Want to save on your next trip? So discover in this post 18 websites that will help you travel cheaply around the world, with tips on how to find cheap plane tickets, discounted hotels and much more!
Planning a trip has never been easier.
If in the past you needed maps and travel guides to plan an itinerary, today you just need to open Google Maps or do some online searches. Book hotels? There's no need to call, just open a specialized website and choose from thousands of options. The same goes for car rentals, airline tickets, attractions and whatever else you need during your adventure.
But of course, this is just an the advantages of the internet. This is because, in addition to making your explorations around the world easier (a lot!), it can also help you save money.
By finding the right sites, you can get discounts on practically any part of your planning, and you can use the extra budget to spend more time at your destination, take more tours or even plan your next trip.
But… what are these sites?
As you might expect, when I started traveling, I didn't know the answer to that question either. The most I did was look for tickets on Decolar, after seeing some advertisements on television.
Now, however, after years on the road, I have discovered websites that have saved me hundreds (if not thousands) of reais, with discounts on tickets, accommodation and whatever else I needed at the time.
Incredible, right? And you can do the same!
In this post, I will share with you my 18 favorite websites for cheap travel around the world, where you will find the best promotions and offers!
18 sites for cheap travel around the world!
1. Get Your Guide
Did you know that buying tickets to attractions in advance not only saves you time but also money?
Buying at the box office means you end up paying more – especially because you can’t take advantage of promotions like “Buy tickets for X and get a % discount on Y”. Furthermore, for many popular tours, such as the Louvre museum or the Colosseum, the queue to buy tickets on the day can take hours, an absurd waste of time during a trip. This is when tickets haven't been sold out for days!
To save money on this part of the attractions, my suggestion is to buy your tickets in advance with Get Your Guide. The site has been on the market for years and is super reliable, and in addition to tickets it also sells guided tour and combos for various tours. There is the option to filter by language, so if you want to buy a “Miami tour”, for example, you can only search for those with guides who speak Portuguese.
Another great advantage of Get Your Guide is that you can buy several tickets in one place, as the site is a partner with several official attractions. Therefore, the prices are competitive (the same or often even lower than on the websites!), and you can already cover most of the trip in one go.
2. Promo Tickets
One of the biggest expenses of a trip is air tickets. Therefore, before making a purchase I recommend taking a look at the Promo Tickets, which offers plane tickets up to 35% cheaper, both to Brazil and abroad.
Previously, the site worked best for national routes, but in recent months the company has undergone a change and now includes a wide selection of destinations abroad. The tickets are all from popular companies, such as LATAM, Gol, American Airlines, Delta, Qatar and Air France and the website has Whatsapp support to answer any questions you may have before purchasing!
An example of how Passagens Promo helps you save: at the time of writing this post, a LATAM flight to Santiago de Chile between December 03rd and 20th costs approximately R$1256 on Skyscanner, compared to R$1115 on Passagens promo. R$140 already pays for a tour!
3. Omio (Go Euro)
You probably have an acquaintance or have read a story about someone who was traveling and managed to find bus tickets for €1 in Europe. How do these people do this?
Normally it is using sites like Omio (formerly Go Euro). With it, you discover all the possible routes from one city to another, with all the companies that make that route. The cool thing is that the site shows prices even for economical companies, such as RyanAir or Flixbus, so if there is any chance of paying cheaply for such a route, you will know right away.
I recommend researching more ways to get to your destination, and then I suggest you take a look at the official websites, as prices on Omio are often a little more expensive. However, I have found promotions where the prices were lower, so I recommend checking and choosing the one that is cheapest.
4. Couchsurfing
O Couchsurfing – English for “couch surfing” – is a community of travelers that aims to bring together people with a common passion. And how does he do it? Making its users open their homes to the world and welcome other travelers to their sofa (or extra room, inflatable mattress, whatever).
You don't need to offer your home to use the platform, so if you can't accommodate anyone, you can still take advantage of the Couchsurfing community. The important thing is to remember that it is not just a “free stay”, but an exchange of cultures. In addition to being respectful to the host and having good manners (no dirtying the entire house or showing up at 3 am knocking on the door and welcoming everyone, right), it's nice to take time out of your trip to get to know whoever is hosting you.
The platform allows reviews, so before deciding to stay at someone's house, check to see if you two will be compatible and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
5. Hostelworld
If staying in other people's homes isn't your thing, the best solution to save on accommodation if you're traveling alone is to stay in a hostel. This type of accommodation has shared rooms, meaning you only reserve one bed, which makes the price much cheaper.
Typically hostels also have a kitchen, so you can buy ingredients at the market and cook your own meal, saving even more.
