MANILA, Philippines – To travel the world – that’s in (almost) everyone’s bucket list. We want to go to exotic cities like Bali and Phuket or famous tourist destinations like Tokyo and Sydney. Although sometimes, traveling takes a back seat because of our monthly bills and daily expenses.  

But what if you can start traveling the world now? What if every vacation you take leads you to the next one?

By being resourceful and practical, you can be closer to this dream with every spend you make. Take advantage of various rewards programs that usually go unnoticed, and get hotel discounts, affordable passes to tourist attractions, and even free flights so you can travel more without breaking the bank. 

Here are some habits you can adopt to become a frequent traveler today:

Enroll in airline rewards programs

Do you notice that little box on the booking page that asks for your membership number every time you book a flight? It’s there for a reason – and it’s usually an untapped opportunity. Lifestyle rewards program like Cebu Pacific’s GetGo lets you earn 1 point for every P5 spent on your flight’s base fare and select add-ons. A roundtrip flight for two to Tokyo worth P12,596 (base fare and select add-ons only), for example, is equivalent to 2,519 points – a few points away from a one-way flight to Cebu or Hong Kong.

Book accommodations through online travel agents

Some online travel agents like Travelbook.ph offer cash back options by letting you earn points every time you book a hotel. You can use your rewards the next time you travel to get discounts or even pay your booking in full if you’ve accumulated enough points. Most of the time, the prices posted on these travel websites are much cheaper than the actual hotel. You even get further discounts – as much as P1000 – when you book using their mobile app.

Buy passes and tickets in advance

If you’re planning to travel to multiple cities by train or bus, purchase your tickets in advance. When you purchase tickets on-the-spot, it’s either they have run out or you would have to pay exorbitant amounts because of the high demand. The same goes for tickets to tourist attractions like Disneyland or the Hong Kong Peak. Travel websites like Klook offer huge discounts from time to time. Pre-booking your tickets also lets you skip long lines to the cashier, giving you more time to enjoy your trip.  

Consult with friends who travel frequently

It’s good to read articles and blogs that share useful travel tips. But sometimes, consulting with someone you know and trust can give you a clearer picture of what to expect from your trip. They can tell you about the nuances of traveling: What’s the cheapest and most efficient way to get to your hotel from the airport? Is it easier to take the bus or the train when going around? Is it safe (and more practical) to eat street food? Where do I change my money so I can get the best rate? How should I deal with the locals? Knowing these little things will help you tread a foreign country confidently.

Use airline partner cards to pay for all your travel expenses

So, you’ve already earned points and got discounts from enrolling in an airline rewards program, booking accommodations through online travel agents, and buying your passes and tickets in advance, how would you like to earn more points on top of all that?

When you use a credit or debit card that is an official partner of an airline rewards program like Cebu Pacific GetGo Cards by UnionBank to pay for all of that and other daily expenses like bills, gas, groceries, or food, that’s exactly what will happen. You don’t even have to pay more than you have to. All you need to do is to change the way you pay and take advantage of your rewards’ card partners like those of GetGo’s mentioned above. Unlike other credit cards, your points are automatically reflected in your GetGo account every first week of the month. And it will never expire.  

Always keep these in mind whenever you’re going on a trip and you’ll never have to suffer from post-vacation blues ever again. – Rappler.com

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