The Top 5 Ways To Save On Summer Family Travel

Forbes

19-05-2025

Summer family travel doesn't have to be pricey.
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Family travel in the summer is a bit like flying with a piña colada in one hand and a ticking time bomb in the other. Sure, you're chasing joy and togetherness, snacks, naps, and lost Crocs. And while the price of airfare is enough to make any parent break out in hives, the real sticker shock often comes before you even leave the house.
After years of crisscrossing continents with a child in tow (and occasionally in meltdown), I've learned a few tricks that make summer travel possible and affordable. Below are the top five ways to save—no spreadsheets required.
Points and miles aren't just for solo business travelers sipping champagne in airport lounges. Families can (and should) get in on the game. I recently booked business class flights for three of us—yes, lie-flat seats and all—to Singapore this August. Total out-of-pocket cost? A couple hundred bucks, thanks to points I tracked through Seats.aero, a site that alerts you to open award seats in real time.
The key is to be flexible, act fast, and not assume that the international business class is off-limits. Tools like Seats.aero, Point.me, and AwardLogic can do the heavy lifting, especially if you've got transferable points (Amex, Chase, Capital One). It's the closest thing to teleportation for parents who'd prefer not to fly coach with a toddler kicking the seatback.
It's no secret that babies and toddlers require a shocking amount of stuff. What is a secret, at least to most first-time parents, is that you don't need to pay full price for any of it.
Instead of buying everything brand new, consider shopping open-box and overstock gear at sites like REBEL, especially for travel. You'll find gear like compact strollers, portable cribs, and travel-friendly car seats. These items were returned (but never used), repackaged, and sold at a discount — sometimes up to 50% off retail.
Want to save big and still enjoy sunny skies? Pick a place that isn't plastered all over Instagram in July. The trick is to go where it's summer, but not where everyone else is going for it.
Think mountain towns that hum in winter and hibernate in summer (hello, ski resorts turned hiking paradises). Or swap the Amalfi Coast for the coast of Maine, which offers rocky beaches, charming inns, and enough lobster rolls to keep everyone happy, without peak European airfare.
Even Caribbean islands like Aruba and Curaçao, usually seen as winter escapes, can be surprisingly affordable in summer when demand dips (and don't worry, they're outside the hurricane belt). Fewer crowds, better hotel rates, and more room at the pool. What more could you want?
A museum with a kid under ten is a gamble at best, a public spectacle at worst. Instead, I look for outdoor activities and cultural events that are free and fun. Urban green spaces, interactive art parks, summer festivals, local food markets—many cities publish event calendars with zero-cost options that aren't tourist traps.
One of our best afternoons in Copenhagen cost exactly nothing: we went playground hopping, exploring a string of whimsical parks filled with trampolines, climbing walls, and the kind of design details that make parents stop and stare. Our son still talks about it. We still talk about how it didn't cost $65 per ticket.
Flying on a Friday? So is the rest of America. Want to avoid surge pricing and airport chaos? Shift your dates. Midweek departures—especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays—almost always offer cheaper flights and shorter security lines. Better yet, if you're not tied to a school calendar, travel in early June or late August. Same weather, half the price, and you might even get a whole row to yourselves.
Summer family travel doesn't have to drain your bank account or patience. With a little strategic planning—and a few contrarian choices—you can zig when the crowds zag, save hundreds (sometimes thousands), and still give your kids a season full of stories. Just skip the Bluetooth baby hammock. Trust me on that one.