If you spend any time reading travel websites or scrolling through social media, you’ll eventually come across someone promising a travel “hack” that’ll save you money, get you an upgrade or somehow outsmart the airlines or hotels.
Some of those tricks can actually work. Hidden-city ticketing (also known as skiplagging), for example, is a real thing—even if airlines really wish you wouldn’t do it.
But plenty of so-called travel hacks are little more than myths that keep getting repeated online. Here are five that generally aren’t worth your time.
Making your reservation on a Tuesday
There was a time, way back when more airline business was done manually, when that sort of hack could have worked. Maybe.
But this is the 21st century. Demand, seat availability and, of course, the almighty algorithms are what set airline prices nowadays, not what day of the week it is.
Dressing up to get an upgrade
People will tell you to “dress the part.” If you want to get a free upgrade, dress as though you belong in the front of the plane.
That may have possibly worked a half century ago, if not more. But nowadays upgrades are offered to people with status. And the decision is made by the computer, not people – gate agents and even flight attendants don’t really have much authority to upgrade a person before a flight.
Stuffing a pillow to carry on more of your belongings
Again, this was a hack some people successfully tried years ago. I remember doing it back in the 90s.
Then (A) airlines started charging for checked bags, which meant more people brought as much carry-on as they could. Including stuffed pillows. Yeah, airlines got wise to that REALLY fast and (B) pillows became considered a carry-on.
Clearing your cookies to get cheaper hotel rates
You’ve probably heard it: hotels track you and raise prices because they know you’re interested, so clear your cookies before you make your reservation!
If only it was that easy. Dynamic pricing is admittedly real. But deleting your browser cookies, using incognito mode, and all the other things the “experts” say to get you to click rarely unlock any sort of secret, lower fares. Most price changes simply reflect changing demand and inventory.
Using a money belt to hide your cash
You’ll hear that you’re at risk for pickpockets in certain cities, so hide your money in a money belt!
Well, that’s great, until you’re buying something and have to fish the money out of the money belt. And all the pickpockets see you do it – so not only do they know you have a lot of money, they know exactly where you’re hiding it. Mission accomplished…just not the mission you were aiming for.
Just spread your money out, and don’t carry all of it if you don’t have to. That way even if you’re pickpocketed, you have back-ups.
The funny thing about travel hacks is that the best ones don’t stay hacks forever. Once enough people discover them, airlines, hotels and other travel companies usually catch on and either close the loophole or change the rules.
That’s why it’s always worth asking one simple question before trying the latest “secret” trick making the rounds online: Does it actually work today…or did it only work ten years ago?
Sometimes the best travel hack is simply knowing which ones to ignore.
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