5 Travel Upgrades That Feel Fancy but Cost Less Than You Would Expect
After spending time planning and packing for your vacation, the last thing you want is long waits at the TSA line or a stressful flight. And once you get to the hotel, knowing that meals or activities are already taken care of can mean a more enjoyable stay.
To make the most of your travel, check out these five travel upgrades that feel fancy, but don’t cost as much as you’d expect.
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Stay Longer for Less
Some hotels and Airbnbs offer discounts for more nights. To encourage longer stays, Airbnb hosts are able to offer discounts on stays that are seven nights or longer. For instance, on a recent trip, the writer actually paid less to stay seven nights instead of six. Hotels will also offer deals for multiple night stays. If you have time, checking into more nights may get you a better deal on a place to stay while extending your vacation.
TSA PreCheck
According to the TSA, TSA PreCheck lanes typically have wait times less than 10 minutes, and children 17 and under can go through the TSA PreCheck lane with an adult for free. Telos, Clear and Idemia are authorized TSA PreCheck enrollment providers, and in some cases, you may even be able to do a free trial period that coincides with your trip.
If you do have to pay, enrollment fees range from $76.75 to $85 for a year of TSA PreCheck. This upgrade may not feel like a necessity, but speeding through the gate makes for a much smoother start to your trip.
Take Advantage of Hotel Packages
Some hotels offer a range of packages to upgrade your stay, and the extra cost may be worth it. From a few rounds of golf to waterpark passes to breakfast delivered to your room, you may be getting a better deal by packaging these experiences with your stay. And your stay will feel a bit fancier when you add experiences tailored to you.
Upgrade Your Rental Car
Renting a vehicle can be a chance to drive something you normally wouldn’t drive in everyday life, and upgrades can be relatively inexpensive. On Expedia, for instance, the difference between a Midsize SUV, like a Nissan Rogue, and a Premium Elite SUV, like an Audi Q5, was about $22 in Denver. So for a three-day trip, you’d pay around $66 more for a nicer ride.
Make Your Own Amenity Kit
Airlines like United and American Airlines offer amenity kits to their business class or first-class passengers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the self-care. You can upgrade your travel yourself by putting together or purchasing a kit filled with self-care items pre-flight — consider a sleep mask, comfy socks, face mask, lip balm, eye mask, and lotion. Then, when you’re ready to settle in for takeoff, you have everything you need for a relaxing flight.
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This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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