Save big with these super-secret travel tips from a TPG expert

Eric’s secret savings tips for travel

Like most travelers, I don’t fall into a single travel bucket, whether that’s business, leisure, luxury, or budget.

One day, you’ll find me scouring airline and hotel websites for the highest-value awards — perhaps a first-class seat across the Pacific or a sky-high suite at one of the world’s newest hotels — and the next, I’ll be looking to save a few dollars on a car rental in Albuquerque.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

But no matter which type of travel I’m booking, you can bet that I am always trying to save cash however and whenever I can … without breaking any rules, of course.

Here are five of my top tricks — some super secret and some not as much — for regularly saving on my travels both at home and abroad.

Can I have an extension?

Since the pandemic, airlines have become much more lenient about allowing travelers to change their plans. Well, unless you purchase a basic economy ticket (or those newfangled basic business-class tickets United recently introduced).

For most fare types, you can typically cancel your ticket within a preset time frame and receive a credit for the value of your original ticket to use toward future travel. Or if you’re changing flights and your new one costs less than the original, you might be able to get the fare difference as a travel credit.