All You Need to Plan the Best, Affordable Teacher Travel

Outside of changing the lives of children (which, yes is great and I fully support) the best part of being a teacher is the schedule! If you’re like me, you spend much of your school year dreaming of the next travel destination. Here, I’ve compiled everything you need to know to plan the best and most affordable teacher travel.

Reasons Teachers Should Travel

If you’re reading this, I probably don’t need to convince you of the benefits of travel. Here are a few ideas to help persuade your more reluctant teacher friends to join you.

Benefits of Travel for Teachers:

• Step out of your comfort zone
• Go on adventures
• Collect resources for your classroom
• Show students the world through your travels
• Get exposed to different languages
• Eat local food
• Explore the world’s diverse ecosystems
• Meet new people
• Enjoy your time off

Do you need to convince a significant other, principal, or apprehensive colleague why teachers should prioritize travel? Check out this article to support your case of getting out and exploring the world. All for the sake of education!

Benefits of Teacher Travel That Improve Teaching

Opportunities for Teacher Travel That Cost Nothing

What? Teachers can travel for free?! The simple answer is yes, you can. With a little creativity and planning, teachers can travel for free via field trips and/or professional development opportunities.

Take Students on Field Trips

Yeah…so this idea may not be 100% relaxing. However, think of all of the incredible experiences you could have under the guise of a field trip! What I meant to say is think of all the incredible learning opportunities you can provide for your students. I joke, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wake-up on field trip day just as excited as the students.

Field trips are great opportunities for students to learn on location! Don’t you wish you could fly your students to all of the incredible places that connect to your content? Too bad that won’t happen. Don’t underestimate the value of close-to-home field trips, though. It’s shocking how many students haven’t been hiking despite the fact that our school is less than fifteen minutes from Crab Orchard Wildlife National Refuge!

Taking students on school-sponsored field trips is a great way to integrate teacher travel into your curriculum. You and your students will have real-world experiences at little to no cost to you. Perfect for the teacher’s budget!

Take Students on International Adventures

International trips are possible as well with travel companies such as Science Travel Adventures. This is a teacher-owned company that specializes in teacher-led educational student travel adventures. You can create a custom student tour that focus on fun, science, and cultural adventures.

Apply for Teacher Travel Grants or Fellowships

There are so many teacher-specific travel grants and fellowships available. Regardless of what grade level or subject you teach, there are opportunities for you to travel the world and learn.

Join this Facebook Group for information about available scholarships and grants.
Traveling Teachers Community

You’ll never receive a grant you don’t apply for, so take a chance and put your name in the ring! Many teachers in this Facebook group have received travel funds and can offer your support and advice as you work through the application process.

Planning Your Travels

Budget for Teacher Travel

At this point, you may be thinking what many people have asked me, “How can you afford so much travel on a teacher’s budget?” I’ve also heard, “Your school must pay way better than mine for you to travel so much each year.”

The truth is, I’ve just learned some tricks and tips to travel on a teacher’s budget and want to share those.

Quick Budget Tips

• Travel to affordable destinations
• Set a monthly budget that includes saving for travel
• Prioritize travel and skip on the extras
• Plan trips well in advance
• Earn travel rewards via credit cards (they’re not scary, I promise!)
• Get teacher travel discounts

Check out this article to budget for teacher travel.

Teacher Travel Discounts

Teacher travel discounts exist in all areas of travel from transportation to accommodations to activities. Some companies don’t advertise their teacher discounts, so don’t be afraid to call ahead and ask. The worst thing that can happen is they say no.

Prioritize Travel on Your Calendar

Most school calendars are released in the spring, which is about the time I start planning my next travel adventures! Take advantage of a work schedule built for teacher travel.

Prioritize teacher travel and set aside time to explore over school breaks in advance so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of life. Use the DayCount app (Apple or Google Play) as a fun way to keep a countdown until your next teacher travel adventure.

Short Breaks

Long weekends are great opportunities to explore areas that aren’t too far from your home base. We often forget to adventure in the areas that are close to us and think of travel as something that has to be a grand journey. It’s just not so! Take advantage of locations within a half a day and get to know an area not-so-far-away from home.

Three-Day Weekends for Fall Travel

• Labor Day
• Indigenous People’s Day
• Thanksgiving

Three-Day Weekends for Spring Travel

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• President’s Day
• Good Friday/Monday after Easter
• Memorial Day

Long Breaks

Yay for summer break and plenty of time to travel! Having so much flexible time in the summer is one of the best perks of being a teacher. Plus there’s winter break and spring break that are prime for teacher travel as well.

Take advantage of the long breaks for international or distant domestic travel. The length of winter break changes from year to year depending on when Christmas and New Year’s fall, so be sure to check the dates early.

