With the holidays behind us, many people are planning trips for 2025. Traveling is often stressful, but there are things you can do to make it feel less.
Here are seven ways to book ahead and save this year.
The Lyft-DoorDash partnership
Lyft and DoorDash users who link their accounts can take advantage Many benefits throughout the yearincluding:
- 5% off on on-demand rides
- 10% off up to four scheduled airport rides, up to four rides per month
- Two free priority pickup upgrades monthly
- Free three-month DashPass trial for new members
Lyft typically offers time-sensitive travel promos throughout the year, so be sure to check your Lyft account for those rollouts.
To participate, link your DoorDash and Lyft accounts here.
UberX Share and Shuttle
Uber has introduced two options for airport-bound travelers to save money. He presented the booking option again Share UberX At 10 airports, specifically:
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, DC
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
- Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Riders who book UberX Shares can save up to 25% on regular UberX fares, even if they are not matched with a co-rider.
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For riders traveling from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), consider booking Uber Shuttle. For $18 one-way, users can book an airport shuttle for up to four seats. Users can book Uber shuttles up to seven days in advance and just five minutes before scheduled departure on three different routes to or from LGA. The service is available every 30 minutes weekly from 5 am to 10:45 pm
Rebook your reservation if the price drops
To get the best airfare deal, Book airfare and hotel reservations at least a month or two in advance for domestic travel and about three to four months in advance for international travel.
In addition to using points and miles to book your travel reservations, consider monitoring your bookings to see if prices drop. If that happens, you can cancel and rebook at the new price, depending on your reservation type. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of your reservation to verify that this is an option. For example, many basic economy fares are non-refundable.
Although all airlines offer a 24-hour free cancellation window, you are subject to different airline policies after 24 hours of booking.
Generally, full-fare economy tickets or upper-class tickets are the most flexible, with basic economy tickets being the most restrictive.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines all allow passengers to change their tickets without paying a change fee. Generally, you can rebook and get an airline flight credit for any price difference between the two flights.
Alternatively, some higher-level tickets offer a full refund.
Some ultra-low-cost airlines relaxed change and cancellation fee policies in 2024, making it easier to cancel and rebook.
If you book using airline points or miles, the policy is usually to refund you the points or miles.
Lounge reservations
Due to overcrowding, many airport lounges offer the option (and some even require) to reserve space for entry.
For example, the reservation system is now live Capital One landing at DC’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The restaurant-style lounge concept just opened in November 2024.
If you’re planning to visit an airport lounge during your trip, double check ahead of time to see if it has a reservation system and if you can reserve a spot. Some lounges have waitlists, but you can’t book a spot until you arrive at the airport.
Such is the case for Club MDW at Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW). It has a timed entry system where you can join in real time just by scanning the QR code at the door.
National Park Reservation
Many US National Parks Timely entry reservations are required on certain days throughout the year during peak travel dates. Some of these national parks include Mount Rainier, Yosemite, Glacier, Arches, and Rocky Mountain.
Some parks require permits to access certain areas, such as campgrounds. This is the case in Zion, Arches, Shenandoah, Acadia, Haleakala, and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Before visiting, double check Entry requirements In every national park.
Reservation of tourist destinations
As Rome prepares for the Jubilee, the city will require visitors to book entry to the Trevi Fountain in time for 2025. This may include a fixed time slot and capacity limit for the fountain and its surrounding steps.
Airport parking reservation
If you’re parking at the airport this holiday season, remember that you can book in advance at many locations Airport parking sites including LGA, SFO and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
While parking lot reservations are not required, they guarantee a worry-free spot and can also save you money.
In some locations, these savings can be as high as 50%, although that number varies from airport to airport.
The bottom line
From navigating airport logistics to booking advance reservations, planning as much as possible will take some of the stress out of your trip.
However, remember that you can only control so much when it comes to travel, so try to enjoy the process along the way.
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