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Hi there! I’ve put together this mega page of the travel resources I use to research, plan, and book travel. There’s also a section at the bottom with some of the travel gear that I use and consider essential.

Many, but not all, of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission when you use them at no extra cost to you. If you have any other questions about this, you can read more about it in my disclosure and privacy policy.

So, whether you’re part of the TGT community or just read a helpful post on your first visit, please know everything earned from these links goes towards running this site and creating more (hopefully) helpful content for all the travelers who visit seeking tips and advice.

Now, with all of that said, let’s get to those travel resources you’re looking for!

Cashback Rewards:

You can’t beat the power of cash! And what better way to save money for travel than by making the money you already spend work harder for you? 

Here are my favorite websites to earn cashback rewards that I can use to pay for travel expenses. Remember to use Cashback Monitor to check for the highest earn rates.

  • Rakuten: Probably the most mainstream cashback website on this list, Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is a huge cashback portal with many of the merchants where you likely already shop. Keep an eye out for promotions like triple cashback to earn even more.
    Just log in to your Rakuten account, click on the merchant you’d like, and Rakuten will send you off to that website to shop as normal. Users signing up for the first time get a welcome bonus! If you have an American Express Membership Rewards earning credit card, you can also choose to earn Membership Rewards points instead of cashback. That’s what I do!
  • Top Cashback: With thousands of merchants, you’re bound to find the right stores to check off everything on your shopping list. Top Cashback often has some of the highest cashback earning rates compared to other sites. Make sure you’re logged in to your account, select the merchant where you want to shop, and then make your purchases as you normally would. Watch the cashback rewards add up. First-time users get a welcome bonus!
  • BeFrugal: This cashback portal is another great option, especially because it sometimes has higher earn rates than Top Cashback and Rakuten. Just shop through this portal, click on the merchant where you want to shop, and earn cash back when you make your purchase. As with the other websites, first-time users get a welcome bonus.

Travel Insurance:

  • World Nomads: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
IHG Hotel Room Florence Italy
My fantastic room in Florence, Italy at the Oltrarno Splendid hotel, an IHG Boutique property.

Hotels:

  • TripAdvisor: Whether you want to research, compare prices, or even book a hotel, you can’t deny the value TripAdvisor brings to your travel planning. I’ve used it for as long as I have traveled for everything from inspiration to searching for hotels and things to do.
  • Hotels.com: Hotels.com makes earning a free hotel night simple. For every 10 nights you stay, you’ll get 1 free night. The nights you earn can be used right away or pooled with your other Hotels.com free nights to cover an entire getaway.
  • Booking.com: Another one of my go-to resources for accommodation planning. I love their Deals of the Day!

You almost always need to book directly with the hotel brand if you’re looking to use hotel points for an award night or earn them for a future stay.

  • Hotel Hustle and AwardMapper will help you search for nearby loyalty program hotels. Hotel Hustle will also tell you which hotels have award availability for the nights you want to stay.
  • Radisson Hotels: Country Inn & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza, Radisson, Radisson Blu, and more. I’m a big fan of Radisson Blu hotels and have had many fantastic stays.
  • IHG: InterContinental, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, and more. IHG is an easy program to earn and use points. Their Kimpton Hotels are all dog-friendly without any added fees.
  • Hilton Hotels: Hampton Inn, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, and more. Hilton points are easy to earn and redeem!
  • Choice Hotels: With brands like Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn, Cambria, and Quality Inn, Choice Hotels can be a great option for road trips and National Park gateway towns. You can even find hidden gem bargains on hotels in Europe.
  • Wyndham Hotels: Days Inn, Super 8, Wyndham Grand, and more. Wyndham points can be valuable, especially for families.
  • Hyatt: Andaz, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Place, and more. Earn points on paid and award stays and get great value when you transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Hyatt for award nights.
  • Marriott: You can earn and use points at hotels like Courtyard, Residence Inn, Sheraton, Westin, and much more.
Cotswolds UK Cottage rooftops with sheep grazing in the meadow

Home/Apartment Accommodations:

  • VRBO: From a ski house with friends in Maine to an apartment in Barcelona for Thanksgiving, I’ve had great rental experiences with VRBO. It’s great for large family groups and has listings all over the globe.
  • Plum Guide: I love Plum Guide’s property listings! They are beautiful homes and apartments that make you feel like you’re actually home. Best of all, their properties are vetted first before becoming a vacation rental available for rent.
  • Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy: Find vacation rental properties that are professionally cleaned and inspected. Plus you’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy points for every stay.
  • Booking: You may think of Booking for hotels, but did you know they also have vacation rentals like apartments and homes, too?? With properties around the globe and flexible cancelation policies, Booking is a helpful planning resource for vacation rentals.
Airplane Wing against Blue Sky and Clouds

Flights:

  • Momondo and Skyscanner are both airline search aggregates. They’re going to show you the best-priced results without any bias towards a specific airfare booking website. These are the first websites I’ll look to compare prices for a paid flight.
  • Google Flights: A powerful search tool that can alert you when to book a flight. I love the calendar showing the prices on each date and the drag and drop search function on the map. You can also get cheap destination ideas by entering in your home airport and letting Google show the cheapest airfares.
  • Hopper App: Download Hopper to your phone or tablet for an incredible flight search tool. I love the flight insights it gives and how it advises you on whether to book or to wait.

If you’re a travel hacker, remember that many airlines only let you earn a small percentage of the miles on paid flights booked through discount sites. Book directly from an airline’s website and you’ll earn more miles and may even be surprised to find the lowest price.

rental car steering wheel

Transportation:

  • For airport transfer shuttle service use Go Airport Shuttle. They serve 85+ domestic and international airports and are the largest airport shuttle service company in the world.
  • For train research around the globe, visit Seat61 for in-depth, accurate information. Decide whether you’ll buy your tickets directly from your destination’s train system or through a booking site like Omio or Trainline.
  • If you need to rent a car, use a travel booking site like Kayak to compare prices.
  • Already have a car rental booking? Go to Autoslash to see if they can find you a better price!
Tourists on open top sightseeing bus in city

 Vacation Packages/Tours/Activities:

  • Tourradar: This site is a marketplace for multi-day tours. You’ll find group tours for destinations around the world for any budget and travel style.
  • To book activities, day tours, and/or save on sightseeing search CityPASS, GetYourGuide, and Viator.
  • Want to make a local connection on your travels? Eatwith offers one-of-a-kind foodie experiences like home-cooked dinner parties, locals who show you their favorite places to eat, and even cooking classes with trained, local chefs.
  • Expedia: To bundle a vacation package with flights and hotels, compare prices and book with Expedia.

Travel Gear:

When I need outdoor gear and comfortable shoes, these are my go-to places to look and buy what I need.

That’s it for now! Check back, as this page of travel resources will be updated regularly!

What’s your go-to resource for travel research, planning, and booking?

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