This year, our winter break is two full weeks! My mom knows me well and simply asked, “Where are you going?” when I shared the news with her. The break is so long it worked out that I can drive the nine hours to spend some time with family and fly to Europe for 10 days!

Determine Where to Travel

Affordable Travel Tip: Select a type of travel destination rather than a specific location when you begin your trip planning.

So many smaller decisions lead to making the final call on a specific travel destination. Expenses to travel to a location and expenses once you have arrived should definitely be the top considerations but aren’t the end-all-be-all.

Things to bear in mind when determining your travel destinations:

• the type of destination
• your travel dreams
• professional development opportunities
• who to visit
• special events
• who is traveling
• travel expenses
• when to travel

How to Choose the Most Affordable Travel Destinations

Inspiration: Types of Travel

• Beach
• Mountain
• Snorkeling
• Warm weather
• Relaxing
• Water sport adventure
• Educational
• Historical
• Hiking
• Roadtrip

How to Get to Your Destination

This depends on where you’re going and how long you have to get there.

Do you value more time at the destination and want to get there as fast as possible? Crossing a large body of water or a vast distance? Flying makes the most sense.

Trains are fun to take in the scenery, but not necessarily faster or cheaper in the United States. However, a train ride in Europe is often a great value.

Are you prioritizing saving money? Driving can be a major money saver, especially if multiple people are heading to the same destination.

Do you care about the journey more than the destination? Try a road trip!

Finding Flight Deals

Flight prices can often be the most financially limiting aspect of travel, but that doesn’t have to be the case! Mastering the art of travel hacking takes time and is complicated by airlines constantly changing the game. Even without taking a deep dive into travel hacking, you can save hundreds by following these quick tips.

Check flights 3 days before/after your departure and return flights to find the best deal. Extending your trip by a day or two can often save significant money on the flight. The savings will offset the expense of staying an additional couple of nights and you’ll get to see more of the destination. Win, win!

Check departure and arrival airports

Most people live near multiple airports. My closest international airport is St. Louis (~2 hours away) and Nashville is not much farther (~3 hours away). An extra hour of driving is worth saving $100+ dollars. If the deal is out-of-this-world, think $350 round trip to Spain, I am willing to drive the 6 hours to Chicago.

Google Flights

Google Flights is your (almost) one-stop shop for finding the best flight deals. Yes, there other flight search engines, but the ease of using Google Flights and all of the helpful features makes it the best way to find affordable flights. The biggest downside of Google Flights: Southwest flights are not included. In fact, the only way to find Southwest flights is through Southwest. So, there are two places you need to search the get the most bang for your buck, Southwest and Google Flights. The Points Guy has a fantastic article on How to be An Advanced User of Google Flights. Even if you’re new to Google Flights you can benefit from this thorough guide.

Perks of Google Flights

• Search multiple departure/arrival airports at the same time
• Search by destination region (i.e. Europe, Central America, etc.)
• Find the best deals with the Google Flight price calendar
• Track the price of a flight during an upcoming school holiday

Make the Most of Reward Miles

If you’re new to travel, earning and using reward miles may seem a bit overwhelming at first. The truth is yo can take a deep dive into travel hacking, some people make it their full time job. However, just dipping your toes in the water can save you a pretty penny. Since we’re traveling on a teacher’s salary, we need to take advantage of any savings we can.

How did I fly to Colombia, Belize, and Dallas for less than $200? By making the most of my travel credit card reward points. I know signing up for credit cards can sound scary, but I assure you if you learn just the basics you’ll love the benefits. My super supportive and financially conservative parents were my first clients. They have planned a fall getaway from Ohio to Hawaii, then to Las Vegas, and back to Ohio for less than $20/person (yes, $20!) with the help of the Southwest Credit Card Rapid Rewards. Note: This was in 2020 and deals now can be good, but maybe not QUITE as good.

Read the questions below to determine if you’re a good candidate for earning rewards mile through travel credit cards.

• Is your credit score above 720?
• Can you pay your credit card balance monthly (to avoid paying interest)?
• Do you live in the United States (most offers are US only)?
• Do you want to spend less than $6 on a domestic flight?

If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you are a good candidate for earning rewards points through travel credit card sign-up bonuses. No, this is not too good to be true and yes, you can fly at majorly discounted rates.

Not sure where to start? Check out this article Getting started with points, miles, and credit cards to travel from The Points Guy. I personally love my Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card.

Search, Plan, and Book Early

Hi, my name is Alyssa, and I have a problem with over-planning. Where are my other planning obsessed folk? In all fairness to myself, I like to know everything I possibly can, love making lists, but am on board for my “plan” to include not having a plan. What I mean is I don’t have a detailed travel itinerary with every minute planned out, but in my head I know my options for each day.