The website specializing in hostels is called Hostelworld, and that's where you'll find the best prices and a greater number of options compared to any other hosting site.
Furthermore, as it is focused on this type of accommodation, the site emphasizes items that really matter to travelers who stay in this type of place, such as the type of hostel (more party or calmer, for example) and what the coffee is like. in the morning.
6. AirBnb
Another website that helps you travel around the world cheaply is Airbnb, where you can rent rooms or even entire apartments around the globe. In general, it is more expensive than a hostel bed, but if you are traveling in a group it is usually the cheapest option.
Normally for four or more people it is necessary to book at least two hotel rooms, which tends to be a very expensive option. With Airbnb, however, you can find complete apartments for the same price or even cheaper than two rooms in a traditional accommodation. Furthermore, as the properties have a kitchen, you can save even more by preparing your own meals!
I've already saved a lot using Airbnb in cities where hotels are very expensive, like Los Angeles.
7. Booking.com
I cannot fail to mention the Booking.com when it comes to saving on accommodation. The truth is that there are travelers who don't like hostels and prefer to stay in hotels (depending on the trip, I admit that I'm that type of person). In these cases, without a doubt the place to find the best rates is on Booking.com.
And I know what you’re thinking.”Wow, I went to Booking and the prices are more expensive than site x or y”. This is because there are tricks to get lower values. Overall, the site rewards loyal users, and once you become a member Genius, you can be sure that costs (and amenities) are significantly improved.
To find out how to enjoy all the advantages of Booking, I recommend reading my post COMPLETE GUIDE: How to use Booking.com to get the best prices!
8. Trusted Housesitters
A not-so-traditional option when it comes to accommodation, but one that can help you travel the world cheaply. the term house sitter means, in a literal translation, “house nanny”, that is, These are sites where you offer to take care of other people's homes while they are away. It is worth remembering that, often, taking care of the house includes taking care of pets, so if this is the case you not You can take two or three day trips while you’re there.
In general, you create a profile, talk a little about yourself, apply for vacancies posted on the platforms and, if you are a good candidate, the owners of the house schedule an interview to see if you will be a good choice. If approved, just agree with them all the details. You are responsible for all costs to get there, food and other items while you are in the house.
The best-known website for this type of arrangement is Trusted Housesitters, but there are others like Mind My House.
9. Promo insurance
If you are already a reader of the blog, you know what I am going to say about travel insurance. This is one of those items that we buy and hope we don't use and it's an unnecessary expense, but if used can save us hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Medical care elsewhere in the world can be extremely expensive, especially if your destination is a country like the United States. There, a simple stop at the emergency room can cost US$300 plus tests and medicine, and there is no SUS to cover the bill. With the current dollar exchange rate, an accident or illness that requires antibiotics can put a hole in your travel budget.
To avoid this and other common problems that may arise, the suggestion is to purchase travel insurance. With it, just contact the insurance company and they will take care of all the financial aspects, you will only need to go to the recommended clinic or hospital and be treated. Furthermore, insurance also protects you in other situations, such as lost luggage or flight delays and cancellations. I explained in detail how it works on this page.
One of the sites that help you travel around the world cheaply when it comes to insurance is Promo insurance. It works like an insurance “Despegar”, that is, it shows the prices of the best insurance companies on the market, but the most impressive thing is that it manages to offer even lower values than those found on the official websites!
In addition, the website has specialized support to answer all your questions, including those before purchasing (Is this insurance good for my trip?) even when it comes to activating insurance if necessary.
Seguros Promo is my choice on all trips, as I never travel without insurance (it's not worth it).
10 Flixbus
I dare say that the Flixbus It was as big a revolution as low-cost airlines, as it allowed bus travel in Europe at super affordable prices. Prices start from €5 each way, and the company currently serves more than 2000 destinations and 28 countries.
Traveling by bus is a great option for those who want to save money, as in addition to the price being affordable, you can take a night trip and not pay for that night's accommodation. Furthermore, it also prevents you from having to travel to the airport, as it is often far from the city and you spend hours getting to the location, in addition to having to arrive in advance for your flight. By bus it's much simpler, just arrive a few minutes early, and the stops are usually in more accessible places in the city.
Flixbus vehicles have a bathroom, wifi and sockets, as well as being ecological with a low carbon footprint.. The company also has a app with exclusive offers and where you can access your electronic ticket!
11 Megabus
O MegaBus is the North American equivalent of FlixBus, that is, a cheap bus line to cover much of the United States and Canada. The company operates in more than 100 cities and covers Brazilians' favorite routes, such as Miami to Orlando, New York to Washington and even Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
The buses have WiFi and sockets, as well as on-board entertainment with the MegaBus app. Tickets start at US$1, and to get the lowest prices, the tip is to buy in advance.
