The Fibro Nomad

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Travel Tuesday?

Yes, there is such as thing as Travel Tuesday. In 2021, Travel Tuesday had 31% more travel deals than Cyber Monday, and 55% more deals than Black Friday, according to travel-app company Hopper. Also, many travel companies don’t necessarily start their deals on Tuesday, but they do extend them through Tuesday.

What?! To make your travel dreams come true in 2023, with the low stress we with fibromyalgia need to feel good, keep reading.

How to Make the Most Out of Travel Tuesday

1. Know the industries that have the biggest deals on this day:
   • Airlines
   • Cruises
   • Hotels
   • Rental Car Companies
2. Prepare how to make the most of Travel Tuesday:
   • Make a list of destinations you would like to go to in 2023.
   • Print out a calendar and mark out the days you are unable to travel.
   • Ask friends and family you would like to travel with what their schedules are, too. 
   • Decide on your budget. DO NOT go into debt just to save money!
   • Have all of your airline and hotel reward numbers easily accessible.
3. Understand How to Use Google Flights:
   • Hopefully, I’m telling you something you already know about the awesomeness that is Google Flights. If you do not know about this site: YOU’RE WELCOME.
   • If you haven’t used it before, spend a little time understanding how it works, preferably before Travel Tuesday. Here are some tips that help me:
     1. Type your departure airport in the “Where From” field. Have a couple on standby if possible to compare and contrast flight options.
     2. Select “Flexible Dates” not “Specific Dates”
        1. Select “All” to see six months out
        2. Select one or a couple of months to see specific time periods
        3. And select “Weekend”, “1-week,” or “2-weeks”
     3. Click “Done”
     4. Zoom the map in and out and move it to change countries. The deals will populate as you manipulate the map.
     5. Click on the left side where “City” is to see a list of airlines pop up.
     6. Go directly to the airline’s site, using the dates and city you found in Google, and book your flight.
4. Understand how to use Google Hotels:
   • Yes, you can also use Google to find leads for hotels. When you get to the page, you can filter by:
     • Cost
     • Offers (such as free cancellation)
     • Guest Rating
     • Hotel Class
     • Amenities
     • Hotel Brand
     • Eco-Certified
   • You can also enter a favored hotel, choose the dates you want, and see what kind of deals come up from online sources such as Expedia.com, Hotel.com, Bookings.com, and Orbitz.com.
   • It is worth calling the hotel directly if you find a great deal on a booking site. It doesn’t always work but a lot of times, the hotel would prefer to have the booking direct so they will price match or even offer a slightly lower rate.
5. Be Aware of the Following Issues When You Book:
   • Whether you are looking at flights or hotels, look carefully at
     1. Refund Policies: Review the fine print and make sure you are comfortable with the refund or non-refundable terms. If you are booking way in advance, you might want to ensure what is and is not refundable if you have to cancel, as well as any travel insurance you need to buy if no refunds are given.
     2. Blackout Dates: Typically, these dates occur during the high season. Cheap deals don’t usually fall during the travel industry’s best-paying days!
     3. Luggage & Seat Fees: Depending on the airline you are looking at, there could be additional fees for selecting your seat and checking your luggage.

You can find how-to videos for Google Flights and Google Hotels on my social media platforms to help you learn how to use them. Find @thefibronomad on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Lastly, do not stress too much if Travel Tuesday didn’t work out. Airlines, cruises, hotels, and car rentals have deals throughout the year. How do you keep on top of those deals? One way is to use Google Flights (did I already mention how much I love this service?). You can track prices by route or flight, and Google Flights will send you an email with the dates you’re tracking when there is a significant price drop. If there are no drops, Google will send you emails with the current best prices.

I hope this has helped, and I wish you happy, healthy, and stress-free travels!

For more Travel Tuesday information, check out some of the sources that were used for this post:

20 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Travel Deals to Check Out, Steve Miller, Nerd Wallet.

What to Expect from Travel Tuesday in 2022, Julie Ramhold, DealNews.com.