Finding Cheap Flights

Skyscanner
My favorite thing about Skyscanner is that it has “everywhere” as a destination option. Perfect when you want to see where you can fly for cheap! You can also choose an entire country, i.e. fly to Italy. Skyscanner also lets you search within a full month if you have flexible dates.

Momondo
Momondo is a good backup for Skyscanner. Just make sure you click through and read all the fine print, because while they’ll occasionally find even better deals, sometimes they’ll link you to deals that don’t exist.

Kayak
Kayak used to be my favorite flight search engine, but they have removed several budget airlines from their search engine in the past year. You can still find deals on here, so I wouldn’t write them off completely.

WhichBudget
This great website tells you exactly which budget airlines fly between destinations.

The Points Guy
My favorite resource for navigating the world of earning free travel through points and miles and finding out current deals. The Points Guy tends to report deals before anyone else!

Finding Accommodation

Agoda
I find that Agoda most often has the best rates for booking hotels. They have the best selection and almost always have the lowest rates in Asia in particular, but in recent years they’ve expanded well for the rest of the world.

Airbnb
The biggest directory of homes, apartments, and unusual rentals rented by owner or by. Usually better quality but cheaper than a hotel in the same neighborhood. BONUS: Sign up through this link and you’ll get free credit on your first stay from me!

Booking.com
Booking.com is an easy, great search engine to use. Great selection of hotels, usually very low prices, and no fees.

Hotels.com
The best benefit of Hotels.com is that you earn a free stay for every 10 nights you book with them. The bad news is that it’s only for certain stays, and your free stays are awarded at the average rate of the 10 nights you booked. But a free night is nothing to sneeze at!

TravelPony
Thanks to private membership, TravelPony has deeply discounted rooms that aren’t available to the general public. All you need to do is sign up. I’ve found TravelPony is best when you’re looking for a 3-5 star hotel in a major city.

HostelWorld
Yes, HostelWorld has hostels, but it also has guesthouses, B&Bs, and sometimes even simple boutique hotels! The selection of cheap accommodation is the best on the web.

Couchsurfing
Far more than just free accommodation. Couchsurfing is a community of travelers dedicated to connecting and sharing. While you could stay for free around the world, I mostly use Couchsurfing to find local community events and meet people in different cities.

Overland Travel Resources

Seat61
This incredibly comprehensive guide is chock full of information on train and overland travel around the world. Want to know how to get around a certain country? Seat61 will tell you.

RailEurope
It can be tough to book trains on a million different foreign sites in Europe, but Rail Europe makes it simple to do everything from planning routes and checking times to buying tickets.

Virgin Trains
My favorite resource for booking trains in the UK. Unlike other train booking sites, they don’t charge you a booking fee.

Vacations To Go
Are you a cruiser? If so, don’t book without checking out Vacations To Go first. This private membership site (which anyone can join) displays rock-bottom cruise prices that you won’t find anywhere else.

Kayak Cars
I don’t rent cars often, but when I do, I use Kayak. I’ve found their rates to usually be the lowest.

Megabus, Bolt Bus, and Greyhound
One of the secrets of U.S. travel is that the buses are comfortable, usually have plugs and wifi, and are dirt cheap — you can get $1 fares on the Megabus and Bolt Bus if you book several weeks in advance! I once traveled San Francisco to Los Angeles for $1 on the Megabus.

Travel Insurance

World Nomads
I recommend World Nomads for almost all travelers. Their coverage is great and can be easily extended as many times as you’d like, reporting claims is simple, and the site is easy to navigate. As with all insurance, be sure to read the fine print and make sure it’s right for you.

Travel Gear

Pacsafe Portable Safe
This is the #1 product I recommend my readers buy. If there’s no safe in your lodging, put your belongings in here and lock it to the sturdiest thing in your room (pipes are best, but use whatever you have). Use it with a quality combination lock so you don’t have to worry about losing the key.