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Free travel in Ireland

What is the free travel scheme, how to use free travel, where can i use free travel, how to qualify for free travel, how to apply for free travel, where to apply for free travel, senior smartpass for travelling in northern ireland.

The Free Travel Scheme allows you to travel, free of charge, on public transport and some private bus and ferry services.

Everyone aged 66 and over, living permanently in Ireland, can get the Free Travel Scheme.

People with disabilities and carers aged under 66 may also qualify for Free Travel.

If you qualify for Free Travel and you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, your partner may travel with you for free if you meet certain criteria (see ‘Spouses, civil partners and cohabitants’ below).

If you can’t travel alone for medical reasons, you may get Free Travel for a companion. This allows a person aged over 16 to travel with you for free.

Changes to the Free Travel Scheme in 2024

From 29 July 2024, you will qualify for the Free Travel Scheme if you are aged over 17 and under 66, and:

• Have never been able to drive due to a disability
• Have a driving licence and are medically certified as ‘not fit to drive’ for at least 12 months.

While the change won’t take effect until July, you can download and fill in an application form for Free Travel for people medically certified unfit to drive (FTM) (pdf) now.

In this case, your spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant cannot accompany you free of charge when travelling.

If you qualify for Free Travel, your Public Services Card (PSC) will have FT (for Free Travel) in the top left-hand corner. The letter following it shows who can travel for free with you:

• FT-P - you can travel for free
• FT+S - your spouse, partner or cohabitant can travel with you for free
• FT+C - you can have a person (over 16) travel with you for free

You must show or scan your Public Services Card to the travel operator when you are travelling on public transport. Find out more about 'How to use your public services card for free travel' .

Paper travel passes are no longer being issued but you can still use your paper pass, if it is valid.

You can use your Free Travel on most Iarnród Éireann , Bus Éireann , Dublin Bus , DART and Luas Services and on certain private bus and ferry services (pdf) .

Free travel is also available on Dublin Bus Nitelink , Go-Ahead Ireland and TFI (Transport for Ireland) Local Link services .

Free travel does not include some special services such as Dublin Bus AIRLINK services .

You can find a full list of services where you can use Free Travel (pdf) on gov.ie.

There are no restrictions on the times you can use your Free Travel.

Living on the Aran Islands or Tory Island

If you are permanently living on any of the Aran Islands, you may get up to 12 single (or 6 return) air trips each year between the islands and Galway City.

People who live permanently on Tory Island (Co. Donegal) are entitled to 8 (or 4 return) free journeys on the seasonal helicopter service operating between the island and Falcarragh on the mainland.

If your public services card includes free travel for a companion, spouse, partner or cohabitant, they can also travel with you for free on the above services.

Going to Northern Ireland

You may also travel free of charge on certain cross-border services between Ireland and Northern Ireland. But to travel free in Northern Ireland, you must have a Senior Smart Pass – see ‘Senior SmartPass for travelling in Northern Ireland’ below.

To get Free Travel you must be living in Ireland and meet one of the following conditions:

• You are aged 66 or over
• You are getting Disability Allowance , Blind Pension , Carer's Allowance or an Invalidity Pension
• You are blind or visually impaired and meet the medical conditions for Blind Pension
• You have been getting Incapacity Supplement or Workmen's Compensation with Disablement Pension for at least 12 months
• You are a specified carer for a person getting Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relative's Allowance
• You are getting a social security invalidity payment (or similar payment) from a country covered by EU regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement for at least 12 months

Widow or widower or a surviving civil partner

If you are a widow or widower or a surviving civil partner aged 60 or over, living in Ireland and your late spouse or civil partner had Free Travel, you can get Free Travel, if you are getting one of the following payments:

• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme
• A similar social security pension or benefit from a country covered by EU regulations or a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement
• You are getting an ordinary Garda widow's pension

Spouses, civil partners and cohabitants

If you are entitled to Free Travel and you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, your partner may be able to travel with you for free.

Your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant cannot travel with you for free, if you are under age 66 and getting Free Travel because you are:

• Getting Carer's Allowance
• The nominated carer for a person getting Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relatives Allowance

Your PSC card must have FT-S on it to allow your partner travel with you. To add your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant to your Free Travel - see ‘How to apply for Free Travel’ below.

If you can’t travel alone

If you are unable to travel alone , you can have a person, over 16 years of age, travel with you for free. Your PSC card must have FT-C on it. To add a companion to your Free Travel, see ‘How to apply for Free Travel’ below.

Free travel companion card for children

A child with a visual impairment can get Free Travel for a companion if they are under 18 and they either:

• Satisfy the blindness condition for a Blind Pension, or
• Are registered with Vision Ireland or the National League of the Blind of Ireland

The person they travel with (companion) must be age 16 or over.

Work and Free Travel

You can keep your Free Travel for 5 years, if you moved from one of the following disability payments to work:

• Disability Allowance
• Invalidity Pension
• Partial Capacity Benefit (from Invalidity Pension)
• Disablement Benefit paid along with Incapacity Supplement

You can also keep your Free Travel for 5 years if you transferred from Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension to a Community Employment , SOLAS or a Back to Work scheme.

If you are aged 66 or over and are getting a State pension, your Public Services Card (PSC) will be issued showing that you have Free Travel automatically.

If you are under 66, you will get Free Travel automatically issued on your PSC if you get one of the following payments:

• Blind Pension
• Carer’s Allowance

If you are married or in a civil partnership, your PSC will be issued with FT-S on it. If you are cohabiting, you must fill in Part 1 and 2 of the Free Travel application form FT1 (pdf) .

If you are not getting one of the payments above but you are eligible for Free Travel, you must fill in the Free Travel application form FT1(pdf) and send to the Free Travel Section in the Department of Social Protection.

If you can’t travel alone and need a companion

If you are unable to travel alone, you can apply for Free Travel for a Companion, using either of the following forms:

• Over 70 Companion pass form (pdf)
• Under 70 Companion pass form (pdf)

You can get an application form for Free Travel from the Department of Social Protection. The form is also available at your local post office and Citizens Information Centre .

Lost or damaged Free Travel pass or PSC

There are currently 2 types of Free Travel Pass:

• A paper Free Travel Pass
• A Public Services Card with Free Travel (with F-T written in the top left-hand corner)

Paper passes are no longer being issued so if you need a replacement for a lost or damaged paper pass, you must undergo SAFE registration and get a Public Services Card .

If your Public Services Card Free Travel is lost, stolen or damaged, you should telephone 0818 837 000 to request a replacement card.

Free Travel

Social Welfare Services College Road Sligo Ireland

If you are 66 or over and have Free Travel, you can travel free of charge on all bus and rail services within Northern Ireland using a Senior SmartPass card.

If you are 66 or over and have Free Travel, you do not need to meet the residency condition in Northern Ireland to apply for a Senior SmartPass card.

How to apply for a Senior SmartPass

To get a Senior SmartPass, you must fill in an application form (FTNI1). You can get this form from your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. It is not possible to get this form online .

You should not use a photocopy of the form as each form is barcoded. The application form must be filled in with black ink only and returned in person (not posted) to your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

You must bring each of the following items with your application form to your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office:

• Your Irish Free Travel pass/Public Services Card
• Proof of your address, (for example, a gas, electricity, phone bill or bank statement)
• Proof of your identity, (for example, your driving licence, passport or another form of photo identification)
• A recent passport standard colour photograph

It may take up to 6 weeks to process your application. There is further information on the extension of the Free Travel Scheme .

Travelling with a partner or companion

A spouse, civil partner, cohabitant or companion cannot travel with you for free on public transport within Northern Ireland.

However, your Irish Free Travel allows your spouse, civil partner, cohabitant or companion to travel for free on certain cross-border services between Ireland and Northern Ireland. For example, a cross-border train journey that starts in Ireland and ends in Northern Ireland or vice versa.

Renewing and replacing a Senior SmartPass

Your Senior SmartPass will expire after 5 years.

• If you have electronically used your card within the last 2 years, you will get a new card automatically in the post from Translink when your card expires.
• If you have not used your card in the last 2 years, you will be sent a renewal application form to fill in. The renewal form is not the same as a first-time application and you do not need to supply a photograph.
• If you have never used your card, you will not hear from Translink at all. If you wish to get it renewed, you must contact Translink by email at [email protected] , or telephone 00 44 289 075 9129 or 028 90 66 66 30 and they will send you a renewal application.

If you lose or need to replace your Senior SmartPass for travel in Northern Ireland, you can fill in form (FTNI 2) (pdf) .

Brexit and the Senior SmartPass

On 31 January 2020 the UK exited the EU . Senior SmartPass holders can continue to travel in Northern Ireland on the bus and train.

Related documents

• Tax-free purchases for non-EU travellers The Retail Export Scheme, allows visitors to Ireland (from outside the European Union) to buy goods in Ireland to take home with them and benefit from tax relief. 2867.637
• Customs regulations for travellers to Ireland Find out about the important rules in place regarding customs regulations for people travelling to Ireland. 2639.027
• Travelling from Ireland for healthcare in Europe Introduction to the options for Irish residents who wish to access healthcare in other countries in Europe. 2559.8823

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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Travelling with a companion

If you need to travel with a companion, you need to have a card with the C+1 logo on it. 

If your card has this logo, your companion can travel with you for free. Your companion cannot use the card without you.

When you apply for your card , you need to give extra information to show you qualify for a companion.

Who can get free travel for a companion

You can get free travel for a companion if you:

• get Attendance Allowance  
• get the standard or enhanced rate of daily living component of Personal Independence Payment  
• get the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance 
• get the higher or middle rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment  
• get the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment 
• get Pension Age Disability Payment 
• get War Pensions Constant Attendance Allowance
• have confirmation that you are registered blind or severely sight impaired

If you live in a care or residential home or hospital and your benefit has been suspended, you can still get a companion card. You will need to get a letter from the care home or hospital that confirms that you:

• are eligible for the benefit
• live in the care home or hospital
• receive 24 hour care

Visit the Transport Scotland website for more information on free travel for companions .

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Operational Guidelines: Free Travel Scheme

From Department of Social Protection  

Published on 1 September 2019

Last updated on 8 May 2024

• 1. Legislation
• 2. Administration
• 3. Description of Scheme & Qualifying Conditions
• 4. Eligibility For Free Travel
• 5. Obtaining A Free Travel Card
• 6. Application Guidelines
• 7. Free Travel Entitlement Monitoring
• 8. Requests For Case Review
• 9. Appendix 1 - Eligibility For Companion Free Travel
• 10. Appendix 2 - Special Free Travel Arrangements
• 11. Appendix 3 - Cross Border Free Travel
• 12. Appendix 4 - All Ireland Free Travel Scheme (AIFT)
• 13. Contact Us

Legislation

The Free Travel Scheme is non-statutory, having been introduced and extended by Ministerial Announcement.

Administration

The Free Travel Scheme is administered by Free Travel Section. For contact details, see ‘Contact Us’ section at the end of this guide.

Description of Scheme & Qualifying Conditions

What is free travel.

