TRAVEL RESOURCES
Travel planning can sometimes be overwhelming, and knowing where to start and what websites to trust takes a lot of work. Below I have listed my favorite travel resources, which I recommend for planning and booking your trips. From flights right through to travel cards I have you covered.
SKY SCANNER
Sky scanner is a great place to start when looking at flight deals. It gives you a range of flights from different airlines, scanning for the best prices. I like to start here and then go onto the airline websites directly to see if I get a better deal or the same direct price from Sky Scanner.
From personal experience, I prefer to book my domestic flights on sky scanner and my international flights directly with the airline. When using Sky Scanner, please take note of the small print on luggage allowance and cancellation policies, as sometimes luggage is not included and the cancellation policy not clear. https://www.skyscanner.net
RYANAIR
Ryanair is a great European budget airline. They offer great flight deals to countries in Europe. I have flown from the UK to Milan, Italy, for as little as £9.99 each way. Look out for their hot seat sales and seasonal offers to secure a cheap seat to travel around Europe. https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en
BRITISH AIRWAYS
I frequently fly with British Airways, and in my personal experience, booking directly with the airline has proven cheaper than its competitor airlines plus, you can build up Avios points against future flights. https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_gb/
BOOKING.COM
My absolute favorite go-to for accommodation is booking.com. The filter options are great; you can filter through accommodation options and find what you want from your stay. You can easily access reviews, ratings, and the travel community section for advice. Booking.com offers customers many no-prepayment and free cancellation options on bookings. Having no prepayment and free cancellation options means you can secure accommodation early without worrying about losing money if your plans change. It provides all the above and is a straightforward app to use. It provides clear booking information and an easy line of communication between you and the accommodation, plus you can build up discounts through the Genius loyalty program. www.booking.com
AIRBNB.COM
Airbnb is great for group travelers or as a family. You can rent entire homes, villas, and holiday rental units, splitting costs between you and making travel cheaper. However, if you are traveling solo, I would not recommend it. Solo travelers, especially female solo travelers, would be safer staying in a hotel where you can access a help desk and people around. Airbnb can also be costly depending on the destination for one person as you pay per property rather than the person. https://www.airbnb.co.uk
TRIP ADVISOR
Trip Advisor provides great inspiration for finding travel experiences, and I have booked many experiences via their website. I always check websites directly to see if I can get a better deal, but it is a great starting point when planning trip experiences. They also own Viator, another site I like to book travel experiences. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk
GET YOUR GUIDE
Get Your Guide provides instant last-minute bookings and offers a range of experiences to book.
GOOGLE MAPS
When planning your travel adventure and getting around, Google Maps will be your best friend. I use google maps to locate how far away hotels, key sites, or areas I plan to visit before booking anything. Using google maps while booking accommodation will ensure you are booking hotels within a reasonable distance and have a line of transportation between areas.
Google maps are also crucial and a complete lifesaver for traveling by foot, bus, metro, or train in other countries as it gives you the exact details of what means of transport you need to take.
WANDERLOG
Wanderlog is another great planning travel resource tool. This free app allows you to create a trip itinerary for any trip. I use it to create daily itineraries of the places I want to visit as it gives you the length of time it takes to get between each location. Wanderlog can also organize flight, hotel, and car reservations.
MONZO
Monzo is an online bank based in the UK. It allows you to pay on your card abroad without incurring transaction fees. You can also withdraw cash up to £250 within 30 days in the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). Outside the UK and EEA £200 can be withdrew within 30 days. Some bankers may be on the old plan of unlimited cash withdrawals in the UK and EEA, as the policy changed to cardholders on 28/12/2022.
Monzo is also my everyday bank card. It’s great for budgeting, and instant payments make it easier to monitor daily spending. You can also split bills and transfer or request money via payment links. Creating saving pots and round-ups also helps me save for my next holiday. https://monzo.com
REVOLUT
Revolut is another travel card that offers fee-free currency exchange and ATM cash withdrawals. It is available in 120 currencies and transfers in 29 currencies directly from their app.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The information on this page is my personal opinion and the websites and travel resources I use when planning my trips.