Not all travel advice is good advice. Or at least it might not be the right advice for you.
Our team of pros combed through some of the top travel trends of the last few years ... and then unloaded our unpopular opinions about them. Here are the top five trends and “hacks” we wish would go away. #SorryNotSorry
1. Travel isn’t worth going into debt for.
We don’t want you to travel if you can’t afford it. Once-in-a-lifetime trips are incredible, but not at the expense (no pun intended) of your financial health.
Too many Americans don’t have enough money in their savings to pay for an unexpected car repair or medical emergency. If that’s you, you know how much of a stressor it is on your daily life. Don’t make it worse by thinking you have to take your kids to Disney.
Try to build up your savings (easier said than done, right?) so that you can one day take the trip you’ve been dreaming about without the anxiety of how you’re going to pay for it. Trust us when we say that vacation will be much more enjoyable when you don’t have utility bills breathing down your neck.
If you do decide to take the trip even when money is tight, but you’re worried about what happens to that investment if you have to cancel or the unexpected strikes, consider travel insurance. The right coverage could put some of that money back in your pocket.
2. Travel rewards aren’t actually rewards.
Yes, credit cards, airlines, and other travel companies provide perks for doing business with them. But you have to give something to get something.
It could be an annual fee, as is the case with some of the best travel rewards credit cards. It could be that you have to spend a certain amount of money with that airline before you can cash in an upgrade.
We aren’t saying these are scams. They aren’t (most of the time). But they aren’t free, either. Before joining a loyalty program or signing up for someone’s reward offer, carefully weigh all the pros and cons.
If you end up paying more in interest on that credit card than you’d spend on gaining access to an airport lounge, it’s not worth it. If you end up never using the lounge, it’s definitely not worth it. If you can never find a convenient flight or a hotel in the cities you visit, those loyalty programs aren’t worth it.
Think honestly about how you travel before you invest in “rewards.”
3. Quiet vacations aren’t vacations.
If you aren’t familiar with the trend, quiet vacations are when you work remotely without telling your boss. They think you’re in your guest room-turned-office at home in Iowa, but you’re actually in a cabin in Colorado.
Ethical questions aside — is it lying to your boss if you just don’t tell them? — we think it’s time to stop calling these vacations.
Vacations are meant for relaxation. Vacations are for spending time with your family. Or with good friends. Or with yourself, doing what you want, where you want, when you want.
Vacations are not a spreadsheet. They aren’t one more sales call or another quick meeting.
Let’s call it what it is: working remotely with blurred boundaries between personal and professional life.
If you want a vacation, take a vacation and leave work behind. Your mind, body, and loved ones will thank you.
4. You don’t need an “extreme relaxation” vacation.
This winter, we read about hotels offering “extreme relaxation” vacations. And it kind of made us cringe.
Before we get into the unpopular part of the opinion, let’s lay a few ideas out on the table. Relaxation is important, and vacations can play a vital role in helping you achieve it. We know some people do find it very challenging to relax, whether because of ever-constant responsibilities in everyday life, anxiety, or any number of other reasons.
But here’s where we get unpopular: If extreme relaxation vacations are the only way you can get a nap, you’d probably be better off making some life changes than spending exorbitant amounts of money at a resort.
Invest in yourself every day, not just on vacation. That means investing in your physical and mental health, giving yourself the chance to rest and recover. Do that on a regular basis and you will reap better, more long-lasting rewards than any hotel can deliver. You’re worth it.
5. Engagementmoons, retirementmoons, whatever-moons are silly.
We blame Bennifer for this one, thinking that if we smash two words together, we can make anything sound cool.
To be clear, we aren’t against the concept of an engagementmoon, retirementmoon, babymoon, or any other kind of –moon. Our opinion is that you don’t need an excuse to travel. Giving it a silly name is just, well, silly.
Why wait until you’re engaged to take a trip together? Why try to justify your right and ability to travel after retiring by giving it a ridiculous label? You’ve earned it. Just take the trip.
Travel Insurance is Worth It.
The only thing that makes us cringe more than “extreme relaxation” vacations is hearing people say that travel insurance isn’t worth it. There are different types of coverage — trip cancellation, trip delay, medical coverage, baggage protection, and so on — that can often be customized to fit your style and budget.
Avoid making a silly decision. At least consider travel insurance before your next vacation. Our interactive tool (just click the yellow “Let’s Go” button) can help you find the best plan and get a quick quote.
We also have a team of licensed agents on call to answer any questions and help you be ready when trip happens.