The Free Travel Scheme operated by the Department of Social Protection, allows people who are aged 66 years or over and who are legally and permanently residing in the State, to travel free of charge on most CIE public transport services, LUAS, as well as on the public transport services of a large number of private operators in various parts of the country. Certain incapacitated people under age 66 are also entitled to free travel. From 29 July 2024, those medically certified as unfit to drive for a period of at least 12 months will also qualify for Free Travel.

CIE services are provided by Irish Rail, Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus. A list of private operators who participate in the Free Travel scheme is also available at: www.gov.ie/freetravel.

Permanent residents of the Aran Islands and Tory Island may avail of Free Travel on scheduled private air services between the Islands and the mainland. Free Travel on these services, to and from the Aran Islands (only) is available to non-resident Free Travel Card Holders at a reduced rate - See Appendix 2 of this Guide for full details.

Free Travel is also available on Cross-Border bus and rail journeys between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Details of the special arrangements which apply to Cross-Border Free Travel are given in Appendix 3 of this Guide.

In addition, the All Ireland Free Travel Scheme will entitle Free Travel recipients aged 66 years or over to travel for free on transport services operating internally within Northern Ireland, using a Senior SmartPass card. See Appendix 4 for full details.

Eligibility For Free Travel

You will qualify for Free Travel, if you are legally resident and living permanently in the State on an all-year-round basis and are aged 66 years or over. If you are under age 66, in addition to permanently residing in the State you must satisfy any of the conditions listed from (a) to (e) below.

Also, to avail of the Free Travel entitlement, you must register for a Public Services Card. When registered, a Public Services Card which identifies entitlement to Free Travel will be issued.

Eligibility conditions if under age 66 and permanently residing in the State

You must satisfy any of the conditions listed from (a) to (e) below:

a. be a recipient of one of the following payments

• Invalidity Pension
• Blind Person's Pension
• Disability Allowance (DA)
• Carer's Allowance (you may get a single status card only, if you are aged under 66)
• Incapacity Supplement or Workmen's Compensation Supplement with Disablement Pension, for at least 12 months
• a Social Security Invalidity, Incapacity Pension or Benefit, or an equivalent payment for at least 12 months, from a country covered by EU Regulations (see below for details), or from a country with which Ireland has a bilateral Social Security Agreement (see below for details)

b. be a specified carer for a person getting Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relatives Allowance from this department (you may get a single status card only, if you are under age 66)

c. be blind or severely visually impaired and you satisfy the medical conditions for a Blind Pension.

d. be a widowed person or surviving civil partner aged between 60 and 65 years inclusive, whose late spouse or civil partner held a Free Travel Card or Paper Pass from this department, and who at the time of their death, resided with them on a permanent basis, and who is now receiving one of the following payments and who satisfies the other conditions of the scheme:

• Widow’s Widower’ or Surviving Civil Partners Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension
• Widow’s Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partners Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefits Scheme
• One-Parent-Family Payment
• Widow's or Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme
• An equivalent Social Security Pension or Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement
• an ORDINARY Garda Widow's Pension from the Department of Justice

e. be aged over 17 and under 66, and medically certified as unfit to drive for a period of at least 12 months (effective from 29 July 2024).

Countries covered by EU Regulations

Countries with which ireland has a bilateral social security agreement, “make work pay” initiative – 5 year extension to free travel entitlement.

From 6 April 2017 if you are in receipt of a long-term disability payment and move off the payment to get a job, you will retain your entitlement to Free Travel for a period of five years, providing all other qualifying conditions for the Free Travel Scheme are satisfied. The following schemes are considered as long-term disability payments and you will be entitled to retain your Free Travel entitlement for a further period of 5 years, where you previously had the entitlement to Free Travel on the scheme(s):

• Invalidity Pension (INV)
• Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit
• Disablement Benefit paid along with Incapacity Supplement
• Customers who transferred from DA or INV to CE Scheme
• Customers who transferred from DA or INV to SOLAS Scheme
• Customers who transferred from DA or INV to Back to Work Scheme 

Obtaining A Free Travel Card

A Free Travel Card will be issued automatically at age 66 if you are registered for the Public Services Card and getting a pension from this department. Likewise, if you are under age 66, a Free Travel Card will issue on being awarded an Invalidity Pension, Blind Person's Pension, Disability Allowance, or a Carer's Allowance.

In all other circumstances, you must apply for a Free Travel Card by completing an application form for the Free Travel Scheme (FT1) which is available to download at: www.gov.ie/freetravel. It’s also available from your local Post Office or nearest Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre. The completed form, along with any supporting documentation required, should be forwarded to the Free Travel Section.

If you are not registered for the Public Services Card, you will be issued with a letter requesting you to make an appointment to register. If you do not register for the Public Services Card, you cannot avail of the Free Travel Scheme.

Free Travel For Your Spouse, Civil Partner or Cohabitant

Where you are married, in a Civil Partnership or co-habiting, you may be entitled to a Free Travel Card that will allow your spouse civil partner or cohabitant to accompany you free of charge when travelling. ( Note: This does not apply to persons under age 66 who are medically certified as unfit to drive, or in receipt of Carer's Allowance or who are nominated carers for people getting a Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relatives Allowance from this department).

Free Travel For A Companion (if you are unfit to travel alone)

If you qualify for Free Travel and are medically unfit to travel alone, you may be entitled to a Companion Free Travel Card. This type of card allows any one person, aged 16 years or over (not necessarily your spouse civil partner or cohabitant), to accompany you free of charge, when travelling. The conditions for receipt of a Companion Free Travel Card are set out in Appendix 1 of this Guide.

When a Free Travel Card can be Used

A Free Travel Card may be used to travel free of charge on the following transport services at any time on scheduled services:

• Dublin Bus (AIRLINK and Special Airport services are excluded)
• NITELINK services
• Bus Éireann & Bus Éireann Expressway services
• Go-Ahead services in the Outer Dublin Metropolitan area, Dublin commuter and Waterford services.
• provincial city services.
• Transport for Ireland Local Link services.
• participating private bus and ferry services
• participating Cross-Border scheduled services (Between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland - See Appendix 3)

When Is Free Travel Not Available?

Free Travel is not available:

• on services which are not listed in the official rail and bus timetables of Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann or Irish Rail
• on excursion and special bus or rail services
• on organised group journeys
• on Dublin Bus AIRLINK services
• on Dublin Bus special Airport services
• on First Class or Super Class travel on any service (unless the appropriate fare supplement is paid)

How To Use A Free Travel Card or Paper Pass

Free travel card.

Please check with the individual operator for availability of Integrated Ticketing Systems (ITS).

Using your Free Travel Card on Dublin Bus

1. If travelling on your own, touch your card against the Validator on the right-hand side as you enter the bus until you hear the beep and see the green light flash.

2. If you have a companion or spouse with you, place your card on the reader by the driver, and request a ticket for that person: who should have the ticket ready for inspection at all stages of the journey

Using your Free Travel Card on Irish Rail services (including DART)

1. When travelling on your own and you are travelling on Intercity from stations with electronic or automatic gates, tag on with your Free Travel Card to open the gates. At all other Intercity stations, you will need to visit the ticket desk and request a ticket to travel. If the station is unmanned, you may board the train providing you have your Free Travel Card in your possession.

2. If you have a companion or spouse with you, you will need to visit the ticket desk and request a ticket for that person, who should have the ticket ready for inspection at all stages of the journey. If the station is unmanned, you may board the train providing you have your Free Travel Card in your possession.

Using your Free Travel Card on Luas services

Touch your card against the Validator on the platform before and after your trip. Remove the card when you hear a beep or see the green light.

Using your Free Travel Card on all other bus services

1. If travelling on your own, place your card on the card reader either at the bus entrance or by the driver. Remove the card when you hear a beep

2. If you have a companion or spouse with you, tell the driver who will issue them with a ticket.

Need assistance when travelling with your Free Travel Card?

Do not hesitate to ask a driver or any member of staff who will be able to assist you.

Free Travel Paper Pass

If travelling by Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann including Bus Éireann Expressway or on private bus operator services, you must produce your Free Travel Paper Pass to the bus driver on boarding the bus. A bus ticket is not issued, nor required.

Before using Irish Rail services, you must present your Free Travel Paper Pass at the ticket booking desk in the train station of departure, to obtain a free rail ticket. If undertaking a day return journey only, you will be issued with a Day Return ticket.

In all other cases, a Single journey ticket will be issued, and a further Single journey ticket must be obtained before making the return journey.

When using Private Ferry services, you should present your Free Travel Paper Pass to the Ferry Operator. In some instances, a ticket will be issued.

Evidence Of Identity

If you have a Free Travel Card, you do not need to provide extra proof of identity.

However, if you have a Companion or Spouse Free Travel Card and your companion or spouse, civil partner or co-habitant travelling with you, they may be asked to provide proof of identity.

Whenever you are travelling using your free travel entitlement, you must produce your Free Travel Paper Pass for inspection to an Inspector of the Transport Operator or to an Official of the Department of Social Protection, if asked. If considered necessary, you and your accompanying spouse, civil partner or cohabitant must also produce evidence of your identity by providing a sample of signature or photographic ID to the officials mentioned above. These officials have the authority to confiscate a Free Travel Paper Pass if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the pass is being misused.

In addition, if you live in Dublin, Cork city, Waterford city, Limerick city or Galway city you must also produce a Free Travel Photo ID if you have a Free Travel Paper Pass.

You may also be required to provide proof of identification irrespective of where you reside or photographic identification. This may be a condition of travel as outlined by the travel operator in question, but notification of this should be advertised by the operator either on their bus or by way of their website so that all intending passengers are fully aware of all documentation necessary to travel.

What To Do If The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass Is Lost, Stolen Or Damaged?

If your Free Travel Card is lost, stolen or damaged the card holder should contact 0818 837 000 to request a replacement

The department no longer issues Free Travel Paper Passes. If your Free Travel Paper Pass is lost, stolen or damaged, you should contact your nearest Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre to arrange an appointment to register for the Public Services Card. When you have registered, you will be issued with a Public Services Card which identifies that you have an entitlement to Free Travel.

In What Circumstances Must a Free Travel Card or Paper Pass Be Returned?

In the event of any of the following occurring, the Free Travel Card or Paper Pass must be returned to the address given below:

• The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass holder is no longer in receipt of the qualifying payment which entitled them to free travel
• The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass holder does not continue to reside on a permanent basis in the State.
• The Free Travel PAPER pass holder changes address. (Free Travel Paper Pass holder will be required to register for the Public Services Card)
• The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass holder no longer satisfies the criteria applicable to their particular Free Travel entitlement. (Companion status will be amended as necessary, and appropriate replacement card will be issued)
• The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass is worn or illegible.
• The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass holder is deceased.

Misuse Or Fraudulent Use Of The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass

The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass is very valuable, is for your personal use only and is not transferable for use by any other person. It remains the property of the Minister for Social Protection. The misuse of the Free Travel Card or Paper Pass is a fraudulent offence. You may be prosecuted under relevant bye-laws applicable to the transport company. Fraudulent use includes giving the Free Travel Card or Paper Pass to another person or reproducing the Free Travel Card or Paper Pass. The department takes any claim of misuse of a Free Travel Card or Paper Pass very seriously and where it is found that you are fraudulently using the Free Travel Card or Paper Pass or have given your Free Travel Card or Paper Pass to another person to use fraudulently, your entitlement to Free Travel will be reviewed.

