New to Travel? A Curated "top 5" Tip List for You!
Master the Art of Smart Travel: Insider Tips to Maximize Value and Elevate Your Journey
- The Money Saver
My recent trip to Newark, NJ included a hotel stay in a suite which came to only $410 USD over 3 days at an $800 USD per night value! My top tip for finding the best value for hotels is two-fold. 1. Avoid Airbnb's like the plague. They provide little to no value and have no guest contract; they are simply a homeowner (at best) with a spare room. 2. Search various sites such as Trivago, TripAdvisor, Leading Hotels of the World, etc., for excellent values but do not book through them. I recommend booking through the United Airlines app to streamline your airline and hotel experience. And with the Chase credit card options United provides you with, the connected hotel listing through Small Luxury Hotels of the World, you have access to value deals and experiences most could never dream of. I stayed at the Renaissance Newark Airport recently which is not luxury but is still high-end and reasonably exclusive. United often offers members of their MileagePlus program discounts and exclusive perks and MileagePlus is free to join/sign-up for.
2.The ‘Game-Changer’
There are many travel items I could recommend but to be honest? Most are kitschy novelties and unless you’re a travel pro, they will be a waste of money, or at best an underutilized toy/comfort item. One item I will always recommend to all travelers, regardless of experience level, is one nearly all of us have on our person at all times. The cell phone. Hear me out. With this handy tool, you’re taking photos/videos of the airline areas in the airport, the airline’s seat you paid for, the hotel, the room itself or suite itself, the dining area/restaurant, the check-in/check-out counters, etc. This is imperative to keep travel and hospitality companies honest or at least accountable. Companies, like any company, hate bad PR worse than court cases, and no one contributes more to this than a guest who is willing to expose airlines/companies for deceptive/dishonest/greedy or foolish.
3.The “Hidden-Gem” Location or Locale
This is best exemplified through my stay at the Hotel Palace Berlin in Germany. This was not a cheap stay but it was a great value. This seven-day stay was delightful and a fantastic experience; caring staff, courteous front desk, hotel-to-airport and back private transfers; the Hotel Palace Berlin offers a limousine service from BER airport (Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport). The spa is incredible as well. This hotel is all about maximizing value without breaking the bank and without being “cheap” in all senses of the word.
4.Traveling Hack
This one is simple. While packing for any given trip, put a basic dryer sheet (Downy works best though any will do) in your checked luggage. This will guarantee your luggage arrives with fresh clothes and fresh wearables/items. This is a “hack” that nearly everyone can emulate and otherwise replicate as long as they have access to a grocery store.
5.Philosophy: Why I Travel the Way I Do. Your Travel IQ
I believe, regardless of status, everyone has a right to travel. I also believe, as United Airlines’ CEO Scott Kirby does, everyone has a right to travel smarter. This differentiates me from basic travel agents and groups like Delta Airlines whose CEO is incredibly classist and effectively declared war on the poor. American Airlines caters to the masses with next to no “traveler IQ.” The business model in 2025/2026 is best distilled as this: Delta Airlines caters to the wealthy. American caters to the masses who don’t know any better. United caters to the tech savvy and high traveler IQ. That is why I travel the way I do: To show ways to improve your travel IQ and generally travel better.
Join Brooke In The Air Travel today and enhance your travel IQ! brookeintheairtravel.squarespace.com
