12 Tips And Tricks For Getting Great Family Vacation Deals

Use these insider money-saving tips to plan an affordable family vacation or multigenerational trip to help stretch your budget

Families are planning multiple trips and seeking ways to save money on their vacations. According to the 2023 Family Travel Association (FTA) US Family Travel Survey, while the forecast for family travel spending is strong, affordability is a top concern.

Parents and grandparents are invested in creating exceptional vacation experiences for their family groups and making lifelong memories together. Getting great deals on family getaways can make travel dreams come true. Here are 12 top tips to help you find the best vacation deals and maximize your family’s travel dollars.

Stay Flexible And Consider Vacation Destination Dupes For Lower Costs

Flexibility can be one of the best ways to save money on family travel, particularly regarding vacation destinations and dates. If you’ve been considering a specific location and find it’s too expensive, think about the destination’s qualities and look for similar alternatives. For instance, the Florida Keys can deliver a Caribbean-like tropical vibe without the expensive international airfares.

Airbnb’s search bar function allows families to explore affordable vacation options by category, such as “beach” or “lakefront.” For those planning to fly, the Google Flights Explore Map can help family vacationers find affordable options with cheap airfares. Travelers can use the Explore tab to find low fare prices for multiple destinations using specific dates or a general time frame. Websites featuring family-friendly package deals, such as Expedia.com, Momondo.com and AppleVacations.com, can also provide reasonably priced vacation alternatives in a wide variety of locations.

Book Refundable Rates And Continually Price Check

While nonrefundable resort and rental car reservations generally offer lower rates, these fares may cost more in the long run. Hotel and rental car rates can fluctuate and may decrease significantly as your vacation dates get closer, especially during off-peak travel periods. Making refundable reservations will allow you to rebook your hotel and rental car at lower rates without penalty and reap the savings. Set price alerts or periodically check your reservations before your vacation and rebook them quickly if rates drop.

Choose Accommodations With Built-In Family Vacation Savings

While it’s important to shop for the lowest rates on accommodations, take additional factors into consideration when booking resort and hotel rooms. Meals are a significant part of family vacation budgets, so save money by staying at a property that offers complimentary breakfasts or “kids stay and eat free” deals. Suite brands provide extra space for families and often include kitchens as well. Sign up for your brand’s loyalty program for additional perks such as meal discounts, free Internet access, room upgrades and special member pricing.

Check Out Special Credit Card And Travel Advisor Hotel Deals

Booking resorts and hotels through select travel advisors can generate multiple types of savings. Some travel advisors have access to special discounted rates on accommodations that aren’t available to the public. In addition, they may be able to help you get complimentary daily breakfasts, possible room upgrades, early check- ins and late checkouts when available, and other amenities.

These savings are available through sources including Virtuoso travel advisors, American Express Travel, Capital One Travel, Chase Travel, and others. In addition, travelers may be able to compound their family vacation savings with additional statement credits and extra perks through programs such as American Express Offers, Chase Offers, American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts; Resorts, and the American Express Hotel Collection. Certain credit cards, including the American Express Platinum Card, also provide elite status at Hilton and Marriott hotels.

Subscribe For Budget-Stretching Flight Deals And Savings

If you’re planning to fly to your family’s vacation destination, shopping for low airfares and choosing the best flights is key. Sign up for daily newsletters and airfare alerts from sites including Going.com, FareDrop.com, Airfarewatchdog.com, SecretFlying.com, TheFlightDeal.com and others. These alerts and newsletters can save hundreds of dollars on flight costs. The Hopper app is also an excellent tool. Be prepared to act on these deals quickly, as low fares are scooped up fast. Google Flights also offers fare alerts to track prices and monitor price drops on specific routes.

Use Search Tools And Alerts To Find Mileage Flight Availability And Deals

Many family vacationers are using frequent flyer points and credit card mileage programs to save money by booking award seats on flights. While hunting for award seats on some airlines is relatively easy, others are more challenging. Searching for seats across multiple cities, dates and airlines can also be problematic. Award seat search sites such as Point.me, Seats.aero, AwardTool.com, and PointsYeah.com can help. Seats.aero offers free and paid search plans across 15 airline loyalty programs. Point.me features paid options covering more than 33 loyalty programs and over 100 airlines. American Express cardholders may have free access to Point.me through an existing partnership. Other helpful award seat alert services include The Points Guy newsletter, ExpertFlyer and others.

Research Local Vacation Rental Agencies For Extra Perks And Lower Rates

Vacation home rentals are popular choices for family reunions and multigenerational trips. Research rental agencies in your desired vacation destination and check their websites for direct booking deals and exclusive perks, such as free family portrait sessions, $250 credits for beach gear, complimentary off-season nights, and last-minute specials. Direct bookings also provide hassle- free access to your property manager’s guest services team for assistance should any problems arise.

Compare Vacation Rental Prices Across Multiple Platforms

Rental rates for some vacation homes may be lower on certain booking platforms, depending on the fees involved and other issues. Checking vacation rental prices across multiple sites before booking can result in significant savings. In addition, local rental agencies may list certain vacation homes on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia.com while offering lower prices on their website. Using the HiChee.com website, travelers can compare vacation rental prices across booking platforms to pinpoint the lowest price for homes they’re considering renting.

Seek Out “Kids Cruise Free” And “3rd  & 4th  Guests Cruise Free” Vacation Deals

There are many ways to save money on family cruises. Certain cruise lines offer “Kids Sail Free” promotions at select times throughout the year. Booking using these promotions can result in significant savings on your family’s cruise fare, but they aren’t available on every sailing. Other cruise lines have “Free 3rd  & 4th  Guests” deals, allowing the third and fourth guests in an eligible stateroom to sail free on select voyages. Some of the ocean-going cruise lines offering these promotions include MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Margaritaville at Sea, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Costa Cruises. A-ROSA and CroisiEurope Cruises also feature these types of deals on their family-friendly European river cruises.

Score Group Savings On Multigenerational Cruises And Reunions At Sea

Great cruise vacation deals are available for families planning multigenerational sailings and fun-filled shipboard reunions with friends and relatives. Groups booking eight or more staterooms receive lower cruise fares and added perks on top family-friendly cruise lines. Select cruise lines have group rates for bookings of just five cabins. Holland America Line also offers special family reunion packages. A top-notch travel advisor can help families identify the best savings opportunities for your group and assist with reunion cruises.

Look Into Off-Airport Rental Car Rates

Families often book rental cars for far-away adventures and long road trips. Rental cars tend to be in high demand during peak family vacation periods, which can send prices soaring. To save money on rental car costs, make advance reservations and check rental car rates outside the airport. While airport locations are convenient, they often charge premium rates and add extra fees. Taking a cab or ride-share to a nearby off-airport location can deliver much lower car rental rates.

Utilize Memberships, Websites and Codes To Get Cheap Car Rentals

Family vacationers can obtain low rental car rates using membership discounts available through AAA, AARP, USAA, Sam’s Club and Costco. Credit card companies and frequent flyer programs are also good sources for rental car discounts. If your family has access to corporate or university-related travel advantages, make sure to check those websites for rental car discount codes. AutoSlash.com is an excellent free resource for finding low domestic and international car rental rates. Once you’ve entered your desired rental car class and any potential membership discounts such as Costco and AAA, AutoSlash will seek out the best rental car rates from multiple companies. The site can also monitor rates for your rental car and notify you when prices drop, allowing you to save money by rebooking.

For more tips on finding the best vacation deals for your next family trip, get your free Destination Reunions subscription and download our complimentary Family Reunion Budgeting Guide today.

By Nancy Schretter, Contributing Editor