Events which may affect entitlement to the Free Travel Scheme

The following is a list of events that may affect your entitlement to Free Travel and if any of these events occur or your circumstances change, you must notify the department immediately:

• you are no longer in receipt of a qualifying payment from this department. (See Free Travel Scheme for qualifying criteria)
• you were awarded Free Travel as you were medically certified as unfit to drive for a period and this certification expires, or you resume driving again
• your marital status changes
• you are no longer living permanently in the State

The Free Travel Card or Paper Pass should be returned to the Department of Social Protection on the death of the holder.

Application Guidelines

Need to apply.

Free Travel will be awarded to you automatically if you are age 66 years and over, legally resident and living permanently in the State and in receipt of a pension from this department. To avail of the Free Travel entitlement, you must register for a Public Services Card. When registered, a Public Services Card which identifies entitlement to Free Travel will be issued.

Likewise, if you are under 66 years of age and in receipt of an Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Disability Allowance or Carer’s Allowance, Free Travel will be awarded to you automatically. To avail of the Free Travel entitlement, you must register for a Public Services Card. When registered, a Public Services Card which identifies entitlement to Free Travel will be issued.

In all other circumstances you must apply for the Free Travel Scheme by completing the appropriate application form for the Free Travel Scheme which is available to download at: www.gov.ie/freetravel. Application forms are also available from your local Post Office or your nearest Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre. The completed form along with any supporting documentation required should be forwarded to the Free Travel Section.

Please Note:

Before completing the appropriate application form you should visit www.gov.ie/freetravel for details of the qualifying conditions for the Free Travel Scheme.

Completing the Form

You should ensure that the following has been done before submitting your application form:

• Registered for the Public Services Card
• PPS Number (Personal Public Service) is supplied. If you do not know this number, please contact your local Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre).
• Application form is signed and dated.
• Birth or Marriage Certificates are enclosed (only if born or married outside the State)
• Medical certification, where necessary, is enclosed.

Free Travel Companion

See Appendix 1 of this Guide.

Free Travel Entitlement Monitoring

How long does free travel entitlement continue.

If you are aged 66 years or over, Free Travel entitlement continues as long as you are permanently residing in the State.

a. If you are under 66 years of age, Free Travel entitlement continues as long as you are legally and permanently resident in the State and continue to receive one of the qualifying payments for Free Travel'

b. continue to be certified by your doctor as unfit to drive for a period of at least 12 months.

Free Travel Retention

If you transfer to another payment from the Department of Social Protection, or participate in certain types of community work projects:

If you are in receipt of Free Travel and receiving Disability Allowance or Blind Person's Pension and you transfer to a Back-to-Work Enterprise Allowance scheme, you may retain your entitlement to Free Travel for the duration of the BTWA payment.

If you are in receipt of Free Travel and participate in a Community Employment project, an Employee Support Scheme, or a Pilot Project for People with Disabilities, you may retain your entitlement to Free Travel for the duration of the project.

If you are in receipt of Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance or Blind Pension, you may retain your entitlement to Free Travel on transfer to another primary long-term Department of Social Protection payment (excluding Jobseeker's Benefit or Allowance, Illness Benefit and Pre-Retirement Allowance, One-Parent Family Payment and Carer's Benefit or as a Qualified Adult on your spouse civil partner or co-habitant’s payment).

If you transfer from any primary payment (and had an entitlement to Free Travel) to receive an Increase for Qualified Adult (IQA) on your spouse’s, civil partner’s, or cohabitant’s DSP payment, you will lose your entitlement to Free Travel.

What Happens If The Free Travel Recipient Dies?

The representative(s) of the deceased should return the Free Travel Card or Paper Pass to the Free Travel Section.

Requests For Case Review

As the Free Travel Scheme is a non-statutory scheme, there is no legislative right of appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. However, if you are dissatisfied with a decision in relation to your application for Free Travel you are entitled to a review by another and more senior official of the department.

In order to have a decision reviewed you should write to the Free Travel Section stating in detail why you think the decision is incorrect. The case will be considered fully and fairly, and you will be notified in writing of the outcome, at an early date.

Appendix 1 - Eligibility For Companion Free Travel

A Companion Free Travel Card entitles you to have any one person, aged 16 years or over, to accompany you free of charge when travelling. Entitlement to the Companion Free Travel Card may be subject to periodic review.

The following people are eligible to receive a Companion Free Travel Card:

Free Travel Cardholders aged 66 or over if:

• you are aged 66 to 69 inclusive and are medically assessed as unfit to travel alone.
• you are aged 70 or over and are medically unfit to travel alone.
• you are receiving full-time care and attention from someone who is getting Carer’s Allowance from this department.
• you are certified by either the Irish Wheelchair Association or by your GP as being a permanent wheelchair user.
• you are blind or severely visually impaired and satisfy the blindness condition for the Blind Pension or you are registered as a blind person with either the Vision Ireland or the National League of the Blind of Ireland

Free Travel Cardholders aged under 66 if:

• you are getting Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension or Disablement Pension and Incapacity Supplement and are medically assessed as unfit to travel alone
• you are blind or severely visually impaired and you:

- are getting a Blind Pension or

- satisfy the blindness condition for the Blind Pension or

- are registered as a blind person with either the Vision Ireland or the National League of the Blind of Ireland.

• you are getting one of the qualifying payments for Free Travel and you are certified by either the Irish Wheelchair Association or by your GP as being a permanent wheelchair user
• you are receiving Free Travel as you are medically certified as unfit to drive and you are medically certified as unfit to travel alone
• you are receiving full-time care and attention from someone who is getting Carers Allowance from this department. To qualify for a companion pass based on this condition, you must be entitled to a Free Travel Card in your own right. See conditions for free travel
• you are a widowed person or surviving civil partner aged between 60 and 65 years inclusive, whose late spouse or civil partner held a Free Travel Card from this department, and who at the time of their death, resided with them on a permanent basis, is now receiving one of the following payments, is medically assessed as unfit to travel alone and who satisfies the other conditions of the scheme:

- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partners Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension

- Widow’s, Widower’s, or Surviving Civil Partners Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefits Scheme

- One-Parent Family Payment

- Widow’s, Widower’s, or Surviving Civil Partners Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme

- An equivalent Social Security Pension or Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral social Security Agreement

- an ORDINARY Garda Widow’s Pension from the Department of Justice

Free Travel Companion Card for a visually - impaired child:

A visually impaired child will qualify for a Free Travel Companion Card if they are under age 18 and either they:

• satisfy the blindness condition for a Blind Pension, or
• are registered with the Vision Ireland or the National League of the Blind of Ireland

Appendix 2 - Special Free Travel Arrangements

Airline service to and from the aran islands, co. galway.

If you have a Free Travel entitlement and are residing on a permanent basis on any of the Aran Islands (i.e., Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, Inis Oírr), you are entitled to travel free of charge on Aer Arann services from the islands to Galway City and vice versa. Aer Arann operates an airline service between the Aran Islands and Aerphort Chonamara at Indreabhan, Co. Galway. The company also provides a shuttle bus service between Aerphort Chonamara and Galway City.

You may undertake up to 12 single journeys (or up to 6 return journeys) between the Aran Islands and Galway City each year. Any number of additional journeys may also be made at a special reduced rate. Where the appropriate type of Free Travel card is held, your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may accompany you free of charge on these trips. If you hold a Companion Free Travel Card, any one person, aged 16 years or over, may accompany you free of charge.

If you are not permanently residing on the Aran Islands you may travel on Aer Arann's airline and bus services between Galway City and the Aran Islands at a reduced cost. Your spouse, partner or a companion may accompany you at the reduced rate, where the appropriate type of entitlement is held. (This concession also applies to Northern Ireland Travel Card holders undertaking cross-border journeys to and from the Aran Islands (but not to their spouse or companion, unless they are a Card holder in their own right - See Appendix 3, first paragraph).

Helicopter Service To and From Tory Island, Co. Donegal

If you have a Free Travel entitlement and are residing on a permanent basis on Tory Island, Co. Donegal, you are entitled to travel free of charge on the helicopter service, which is operated during the Winter period only, between the island and Falcarragh on the mainland. You may undertake up to 8 single (or up to 4 return) journeys each year. Your spouse, civil partner, cohabitant, or companion may accompany you free of charge, where the appropriate type of Free Travel entitlement is held.

Appendix 3 - Cross Border Free Travel

Cross-border free travel.

A Free Travel Card or Paper Pass may be used to travel free of charge on cross-border journeys between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and vice versa. Your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may accompany you free of charge where the appropriate type of entitlement is held. Alternatively, if you hold a Companion Free Travel Card or Paper Pass, any one companion aged 16 years or over may accompany you free of charge.

If you are a resident of Northern Ireland who holds a Northern Ireland Concessionary Travel Card, you may also travel free on cross-border journeys. However, your spouse civil partner or companion is not entitled to Free Travel on such journeys unless they also hold a Concession Travel Card in their own right.

Extent Of Free Cross-Border Journeys Available

A Cross-Border Free Travel journey must originate in one jurisdiction and terminate in the other jurisdiction.

The Cross-Border journey may be undertaken using one mode of transport only i.e., bus or train. It is not possible to use a combination of both modes of transport.

The journey must be undertaken on the basis of one through-ticket. This means, for example, that you can travel free by train from say, Cork to Belfast, provided that the free ticket which you obtained in the Cork railway station clearly denotes Belfast as the final destination. The same principle applies when travelling by bus on Cross-Border journeys.

Transport Operators Who Provide Free Cross-Border Travel

The following Transport Operators provide Cross-Border Free Travel services for both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Free Travel recipients:

• Bus Éireann
• Halpenny Transport Ltd., Blackrock, Dundalk, Co. Louth on their service Blackrock to Newry.
• Patrick Gallagher, Brinalack, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal on his route Dungloe to Belfast
• Leydon Coaches, Swanlinbar, Co. Cavan on their route Swanlinbar to Cavan and Enniskillen.
• Hugh McGonagle, Cockhill, Buncrana, Co. Donegal on his route Cockhill Buncrana to Derry.
• Philip McGonagle, Cockhill, Buncrana, Co. Donegal on his route Cockhill Buncrana to Derry.
• John McGinley, Gortahork, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal on his route Moville to Derry and on to Dublin.
• Citibus also known as Dublin Coach on their route Dublin to Belfast.

Travelling By Bus

When travelling by bus, your Free Travel Card or Paper Pass should be presented to the bus driver, on boarding the bus, before departure.

On Bus Éireann and Ulsterbus services, the bus driver will issue you with a single journey ticket. This ticket is valid on the date of issue only. If you wish to undertake a return cross-border bus journey, you should get a single journey ticket for the outward part of the journey, and later, a further single journey ticket for the homeward journey.

If travelling with any of the other bus operators mentioned in above, you will be issued with either a single or a return journey ticket as required.

Travel by Rail

To undertake a cross-border journey by train you should present your Free Travel Card or Paper Pass at the ticket desk in the train station of departure. You will then be issued with either a free single or a free return Standard Class ticket as required.

