Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts, stow your tray table and return to your seats, as the best travel budgeting tips are about to land.

No matter whether you’re spending euros or rupees, francs or pounds, US dollars or Aussie cents, there are savings, big and small, to be had on your next holiday.

Discounts, bonuses, extras and incentives, and two-for-one deals help keep cash in your pockets, while clever planning, shrewd budgeting and the amazing offers on the all-new deals hub on escape.com.au will ensure you don’t blow the bank every time you travel.

1. Order the set menu

Escape content director, Jana Frawley, has two words when it comes to fine dining on a European holiday – prix fixe. “Literally meaning ‘fixed price’, these multi-course menus, often with a glass of wine included, are excellent value and allow you to see the bill upfront. It’s a great way to experience fine food and keep your budget intact.”

2. Skip peak seasons

It’s hardly a hack to say you can save on travel by avoiding weekends or school holidays. But did you know you can also save by travelling during a country’s off season – Thailand in July, Vietnam in late January or Fiji in November.

4. Save 5% on escape.com.au

Know how to use sites that offer travel deals to your advantage. For example, on the new deals hub at escape.com.au you get five per cent off your first order with code ‘iloveescape’ plus you can easily locate the best deals by looking for the tags highlighting a saving.

5. Monitor flight prices

Airlines like Qantas and Virgin Australia let you set up alerts to notify you when airfares for your route drop. If you’re not particular about the airline you’re flying with, aggregators like Skyscanner and Kayak also allow you to do this.

6. Choose odd flight times

“I often book a flight that leaves early or arrives in the middle of the night and book a night at the airport hotel before or after I fly. Airport hotels are often way less expensive than city hotels.” – Simone Mitchell, Escape associate digital editor

7. Skip the taxi queue

Public transport in some cities can be daunting, especially fresh off the plane from the airport, but it is always cheaper than a taxi or Uber. In Singapore, for example, a taxi from Changi Airport to the city centre is around SGD20 (about $23) while an MRT train trip is SGD1.74 (about $2).

9. Swap destinations

Europe will be heaving (more than usual) during the northern summer thanks to the Paris Olympics, so swap out popular European hotspots for more affordable and less crowded ones – the Albanian Riviera instead of the French or Italian ones, or Malta instead of the Greek Islands.

10. Take two phones

“Take an old phone and buy a local SIM when you land at your first destination. Your phone will need to be unlocked (meaning, it’s not restricted to use on particular networks only) and you will need to have a newish phone that supports 4G or 5G so that your coverage isn’t patchy.” – Dilvin Yasa, Escape’s Doc Holiday

11. Hack your care hire

“If you’re a spontaneous traveller, book a relocation car hire. You’ll have to drive a set route and find a way home but rentals can start from just $1 a day and some include a fuel allowance.” – Stephanie Yip, Escape E-commerce travel writer

12. Hand over your credit card

“Ditch the debit card when asked for pre-authorised credit on a cruise or when checking in to a hotel as it could take up to 10 days to reverse the charge and leave all your spending money tied up. Instead, hand over a credit card.” – Dilvin Yasa, Escape’s Doc Holiday

14. Check the right boxes

Flip the way you search for flights and make your destination ‘Explore Everywhere’ on Skyscanner. Enter dates, your departure airport and leave the destination open. You’ll get an instant picture of which places are cheaper to reach.

15. Pay before you go

There’s one resort inclusion that can save a family hundreds of dollars – breakfast. If you’re staying in a destination with few dining options outside of the resort, like Fiji’s Coral Coast or Bali’s Nusa Dua, book a resort where breakfast is included. A family of four can save hundreds on a seven-night holiday in this way.

16. Delay breakfast time

Speaking of breakfast …“If you have breakfast included, pop in closer to the end of service, that way it’s technically brunch and you’ve got one less meal to pay that day.” – Stephanie Yip, Escape’s E-commerce travel writer

17. Hop on, hop off

“The double decker sightseeing buses you can jump on in many cities are an easy and affordable way to get your bearings in a city, plus get a basic tour in for a fraction of the price. They also run frequently so they offer flexibility.” – Kerrie McCallum, Escape’s editor in chief

18. Pay by the day

Hit the slopes with the family without the hefty price tag – just go for the day. Resorts like Selwyn Snow Resort in NSW and Mt Donna Buang in Victoria offer dedicated snow play day entry from $25.

20. See for free

Dilute a costly stay in the Olympic city with a day or two of free touristing: picnic beside the Eiffel Tower, explore the Jardin du Luxembourg, window shop (and people watch) on the Champs Elysees and wander through the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, the last resting place of Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison.

21. Ask the expert

Good value lies in local knowledge and nothing beats your hotel concierge. They can help you find the best value places to eat, cheap days at museums, free walking tours and more.

22. Stay on the outskirts

You often pay a premium to stay in the city centre of any country. But in most parts of the world, like Paris or Rome, public transport to city centres is cheap and dependable – especially trains. Going suburban and ‘commuting’ is the perfect way to see more of a city for less.

