airlines, for example, allows an 18x14x8 inch bag, free of charge. The narrator in the video says that they bought a bag that is exactly that size, and they pack exactly what they need to fit just in that bag, alone.
One hack that the narrator in the video uses to combat the small space restraints while packing is to use the inside of their neck pillow. They share that they take clothing items and stuff them into the neck pillow, using up every inch of space possible. Having just the right sized bag plus taking advantage of the neck pillow saves them nearly $300 in baggage fees!
Another thing to make note of is knowing what kinds of food, snacks, or drinks are included with your budget airline ticket. Most of these airlines don’t have any included, so you need to be prepared. In the Instagram reel, The Points Guy shares that bringing your own water bottle (to be filled up after security, of course) plus a snack like a protein bar is a great way to be prepared and not spend extra money on the flight.
When it comes to in-flight entertainment–you don’t want to fall for the large price tag that these budget airlines place on their WiFi packages. Instead, The Points Guy suggests downloading a few episodes of your favorite podcast or bringing a good book to read. Ultimately, if you’re prepared ahead of time, you won’t have any surprise charges that will hit you during your travels.
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Taking your condensed packing to the next level
I think that the most difficult thing to navigate when it comes to flying with a budget airline is figuring out how to pack what you need in such small limitations. The last thing you want to do is negate the very reason you bought that budget airline ticket by paying hundreds of dollars for a bag. I loved The Points Guy’s suggestion of packing extra clothes in your neck pillow to save room, and wanted to share some other easy hacks to help you minimize your belongings.
First and foremost, use compression packing cubes when packing. Whether you are using a personal item to stuff all of your clothing in or are able to use a rolling carry-on luggage, the compression packing cubes save so much space. I’ve been able to condense a pile of clothing that took up the space of two packing cubes into the space of one, just by using a compression packing cube. This also helps to keep you organized, which is an extra bonus.
Another tip that I have is to wear as many layers as you can on your physical body. When I travel, I love to have a comfortable sweatshirt, but I also love to have some sort of jean or leather jacket to layer on top of my clothing. One way to go about this is to wear a sweatshirt while you travel, and tie the jacket around your waist. This will save a ton of space in your luggage, since both sweatshirts and jackets take up a lot of room. This way, you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other, and you don’t lose out on space in your luggage, either.
Related: The Genius Carry-On Packing Trick I Wish I’d Known Sooner