The Free Travel entitlement is Standard Class travel. If you wish to travel "First Plus" class, you may do so on payment of the appropriate fare supplement.

Breaks In Cross-Border Rail Journeys

It is not necessary to complete a Cross-Border Free Travel train journey in one day. For example, if travelling from Cork to Belfast, you may spend up to 2 nights in Dublin as part of your journey. However, the outward part of the journey must be fully completed within 3 days of the date of issue of the ticket.

Transfer Between Connolly And Heuston Railway Stations

If, as part of a Cross-Border Free Travel rail journey, you have to transfer between Connolly and Heuston stations in Dublin, you may travel free of charge on the LUAS red line.

Refunds or Discounts

No monetary refunds or discounts will be given for late train departures, or for any other delays experienced while undertaking a Cross-Border Free Travel journey.

Appendix 4 - All Ireland Free Travel Scheme (AIFT)

What is the all ireland free travel scheme.

Since April 2007, the All Ireland Free Travel Scheme allows you to travel for free on the various travel services operating within Northern Ireland.

Similarly Northern Ireland Senior SmartPass holders are entitled to travel for free on services within the Republic of Ireland using their existing Senior SmartPass.

Who can travel?

• To qualify for free travel within Northern Ireland, you must be in receipt of a Free Travel Card or Paper Pass and be aged 66 years or over.
• Under the terms of the concessionary fares scheme in Northern Ireland, only Free Travel recipients over age 66 are entitled to travel free of charge in Northern Ireland. Your spouse, civil partner, cohabitant, or companion is not eligible to accompany you for free in Northern Ireland under this scheme.
• Similarly, only the Northern Ireland Free Travel recipient is eligible for Free Travel in Republic of Ireland. Spouses or companions are not eligible.
• If you have a Companion or Spouse Free Travel Card, your spouse, partner, or companion may continue to travel you for free on cross-border journeys (that is, journeys starting in the Republic of Ireland and ending in Northern Ireland or vice versa).
• If you wish to avail of All Ireland Free Travel within Northern Ireland, you must first obtain a Senior SmartPass card. This Senior SmartPass must be used while travelling in Northern Ireland only.

Obtaining a Senior SmartPass

An application form for Senior SmartPass (FTNI1); available from Department of Social Protection Intreo Centres, or Citizens Information Centres, must be completed. As these forms are individually bar coded, photocopies cannot be used. The completed application form must be brought in person to your nearest Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre (See note below) along with:

• A recent passport standard colour photograph
• Evidence of identity (driving licence, passport, or any other form of photo id, if available)
• Evidence of address (a recent utility bill, e.g., electricity, gas, phone, waste charges bill or a bank, building society or credit union statement)
• Your current Free Travel Card or Paper Pass

Your application will be forwarded to the authorities in Northern Ireland who will send you your Senior SmartPass card, together with instructions for use, by post direct to your home address. It may take up to six weeks to process your application.

A Senior SmartPass card will expire after 5 years. If you used the Senior SmartPass card within the last 2 years, a new card automatically issues in the post from Translink when the card expires.

If you have not used the Senior SmartPass card in the last 2 years, you will be sent a renewal application form from Translink.

If you have never used the Senior SmartPass card, you will not hear from Translink at all. You must contact Translink by email at: [email protected] or by phone on: 0044 2890759129. Translink will then send you a renewal application.

You can find the name and address of your local Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre at www.gov.ie/intreocentres

Free Travel Section

• Return to main Free Travel Scheme page.
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The Top 7 Websites to Find a Travel Buddy

If you're heading off on a travelling adventure soon and don't want to go alone, check out these seven websites that can help you find a travel buddy.

Traveling solo can be fun at times, but there are times when you want a travel partner. It's pretty common for family or friends to ditch you at the last moment and ruin your big trip. You don't have to give up on your plans because of that, though.

Luckily, there are websites out there that connect you with travel buddies, so you can have company on your trip. These websites will embellish your journey and make the holiday memorable.

So, let's take a look at seven of the best websites for finding a travel buddy.

GAFFL helps you find a dependable travel partner. It's easy to use, and you get a lot of options to choose from while selecting your partner.

The first step is to search and select your destination . The second step is to find the people who also want to travel to the same place.

You'll find a list of different routes and the locals and people near you who also want to visit that destination. All you have to do is choose the preferred options to carve out a plan for your trip.

You can start talking to the potential travel buddies in the chat to try to know them better. You can initiate the chat by clicking the connect button. This website also shows if their accounts are verified.

If you like the person, you can meet up with them and plan the trip together. Finding a partner is effortless on this website.

2. Flip the Trip

Flip the Trip offers a wide range of services. It lets you find either a local or a nearby partner with whom you can travel with ease. You need to search for the place you want to visit, then select the exact location where you are planning to travel.

The website shows a list of local people. Locals can be excellent guides as they can introduce you to local places and know the best places to get native food. You can also select somebody who lives near you. In this way, both of you can travel together right from the start.

People can ask random questions related to their travel on the website in the Feed section. Other people who have been to those places can answer them.

3. Trip in Touch

Trip in Touch not only finds you a travel buddy, but is also well known for its travel blogs. You can read travel blogs on the website and find great traveling partners.

This site doesn't just provide you with a partner for adventurous traveling–it also helps you find partners for dates and concerts. You can connect with people all over the globe on Trip in Touch.

RELATED: Travel Apps That'll Help You Save Money

The website only connects you with trustworthy people. It also lets you join its massive Facebook community, where people can communicate with each other.

You can share your traveling experience on the blog so that other people get tips from it. Trip in Touch is a content-rich travel website worth checking out.

4. TripGiraffe

TripGiraffe is a straightforward travel website. It helps you save time and money so that you can travel in peace. You can either create a trip or join an existing one.

The first step is to share your details and the destination of your trip. You can also add the date and time of travel.

Secondly, you can specify which type of partner you want for your journey. You can also select the gender of your partner. The site then connects you with a partner to travel with, in up to 100 countries or so.

Moreover, there is an option to select whether you want to split the expenses with your partner or not. You can also predefine your budget.

This is one of the most polished websites on this list. It specifies everything one needs to know and tries not to leave any ambiguities behind. TripGiraffe also has several travel blogs that are pretty helpful for a traveler.

5. Women Welcome Women WorldWide

This website is a space for women travelers to travel with other women. It is a website made by women for women. However, it's worth noting that the website is based in the UK, but anyone can join.

The site takes into account all the needs a woman can have while traveling. If you specifically want to travel in a girl group, you should try this website. It also gives you local members' contacts who can guide you on your trip.

RELATED: The Best Websites to Help You Travel for Free

You need to join the website to get access to people worldwide. You can then choose the people you would like to contact and get in touch with them. Women above the age of 18 are eligible to join this platform–the membership of the website costs around $50.

6. Workaway

You can join Workaway either as a worker or as a host. A worker helps the community by writing their experiences and helping others in their travel plans.

Workers stay at a host's place in return for sharing their skills. The skills can be gardening, charity work, house sitting, teaching, or practicing a language. The workers who help the host in business activities get paid a minimum wage per hour. You can make new friends this way.

You don't have to pay any money for this stay. All you have to do is provide some valuable services. This website is review-based to make it convenient for you to make your choices.

7. JoinMyTrip

JoinMyTrip allows you to travel to more than 6,000 destinations. You can select your desired location and find the people who also want to travel to the same place.

You can also create a trip on your own. In this way, other people will join your trip. Many passionate travelers enjoy making their trips in this space.

RELATED: Apps Every Solo Traveler Should Have

The price of the trip caters to all the expenses of the journey. This website has excellent customer care service as per the reviews.

You also get to know your trip leader before the actual trip. All the leaders are verified. In this way, the site clears all your security concerns.

Find Your Travel Buddy Using These Websites

All these websites will help you arrange or join an organized trip. You can meet honest and dependable travel buddies on these websites.

Chatting and meeting up with people before going on the trip is usually a good idea. Check out these sites to choose the one that looks most reliable and interesting to you.

FIND A TRAVEL BUDDY

Going on a trip? Meet people who love to travel. Share your adventures with a travel companion.

* All fields are required

Travel companions and their plans

These members are planning a trip and looking for a travel partner. Get in touch a start discussing your plans.

Mexico Carribean coast

Looking for a companion to Mexico Caribbean coast

Looking for: Any

Type of journey: Backpacking, Beach, Other

Split costs: No

Budget: $1000 - $1500

Malaysia + sri lanka

Not planned yet - Start in Sri lanka, then fly to malaysia.

Type of journey: Backpacking, Beach

Budget: $500 - $1000

Vietnam Strolls

the more the merrier

Looking for: Mixed group

Type of journey: City break

Adventure through the Beauty of Egypt

Visiting Two or Three Egyptian Cities on the Way of the Red…

Type of journey: Backpacking, City break, Beach

Split costs: Yes

Budget: $150 - $500

A week trip to Cappadocia. Including hot air balloons,…

Looking for: Female

Type of journey: Other

Meet travel friends from all around the world

Meet travel mates from all over the world and have fun traveling together. You can find travelers from more than 100 countries at TripGiraffe.

Lizbeth Alvarado 27

United States

United Kingdom

Katharina 30

Vishnu Reddy 33

Netherlands

Naruto61 27

Travel the world together using our website - find your travel partner

How it works.

Create a trip and invite people to join you or join an existing trip. Finding a travel buddy online has never been easier.

Create a Trip

Create a trip and wait for someone to join up or find an existing one that you like the most.

Trip Around Asia!

13. 3. 2019 - 24. 5. 2019 (73 days trip)

by Sophia Jenkins

Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey, Thailand

Looking for: Male

Invite Travelers

Let travelers know about your plans by inviting them to your trip. You can always wait for someone to join up.

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Approve travel buddies you like and start planning your trip together.

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Find a trip buddy and make lasting memories

Traveling is more fun when you can share it with someone else.

Find a travel partner and don't travel alone.

South America

North america, popular destinations.

Most travelers go to these destinations. Browse trips and travelers and find your travel buddy today.

Going to Thailand

Going to India

Going to the USA

What makes TripGiraffe the best place to find a travel companion online?

Travelers us!

"Easy to make friends"

Whenever I travelled in the US or abroad I always found someone who joined me on my adventures.

"No Fake accounts"

TripGiraffe might be the only website for finding a travel buddy where you don't get spammed by fake travelers just to get money from you.

"Detailed trips"

Trips created by travelers on TripGiraffe are usually very detailed, so it is easy to find a travel companion with a similar travel style.

Find & meet friends to travel with from all around the world

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Discover travel buddies and connect with other like-minded travellers across the globe.

Travel the world while meeting backpackers who want to see and do the same things as you do. Find others travelling to the same destination, collect virtual stamps and share photos with friends as you go!

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Find a travel buddy

Whether you're travelling solo or in a group, Backpackr is a great way to meet nearby travellers. Browse through numerous profiles and message the people you want to meet. Grab a beer, or see the sites the city has to offer, it's up to you. The opportunities are endless. In the Common Room, anything goes. Ask travellers what the best sites to see are, the best bar to drink in, or even organise meet-ups. The 'nearby' tab allows you to see what's going on around you whereas the 'worldwide' tab is a more universal way of finding out information from around the world.