When people want to know how I score such great flight deals during peak season and can travel internationally multiple times a year, the answer is…I plan! Yes, start looking at prices as soon as the flight schedules are released. Most airlines release their flight schedules ~330 days in advance.

Teacher travel always occurs during peak season, the only downside to our otherwise luxurious work schedule. The best way to combat the peak season cost inflation is to look early, look often, and don’t hesitate to book a flight. If you use Google Flights to track prices or search often, you’ll be able to recognize a good deal when you see it.

Book the flight the moment you find a good deal or at least within a couple of hours. Those deals don’t stick around. In the United States you have a 24-hour window to cancel any flight without penalty. Take a (small) risk by booking the flight, then iron out the details. If it doesn’t seem like it’s going to work out for whatever reason, cancel the flight within 24-hours with no harm done. Worst case scenario you cancel the flight and start your search again; best case scenario you’ve just scored an incredible teacher travel deal during peak season.

Select the Destination

These are the questions I ask myself before making the final destination selection. None of these are deal breaker questions, just things I need to take into consideration before making a decision.

• Am I excited about this type of travel?
• Can I score a good deal to get there?
• How affordable is the destination?
• Can Luna (my dog) come with me?
• Do I know anyone that lives there/has visited there?
• Is it a new location to me?

Sometimes, I throw all of this out the window and impulsively buy a trip when I spot a great deal! Remember in the United States, you have 24 hours to cancel a flight with no penalty. If you make an impulsive flight purchase, you can take some time to reflect before the purchase is more permanent.

Where Do the Dogs Go?

I love my dogs and they are excellent road trip travel companions, but they don’t fly with me. Before I fully commit to a trip I have to think about what Luna and Makai will do while I’m gone. Luckily, I have got a few great options!

Budget Option: She stays with family. My parents live 8+ hours away, so this isn’t always my go to option. However, I never worry about her while she’s there, my dad will throw the ball for her multiple times a day, and the price is right. If I can pair a trip to visit family with an international trip, that’s the way to go.

Mid-Range Option: Pay a family friend to dog sit or at the very least visit a few times a day. Finding a friend who loves dogs (especially if you have one as cute as mine) isn’t too difficult. Pet sitting can range from $15/hour to $75/overnight.

Expensive Option: Check local boarding companies for their prices and the quality of care they provide. Luna goes to daycare once a week and has a blast. They also provide over night boarding, but we haven’t tried it yet. This is definitely the most costly option, but I know she would be well taken care of and have other dogs to play with at this location.

Personal Connections to the Destination

Knowing someone who lives in a location or has visited before is not a requirement. It’s fun to explore new places and uncover hidden gems yourself, but it’s also nice to go with a list of local recommendations.

What better way to experience the culture of a destination like a local than visiting someone who lives there? You can learn the ins and out of daily life and also add in more touristy excursions to get the best of both worlds.

Go Somewhere New or Visit Again?

My favorite place to travel is somewhere new. There are so many places to see in the world that a place has to be incredibly special for me to return. On the top of the list of places I’d go back to is Hawaii. Otherwise, I’m investing my travel budget into new adventures.

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Create Travel-Inspired Classroom Resources

Selecting Accommodations

The quality and luxury of accommodations vary depending on the style of travel you’re interested in. I’ve stayed everywhere from sleeping in my car to $7 hostels to fancy hotels (that I paid $0 for). Finding the balance between budget and comfort is key. Check out the pros and cons of different types of accommodations.

Types of Accommodations

• Camping
• Hostels
• Airbnb
• Hotels

Camping

Pros
This is the easiest option for saving money, ranging from $0-$20/night for tent camping. Dispersed camping within National Parks in the United States is free or you can pay a small amount for established campgrounds.

Free Campsites maintains a list of user-suggested free camping sites around the world. Another up and coming option is Hipcamp, sort of the Airbnb for camping, where you can book unique camping experiences on ranches, private land, campsites, etc. There are also a plethora of paid campground options, just search the area where you’re headed.

Cons
Options for camping are quite slim if you’re staying in a city. Additionally, you’re sacrificing some conveniences for the camping option, like running water in some spots. Finding nice showers and places to get ready for the day can be more difficult.

If you’re flying, you have to bring all of your camping gear with you which takes up a lot of space and adds weight. Your tent is TSA approved to bring on the airplane, but you must check your tent poles and stakes. This option doesn’t work if you’re trying to only bring a carry on bag.

Hostels

Pros
This affordable option is a great way to meet people on your adventures. Teacher travel around the world occurs during summer break and I have met educators from several different countries while staying at hostels.

