How to Plan an Itinerary That Saves Money, Avoids Crowds, and Unlocks Hidden Gems

Learn how to plan travel itineraries that save you money, skip tourist traps, and make the most of your points.

How can you plan a travel itinerary that saves money without missing out? What travel credit cards are worth it if you don’t want to pay an annual fee? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle talk about how to plan a smart, budget-conscious travel itinerary without sacrificing memorable experiences. But first, Sally breaks down the latest travel news with NerdWallet’s Tess Vigeland, including rising summer flight volumes, the high cost of theme park vacations, Hyatt’s expansion into Croatia, the end of an AmEx points transfer workaround, and a devaluation of Bilt Rewards for rent payments.

Then, Meghan joins Sally to discuss how to build a personalized travel itinerary that aligns with your interests, budget, and travel style. They cover how to score deals on big-ticket attractions, use combo passes wisely, find local hidden gems, and get recommendations you’ll actually enjoy. They also answer a listener’s question about whether it’s worth opening no-annual-fee travel cards just for the signup bonuses — and which ones are still worth a look if you’re not ready to splurge on a premium card.

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review: https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/chase-sapphire-preferred 

• Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review: https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/chase-freedom-unlimited 

• Chase Freedom Flex Review: Multiple Bonus Rewards Wrapped in One Card https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/chase-freedom-flex 

• Hilton AmEx Review: Solid Rewards for No Annual Fee https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/hilton-amex-review 

Resources discussed in this episode:

• How to Avoid Hotel Resort Fees (and Which Brands Are the Worst) https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/hotel-resort-fees 

• Hotel Resort Fees: Why They Exist, and How to Avoid Them For Max Savings [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpB4R54lutM 

• The Best Travel Credit Card Welcome Bonus Offers Right Now https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/top-rewards-credit-card-offers 

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: how to plan a travel itinerary, travel itinerary tips, avoiding tourist traps, budget travel tips, free things to do on vacation, how to find cheap museum tickets, combo passes for museums, travel planning with points, travel credit card recommendations, best travel cards for beginners, American Airlines shopping portal, how to use GetYourGuide for points, Hyatt points value, Hyatt Regency Croatia, Bilt Rewards changes, how to earn travel rewards without spending more, travel tips for Europe, Universal Epic Universe tips, walking tours in Europe, free walking tours, when to use a hotel concierge, ChatGPT for trip planning, how to avoid bad restaurants when traveling, map-based restaurant planning, hidden gems travel tips, how to travel on points, what credit cards earn bonus travel points, credit cards for booking attractions, public transportation travel savings, smart cruise shore excursions, free hotel amenities, and resort fee benefits.

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