A Backpacker Community

Online reviews can often be slightly skewed so why not get the advice of people who are there right now? The possibilites are endless.

The Common Room

Search for nearby posts or a specific country for keywords or hashtags that match your travel plans.

Meet People To Travel With

Enter a date and city and Backpackr will show you all the travellers going there at the same time. The results will show you their interests and if they match yours you can plan to meet or travel together. This feature can be a handy aid in helping to eliminate the fear of travelling alone. Backpackr will also send you push notifications everytime someone new is en route to your destination.

Quickly add a trip, with beginning and end date and your destination.

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See a list of travellers that will be in the same place at the same time as you. Get push notifications every time you get a new match.

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Have something to offer our users? Please see here.

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12 Apps and Sites to Find a Travel Partner

Traveling is always a magical experience, even if you’re going solo. But in case you’d love to arrange an exciting trip with a new friend, this post is for you. I’ll introduce you to the coolest apps and sites to find a travel partner.

You’ll notice how simple it is to browse the web for folks with travel preferences that match yours, as well as fine-tune the results according to age, gender, and other filters if you want.

Let’s do this!

Table of Contents

Top apps to find a travel partner

1. travello.

Available on iOS and Android

Travello tops our list because it’s hands down the most thorough app of its kind, in addition to one of the largest travel communities on Earth.

Despite not being designed specifically as a travel partner search tool, the issue-oriented groups you can take part in are perfect for that. You can interact with fellow solo travelers, photographers, hikers,… or any other interests you may think of.

Chances are you’ll get to meet new friends in your hometown too, as there are millions of users around the globe.

What’s more, Travello offers 30,000+ tours and activities all over the planet that you can book for a discount by collecting points on the app.

The app also features a built-in GPS functionality that locates sweet deals, events, and free Wi-Fi wherever you are. 

2. Facebook

Facebook isn’t as popular with the younger crowd as it used to be a couple of years back, yet Meta’s flagship social media platform remains unrivaled when it comes to one precious tool: groups.

You probably know the drill. You just have to tap on the Groups icon on Facebook’s homepage and search for keywords or phrases related to your need. In this case, “travel buddies”, “travel partners”, or “travel friends” are the best combinations.

Then, simply join the groups that match your interests and either post your travel plans or scroll down to see what’s up.

A few of the highlights here include I Need a Travel Buddy , with 33,000+ members, and Travel Buddies , with 26,000+.

Women Who Travel , a private group with over 155,000 members, might turn out to be a lot of help to female travelers.

Meetup isn’t exclusively travel-oriented, but it is definitely an amazing place to find a travel partner. 

The platform’s basic premise is to hook you up with people who share similar interests with you, based on the events that the 61 million users organize in 9,000 cities. Meetup’s impressive size is by far one of its greatest assets. 

Like Facebook, the app also offers the possibility of creating and joining groups so you can interact with folks who enjoy the same stuff as you, be it cooking, visiting museums, or cycling.

Though that doesn’t necessarily amount to finding a travel buddy, you’ll be able to meet new friends and hopefully make plans to see the world together.

Plus, you can always attend an event in the city you’re traveling to and meet up a local to show you around.

Gaffl is a reliable resource that connects you to potential friends, which means you never again have to travel all by yourself if you don’t want to.

The first thing you have to do is pick a destination. The app will then show you people near you who have similar travel plans so you can use the chat tool to get to know them better and arrange the details. Alternatively, you can post your itinerary and let other members join in.

 One of Gaffl’s advantages is the fact that you can see which users have a verified account and choose to interact only with trustworthy profiles.

5. Travel Buddy

Whether it’s Japan , Peru , or Italy , Travel Buddy is your go-to guide to explore the must-sees, find the best deals on everything you may need while abroad, and meet new friends on-site. 

Built as a community of travelers that connects over a million locals and visitors around the world, the app also allows users to list services like walking tours and accommodation options in such a way that you’ll hardly need any other travel app.

This is an innovative system to find a travel partner, as you’ll bond with authentic globetrotters and passionate locals. 

6. Tourlina

Women face far larger safety risks than men when traveling by themselves, especially in remote areas or in countries where traditional values are still upheld by the majority of people. Traveling with a male partner, in turn, can end up being just as complicated.

That’s what Tourlina aims to address: letting women make travel plans with other female travelers. It works like a regular dating app, where you swipe left or right on potential matches after setting the outline of your plans (i.e. dates and destination) and your partner preferences, including age range.

The best thing about the app is that only verified users with a Facebook profile are admitted, which makes it extremely reliable. On the other hand, Tourlina is an expanding platform, which means you’ll often struggle to match with someone depending on your travel plans.

7. CouchSurfing

When CouchSurfing was launched in 2004, it was a truly groundbreaking initiative because it was the first-ever website to connect travelers and folks who would host them for free.

While that remains its core business, with its 12 million users, CouchSurfing is also a wonderful forum where you can meet new friends to travel the world with you.

One of the best ways to do that is by taking part in the weekly events members organize in 200,000 cities across the planet. 

In 2020, in order to bear the financial burden brought about by the pandemic, CouchSurfing introduced a membership fee for users registering from a bunch of countries, among which Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, the UK, as well as several EU nations.

Yet that takes nothing away from the app’s status as the no. 1 platform connecting travelers and hosts on a global scale.

8. Workaway

Like Couchsurfing, Workaway is a different sort of app in that it’s not aimed as much at matching you with a travel partner , but rather with a travel host . This is a fantastic alternative for those of you who want to travel on a budget.

Basically, you’ll be given accommodation and food in exchange for pre-agreed services you’ll be performing for your host according to your skills. You can tend their garden, do some house sitting, or teach their kids your native language, for example. Even better, you’ll be paid an actual wage in case your host needs help with business matters. 

The app was launched approximately 20 years ago and is extremely effective, so the fact that it charges a  $49 annual membership isn’t really absurd. Both hosts and volunteers are reviewed by other users, meaning you can trust Workaway to help you take a totally safe trip. 

Best sites to find a travel partner

9. tripgiraffe.

TripGiraffe is one of the most comprehensive websites on our list, as it does its best not to leave room for ambiguities. 

Upon registering, you’ll get to specify your budget, your target destinations, your preferred accommodation type, the languages you speak, and more. You can even let people know how you want to split expenses.

It works as a full-on social network for travelers where you can message users that seem to match your profile. TripGiraffe can do the hooking up for you as well if you want, connecting you to fellow travelers in 100+ countries.

On top of that, you can join an existing trip if finding the ideal travel buddy sounds like too much work. In other news, TripGiraffe maintains a blog with precious travel tips to help you prepare as you should when it’s time to hit the road.

10. JoinMyTrip

JoinMyTrip’s app is only available for Android users, which is why I’m listing it as a website instead.

Upon selecting among 8,000 destinations all over the planet, the platform will introduce you to members who want to discover that exact place too.

As its name suggests, JoinMyTrip also allows you to… well, join other people’s existing trips or create your own itinerary as a tripleader so other users will come along.

You can preset the dates and group size and estimate the total budget per tripmate, then wait for one or a few of the 160,000 members to hop on the boat. 

One of the things that set JoinMyTrip apart from other similar solutions is its excellent customer service. The team advertises itineraries on Instagram daily and is always ready to answer your questions.

11. Women Welcome Women WorldWide

Women Welcome Women WorldWide’s promise is similar to Tourlina’s, as its name suggests. Women who don’t feel safe traveling alone or simply don’t want to do it can interact with other users to organize a trip together.

While the website is UK-based, women from all over the globe can register. You’ll be expected, however, to pay a $50 admission fee to help cover Women Welcome Women WorldWide’s maintenance costs. 

Besides finding a partner to travel with, you can use the website to connect with a local in your next destination so she can show you around and keep you company as you explore her hometown. 

WWWW currently has 1500 members in 40+ nations on all continents; it’s a relatively small but expanding community.

12. YourTravelMates

On YourTravelMates, travel is more of an excuse than the end goal. Founded about 30 years ago as TripTogether, the platform is present in over 40 nations and has as many as a million members worldwide.

Yet the focus here is more on finding a life partner rather than a travel buddy. The website’s purpose is to foster romance on a global scale. Still, tons of users are seeking friendship and companionship instead, just like most of the other entries on our list.

When looking for other users, you can narrow the results down according to gender, age, arrival dates, and destination.

You can then exchange e-letters or video chat with them until you eventually decide to meet up. Though YourTravelMates charges for these services, membership is 100% free.

Final thoughts

As exciting and enlightening as traveling on your own can be, finding a travel partner can be a great way to ensure your trip will be safer, more affordable, and often more fun.

Through top-notch apps like Gaffl and Travello and websites like JoinMyTrip and TripTogether, you can connect with millions of globetrotters from across the planet and find a travel partner to see the world with you.

2 thoughts on “12 Apps and Sites to Find a Travel Partner”

I highly recommend these two couchsurfing communities to find female travel buddies:

Host a Sister – Facebook group where women around the world can find accommodations and travel buddies. Travel Ladies – mobile app connecting women who want to travel with other women

I highly recommend these two women-only communities to find female travel buddies:

Host A Sister: Facebook group Travel Ladies: mobile app

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A guide to airline companion passes

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If you often travel with friends or family , scoring a discount for your flight companion can make booking much more affordable. Fortunately, some airline credit cards offer companion passes and discounts as benefits.

They go by a variety of names: companion pass, companion certificate, companion fare, companion ticket and more. And although most airlines offer a discount only for you and your travel buddy, there are ways to earn fully comped tickets.

Curious as to which airlines and cards offer the most help when it comes to cutting down on companion travel costs?

Here’s a rundown of some of the best companion pass offers today.

Southwest Airlines Companion Pass

Southwest’s Companion Pass is quite possibly the most popular on the market — and can save you a ton of cash. For just taxes and fees (roughly $5 per one-way ticket), you can bring a companion with you on any trip for the duration of your pass, which extends through the end of the year you earn it, plus a full calendar year after.

By timing your Companion Pass status wisely, you can have up to two full years of nearly-free companion travel. But you will want to plan ahead to make sure you take full advantage of the benefit.

The best part? There’s no limit on the number of times you can use the pass. After you’ve earned it, you can use it each time you book a flight with Southwest. You should see an option to add a companion to your flight for no additional ticket charge after you purchase your ticket.

How to earn the Companion Pass

There are two ways to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass:

• Completing 100 qualifying one-way Southwest flights within a year
• Earning 135,000 qualifying points through Southwest Rapid Rewards

Points earned through Rapid Rewards will count toward the pass, but any points that are purchased, transferred or converted from another loyalty program will not apply. Using a Southwest co-branded credit card is a great way to maximize your spending toward a companion pass, if that’s your goal. Here are a few to consider:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

American Airlines Companion Certificate

For frequent American Airlines flyers, American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards give you a few companion certificate options.

American’s companion certificate allows you to bring along a guest on one round-trip main cabin domestic ticket for $99 (plus taxes and fees).

The certificate expires after a year and is only valid for flights within the continental United States. And make sure you read the offer carefully; some details can vary depending on the card you use.

