Emily Kelly, a flight attendant who shares her life as The Healthy Flight Attendant on YouTube, gets to live out her dream of international travel. She’s traveled to 44 countries and nearly every state across the U.S., viewing travel as an enriching experience.
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“When you’re from a small town, most people have such a small-minded view of the world,” Kelly said. “Getting to experience different cultures, food, and meeting people who are so different from how I grew up has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve been given.”
You don’t have to be a flight attendant or wealthy to travel the world. With strategic planning and a willingness to prioritize savings toward experiences over other purchases, international travel can be more accessible than many assume.
“If you can, save any amount to travel, even if you start out small. You will be blessed by seeing different parts of the world. It has inspired my heart and creativity like nothing else,” said Kelly.
Kelly recommends affordable destinations such as Costa Rica, Mexico, Thailand, Morocco and less touristy parts of Europe. Here are her tips for traveling the world on a middle-class budget.
Use a Good Travel Rewards Credit Card
Kelly’s top tip for traveling the world on a budget is to get a good travel rewards credit card.
“You would be amazed at how quickly the points add up. You can then use those for hotels, flights, or whatever you want on your trip. You’re going to spend money regardless, so you might as well get points while you’re doing it,” she said.
In particular, she suggests looking into airline-branded credit cards.
“Certain airlines have credit cards that offer a lot of flight miles when you open the card. I’ve seen some that offer enough for two round-trip tickets. You can also get earlier boarding, free or discounted checked bags, and other benefits,” she said.
Of course, don’t spend money you don’t have just to earn points, but if you can trust yourself to use the credit card responsibly, this can be an easy win.
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Book Far in Advance
While sometimes you can find last-minute flight deals, it often pays to book early for international flights, usually several months in advance.
“I get free flights as a benefit of my job; however, my husband books flights for his employees, so he’s really good at finding great deals. He tries to book as far in advance as possible,” said Kelly.
From a budgeting perspective, booking far in advance also comes with the advantage of locking in the price so you know your costs, rather than risking prices going up and throwing off your budget.
Search Anonymously
If you can limit internet cookies from tracking you across sites, you might be able to score a better deal.
“If I’ve ever searched for a confirmed ticket — I usually fly standby — I put my phone or computer in incognito or private mode on Safari. This way, the prices of flights don’t spike each time you search,” said Kelly. “A lot of times, when your search engine knows you’re looking for flights, the prices surge. Being in private mode helps avoid this.”
Look for Deals Abroad
Often, the flight between the U.S. and another country is more expensive than traveling among closely grouped countries abroad, like in Europe. So, when planning your travels, don’t assume you have to make it a single-destination trip.
“Once you’re in Europe, you can travel around to different places for a good price. Traveling with a group can also help. That way you’re splitting your accommodation by multiple people,” said Kelly.
In addition to flight deals abroad, you can also often make international travel more affordable than you’d assume with a little creativity.
“I believe you can make most places somewhat affordable. If you’re in an expensive place, you can book an Airbnb and cook for yourself. Wander through local markets to get the freshest ingredients, which are also far more affordable than eating out for every meal,” said Kelly.
This approach has the added advantage of immersing yourself in the culture, wherever you decide to go in the world.
“I think you learn a lot about a place through its food markets. You get to interact with locals on a deeper level as well,” added Kelly.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’m a Flight Attendant: 4 Ways the Middle-Class Can Travel the World on a Budget
