I’m a Flight Attendant: 4 Ways the Middle-Class Can Travel the World on a Budget

Emily Kelly, a flight attendant who shares her life as The Healthy Flight Attendant on YouTube, will get to dwell out her dream of international travel. She’s traveled to 44 international locations and practically each state throughout the U.S., viewing journey as an enriching expertise.

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“When you’re from a small town, most people have such a small-minded view of the world,” Kelly mentioned. “Getting to experience different cultures, food, and meeting people who are so different from how I grew up has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve been given.”

You don’t need to be a flight attendant or wealthy to journey the world. With strategic planning and a willingness to prioritize savings towards experiences over different purchases, worldwide journey might be extra accessible than many assume.

“If you can, save any amount to travel, even if you start out small. You will be blessed by seeing different parts of the world. It has inspired my heart and creativity like nothing else,” mentioned Kelly.

Kelly recommends affordable destinations corresponding to Costa Rica, Mexico, Thailand, Morocco and fewer touristy components of Europe. Here are her tips for traveling the world on a middle-class budget.

Use a Good Travel Rewards Credit Card

Kelly’s prime tip for touring the world on a budget is to get a very good journey rewards bank card.

“You would be amazed at how quickly the points add up. You can then use those for hotels, flights, or whatever you want on your trip. You’re going to spend money regardless, so you might as well get points while you’re doing it,” she mentioned.

In explicit, she suggests trying into airline-branded credit cards.

“Certain airlines have credit cards that offer a lot of flight miles when you open the card. I’ve seen some that offer enough for two round-trip tickets. You can also get earlier boarding, free or discounted checked bags, and other benefits,” she mentioned.

Of course, don’t spend cash you don’t have simply to earn factors, however should you can belief your self to make use of the bank card responsibly, this may be a simple win.

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Book Far in Advance

While generally you will discover last-minute flight offers, it usually pays to e book early for worldwide flights, normally a number of months upfront.

“I get free flights as a benefit of my job; however, my husband books flights for his employees, so he’s really good at finding great deals. He tries to book as far in advance as possible,” mentioned Kelly.

From a budgeting perspective, reserving far upfront additionally comes with the benefit of locking within the value so you realize your prices, reasonably than risking costs going up and throwing off your finances.

Search Anonymously

If you’ll be able to restrict web cookies from monitoring you throughout websites, you would possibly have the ability to rating a greater deal.

“If I’ve ever searched for a confirmed ticket — I usually fly standby — I put my phone or computer in incognito or private mode on Safari. This way, the prices of flights don’t spike each time you search,” mentioned Kelly. “A lot of times, when your search engine knows you’re looking for flights, the prices surge. Being in private mode helps avoid this.”

Look for Deals Abroad

Often, the flight between the U.S. and one other nation is dearer than touring amongst intently grouped international locations overseas, like in Europe. So, when planning your travels, don’t assume it’s a must to make it a single-destination journey.

“Once you’re in Europe, you can travel around to different places for a good price. Traveling with a group can also help. That way you’re splitting your accommodation by multiple people,” mentioned Kelly.

In addition to flight offers overseas, you may also usually make worldwide journey extra reasonably priced than you’d assume with a little bit creativity.

“I believe you can make most places somewhat affordable. If you’re in an expensive place, you can book an Airbnb and cook for yourself. Wander through local markets to get the freshest ingredients, which are also far more affordable than eating out for every meal,” mentioned Kelly.

This method has the added benefit of immersing your self within the tradition, wherever you resolve to go on the planet.

 “I think you learn a lot about a place through its food markets. You get to interact with locals on a deeper level as well,” added Kelly. 

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I’m a Flight Attendant: 4 Ways the Middle-Class Can Travel the World on a Budget

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