How to earn the companion certificate

There are a few different credit cards you can use to earn a companion certificate with American Airlines.

With the following cards, you can earn the certificate for one companion after you spend $30,000 or more in a year and renew your card:

• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® *
• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®*

You can also earn a certificate with the cards below when you spend at least $20,000 annually and your account remains open for 45 days following your anniversary date.

• AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®* (with this card, you’ll earn a companion certificate for two guests at $99 each, plus taxes and fees)
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard® *

When you meet the qualifications, American Airlines will send you a companion certificate with specific booking details.

British Airways Travel Together

British Airways offers its own version of companion passes, called Travel Together Tickets.

This British Airways offer is eligible when you book reward flights with the Avios you earn. With the ticket, you’ll receive a second seat (of equal value) to bring a friend along on a future trip — paying only taxes, fees and carrier charges. Alternatively, you can use the ticket to pay just 50 percent of your British Airways Avios value when you book a reward flight without a companion.

The offer is reserved for British Airways reward flights that originate in and return to the United States. You should also be aware that taxes, fees and carrier charges on international flights can often exceed $1,000, so the Travel Together offer certainly varies in value.

How to earn the Travel Together Ticket

Using a British Airways Visa Signature® Card *, you can qualify for the companion ticket by spending $30,000 in a single calendar year (Jan. 1 through Dec. 31).

After qualifying for the ticket, it is good for two full years.

Delta Air Lines companion certificate

Delta’s co-branded Delta SkyMiles credit cards offer a few different options for earning its companion certificate.

The certificate allows you to bring along a travel buddy on a single eligible round trip domestic flight. You are still responsible for paying taxes and fees, but these charges are capped at $80.

If you’re an eligible Delta cardholder, you’ll receive a companion certificate each year of membership upon the renewal of your card. There are currently four eligible cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (main cabin only)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (main cabin only)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (first-class eligible)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (first-class eligible)

You won’t receive a certificate until you renew your card membership, so it’ll take waiting until your second year to reap the benefit. Once you’ve been awarded the certificate, you have until your next renewal date to take advantage.

Hawaiian Airlines companion discount

As a Hawaiian Airlines cardholder, you can earn one-time or annual companion discounts on flights with the airline.

Each of the eligible cards offers a one-time 50 percent discount on a single roundtrip coach fare ticket for a companion flying with you. But two of the cards also offer an annual $100 discount off a companion’s roundtrip coach fare ticket. These discounts apply to travel between Hawaii and North America booked directly with the airline.

The one-time 50 percent discount is eligible for 13 months after opening your account and annual $100 discounts are good for 12 months after each anniversary. Unfortunately, the 50 percent off doesn’t apply to taxes, fees or surcharges.

How to earn the companion discount

Here are the exact discount offers from each eligible Hawaiian Airlines credit card:

• Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard® * (one-time 50 percent off and $100 yearly companion discount)
• Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard®* (one-time 50 percent off and $100 yearly companion discount)
• Hawaiian Airlines® Business Mastercard®* (one-time 50 percent off companion discount)

Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare

Eligible Alaska Airlines cardholders can earn the airline’s companion fare after meeting certain requirements.

The companion fare offer is good toward one round-trip coach companion fare. You’ll still pay a $99 base fare, plus taxes and fees (starting at $23), and the companion fare must be on the same itinerary and same booking as your purchased ticket.

How to earn the companion fare

When you sign up for the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card you’ll get the following offer, Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

This is a less-rewarding welcome offer than the previous one, which was 70,000 miles and the companion pass after $4,000 in spending in the first 90 days. However, we’re happy to see that the required spend reduced in correlation to the reduced value, as well.

You can also qualify with the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card *, which has a welcome offer of 50,000 bonus miles plus a $100 statement credit after spending $3,000 in your first 90 days, plus Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23).

After you earn the welcome bonuses on these cards, you can keep earning the companion fare discount code by spending at least $6,000 on your card each year.

Lufthansa companion ticket

With Lufthansa’s co-branded rewards card, you can get one companion ticket each year.

These tickets are eligible for economy class bookings departing from the U.S. to eligible international destinations. You’ll still have to pay taxes and fees, but you’ll be gifted a fully covered ticket each year you hold your card membership.

To reserve a seat with your companion ticket, you’ll have to call the Miles & More Companion Ticket Service at 866-461-5399.

How to earn the companion ticket

You’ll need to be a Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® * cardholder to score Lufthansa’s companion ticket.

When you sign up for the card, you’ll be gifted your initial companion ticket after you complete your first purchase. Afterward, you’ll receive an additional companion ticket on each account anniversary if you hold your membership.

Lufthansa’s companion offers are good from the date they’re issued until your next account anniversary.

The bottom line

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or a once-in-a-while traveler, your pocket will feel a little heavier when you’re able to bring company along at a fraction of the cost.

While each airline offers ways to save when traveling with friends or family, you can really maximize your savings by planning ahead and taking full advantage of your preferred airline’s deals.

*The information on the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard®, AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®, British Airways Visa Signature® Card, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®, Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard®, Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard®, Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card and Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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United MileagePlus guide

Frequent flyer guide to Delta SkyMiles

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5 Min Read | Last updated: April 25, 2024

What You Need to Know About Free Airline Companion Tickets

For many travelers, some of the best airline credit cards offer free companion tickets. Learn how this major card benefit can help lower the cost of traveling with a friend or partner.

Prepare for landing:  The new limited edition Boeing 747 Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Card design has arrived. Made with 33% metal from a Boeing 747 aircraft and created exclusively for the Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Card.  Learn more .

At-A-Glance

For those who travel with company, some of the best airline credit cards offer members free or deeply discounted companion tickets.

While you’ll have to pay some level of taxes and fees, some cards cap these costs.

Depending on the card, you can usually qualify through membership renewal, points accrual, welcome bonuses, or by meeting spending requirements.

Rules and restrictions – including blackout dates and cancellation policies – vary from program to program.

This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.

Whether you’re organizing your next family reunion or an anniversary getaway, chances are that cost factors into your travel plans. Companion tickets or companion passes – a perk offered by some premium  airline credit cards  – can help keep your budget in line and, in some cases, make that dream trip possible. Specifically, these certificates can help you either get a complimentary or deeply discounted ticket, lowering the cost of a second seat dramatically. 

Still, companion tickets aren’t totally free, and other considerations may impact your journey. So before packing your bags or finalizing your itinerary, here’s what you need to know about getting and using complimentary companion tickets with a  credit card .

What Are Credit Card Companion Tickets?

As its name implies, a companion ticket – also referred to as a companion pass, companion certificate, or companion fare, depending on the airline’s language – is an extra ticket offered to card members by some of the most coveted  travel credit cards  and co-branded airline credit cards. Typically, this second ticket can’t be acquired on its own without the primary card member first purchasing their own ticket. 

Depending on the card issuer and airline, companion tickets are usually available at a base rate or, in some cases, for next to nothing. Taxes and fees are always attached – but those costs may be capped. 

For example, a base rate companion ticket might be a round-trip itinerary in the main cabin or first class within the 48 contiguous United States, with the cost for the second ticket totaling $100 plus taxes and fees. A complimentary companion ticket, on the other hand, might cost no more than a maximum of $80 to cover taxes and fees, depending on the card issuer’s rules.

How Airline Companion Tickets Work

Every airline has its own set of rules and restrictions, and carriers may offer different kinds of companion tickets valid for different seat classes or destinations. But here’s how they work in a general sense:

• A card member earns a companion ticket (more on acquiring companion tickets below).
• When selecting a flight, the airline must have two tickets available on a particular flight, whether one way or round trip.
• In most cases, the primary card member must first purchase an airline ticket before they can redeem their companion pass.
• After purchasing their ticket on an eligible flight and redeeming the pass, the primary card member can then add a fellow traveler on their booked flight. 

Finally, it’s important to note that many programs require a companion to be booked on the same itinerary as the primary card member and in the same class of service. So if you want to put yourself in first class and your companion in coach, well, that probably won’t fly.

How to Qualify for a Companion Ticket

Airline credit cards have different prerequisites that card members must meet to earn that prized companion ticket. Here are some of the primary ways you can qualify:

• Membership anniversary:  Many credit cards automatically issue an annual free companion ticket on or after the card member’s anniversary date or once the card is renewed.
• Spend to earn:  Some airline credit cards reward members with a companion pass for spending a minimum amount on eligible purchases. For example, you might earn a companion pass after an annual spend of $30,000, redeemable for any class of service.
• Points to perks:  In some cases, points or miles can also make that companion ticket a reality. Some airline credit card programs require that you rack up a minimum number of points – say 125,000 – within a calendar year to earn a companion pass.
• Welcome aboard:  Occasionally, an airline miles credit card will offer a companion fare at a deep discount as part of its introductory bonus.

How Long Are Companion Tickets Valid?

Nothing lasts forever, and that includes the companion tickets you can earn with your eligible credit card. Many co-branded cards require that members redeem a companion ticket by a certain date, usually printed on the certificate. Again, different carriers, different expiration dates.

Some programs give you a wide berth, allowing you the luxury of two years from the issue date to use your companion ticket. Frequently though, the pass may be valid for a year from the date it’s issued, or for the rest of a calendar year, through the next card renewal date.

Other Factors to Consider

Complimentary companion tickets can be a win-win deal for both card members and their chosen travel buddy. Still, many come with a few caveats that may not be top of mind when you’re booking your trip.

• Blackout dates:  Some airline credit cards have no blackout restrictions, allowing you to fly any time, while others apply blackout dates. If companion passes can’t be redeemed on your preferred travel dates, it might put a dent in your plans.
• Upgrades with restrictions:  Multiple airline credit card programs allow you to move your award ticket up one class, say, from coach to first class. Depending on the airline, you might be able to upgrade your ticket and your companion’s. But it’s possible you’ll both need to be members of the airline’s loyalty program.
• Cancellation policies:  Oftentimes you can change your destination and dates for both tickets. Cancellations may be trickier and depend on the airline. Some airlines let you cancel your itinerary, with the funds funneled back into your account and a new certificate issued within a week or two. With others, cancellations may mean you’ll forfeit your companion ticket – so be sure to read the fine print.

The Takeaway

Free companion tickets are a potential perk of being an airline credit card member. While they’re not totally free – taxes and fees are always attached – they can lower the cost of a second seat dramatically. To get the most out of your almost-free guest ride, it pays to understand the ins and outs of how they work, from qualifying for a pass to expiration dates, restrictions, and cancellation policies.

Randi Gollin  is a freelance writer and editor who’s covered travel, dining, shopping, and other topics for media and tech brands and digital publications.

All Credit Intel  content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express. 

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Travelling can be an enriching and unforgettable experience, but it can also be lonely for those venturing out alone. That’s where the idea of finding a travel buddy comes in.

A travel companion not only alleviates loneliness but can also provide a sense of safety, share expenses, and help create long-lasting memories. With the rise of technology, finding like-minded individuals who share your passions and travel goals has become more accessible than ever before.

