Dreaming of soaking up the sun in a five-star beach resort, diving deep into the culture of Japan, or soaring over Cappadocia in a hot air balloon? For many travellers, the idea of a holiday often comes with a hefty price tag. Tack on the rising cost of living, and it can seem near-impossible to escape the daily grind.
But there are plenty of ways to enjoy a getaway while sticking to a budget. And you don’t even need to be a frequent traveller to do so!
Here are our top tips to help you travel for less in 2025.
1. Be flexible
The golden rule of booking a holiday on a budget – being flexible. Peak periods like school holidays and long weekends are usually when everyone wants to travel. Airfares increase, hotels fill up quickly, and you’ll need to be up at the crack of dawn for a chance at an uninterrupted photo by a fountain sans the crowds. No thanks.
Shoulder periods usually offer the best deals. If you’re able to travel just a little earlier or a little later than the typical ‘best’ season for your destination, you’ll enjoy cheaper prices all around. This can also make it easier to find convenient hotels to suit your budget, and increase your chances of finding cheap flights – including reward seats.
Also read: How to maximise your annual leave in 2025 and where to go using points
2. Get free accommodation
Accommodation can be one of the biggest hindrances to a holiday. Sure, you want a nice place to stay that’s close to major attractions, but your budget dictates a shoebox studio two hours out of town.
But what if we told you that you could stay in a mansion for free? And yes, there’s a catch – you have to babysit some adorable animals. TrustedHousesitters connects homeowners needing someone to care for their beloved pets while they’re away, and travellers looking for free accommodation. That means you could be spending time minding cats in a charming cottage, or caring for corgis in the Cotswolds.
To be on your way to free accommodation while travelling, you first need to set up a profile on TrustedHousesitters. Make sure you enter the promo code PH25 for 25% off your membership.
Also read: How I travelled Europe for six months, almost for free, thanks to points and TrustedHousesitters
3. Use points to fly Business Class or First Class for cheap
Ever wonder how those passengers manage to fly up the pointy end? You know, the ones sipping Champagne before take-off and waltzing off the plane fresh as a daisy after snoozing on a flatbed. Sure, if you’ve got thousands of dollars to burn, you could just buy a Business Class or First Class ticket. But with frequent flyer points, you can enjoy the same luxury for just a few hundred dollars in fees and taxes. Talk about a budget holiday!
With some points up your sleeve, you could be well on your way to a lavish experience in the sky. This includes Emirates’ esteemed First Class, Qatar Airways’ ultra-luxe Qsuite, or even a small apartment to yourself onboard Singapore Airlines.
And if you’ve already got a stash of points but aren’t sure how to use them, Point Hacks Concierge can help you get the best value from your redemption. Our expert team can work with any frequent flyer or bank rewards program and help you turn your points into premium cabin experiences. What’s better than a romantic island getaway or an adventure trip of a lifetime? Flying there in style for less, of course.
Also read: The 9 best frequent flyer programs to join when you’re starting out
4. Gain access to lounges with a credit card
Don’t fancy sitting in a crowded airport terminal and paying $20 for a stale croissant and an over-brewed coffee? Same. Luckily, there are ways to gain entry into a comfortable airport lounge that don’t require you to hold status with an airline (nor straddle your companion’s shoulder and don a trench coat.)
Airport lounges can be a great way to begin your holiday in luxury – even if you’re on a budget. For starters, most lounges offer a buffet selection of cold and hot food, as well as free-flowing alcohol. Many lounges have showers, and you’ll often find a cosy nook with its own power point.
There are a number of credit cards in Australia that can get you into various lounges around the world. The benefit of this is that you don’t need to purchase an expensive lounge membership or fork out for a single-use pass.
How this looks will depend on the card you have. For instance, the American Express Platinum, St.George Amplify Rewards Signature and Westpac Altitude Rewards Black grant you access to Priority Pass lounges.
Other credit cards offer complimentary passes for airline-specific lounges. The Qantas Premier Platinum card comes with two digital passes per year that’ll get you into Qantas Club or Qantas-operated International Business Lounges. These passes can even be transferred to a friend or family member, so you can both relax before your flight.
In short, there are ample ways to gain lounge entry and enjoy a luxurious start to your holiday. All you need to do is play your cards right.
5. Set alerts for cheap flights
Planning a holiday should be an enjoyable process. But sometimes, it can be more stressful than satisfying – especially if you’re spending hours sifting through airline websites looking for flights.
Fare alerts are not only a major timesaver but one of the best ways to find cheap flights. There are plenty of free tools to search for cheaper flights across various airlines. All you need to do is select your departure point, destination and preferred dates, and wait for a notification of when prices go down.
If you’re searching for points flights instead, you can sign up for our free reward seat alerts to be the first to hear about some of the fantastic flights we’ve found using points.
Summing up
There are plenty of ways to enjoy cheap travel without compromising on comfort. Whether you’re dreaming of marvelling at the Northern Lights, a scenic train ride through Sri Lanka or traversing the streets of bustling Bangkok, you can make your travel goals a reality with some of our tips above.
And if you want to maximise the value of your points, request a free assessment from our expert Concierge team to to discover how far your frequent flyer points can take you.
Featured image by Victoria Kyriakopoulos.
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