Linked below are some of my favorite travel preparation resources.
For flights and documentation requirements
Other
I use Google Flights to book all of my flights as it allows us to compare flight prices for a trip between all competing airlines (with the exception of Southwest). It also keeps track of what average prices are for each route, so if you are unsure about what the cost of a route should be, it will let you know whether the flight you have selected is on the higher or lower end. Additionally, you are able to type in a general region (i.e. Europe) in as a destination and then compare which cities are the cheapest to travel to. I tend to use this method to obtain cheap flights and then plan my travel around the flight itself. Unlike when booking through many third party services, Google Flights redirects you to an official airline website to book your flight.
When I first began traveling internationally, I subscribed to a website now called Going.com (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights). This platform sends you emails about any and all good flight deals (both domestic and international) leaving from your local airport. The premium membership costs $49 a year, and while I no longer personally use this platform, it served as a great starting point for me until I understood how to find flight deals on my own and is well worth it. The best flight deal I booked via Going.com was from Atlanta to Barcelona for around $350 round trip.
Skiplagged is a website that allows users to take advantage of loopholes on airfare tickets through the use of “hidden-city” flights. This is when passengers with multiple layovers exit prior to their ticket’s final destination (i.e. leaving the airport during a layover in San Francisco rather than the itinerary’s final stop in Seattle). This is useful when the popularity of a layover is greater than that of the final destination, making flights to the popular layover more costly.
When traveling internationally, it is important to know all of the entry requirements and other additional information about a country before entering. The U.S. Department of State details documentation needed to enter every country, so this is an awesome resource to refer to if you are unsure about entry requirements. Note- this is of course most useful for American citizens.
I believe it goes without saying that Airbnb is a fantastic and often cheaper alternative to hotels. I am linking this solely to point out that if you are planning a stay in a country for a month or longer, Airbnb offers significant discounts on monthly stays and does not charge the same as it would per night. For example, since I will be living in Airbnb’s for a month at a time throughout 2023 and 2024, the amount I will pay per month is typically comparable to what a monthly apartment lease might cost in the United States.
If you are comfortable enough to stay in a hostel rather than a hotel, HostelWorld.com is one of the most popular platforms used to find hostels in different cities. I personally really enjoy staying in unique hostels, but usually only do so when I am not solo traveling. Hostel World displays thousands of hostels around the world with over 13 million reviews, allows customers the option to get in contact with other travelers staying at the same hostel, and is a climate neutral verified company.
This is for all of the readers with dietary restrictions- HappyCow is the largest platform that features reviews of vegan, vegetarian, and even gluten free restaurants from around the world. You find restaurants based on specific cuisines, restaurants that offer “normal” food while also having vegan or vegetarian options (a personal favorite when I travel with other people), and even cafes with plant-based milks or dessert shops with everything you can imagine. As a vegan, this app has been LIFE changing when traveling and it has allowed me to find options in every corner of the world- even remote villages in Nepal. The app costs only $3.99 and is worth every penny.
TrustedHousesitters is a website for paying members that allows you to stay at someone else’s house for free on the condition that you house-sit for them. Typically this is used by members who want their pet(s) looked after. In my humble opinion, this is an amazing trade-off if you love animals: a free place to stay in exchange for watching a cat? Sign me up. Members are verified and undergo background checks before being allowed to list a home or stay in someone else’s.
Last but not least is AuPairWorld.com. The simplest way to describe Au Pairing is as international nannying. It is typically used by families so that their children can be exposed to linguistic and/or cultural differences by an Au Pair from another country. I used AuPairWorld.com to find the family I Au Paired for in the Catalonian region of Spain in 2021 and had the most amazing experience. This website works similarly to a dating app in the way that you find families you think you might be compatible with and message with them to ensure that you will get along. Just like TrustedHousesitters, users are verified and undergo background checks. Au Pairing is a fantastic way to travel on a budget as you live and eat with your family for free.