There are numerous websites and apps dedicated to helping travelers connect, while also offering guidance on how to create an appealing profile to attract the right kind of travel partner. Additionally, reaching out to locals at your destination is a great way to make friends and gain valuable insights about the place you are visiting. However, as with any online interaction, it’s essential to prioritize your safety and be diligent about the people you choose to travel with.

Key Takeaways

• Finding a travel buddy can alleviate loneliness, provide safety, and share expenses during your trips.
• Utilize online platforms and local connections to find like-minded travel companions.
• Prioritize safety and choose the right travel partner for a more enjoyable and memorable journey.

Importance of Finding a Travel Buddy

Finding a travel buddy can greatly enhance your trip experience, providing numerous benefits that make traveling more enjoyable, safe, and rewarding. A good travel partner can not only help you with planning and organizing your journey, but also offer invaluable advice, guidance, and practical assistance during your trip.

When venturing into unfamiliar territory, a travel buddy can be a source of comfort and companionship. Solo travel may provide growth opportunities and self-discovery, but sharing the experience with a like-minded travel partner can lead to lasting memories and deeper connections. Exploring new destinations together creates a strong bond through shared discoveries, adventures, and meaningful moments.

Traveling with a partner can also contribute to your personal safety, as you watch out for each other in potentially risky situations. In case of emergencies, it is reassuring to have someone by your side who knows your medical and accessibility needs. A travel buddy can serve as a support system, helping you navigate challenging terrain or offering assistance when needed.

In addition, a travel companion can bring a fresh perspective and unique insights to your trip. Drawing upon their own experiences, your travel partner may offer suggestions, recommendations, and tips that you may not have considered. This can lead to novel and enriching travel experiences.

When choosing a travel buddy, it’s important to look for someone who is flexible, adaptable, and open-minded. You should also consider practical factors such as financial compatibility, shared interests, and complementary travel styles. Ultimately, a well-matched travel partner can transform your journey, enhancing your adventures and turning a great trip into an unforgettable experience.

How to Find a Travel Buddy

Finding a suitable travel buddy can greatly enhance your travel experiences. There are several methods available to help you connect with potential travel companions. In this section, we provide some popular and reliable ways to find travel partners.

One popular option is online platforms dedicated to connecting travelers. Websites such as GAFFL and Travel Buddies provide an easy-to-use interface where you can create a profile, set your travel preferences, and search for like-minded individuals. These platforms often allow you to send free messages to other users and exchange travel ideas, making it easier to find a suitable travel partner.

Another useful method is to engage with dedicated traveler communities and forums. Websites such as Workaway and Couchsurfing are excellent places to connect with fellow travelers, as they provide opportunities to share travel plans, ask for advice, and even find people to travel with. Many of these communities also offer free accounts, making them accessible to a wider range of travelers.

Lastly, consider leveraging social media platforms to find a travel buddy. Facebook Groups, for example, offer numerous travel-themed communities where users can post details about upcoming trips and search for travel partners. Creating and sharing a post in a relevant group can help you to connect with other travelers who share your interests and travel plans.

In conclusion, using a combination of dedicated travel platforms, online communities, and social media can help you find the ideal travel partner for your next adventure. Taking the time to create a detailed profile, engage with fellow travelers, and explore various platforms will increase your chances of finding a travel buddy who complements your travel preferences and enriches your overall experience.

Creating an Appealing Profile

When looking for a travel partner, it’s essential to create an appealing and informative profile to attract like-minded travel buddies. A well-structured profile can make it easier for potential friends to understand your interests and preferences, facilitating better connections.

To start, include a clear and recent profile picture that shows your face. This allows potential travel partners to recognize you and helps build trust. Additionally, provide some basic personal information, such as your age, gender, and current location. Sharing these demographics can assist others in determining if they’d be a suitable travel buddy for you.

In the profile description, provide insight into your travel preferences and interests. You can mention whether you prefer budget, mid-range, or luxury travel, as well as your favorite activities or destinations. Providing a variety of interests ensures that you’ll find travel friends with similar tastes, making your trip more enjoyable.

Communication is crucial in finding a travel companion. Including a valid email address or other contact methods, such as social media handles, allows interested individuals to reach out to you. Be sure to keep your contact details up-to-date to avoid missed connections.

Lastly, remember to highlight your preferred travel dates and locations. Detailing your itineraries will allow like-minded travelers to join you if their schedules align. This way, your profile becomes focused on targeted information rather than general interests.

By carefully crafting a confident, knowledgeable, and clear profile, finding the right travel companion becomes a more manageable task. Keep these tips in mind when creating your appealing travel buddy profile, and you’ll be one step closer to sharing an unforgettable journey with a new friend.

Meeting Locals

Meeting locals can be an enriching experience while traveling, as it provides a unique opportunity to learn about the culture, language, and lifestyle of the destination. One way to connect with locals is through social networks and apps that focus on travel companions, such as CouchSurfing and TourBar. These platforms encourage connections between travelers and local communities by offering a space to share interests, travel plans, and even accommodation.

Adventure-seekers can benefit from meeting locals who are familiar with the best spots and hidden gems in their region. They can guide travelers to the most scenic hiking trails, beautiful beaches, and exhilarating outdoor activities that might not be listed in standard travel guides. Additionally, locals can provide insights on cultural nuances and customs, making the travel adventure even more immersive.

Social network apps are not the only method to meet locals during travels; in-person experiences can also be valuable. Participating in local Meetup groups focused on travel, language exchange, or outdoor excursions can be a brilliant way to build connections, especially for solo travelers. These groups organize events and gatherings where travelers can share experiences and ideas with local adventure enthusiasts and make long-lasting friendships.

In conclusion, meeting locals while traveling can lead to more authentic, enjoyable, and culturally enriching experiences. Using social networks and joining local groups can facilitate these connections, enhancing the overall travel adventure and promoting cross-cultural understanding.

Find a Travel Buddy Using Online Platforms

Finding a travel buddy has become easier with the help of online platforms catering to travelers aroound the globe. These websites and apps provide a convenient way to connect with like-minded individuals, share itineraries, and split costs, ultimately making your trips more enjoyable and budget-friendly.

One such platform is GAFFL , which allows users to browse through trip listings, locals, and nearby users in a specific location. By connecting with potential travel partners, users can chat, share their itineraries and plan trips together. An added feature is the ability to meet up at a pre-decided public place, ensuring a safe environment for travelers.

Another popular option is JoinMyTrip . This travel platform enables users to lead or join trips to destinations across the globe. By connecting with fellow travel enthusiasts, one can share unforgettable memories, build friendships and explore new places in a group setting.

TripTogether is also a known platform where people can sign up, create profiles, and reach out to others who share their travel interests. The website allows users to search for travel partners based on location, age, gender, and travel preferences, enabling travelers to find a partner that suits their needs.

Not to be left out, social media platforms such as Facebook and Reddit have dedicated groups or subreddits for travelers seeking companionship. Facebook groups like “Travel Buddies” or “Backpackers” zone in on particular trip styles, while Reddit users can subscribe to communities such as /r/travelpartners to find like-minded individuals.

Using these online platforms requires users to create an account and log in, ensuring that there is some level of accountability when making connections. Always exercise caution and use your best judgment when contacting potential travel partners to ensure safety and a pleasant travel experience. With the variety of options available, finding the perfect travel buddy has never been easier.

Travel Buddy Safety

When searching for a travel buddy, safety should be a top priority. It’s crucial to choose someone trustworthy and reliable to ensure a pleasant and secure journey. Here are some practical tips and advice to help you find the right travel companion and ensure your safety during your adventures.

First, consider asking your friends or family members for recommendations. A warm introduction from someone you trust is often a safer option than searching for a companion online. This way, you have a better chance of traveling with someone your friends or family trust and have confidence in source.

In case you do opt for online platforms to find a travel buddy, choose reputable websites that offer a thorough verification process for their users. Sites such as JoinMyTrip or GAFFL connect travelers who share similar interests while ensuring their profiles undergo verification. The use of trustworthy websites minimizes the risk of meeting unscrupulous individuals during your journey.

When you’ve found a potential travel buddy, it’s essential to communicate openly about your travel preferences, interests, and boundaries. Be sure to discuss topics such as budget, accommodations, and the desired pace of travel to ensure compatibility. Clear and honest communication helps to prevent misunderstandings and disagreements during the trip.

Moreover, it’s wise to meet your travel companion in person before committing to the trip. Meeting in a public place, like a café or a park, allows you to assess whether you feel comfortable with them and can trust them during your journey. If you cannot meet in person, consider having a video call to better gauge their personality and intentions.

Lastly, while traveling, always trust your instincts, and prioritize your safety and well-being. Should you feel uncomfortable or unsafe with your travel buddy, don’t hesitate to make alternative arrangements or seek assistance from local authorities or your embassy.

In conclusion, finding a travel buddy can enhance your travel experience, but it’s essential to prioritize safety. By following the advice mentioned above, you can confidently embark on an enjoyable adventure with your chosen travel companion.

Dividing Expenses and Budgeting

When planning a trip with travel buddies, it’s important to discuss and agree on how to divide expenses and create a budget. A clear understanding of shared costs can make the trip more enjoyable and stress-free for everyone involved. Here are a few guidelines to help manage expenses efficiently:

Firstly, determine the major expenses, such as accommodation, transportation, and guided tours. It’s crucial to decide whether to book individual or shared hotel rooms, as this will significantly impact the overall budget. If you opt for shared rooms, make sure everyone is comfortable with the arrangement. For transportation expenses, discuss if you prefer a running tab for taxis and tours or pay individually.

Next, create a trip budget that includes all anticipated costs. Be transparent about individual budget preferences and ensure everyone is on the same page. A shared budget spreadsheet can help keep track of expenses and allow everyone to contribute their fair share.

When it comes to daily expenses, such as food, entertainment, and attractions, set boundaries on what will be considered shared costs and what each person will cover individually. Establish a system to track these expenses, either by using an app or keeping a travel expense journal.

One smart technique to avoid confusion and disputes over shared expenses is using a splitting feature in some apps like Airbnb and Uber. This feature lets multiple people pay their portion directly, eliminating the need to reimburse each other later.

Throughout the trip, communicate openly with your travel buddies about expenses. If any unforeseen costs arise, address them in a timely manner and decide how to handle them as a group. This will make the trip smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.

Overall, dividing expenses and budgeting play a vital role in ensuring a successful and stress-free trip with travel buddies. By addressing these matters in advance, you can create a positive experience and lasting memories together.

Choosing the Right Travel Buddies

When embarking on an adventure, finding a compatible travel companion is essential for a successful and enjoyable trip. A crucial consideration is each travel partner’s individual travel style. It’s critical to ensure that your travel preferences align in terms of budget, pace, destination, and interests. Sharing the same priorities can make or break your travel experience together.

Another aspect to contemplate is the gender of your travel partner. Deciding on the basis if you prefer to travel with the same or opposite gender can help you to feel comfortable and secure on your journey. Consider talking openly about your preferences and boundaries, as this will help both of you to create a harmonious environment throughout your trip.

Identifying the perfect travel buddy involves evaluating your personalities, social habits, and communication styles. Open and honest communication between travel partners is vital to express your needs, handle conflicts, and reach compromises. Traveling with someone who shares your adventurous spirit will further enhance your time together. Remember, a considerate and respectful travel companion can make even the most challenging situations more manageable.

