St. Martin, West Indies

Christane “Kris” Njatcha, a digital creator based in Washington, D.C., recently traveled to St. Martin, a French island in the Caribbean that’s shared with the Dutch St. Maarten.

“I've been to the destination before and absolutely fell in love,” she says. “As a French speaker who loves French culture, Saint Martin is a 4-hour flight from Washington D.C., and you get a mix of beautiful beaches and superb cuisine.”

Njatcha says she spent a total of $1850 for a seven-day trip, and some of her trip highlights included dining at Villa Royale and checking out Pinel Island, a tiny island just a five-minute ferry ride from the French side of the island. Njatcha also says she saved money by flying out on a weekday, booking a direct flight to SXM on United Airlines for $400. She also rented a condo on VRBO, which cost $98/night, and rented a car for $118/week from Value Car Rental, which she says is an affordable way to see the tiny island.

“The best way to save money on travel is to choose a destination based on your budget,” she advises. “Open up Google Flights and check out some of the most affordable places based on destinations. Let the destination pick you, and not the other way around. When trying to save money, you have to be flexible.”

Charlotte, North Carolina

If you need a little fresh mountain air, a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, is a great option. It was the first pick for New York-based freelance writer and content creator Branda Ayo, who flew to the city to attend the Black travel conference NoMadness Fest after a work trip to D.C. She made the weekend affordable by staying in the walkable downtown area, carpooling with other festival goers, and ordering food to her hotel.

“My flights cost $304.95 for a multi-stop journey from D.C. to Charlotte and then back to New York,” Ayo says. “My hotel, Hyatt Place Charlotte Downtown, came to $643.41 with trip insurance. My Ubers were affordable, costing only $107.84 for the four days I was there.”

Ayo also recently signed up for an AAA membership, which includes complimentary breakfast at her hotel. Ayo’s other weekend activities included a rooftop social at Merchant and Trade, dinner at Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar, and brunch at Uptown Yolk, a cozy, Black-owned brunch spot downtown. If you’re looking to save money, she also advises traveling during the off-season, which can mean lower costs on flights and hotels.

“Start your trip planning early. The sooner you plan, the better your chances of finding good rates and avoiding peak season prices,” Ayo says. “If you’re flexible with dates, try to time your trip around the off-season. I’m sure if I’d gone a few weeks earlier, during Labor Day, prices would have been much higher.”

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Malikah Kelly lives in Hong Kong full time, and the marketing manager and travel content creator was recently able to take an affordable trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand, utilizing credit card points and rewards.

“Chiang Mai has always been on my bucket list. I had never been able to make the trip happen when I was living in the US, but I wasn’t going to miss it since I was so close,” she says. “Visiting Elephant Nature Park was one of the best parts of the trip. It cost $150 and was one of the more expensive activities, but the money goes directly to supporting operations and caring for the elephants.”

For the five-day trip, Kelly says she spent about $350 on flights and $700 on activities, while her hotel was free because of credit card points. Before her trip, she opened an IHG Rewards Credit Card with a $95 annual fee, and it came with a huge welcome bonus and a free anniversary reward night, which covered the annual fee.

“Don’t sleep on credit card hacking,” Kelly says. “It seemed so gimmicky for a while, but since I started about a year and a half ago, I have been to Vietnam, Thailand, and Bali, and I’m planning a longer 10-day multi-city trip to Sri Lanka, Bali, or Cambodia for February 2025. Just be sure only to charge your regular spending and pay off your balance. Don’t rack up credit card debt with irresponsible behavior and impulse purchases.”

Chicago, Illinois

The Windy City is one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S., especially during the summer when the city comes alive with concerts, outdoor dining, and free movie screenings.

“After hearing so many amazing things about summertime in Chicago, we decided to book it to beat the summer heat of Las Vegas,” says Sierra Redmond, a content creator and marketing director based in Las Vegas. “Some of the highlights were staying at the Kimpton Gray Hotel, visiting the world’s largest Starbucks Reserve Roastery, and trying some of Chicago’s iconic eats.”

Redmond says she spent about $1200 for a family of three for four days: $600 for round-trip flights from Las Vegas, $250 for the hotel and onsite restaurant (after redeeming Amex points), $300 on food off-property, $200 for attraction passes, and $150 for transportation around the city. Some of the ways she saved were by utilizing public transportation and using credit card points.

“The L train costs $5 per person per ride, saving us hundreds of dollars immediately,” she says. “Secondly, we used points from our AMEX platinum to book the Kimpton Gray. We also saved money by purchasing the Chicago C3 CityPass. It allowed us to pay one fee and choose the three attractions that were most important to us.”

Like other budget travelers, Redmond says to be flexible about where you want to travel instead of seeing your sights on a particular location.

“I always tell travelers to follow the deals and not the destination,” she explains. “We booked the trip with no destination in mind. Instead, we put some ideas that fit what we wanted to accomplish out there and chose based on the price of the flight and amenities of the city.”

Tirana, Albania

If a romp through Europe is more your style, consider Albania, a Southeastern European country that’s been quietly gaining popularity. London-based journalist and content communications consultant Vivienne Dovi says she spent around £962 (about $1,225 USD) on her seven-day trip, including hotel, activities, and food. Her trip included stops in three cities: the capital, Tirana, and Himarë and Ksamil. The highlights were a speedboat tour to Grama Bay, visiting caves and secluded beaches in Ksamil, and paragliding for the first time.

“I’ve had Albania on my mind for a few years after seeing a photo of the Albanian Riviera,” Dovi says. “I love emerging destinations, and with tourism in Albania just starting to flourish, I wanted to experience the country before it becomes more popular.”

For Dovi, some of her cost-saving methods came down to booking hotels in person (one hotel offered her a discount and room upgrade), taking buses vs taxis, and choosing an inexpensive, up-and-coming destination.

“Try and choose destinations where the cost of living and tourism prices are reasonable,” she says. “You’ll enjoy more value for your money, which means fewer compromises and a better experience overall.”

Cartagena and Medellin, Colombia

If you’ve been thinking about visiting Colombia, consider this your sign. Educator and freelance writer Brittany Smith traveled to Cartagena and Medellin, Colombia, on a week-long trip, and she was drawn to the destinations because of their affordability.

“Colombia has been on my bucket list for a while now because of what I've heard about its food scene, the scenery, nightlife, and more specifically, its affordable options,” she says. “When I researched Colombia, I realized Medellin and Cartagena offered incredible experiences at a fraction of the cost compared to other destinations. Plus, I knew if I could manage to visit both cities, I'd get to experience a perfect combination of city life, history, and spending time in nature.”

Smith says she spent under $800 for a weeklong trip, which covered her food, excursions, and hotel, which she split with two friends. Some memorable moments from the trip included island hopping in Cartagena and a day trip to Palenque, the first free African town in the Americas.

Smith attributed her low-cost trip to using credit card points to pay for her flight and comparing the excursions on platforms like Airbnb Experiences, Get Your Guide, and TripAdvisor.

“One of my best travel-saving hacks is to talk to the people that live there,” she says. “The locals know where the deals are and can hook you up with more authentic experiences if you genuinely connect with them. Also, traveling during shoulder season can help you avoid those peak prices and the big crowds.”

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