From Using the Right Credit Card to Rebooking, How to Score Huge Savings on Travel Tuesday and Beyond

While many shoppers get excited about Black Friday or Cyber Monday, for adventurers, Travel Tuesday is the real one worth waiting for. Today, many hotels, airline carriers, and booking sites are slashing prices, giving travelers huge savings. Southwest, for instance, is selling certain flights for up to 30% off through November 30. Marriott is offering 20% off to Marriott Bonvoy members or 15% off to nonmembers who book by November 28 for stays between now and January 15, 2024. So, we got tips from The Points Guy himself, Brian Kelly, on the tips and tricks to get the most savings out of Travel Tuesday.

Check Historical Pricing

We wrote about Google Flights’ new feature to track historical pricing and the best time to buy when it launched earlier this year, and this is exactly the time to use it.

“It’s not unheard of to see some hotels offer promotions that aren’t actually cheaper than member rates or ongoing AAA rates,” says Kelly. “Double-check member rates and any loyalty program savings before you book.”

And always make sure to read the fine print. “Airfare deals can be subject to seasonality and hidden fees, such as charges for checked bags,” says Kelly, as add-ons like that have the potential to wipe out any savings.

The Points Guy also recommends using a site like Camelcamelcamel.com when purchasing on Amazon, which tracks historical shifts in pricing. You can set alerts on specific products you want to buy, too.

Use Online Shopping Portals

Instead of going straight to the brand’s site for sales, look into using a shopping portal or aggregator like CashbackMonitor.com or Evreward.com.

“If you book through a shopping portal, you can earn something in return, such as extra points, miles, or cash back,” says Kelly. “To get the most bang for your buck… see which portal has the best return, since payouts can vary from day to day.”

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Use the Right Credit Cards

“It’s important to ensure you’re always using the best travel credit card possible when finalizing any travel-related reservation,” says Kelly. “This way you receive extra perks, such as automatic travel protection or bonus points, for every purchase. Two of our favorite cards for travel purchases are the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.”

With those cards, you’ll earn bonus points for each dollar spent on travel (excluding when you’re using the Reserve’s $300 travel credit) and receive top-notch travel protection benefits. Amex, Chase, Citi, and Capital One have their own offer portals where you can get additional rewards or a percentage back on purchases—from travel brands like Hertz and Hilton to major retailers like Walmart and Nike.

Flex on Rebooking

“Even if you aren’t in the market for a new trip right now, you may find it possible to save on your trip if you rebook any flights or hotels you’ve already locked in at a lower Black Friday travel deal price,” says Kelly. In many situations, you can refund your airline tickets or hotel booking within 24 hours of making your reservation, so it’s often best to err on the side of booking first and double-check all the details later if you don’t want to miss out.

Set Alerts on Dream Trips

“Setting a price alert for a flight you know you want to take is a great way to get notified of price drops without having to constantly scour the web for savings,” says Kelly. So, even if you miss out on great prices on Travel Tuesday, there’s still a chance to save. We like setting alerts on sites like Google Flights and Skyscanner.

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