How can I see the Winter Olympics on a budget?

The 2026 Winter Olympics is a bucket-list travel item for many Aussies, but can you do it on a budget?

Escape's Doc Holiday, Dilvin Yasa, answers your travel-related questions.

I’m keen to travel to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, but accommodation seems quite expensive around the Cortina area. Does anything exist for the budget traveller?

I’m glad you’ve already registered on the Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games’ official site for tickets that go on sale from February 6. You’ll be able to buy seats at the opening and closing ceremonies, 16 Olympic disciplines and the Paralympic ceremonies and events, but you’ll need patience and good luck: the first tickets will be made available via a draw system where successful applicants will be given a dedicated purchasing timeslot (it will be a similar experience to attempting to buy Taylor Swift tickets through Ticketek). Pricing for events will vary widely, ranging from €30 (around $50) to almost €3000 (about $4970) for the most expensive seats at the closing ceremony. Don’t worry; more than half the events are priced under €100.

As the events will be held in either Milan or Cortina d’Ampezzo (which are around 400km apart), many are opting to buy travel packages from the likes of Milan Winter Travel, which offers four-star accommodation options within a short walk of the venues. Of course, such convenience comes at a cost.

The milanocortina2026.olympics.com site has a full list of venues so the best way to find budget accommodation for events held in Milan is by searching a site such as booking.com for nearby options. Near San Siro Stadium, for example, properties are still available from $199 a night but you’ll have to be quick– they’re being snapped up fast. Generally, budget accommodation around Milan is found near the main train station and also Città Studi, the university district, housing much of the city’s hostels.

I looked at similar options in Cortina d’Ampezzo and almost had a seizure; not only were 97 per cent of the properties near venues booked out already, much of what is remaining costs between $60,000 and $90,000 for a two-night stay (yes, you read that correctly). If you don’t mind commuting 15-20km, you can still find properties for around $500, but I suggest looking at Airbnb where properties in nearby villages such as Misurina and Venas di Cadore are priced around $200 a night.

I would never recommend taking out a credit card just to make the most of any included travel insurance products.

We’re heading to Europe and were quoted $1700 to $2300 for travel insurance, while insurance through our CBA credit card is only $250. Is it too good to be true?

Not at all. Although I would never recommend taking out a credit card just to make the most of any included travel insurance products (high interest rates can be a bitter pill to swallow if you don’t pay the balance in full each month), the gleaming CommBank Gold card you already own means that horse has already bolted.

Happily, you’ve done your due diligence and asked the bank about any restrictions around age and pre-existing conditions (hence the charge of $250 on a product that’s normally included free of charge). That’s great news because while most are underwritten by the same providers of stand-alone insurance products, thus giving you comparable coverage, many have age restrictions, higher excesses, or will not provide cover for those with pre-existing conditions. They’ll also baulk at the idea of providing cover for the loss, theft or damage of high-value items.

Your travel insurance provider for this product is Cover-More and from what I can see in the Product Disclosure Statement, you have solid coverage for your trip but you will need to pay a higher-than-average excess of $500 should you need to claim for medical attention overseas, or for any cancellation. It is also worth noting that many of the benefits payable aren’t quite as high as what stand-alone insurance providers offer.

My search revealed quite a few stand alone policies priced well below the exorbitant figures you were quoted.

You also have to be mindful that to receive cover, you must spend at least $500 in a single transaction on your prepaid travel costs using your card, and then activate your travel insurance, which you can do through NetBank, the CommBank app or by calling Cover-More.

Once activated, your Certificate of Insurance will be emailed to you. Remember that if you’re planning to take a cruise or undertake any snow sports or adventure sports, you’ll need to pay an additional premium after you activate your insurance policy.

Take another look at travel insurance comparison site Compare Travel Insurance before deciding. My search revealed quite a few stand alone policies priced well below the exorbitant figures you were quoted.

Originally published as How can I see the Winter Olympics on a budget?