We’re not saying you should love it, just that you should use it…
The very best travel deals are rigged against solo travelers. There – we said it. It’s official. Now that that’s cleared away it’s officially time to embrace it and work the system for the betterment of your travels. The best way to accomplish that: buddying up. Although it’s against solo travel DNA, it’s not nearly as restricting as one would think, and thanks to friendly social media groups and easy ways to “split it”, it’s easier than ever to make it happen.
Here’s The Scoop
Package flight + hotel deals and 2 for 1 flight offers are the best way to save on travel right now. That’s not going to change any time soon, by the way. When you see headline $99 per person trips within Europe or Asia with round trip flights and two or more nights of hotels included, or $469 per person trips from the US to Europe with 5 nights of hotel and flights, they’re not too good to be true.
They just require two people traveling to book them.
Separately, many of the very best airfare deals now involve “companion pricing”. That doesn’t mean you need to love the one you’re traveling with or even stay in the same hotel. It just means you’ll pay less if you book two tickets at once. You see this in every cabin. Even $10,000 first class tickets are sold for $1800 a piece, if two people book at once. Oh and P.S. taking a day off and avoiding at least one weekend day can be a game changer with prices.
Don’t Ask Why, Just Take Advantage
Package deals work off of different airline availability than normal tickets and airlines now set their very best prices for those willing to buy two, rather than one or willing to buy the hotel at the same time too. For spontaneous, last minute getaways they’re pretty much the only way to save! Last minute long haul flights can easily fetch over $1000 per person, but if you add a hotel to the reservation, the total price can magically drop to a mere fraction. This is due to special availability reserved for holiday packages for two passengers. Here’s a last minute example…
Solo Economy flights from London to New York are shockingly high at $1600 (£1200) for this January.
But then you switch to flight + hotel and the exact same dates are a fraction of the cost and include hotel too…
And yes, even the same exact flights with three nights 4* hotel added are less for two than for flight alone for one.
About Splitting A Hotel
When you book flight + hotel deals, you’re splitting a hotel room, but that’s about it. Yes, you’ll be on the same flight – but you don’t even need to sit together. When it comes to exploring, there’s no reason two people can’t follow the wise words of Fleetwood Mac and go their own way. A solo traveler seeking freedom may not love sharing a room, but for up to 90% off the trip itself, just from buddying up with a friend, family member or likeminded traveler, it’s not the worst ask in the world. After all, you can split up all day and night. A hotel room is simply a place to rest your eyes.
Splitting The Bill Is Getting Easier
The obvious risk with booking travel for two is that you’ll get stuck with someone who doesn’t pay you back. Ugh. A few brands are changing that. Many of these package flight + hotel deals can be secured with a simple deposit and paid for using multiple credit cards over time. Some also allow you to simply split the cost at the time of booking. Not having to financially vouch for your travel companion is huge and makes it far more comfortable for likeminded travelers to take the jump (and save).
Great Travel Resources
Package deals can be found all over the place, and we regularly highlight the very best. For example, there are some from Europe to the US or vice versa for around $468 per person right now. Intra Europe is even cheaper. When it comes to finding someone to travel with, Facebook communities can be an amazing place to start. FromFacebook groups such as The Solo Female Traveller Network to Lonely Planet Travellers, specifically designed to find likeminded travelers and airline specific groups there are many ways to find someone to lock in the savings with.
One could do a deal with the other person and say “you get the hotel room”. That way, there is no chance of hetrosexual sexual abuse or homosexual sexual abuse.