Holidays are some of the most cherished memories we collect, but sometimes those memories can be clouded by vacay disaster moments, like unexpected last-minute changes, missed or cancelled flights and last-minute airfare price pain. Putting in a little extra planning at the beginning of the process can save you a stack of stress when you should be focussing on sunset sips and new-city wonder.
In partnership with Hopper, we’ve wrapped up a bunch of hacks to make sure your core memories are filled with vacay bliss, not bookers' regret. From sussing the best time to buy flights and accommodation to locking in the best price when you see it, we’ve got you covered from the first steps of holiday dreaming all the way through to dealing seamlessly with unexpected hiccups along the way.
Here are six top tips on how to optimise your booking habits to make all future vacays as breezy as a balmy Bali evening.
Book Your Trip At The Best Time
We’ve all done it—had grand plans for a holiday, ticked some crucial things off the list like getting leave approved at work and mentally planned what you’ll pack, but put off the crucial but cash-heavy step of booking flights. It’s normal, but it’s not savvy. If you really want to plan a trip to remember without the nasty bite of last-minute airfare prices, you have to book at the right time. An algorithm that shows you the whole picture and lets you see when is the best time to book, is a game changer for your holiday budget. Hopper’s Price Prediction function does just that. Predicting with 95% accuracy, you can search the app for the best price, saving an average of $65 per trip.
Lock In The Best Prices While You Can
This ties into getting ahead of the game when it comes to holiday planning to make sure you get the best price. There’s nothing worse than scouting through flight and accommodation options and spotting a great price one week that then jumps up in price the following week when you’re actually ready to book. To avoid disappointments that can dampen your vacay shine before you’ve even set off, make sure you’re hunting for the best deals where you can put them on hold if you’re not ready to lay down the cash just yet. To ditch the disappointment forever, Hopper’s Price Freeze product locks in and saves the best price for you until a set expiration date. If the price increases after you’ve locked in the freeze and you’re ready to purchase the flight, Hopper will cover the rest of the cost up to the service cap (your coverage amount) shown to you at the time of purchase. If the price goes down, you will pay the lower price. Win, win!
Safeguard Your Flights
There’s nothing worse than basking in your own glory of organisation, with flights locked in, ready to go and then a spanner is thrown in the works. Delays, cancellations and missed connections can be a massive mood killer, not to mention a blow to your vacay bottom line. A little forethought before you set off can save a world of pain when you’re in transit and safeguarding your travel is one of the best risk-reward investments you can make. A function like this Flight Disruption Guarantee is an easy solution. For a small upfront fee, you can add this product to your booking and if your flight is delayed, cancelled, or you miss a connection you can rebook another flight or receive an instant refund on your bungled flight and no extra cost.
Keep A Bit Of Extra Cash In Your Pocket
What’s the old saying? You’ve got to spend money to make money? This is another travel hack that falls into the category of a little bit of forethought paying off in the long run. Suss where in your booking process you can hook up rewards every time you book a crucial element of your trip. If you’re a set-and-forget kind of planner, Hopper’s Carrot Cash function is an easy way to see bonus cash credits fall into your account whenever you book flights, accommodation or car rental through the app. Every time you book, you’ll earn Carrot Cash rewards that can be spent on future bookings in the app. Love earning as much extra value as you can as well as sharing hot tips with your mates? Get onboard with Hopper's referral program. Every time someone downloads the free app using your referral code you will both earn $15 in Carrot Cash. You can earn the referral bonus up to a whopping 200 times so that's up to $3000 to use on flights, accom and car rental, so tell all your friends.
Up Your Sustainability Factor On Every Trip
There are so many reasons we travel and a big one is to see the natural wonders that the world has to offer. Whether it’s sipping sunset sips on a stunning Fiji beach, hiking through lush rainforest or slipping down the ski slopes, beautiful surroundings are key to a memorable holiday. We also know that the output it takes to jet-set to stunning destinations takes a toll on the same planet we love to explore. To reduce your impact on your next trip, keep an eye out for ways to balance out travel emissions. Determined to contribute positively to the planet, Hopper has pledged to plant two trees for every booking made as part of their carbon offset plan. The Hopper Trees initiative is in partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects and sees trees planted at various locations around the globe, promoting reforestation that draws carbon from the atmosphere, provides habitats for animals and replenishes soil health.
Always Look For Flexible Booking Options
If there’s one lesson we’ve all learned in recent years, it’s that plans can change at the drop of a hat and flexibility is key. To make sure you don’t end up out of pocket without the sand between your toes or Italian spritz memories to show for it, lock in your flights with flexible booking options. Spending a little more planning time, or coin on a failsafe at the beginning of your trip will save you a stack of heartbreak and lost money if you have to cancel or change your plans last minute. Designed to take the stress out of unexpected hiccups, Hopper’s Cancel For Any Reason and Change For Any Reason options will keep the coin in your pocket when the universe surprises you. For any flights booked through Hopper, you can add these products at the time of booking in order to be able to cancel or change up to the departure date for your flight. You'll receive a total value credit from the airline, or a full refund from Hopper depending on your booking.
Ready to start booking the trip of a lifetime? Head over here to download the Hopper App today.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Hopper and proudly endorsed by Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Image credit: Urban List