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When it comes to getting away this summer, there are plenty of ways older folks can get out of Dodge on a budget. Often, it’s all about knowing where to look and who to ask so you can check off some of those bucket-list trips.
But the internet is a big place, and finding the trustworthy deals can be tough, so below you’ll find a roundup of some of the best lists of airfare, hotel, and rental car deals and packages — along with a few of the best-known places to find bargains.
Deal Roundups
Retired Brains: Clean, comprehensive, and alphabetical, this is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to know exactly what they’ll get from most major travel companies.
The Senior List: One of the best features of the Senior List’s travel roundup’s is its “verified” checks from their community members. If you want to be extra sure that you’re making the right call, you can count on the fact that other seniors vouch for these tips.
Smarter Travel: A more condensed look at a few major discount players. If you don’t want to have to sift through lines and lines of deals and compare them, Smarter Travel has made plenty of those cuts for you.
HuffPost: The bottom of this guide features a sharp list of some of the best travel deals, and preceding it are some excellent tips on how to hunt for other senior deals when you’re just not seeing the ones you need. If you’re up to hunt for the best bargains, be sure to give this a read.
USA Today: This story takes a great look at some rail deals in Europe, public transit deals across the globe, and it compares some airline flights with their non-discounted counterparts so you can see just how far these deals will get you.
A few other great places to look
While it’s well worth scouring the above lists for the deals that best apply to you, keep these big players in mind as well:
AARP has plenty of travel benefits for seniors, including vacation packages, hotel deals, rental car discounts, and travel planning services. They’ve also recently partnered with Expedia for even more flight deals.
Airline pricing tends to vary based on destination and time of year, but Southwest, American, British Airways, Delta, and United all have deals for flyers aged 65 and up. In a lot of airline cases, older adventure seekers might consider signing up for alerts to find out when prices drop the most.
Amtrak gives rail riders age 62 and up a discount of 15% off. If air travel isn’t your preference, it’s a great way to reach your destination leisurely while sightseeing along the way
Marriott offers senior discounts at over 4,000 of their hotel locations. Best Western also gives 10% off to lodgers 55 and older, and Choice Hotels has special rates for guests 60 and up.
Overall when planning travel, it’s a great idea to call around and ask local boutique locations if they have any discounts for seniors. Budgeted travel might require a bit more research, phone calls, and Googling, but it’ll be worth it for your wallet in the end and lead to more exciting trips to come.
