Little-known 'secondhand travel' trick helps tourists score luxury vacations for less

Fox News

09-08-2025

A little-known travel method is helping frugal tourists score luxury vacations for less.
The trend, "secondhand travel," might sound unappealing, but in reality, it's all about capitalizing on already-organized plans.
It involves "buying" other people's canceled trips at a discounted rate while also letting sellers recoup some of their nonrefundable costs from their vacations.
That allows the buyer to score a vacation for 20%-30% off – making it a win-win for both parties.
As a bonus, the "secondhand traveler" may not even need to plan anything, since the trip is often already organized.
Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for Going, a travel company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, told Fox News Digital the trend's name is a bit of a misnomer, since the vacation that's being resold hasn't been used.
Some platforms, like Roomer, have been selling unused hotel rooms for years – but the concept of secondhand travel is new to most Americans.
"I still wouldn't say they are fully known by the traveling public," she said.
The most common types of resold vacations include hotels or all-inclusive stays.
"And, due to the nature of them, these types of trips are best for those with flexible schedules who can leave within a week and aren't truly tied to a destination … [F]or most people, [that] can be difficult."
Nastro said Transfer Travel and Sparefare are two online marketplaces to search for secondhand bookings.
The most common types of resold vacations include hotels or all-inclusive stays, Nastro said, many of which just require a quick name change.
"You are locked into whatever you purchase, which doesn't allow for any cost comparisons after the fact, which can help you save," she said.
"The options may be limited to specific areas for when you are looking to travel, so you don't have the freedom to really choose where you are going and staying."
The biggest hurdle to selling your trips is airfare – and Nastro cautioned people to be "absolutely sure" before listing on these sites.
"Changing names on airfare can be difficult, and some airlines don't allow this practice outside the 24-hour window regardless," she said. "So before any flight is put onto a platform, make sure your airline will allow for changes."
"Speak to multiple people at the airline before putting your flights up on one of these sites," Nastro added.
But if you're thinking of using the method for your next family getaway, secondhand booking can be rather limiting.
It might be preferable for single remote workers who have more flexibility in terms of dates and times, the expert advised.
"The options may be limited to specific areas for when you are looking to travel, so you don't have the freedom to really choose where you are going and staying," she said.
"Additionally, you are likely going to find more options near major cities, not near more remote destinations or national parks."
Her big advice for bookers? Shop around these sites to ensure that the 20%-30% discounts are actually the best deal available.
"For example, I shopped around a NYC hotel during the same dates advertised and was able to find a cheaper rate at the same hotel on an OTA [online travel agency] — which also gave me 24 hours to decide if I wanted to cancel," she said.
"Just as if you would shop around at other hotels, shop around on other sites and with the hotel directly to ensure this rate is really worth it."