Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World

Money is more important to airlines than full planes.

Business travelers, meanwhile, are price-insensitive because it doesn’t matter to them what the fare costs. Why should they care when their companies are footing the bill?

In general, it’s best to pay with cash or points in the following scenarios: You found a cheap flight. A $300 flight to Rome would cost $300, 20,000–30,000 points, or 60,000 miles. Eliminating miles is no question. You have elite status. You’re sometimes eligible for complimentary upgrades and you earn miles faster if you have elite status. However

In general, you’ll only find cheaper hidden-city ticket fares if you’re traveling to a hub city. That’s because most airlines operate a hub-and-spoke route model, whereby the majority of their flights are to or from a central city. Think Atlanta (Delta), Philadelphia (American), or Denver (United). If you want to visit a major hub city like Chicago

Travel is more than just an escape; the memories we develop, especially the surprising ones, are transformational. I’ve recounted them enough times that they’ve intertwined in my identity. Part of who I am today is the person who swam with sea lions in the Galápagos, sang with baseball fans in Korea, and laughed at polyamorous love locks in Germany

If a deal you’ve bought gets cheaper within 24 hours of purchase, it’s important to book your new flight before canceling your old one.

If you find a cheap hidden-city ticket that interests you, there are a few precautions to keep in mind. First, don’t tell the airline or gate agent about your plans, lest they cancel your ticket. It’s highly unlikely the airline would find out on their own, especially if you’re not constantly buying hidden-city tickets. Second, don’t check a bag. R

Given the complexities, hidden-city ticketing isn’t for beginners. But if you’re comfortable with it, as I am, it can be another great tool in your arsenal to find cheap flights.

My advice: I wouldn’t recommend paying with points if you’re getting just 1 cent per point. You can get better value from your points by holding on to them for an award flight. If you have a credit card that gives you a higher redemption value, like Chase Sapphire Reserve, which inflates point values to 1.5 cents, then it can make sense to pay for