In this article, I wish share with you some of the best & greatest value travel purchases for a frequent traveller.
Frequent travellers know that expenses can add up quickly. Whether it’s for business or leisure, if you’re traveling several times each year, now might be the right time to start reevaluating your travel gear. It sometimes makes sense to buy cheaply and replace whenever an item starts to degrade, but other times, making a smart purchase decision early on can lead to substantial long-term savings.
The value in quality luggage
It’s easy to see why people would find inexpensive luggage options attractive, but is that really the best choice? Luggage isn’t just about carrying your clothes. It’s also about protecting your valuables during transit, and the last thing you want after a long flight is to pick up your luggage from the carousel, only to discover that it’s filled with damaged items.
Whether you’re traveling to North America, the opposite side of the world in Australia, or anywhere in between, you should expect that your luggage is going to be moved and thrown around a lot.
Maybe this isn’t a big deal if you’re only travelling once every couple of years, but for the frequent traveler, there’s clear value in buying some quality luggage. As Eagle Creek highlights in their blog, there are many signs you may need to invest in something new, for example, if the luggage isn’t easily stowable or a persistent wheel continues to wobble despite some sticky tape and TLC. If you recognise any of these qualities in your luggage, it may be time to consider well-known brands like Samsonite, American Tourister, and Briggs & Riley for high-quality, replacement pieces.
Comfort items for travel
Another good investment for a frequent traveller is comfort items. These purchases are more about enhancing your experience than saving you money, although they could also do the latter in some scenarios.
An ergonomic neck pillow is a good example. Imagine you’re going on a long flight from the UK to South America, and you’re going to be seated most of the time. Neck pillows are lightweight and portable, provide excellent support for your neck, and are a cheap and easy way to make sure you get some restful sleep en route to your destination.
Along similar lines, an eye mask is another affordable travel accessory that pays dividends in terms of comfort. If you’re traveling internationally, your circadian rhythm is probably out of whack, and you’ve already been surrounded by glaring artificial light at airports before you got on the plane. It can be hard to sleep in these situations, and a good eye mask that blocks out all light can make all the difference.
To round out the sleep trifecta, consider a good pair of earplugs that can drown out unwanted noise from airplane engines or chatty co-passengers. While these items may seem insignificant initially, their ability to help you maintain good health amidst the hustle and bustle of constant traveling makes them great travel essentials.
Rewards and Memberships
One great thing about the travel industry is that it rewards frequent travelers. Hotels and airlines have both rewards and membership programs that provide benefits like lounge access, travel insurance, priority boarding, and more. Memberships typically have a fee associated with them, whereas rewards programs often just involve being a regular customer of a particular company.
To put this into perspective, consider this. You get on a flight and decide to pay for Wi-Fi to make sure you’re not bored. You don’t like the food they serve on planes, so you make sure that you eat something at the airport before departure. If you do these things and more every single time, that can quickly become expensive.
Instead, what if you had a membership that offered unlimited Wi-Fi on flights and access to airport lounges where food is complimentary? The initial upfront cost might be higher, but if you’re traveling frequently, you’ll quickly get your money’s worth.
Something else to consider is that it’s not just airlines and hotels that offer these kinds of perks. Indeed, many travel companies pride themselves on providing membership schemes, which allow loyal passengers to take advantage of exclusive deals that wouldn’t be accessible to the casual customer. One such example is eDreams Prime, which notifies members as soon as there’s an opportunity to make a travel-related saving, whether this is on a cheap flight or a last-minute flight and hotel package deal. Again, this is one of those investments to seriously consider if you’re frequently flying – making the most of both rewards and membership programs can make a big difference in your travels, in terms of both saving money and convenience.
Investing in travel tech
Have you ever been in an airport watching sleep-deprived passengers vie for access to one of the few power points available to charge their phone? Well, you’ll never have to be one of those people if you invest in a power bank. These portable chargers are small, reliable, durable, and well worth their price.
On a similar note, a cheap travel adaptor will almost certainly come in handy. Different countries like to structure their electricity wall sockets differently, and these affordable adaptors quickly solve that problem. The best universal travel adaptors today will work in just about every country on Earth.
Portable Wi-Fi devices can be a lifesaver, too. Even though it can be used offline, apps like Google Maps will need an internet connection if you haven’t planned in advance. Being able to just instantly access the internet in a new location instead of having to juggle between different SIM cards makes everything easier.
Many travel purchases will not only save you money in the long run, but they’ll also enhance your experiences. Take a moment to reevaluate your travel expenses and think about what purchases will lead to the best long-term result for you.
Here were some of the best travel purchases for a frequent traveller! I hope you found some inspiration and these tips were useful for you!
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