Watch CBS News

Save On Summer Vacation With Tips From 'The Travel Mom'

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — We are a week away from Memorial Day Weekend which marks the start of the summer travel season! Emily Kaufman, "The Travel Mom" stopped by KCAL9 Friday to share some ideas for making your travel dollar stretch.

The Travel Mom's Tips:

• Join a Loyalty Program:

"As someone that travels regularly, I have seen and experienced the benefits of joining loyalty programs for rental cars, hotels and airlines," Kaufman said, "There are always separate check-in lines. Plus, you are made aware of special promotions ahead of time and you accrue points for free stuff later. It doesn't cost you anything to join and there are many perks."

 Add Value:

"Added value means MORE. More bang for your buck vs deep discounts," according to Kaufman. "We see that in a lot of forms from a second connecting room at a reduced rate, buy a few nights get an extra night free and credit card incentives to travel. I work with American Express and their card gives a $200 credit to be used with the airlines for things like checked baggage, in-flight entertainment, food and drink. There are Fine Hotels and Resorts all over the world that participate in programs with free upgrades, complimentary breakfast, late check-outs and resort credits to be used on property for things like golf, spa and dining."

Think Outside the Box:

"We are creatures of habit that go to the same place, at the same time of year and do the same thing every vacation. This summer I challenge people to find one new thing to do," Kaufman suggests. "You don't have to go someplace new to have a new experience. Last week I drove a high performance race car in Phoenix, went skydiving in Lake Elsinore and rode in a hot air balloon in Temecula. Pushing ourselves beyond what we find comfortable is how we grow as people. We don't know just how capable we are until we try things."

To learn more about "The Travel Mom," click here.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.