Hostels tend to be located in ideal locations for travelers for a nominal price. Costs can vary quite a bit based on location ($10/night in Costa Rica to $47/night in Iceland), but are pretty much always more affordable than a hotel.

Take advantage of the kitchen to save money on dining. Employees and travelers at hostels know the cool stuff in the area and can give you pointers for affordable travel.

Cons
If you’re not used to sharing your sleeping space, this can take some getting used to. Shared bathrooms can mean having to wait for a shower and there is a general lack of privacy in shared rooms.

Hostels are my go-to accommodation. Even my mom is going to give it a go when we travel to Spain!

Airbnb

Pros
You can choose to search for a private room or have an entire apartment/house to yourself. If you’re traveling with multiple people or planning to stay in one location for a while, Airbnb is the way to go. In many places a hostel for two people was comparable to the price of an Airbnb, so why not get the extra space and privacy?

Booking a home outside of the expensive, touristy neighborhoods through Airbnb can give you a more authentic cultural perspective of your destination. Read the reviews and try to book with a Superhost for a positive experience.

Cons
I have yet to have a bad experience with Airbnb. I am an avid review reader and don’t book anything that seems fishy.

Regulations for Airbnbs are getting more strict in larger US cities and international destinations. Be sure to check local laws before planning to use Airbnb for your entire stay.

Hotels

Pros
If location is a top priority, hotels tend to have prime locations to access what you want in a destination. Of course, that come at a cost and hotels tend to be the priciest option for accommodation.

Most hotels in the United States allow you to cancel up to 24-48 hours before your check-in date with no penalty. If you’re not sure about staying in a particular location, but want the comfort of knowing you have something booked without much risk, hotels are the way to go.

Hotels often have amenities that you’re not going to get at other accommodations. Swimming pools, work out facilities, and office space are a few amenities that come to mind.

Cons
Hands down the greatest reason to avoid a hotel is the cost. With much more affordable options, I don’t understand why so much of your travel budget would go-to accommodations.

Getting Around

Once you’ve reached your destination, how will you get around? Look into these options to determine what is most affordable and realistic for your travel. Each location varies so much as far as the “best” way to get around, so you’ll have to figure this out on a case-by-case basis.

• Rent a car
• Uber/Lyft (check availability at your destination)
• public transportation (cheapest option)
• walking (actually, this is cheapest)

Before leaving home, get the free app Maps.me for Apple or from Google Play. Download the maps for your destination(s) and you can use the map on your phone with no data. This works way better than the GPS that comes on the iPhone and you can use it to calculate a route for walking or driving. This app is a travel must-have.

Researching the Destination

How much research should you do before you leave? Should you just show up and spontaneously expose the area? Should you plan a detailed itinerary for your trip? This comes down to your personal preference; I prefer somewhere in between. I love researching what an area has to offer, but booking none (or very little) of it so my schedule can remain flexible. This way I can know all of my options, but commit to nothing. The exception is when something must be booked in advance because it will sell out, only occurs on a specific day/time or there is a special deal.

What should you research before you go?

• Weather
• Currency
• Costs (food, accommodations, etc.)
• Safety (walking at night, drink water, etc.)
• Vaccines
• Travel insurance
• Things to do

Packing Tips

Packing light by bring only a carry-on will help keep your budget in check, free you from the stress of an airline losing your luggage, and prevent over-packing. Here you’ll find tips that will work for any length of trip to any destination.

Travel Capsule

A travel capsule includes a minimal number of clothing items, including shoes, that can easily mix and match. Typically, this is achieved by selecting a color palette and sticking to it. Neutral colors work really great for most items and then add pops of color with accessories. Following this strategy will prevent you from overpacking without feeling like your options are too limited.

Doing a quick Pinterest search of Travel Capsule will provide you with inspiration for every season and type of travel. You can create your own travel capsule with items already in your wardrobe.

Travel Pack

Start with an excellent bag. I suggest the Osprey Farpoint 40 for women or the Osprey Fairview 40 for men. The bag carries like a backpack and unzips like a suitcase. It small enough to store in the overhead bins, but large enough to fit the essentials and some extras. Pack Hacker has a thorough video review from both women’s and men’s perspectives.

Packing Organization

I can’t say it enough, organize with packing cubes. Shout out to my mom who gave me my first set of packing cubes! Compression pack cubes will keep you organized and save a lot of space. I keep tops and a dress in one cube, bottoms and pajamas in another, and use a third for my swimsuit and/or hiking clothes.

Travel Essentials

Don’t forget your passport and any required visas. Keep your passport and plane ticket in your personal item or an easily accessible outside pocket of your bag.

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