Senior travellers may use these millennial travel trends to make the most of their trip

We all love discovering a good hack, tip or trick, especially when it comes to travel. Compared to other generations, millennials are perhaps the most hack-savvy when it comes to hitting the road with style and frugality; they know their way around an app, feel comfortable visiting a destination without relying on touristy tropes, and can quickly clue-in to what locals love about their home, with minimal effort.

But why should the 20-somethings have all the fun? As a senior citizen, you have many of the same advantages (if not more) than most millennials do, so why not reap their benefits like they do, too?

From money-saving tips to technical tricks, Fareportal, the third-largest online travel company in North America, sharessome common millennial travel trends that are great for senior travelers too.

Be flexible

We know what you're thinking, what could you possibly have in common with a person under 30? Well, that's an easy answer: more free time than almost everyone else! While millennials take advantage of being freelancers, work-from-home-ers, and couples without school-aged kids, you have similar benefits as retirees and kids-out-of-the-house-ers.

When planning your trips, try to capitalise on your flexibility (especially if you don't have to fly on specific dates) and give yourself a window of a few days for your travel days to see the prices. You might find that leaving a day or two earlier or opting to stay at your destination a little longer can actually save you money.

Be a weekday warrior

As with our point about being flexible with dates, if you don't need to worry about family or work-related obligations, why in the world would you want to move along with the herd when you can dance to the beat of your own drummer?

If you can travel midweek and avoid the Friday-to-Sunday rush, you'll have more options, more space, and cheaper offers for almost every aspect  of your trip. Alternatively, if you must travel during the weekend, Fareportal suggests considering staying in a hotel that usually caters to business travelers or is in the financial district of a city. You may find discounted rates and more availability while still having access to public transport.

Go off-season

Similar to the last two suggestions, if you can avoid travel when everybody else is getting away and instead go somewhere during the off-season, you should be able to save on expenses while seeing another side to a destination and not being overwhelmed by crowds of other out-of-towners. If you can get your timing right and head out a week or so before or after a destination's most popular weeks, you could really save without missing out on what makes a place so special.

Be your own guide

There are plenty of bloggers and other influencers who speak to what your generation loves most about travel and experiencing new destinations. Blogs, sites where people post their reviews, and social media related to a destination are filled with excellent tips and advice for touring and sightseeing. Planning ahead by checking out what's available for free online should allow you to hit the ground running with your own itinerary.

Ask your online community

Hesitant about reaching out into the digital world for advice from the greater community of like-minded folks? Don't be! Odds are, there are plenty of others out there with the same questions and concerns that you have.

A visit to an online forum or even a simple question with the right hashtag on your social media accounts about a destination or upcoming trip might yield a wealth of responses to help you plan your itinerary. Similarly, helping your online friends with their travels might open up a discussion that leads to you discovering more about where to go and how you like to travel.

Tap into apps

Ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft have become prevalent worldwide, as have restaurant-related review apps like Yelp. Do some research and see what apps locals use in the city you're visiting. You can save yourself a pretty penny (and the stress of driving) by downloading and using the apps to get around instead of renting a car or getting into an expensive metered cab, and you can also steer clear from mediocre meals! There's no reason why you can't take the mobile tools you use daily to help you be a better traveler. Consider downloading some apps relevant to where you're going and what you're into to make the most of your time traveling.

(Courtesy: Fareportal)