23. Buy a visitor pass

“Always visit the official tourism website of the city, region or country you’re visiting and look for visitor passes. The New York City Pass, for example, will save you 40 per cent on the city’s top five attractions and the London Pass offers 50 per cent savings on major attractions.” – Jana Frawley, Escape content director

24. Pick a pick-up spot

Check if it’s cheaper to hire a car at the airport or city before booking. Often the city is more affordable, so jump on a train or taxi to the city to pick up your car.

26. Check the fine print

Car hire can attract a substantial excess in case of damage to the car. It’s worth checking your travel insurance or credit card provider to see if you already have car hire excess cover and save up to $40 a day by waiving the fee at the car hire counter.

27. Download city guides

Major cities often have free city tours led by volunteers (who appreciate a tip for good service). Better still, show yourself around with a free audio tour through popular apps like STQRY Guide and TripScout.

28. Share loyalty points

Get your kids to contribute to the next trip by pooling their Frequent Flyer points into the family kitty. Many airlines like Etihad, Qantas, Emirates, Virgin and Hawaiian Airlines have programs which allow you to do this.

29. Get on your bike

“Instead of hailing down cabs to get around, hire one of the many ebikes dotting the streets in Europe. It’s cheap, fast and a great way to feel the vibe of a city as you pass through different neighbourhoods.” – Rowena Ryan, Escape digital editor

31. Catch the train

Eurail Global Pass is great value plus it allows cheeky day trips into bordering countries. With the whole of Europe able to fit inside Australia and trains travelling up to 320km/h, visiting a neighbouring country is easy.

32. Find cheap petrol

One of the biggest expenses on a road trip is fuel. Apps like the NSW Government’s Fuel Check and Australia-wide apps like Petrol Spy can locate the cheapest fuel along your route.

33. Avoid penalty costs

Don’t get roped into unnecessary fees at the car hire counter – return your car with a full tank to avoid expensive fuel charges on return; avoid extras like a GPS (that’s what your phone is for) and bring your own child booster seats.

34. Be self-sufficient

Hunt out resorts that have self-contained accommodation facilities to help you reduce your eating out bill. The Whitsunday Apartments on Hamilton Island are discounted by 25 per cent on Escape.com.au and feature apartments with fully-equipped kitchens.

36. Ditch annoying fees

Don’t get stung with cancellations and booking changes for holiday homes on platforms like Airbnb and Stayz, which are set by the individual host not the platform. On the major platforms, you can filter your search by cancellation policy.

37. Check the currency

When cruising, pre-purchase on-board items that may be in a foreign currency, like gratuities where they are not included. This locks in the AUD charge at the time of purchase and avoids currency fluctuations.

38. The power of one

Travelling solo? Single tickets for theatre performances in places like London’s West End and New York’s Broadway are sometimes discounted on the day of the performance as they are keen to fill single seats.

39. Insure your trip

Take out travel insurance from the time you pay out any non-refundable costs, not when your holiday starts.

41. Avoid the crowds

When booking tours, aim for the more affordable shoulder season when demand drops. The weather may not be the best, but it’s not the worst either and crowds will also be down.

42. Tip tips

Check that your cruise fare includes gratuities as a lot of operators don’t include them, and they could be a hidden cost that can add $100-plus to a seven-day cruise per person.

43. Book smart

Booking airfares on a Sunday can save up to 20 per cent on domestic flights and 18 per cent on international flights and departing on a Friday can save up to 23 per cent. Avoid departing on Sundays, which are the priciest days, on average, to start a trip.

44. Choose local currency

When a credit card terminal or ATM offers to convert the amount into Australian dollars, DECLINE. Choose local currency every time. Fees and horrific conversion rates are built into the Aussie dollar amount displayed.

46. Stay local

Eliminate expensive flights on your next cruise by departing from your home port or choose offers that include free flights. Sites like Cruise Traveller have a Fly Free tab which shows you all the packages that include free flights as part of the deal.

47. Get the deals

All ski resorts share special offers and updates on free activities so sign up for e-newsletters and follow their social media so you don’t miss out.

48. Avoid single supplements

Travelling solo can sometimes feel like you’re paying double. But a growing number of tour operators offer deals which waive the solo supplement, like G Adventures, Wendy Wu Tours and Explore Worldwide.

49. Stay loyal

Large hotel chains often have a program you can sign up to for free that gives you access to discounts and perks. For example, the Marriott Bonvoy program has a fifth night free offer that can be redeemed at any of their almost 8700 properties worldwide.

50. Be currency clever

“Look at exchange rates before you book an international flight. One Aussie dollar, for instance, currently buys US65c. Add tips and taxes and suddenly you’re having to re-mortgage your house every time you buy something. My tip: go to a country where you get more bang for your buck.” – Jana Frawley, Escape content director