2016 KAYAK Summer Travel Hacker Guide
disclosure: This post is sponsored by KAYAK. All opinions expressed are my own.
How do you find the cheapest deals? Are there any deals over the summer?
These are the 2 most common questions I get amongst travellers. I’m going to tell you a little secret. One of my favourite and go-to travel search engines to find deals is on KAYAK. When they asked me to write a sponsored post, it was a no-brainer. As we all know finding deals and planning a trip over the summer can be expensive and frustrating. KAYAK recently launched their 2016 Summer Travel Hacker Guide, to provide travellers with tips and hacks on where, when and how to travel this summer.
2016 Summer Travel Hacker Guide
Based on search data by looking within the site’s billion + annual searches and turning it into practical advice and insights. The guide features 4 lists that cater to every travellers need. For each destination listed, it provides information on median airfare and hotel rates, average temperature and precipitation, and the best time to book your flight.
Top 10 Trending Summer Destinations
With the Olympic Summer Games approaching, and coupled with a visa-waiver for Canadian citizens during the Olympics, Rio De Janeiro takes the number 1 spot. How about exploring your own backyard? Also trending this summer are three Canadian cities — Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.
Top 10 Trending European Summer Destinations
With introductions of budget airlines such as WOW Air, it’s no surprise Reykjavik, Iceland is ranked number 1. The list doesn’t include your typical touristy European cities such as Paris or Rome, as travellers are trending towards visiting port cities including Cyprus, Porto and Split.
Top 10 Trending Winter in Summer Destinations
Consider travelling during off-peak season where the weather might be cooler, but offer benefits for the budget-conscious traveller including: discounted hotel rates, fewer crowds and cheaper airfare. South America, Africa and Australia make up majority of the list.
Top 10 Summer Friday Destinations
Looking for a weekend getaway? Take a trip south of the border to New Orleans or Nashville as the most popular spots. Other destinations include San Francisco, Myrtle Beach and Key West.
How about our weak Loonie?
Canadians can offset the low Canadian dollar using the Travel Hacker Guide. Taking a look at KAYAK’s data, some tips for getting the most bang for your buck include:
– Travel to a country on the more affordable side such as Croatia or Poland, where our dollar is stronger against smaller non-Euro currencies.
– Planning your trip in September vs. July may save you significant cash, depending on the location.
– Use local currency to pay instead of a credit card to avoid foreign exchange fees.
KAYAK Travel Tools
Explore – If you’re undecided on where to travel, use KAYAK’s Explore to view all destinations available on a map that fits within your budget. You can filter by airport, month, price and flight time. You’ll be surprised at the amount of amazing deals I’ve found using this tool!
image by: KAYAK
Search Engine – Got your destination picked out? Now it’s time to use KAYAK’s travel search engine. When searching for flights, use the flexible dates option to search for either +/- 3 days, weekend dates or monthly to help find the cheapest dates possible. KAYAK’s search engine displays availability and pricing by comparing reputable online travel booking sites including results directly from the airline. It will also display ‘Hacker Fares,’ one of KAYAK’s differentiating features, where it allows you to combine 2 one-way flights rather than a round-trip to save you money.
image by: KAYAK
Price Forecast & Alerts – KAYAK’s data backed price forecast allows you to book with confidence. It’ll recommend whether to book now or wait, and if the airfare will increase within 7 days. If you’re waiting for the price to drop, sign up for KAYAK Alerts where you’ll get notified through e-mail or text when the price changes.
image by: KAYAK
Combined with their newly launched 2016 Summer Travel Hacker Guide and essential travel tools, I believe KAYAK is committed to provide travellers with tips and hacks on how to find the best deals this summer. Visit the 2016 Summer Travel Hacker Guide for full findings across all four lists, and visit KAYAK’s website to plan and manage your next trip.