12 Ryanair
Perhaps one of the best-known companies on the list, Ryanair It is without a doubt a phenomenon when it comes to traveling cheaply around the world. It is one of the most famous low cost airlines due to its numerous promotions, in which you can find tickets within Europe for €9 or even less!
Its main activity is within Europe, so if you are planning a backpacking trip or just a trip to different countries, the tip is to buy internal flights with RyanAir. To save even more, buy your ticket a few days before your trip (no leaving it late) and pay attention to the rules. Overall, the baggage allowance for the cheapest ticket not It doesn't even include cabin luggage, and Brazilians usually have to print the ticket, depending on the route, is not worth showing your cell phone.
13 KAYAK
An acquaintance of the blog, as he was the winner in the websites to find cheap airline tickets. O KAYAK is one of those price comparators that brings together countless airlines and ticket resale sites, helping you find the lowest prices for your destination.
The site also has special offers for members and so-called “hacker fares”, which consist of combining round-trip tickets from different companies. Furthermore, if you have flexible dates, the website shows you the combination of dates that will take you to travel at the lowest possible price.
It's worth remembering that, despite being great for finding tickets, the site is not responsible for sales. It redirects you to another website, sometimes the airline's and sometimes other resellers. The possibility of paying in installments or in reais will depend on the final website.
14 Transferwise
If you are going on a longer trip, or are going to meet a friend or relative who lives abroad, you may need to make a transfer to a foreign account. For this, the best option is to use the Transferwise, an application that is usually up to 8 times cheaper than traditional banks.
You choose the amount you want to transfer, pay for the transfer as if it were a normal purchase and the money goes into the other account with super low fees! The IOF for sending to another person is just 0,38%.
It is also a great option for those who are going to spend a season abroad and are going to open an account at a bank in the destination country. With Transferwise it is much easier to transfer money from your Brazilian account to your account abroad, as well as being much cheaper than making a normal transfer through your bank.
15 Must-see Passes
This is the best site for those who want to travel around the world cheaply and have flexible dates. O Must-see Passes, in general, announces daily ticket promotions that those who can buy first get it. There are many times when they announce error rates or crazy promotions that end in seconds.
To have a better chance of being able to take advantage of the incredible prices, my suggestion is to download the app and activate notifications on your cell phone. This way, you will be notified as soon as they identify the promo, and you can rush to buy.
Many people doubt that it really works because it ends very quickly, but I've already managed to buy round-trip tickets to New York for R$750 and to Chile from Florianópolis for R$450 using the tips on the website! 🙂
16 HappyRail
A HappyRail brings together all train companies in Europe on a single website. This way you don't need to research which company does each route, how much they cost in different currencies, try to understand different languages... Very practical.
Not only that, HappyRail is an official partner of the companies, so it can offer the same price as the official websites, in addition to also having exclusive discounts. Another cool thing is that with each booking you earn HappyMiles, which can then be deducted from the value of your next tickets.
In addition to single tickets, they also sell passes such as Eurail and the Swiss Travel Pass.
17 MaxMiles
Another of my favorite sites to save on airline tickets. The differential of the MaxMiles is that he uses other people's miles to buy his tickets. This way, instead of paying the airline's normal price, you pay the equivalent of the miles needed to issue the ticket.
It seems complicated, but the website makes it super simple and you just need to make the purchase normally, they do the rest. The advantage of using this system is that, in general, mileage tickets are cheaper than those issued in cash. I, for example, was already able to buy a ticket from Rio de Janeiro to Florianópolis for New Year's Eve for R$450 on MaxMilhas, while all the websites were selling it for more than R$1000!
18 Worldpackers
Well known in the backpacker world, the Worldpackers allows you to exchange work in exchange for accommodation (and depending on the location, even meals). You register on the platform, see which places in your destination need help and, if everything goes well, you can find a way to get to know the place while spending less in exchange for a few hours of work per week.
This is a platform that divides opinions, but what I want to remember is that in many countries working without a work visa is illegal. If you choose this route, think about what you will say at immigration if you are questioned.
And there you have it, 18 websites that will definitely help you travel the world cheaply!
Do you think there was a site missing from the list? Have you tried any of them? Share in the comments! 🙂
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Links to Get Your Guide, Passagens Promo, Seguros Promo and Booking.com are affiliate links.
One of my favorite posts on your blog so far, you are amazing as always (and my pocket thanks you for your tips lol)! Thank you roomie ♥