In conclusion, to choose the ideal travel partner, evaluate the aspects of travel style, gender, and personalities. Ensuring compatibility in these areas will result in a more enjoyable, relaxing, and rewarding journey. Forge strong connections with your travel buddies, as shared memories can become lifelong friendships. Make informed decisions, and be open to the incredible experiences that await you and your travel companion.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are numerous websites and platforms where you can find a travel companion online. Some popular options include The Broke Backpacker, Road Affair, and Big Travel Nut. These websites offer tips and resources to connect with potential travel mates who share your interests and travel goals.

Choosing the right travel buddy requires careful consideration. Look for someone with similar interests, travel style, and budget. Communication is key, so ensure you can easily discuss preferences and make compromises. Prioritize safety and trust, as you’ll be spending a significant amount of time together. It’s helpful to go on a short trip or spend time together before committing to a longer journey.

Yes, there are several apps designed to help you connect with fellow travelers. Examples include Travello, Backpackr, and TripTogether. These apps allow you to create profiles, search for travel mates based on preferences, and chat with potential travel mates. Some apps also provide recommendations for activities and destinations based on your interests.

When searching for travel mates, it’s crucial to prioritize safety. Stick to well-established platforms such as Couchsurfing, Meetup, and TripTogether. Read user reviews and testimonials to gauge the reliability of the platform. Also, remember to exercise caution when messaging and meeting potential travel buddies, and verify their identities before planning a trip together.

To find a travel partner with similar interests, use platforms that allow you to filter search results based on hobbies, travel style, and destinations. Join online forums and social media groups related to your interests, where you can connect with like-minded individuals. Be open and honest about your preferences and expectations, and communicate these with potential travel mates.

For group trips, platforms such as G Adventures and Intrepid Travel specialize in organizing small-group tours with like-minded travelers. Meetup also offers an array of travel-focused groups where you can join group trips or plan your own with new travel buddies. Additionally, connecting with friends of friends or networking through social media travel groups can lead you to prospective group trip partners.

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There’s a New Way to Snag a Free Southwest Companion Pass — Here’s How

Travelers who open a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card from Chase will earn a companion pass to use for the next year.

Southwest Airlines’ companion pass is one of the best deals in travel, and now there’s a new way to get one by simply opening a new credit card.

As of this week, travelers who open a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card from Chase will earn a companion pass to use through Feb. 28, 2024, the company told Travel + Leisure . The offer is available to travelers who sign up by March 13.

Ashlee Duncan/Courtesy of Southwest Airlines

In addition to the free companion pass, new card members will receive 30,000 Rapid Rewards points (which don’t expire). The benefits kick in after customers spend $4,000 on purchases made with the card in the first three months of having it.

The offer is valid on Southwest Plus, Premier, and Priority Rapid Rewards credit cards. Each card has a different annual fee attached to it.

Southwest’s companion pass allows holders to designate one person to fly with them practically for free anytime they purchase a flight. The companion must still pay taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 one-way. Pass holders can change their designated companion up to three times.

Beyond the credit card offer, travelers can earn a companion pass by either flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or by earning 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. Travelers can earn qualifying points through everything from using a Rapid Rewards credit card to staying at partner hotels, and more. 

The new offer comes as Southwest continues to deal with the fallout of its Christmas week meltdown which saw thousands of flights canceled and forced the airline to apologize.

The Department of Transportation has since launched an investigation into whether the airline knowingly scheduled more flights than its system could handle, The Associated Press reported. And this week, Southwest’s chief operating officer is scheduled to testify in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which will “review the causes and impacts of recent air travel disruptions as well as consumer impacts to the U.S. flying public."

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Don't fly alone. Here's how Southwest's Companion Pass lets you bring a buddy for free.

Southwest Airlines is running a promotion to let Rapid Rewards members earn a Companion Pass more easily.

With the pass, qualifying travelers can bring a designated buddy with them for free on any trip between Aug. 5 and Oct. 2.

Normally, to earn a Companion Pass, Southwest frequent flyers need to fly 100 one-way flights in a year or earn 135,000 qualifying points. These points can be accumulated through flight purchases or eligible spending on Southwest-branded credit cards or with program partners.

Under the promotion, all travelers have to do to qualify is register on Southwest’s website and purchase one round-trip or two one-way flights.

“We know the Companion Pass is a favorite perk of our Rapid Rewards program, and we’re thrilled to bring back this promotion for a limited time so that customers can experience why this popular benefit is so meaningful,” Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President Marketing at Southwest Airlines said in a statement. “We invite our customers to take advantage of this offer because traveling with your favorite companion supports sharing of adventures and creating memories that can last a lifetime.”

Cruising Altitude: Listening to music on a plane without headphones? Jail time!

To earn the promotional Companion Pass, travelers must purchase their qualifying flights by Wednesday, and travel must take place by May 22 after registering for the deal. 

Promotional Companion Pass holders can change their designated companion up to three times during the eligibility period. Full terms and conditions of the deal are available here on Southwest’s website . 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

What do you want to do with money?

Popular searches, learn more about your money, manage money, spend money, borrow money, protect money, invest money, 15 ways to travel the world for free (or even get paid).

Do you dream of seeing the world but don’t have a fat travel fund to do it? Today, there are more opportunities than ever to travel the world on the cheap — or even for free.

My wife and I visit an average of 10 countries every year, all on her salary alone. No, she’s not an investment banker or neurosurgeon. She’s a school counselor with a salary comparable to a teacher.

Part of our travel strategy involves visiting inexpensive countries and looking for low-cost accommodations through Airbnb and local guesthouses. But the primary reasons we can afford to see the world are all the ways we’ve found to travel for free.

Travel Tips to See the World for Free

Some of these options offer free accommodations, others offer free transportation, and a few offer both. They all come with limitations and trade-offs, but for anyone looking to travel on a tiny budget, these travel tips are hard to beat.

One quick note: We’ll talk about maximizing credit card rewards in more detail below, but we do want to mention upfront that you should always use a rewards credit card to book travel and make purchases abroad. (Those you can’t avoid using these free travel strategies, that is.)

Our top travel rewards credit card pick is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . Its selling points include:

• An excellent sign-up bonus
• An annual $50 hotel credit against eligible hotel bookings through Chase Travel℠, making it one of the best hotel credit cards on the market
• 5x points on eligible Chase Travel℠ purchases after the $50 hotel credit is exhausted
• 3x points on eligible purchases, including restaurant dining, select streaming service purchases, and online grocery purchases
• 2x points on all other eligible travel purchases

And now for the most reliable strategies to save money while traveling the world.

1. Work Abroad in Expat-Friendly Industries

There are plenty of expat-friendly job options overseas, from international nurses and doctors to au pairs to educators to engineers.

Teaching abroad is how my wife and I can afford to do so much traveling. She works at an American school in Abu Dhabi. It provides us both with round-trip flights home every summer, free upscale housing that includes a gym, pool, and jacuzzi, and comprehensive health insurance. Oh, and there’s no income tax in the United Arab Emirates.

Living in Abu Dhabi has allowed us to travel all over the world. We flew nonstop to Bulgaria for $185 round-trip. We spent even less on nonstop round-trip flights to Cyprus. Every time we fly back to the United States, we make a stopover in Europe for a few days to enjoy gastronomy in Lyon, the Christmas markets in Munich, or the nightlife in Amsterdam.

There are thousands of international schools worldwide looking for qualified English-speaking employees, from IT specialists to administrators to teachers of all specialties. If you’re interested, check out international recruiting agency Search Associates .

Don’t have a teaching degree? You can still potentially teach English as a foreign language with a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate. But don’t expect the same benefits as credentialed teachers working at international schools.

Or keep it even simpler and research international positions for your existing skill set. You’d be surprised at the number of opportunities for Americans overseas.

2. Look for Work Exchanges

There are plenty of employers who provide free housing for short-term or even long-term stays in exchange for work. This arrangement is called a work exchange.

For example, if you’ve ever been intrigued by the idea of living and working on a farm, WWOOF is your chance to see the world while you do so. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

Farming is primarily seasonal work, and farmers need seasonal help. While they often have an abundance of space, housing, and food, many organic farmers don’t have an abundance of money. So in exchange for four to six hours’ help each day, they provide room and board. You’re on your own for the cost of transportation to get there, though.

You can go “WWOOF’ing” by yourself, as a couple, with friends, or even as a family with children. Select which country you’re interested in, and WWOOF will show you a list of host farms and connect you with the farmers.

And many hostels find themselves in a similar situation as organic farmers — with plenty of beds and rooms but short on labor. So they offer a free room (and sometimes free meals) in exchange for work. A few even pay a small stipend of spending money.

Check out HelpX , helpStay , and Workaway for thousands of opportunities worldwide to stay for free in exchange for your services.

3. House-Sit or Pet-Sit

Did you know there are entire websites dedicated to connecting house sitters with pet owners? Pet owners don’t want to leave their pets in kennels surrounded by unknown dogs and cats when they travel. They’d rather let them stay at home — a home which is just sitting vacant and unused.

House sitters can stay for free at these homes for the price of caring for the owners’ pets. While it’s a relatively easy job, it does mean you have to schedule your day around the pets’ needs. You can’t leave for a weekend excursion or go on 14-hour day trips. But for animal lovers, it can be an easy way to save money with free accommodations anywhere in the world, often in high-end homes.

And house-sitting isn’t limited to pet owners. Some homeowners sleep easier knowing someone is minding their home while they’re away, whether that means you care for their plants or are simply there to deter break-ins.

But these opportunities are the exception, not the rule, and most house-sitting gigs do involve caring for pets.

Try TrustedHousesitters as a starting point for free house-sitting gigs in many different countries.

4. Volunteer Long-Term With the Peace Corps

The Peace Corps offers incredibly rewarding opportunities to live for several years in a community that needs committed volunteers. While the Peace Corps is a large international organization, they do an excellent job of keeping their focus on the grassroots level. Volunteers go to the ends of the earth, living and working in the poorest communities on the planet.

The Peace Corps isn’t for everyone, though. It requires a 27-month commitment: three months of training, then two years in the field. You’ll also be leaving the comforts of Western democracy behind. You may or may not have mobile phone service, and you may not have air conditioning in hot climates.

You receive a living stipend, which is enough to cover housing (if they don’t provide you with a free place to stay), food, and basic spending in the community where you’re stationed. But when you come home to visit, don’t plan on fancy dinners out or hotels. Expect to crash with friends and family.

That said, you’ll have the opportunity to personally transform poor communities into livable, sustainable towns and villages. In many cases, you will literally save lives. If you’re truly driven to change the world and see some of it in the process, the Peace Corps may be a good fit for you.

5. Volunteer With Short-Term Volunteer Organizations

If your volunteer travel timeline is measured in weeks or months rather than years, try short-term volunteer placement services like Go Overseas or Idealist . They offer global opportunities for work ranging from teaching English to building infrastructure.

For a comfortable way to ease into international volunteering, try Diverbo . It hosts one-week English retreats in Spain and Germany to immerse non-Native English speakers in English-based activities. As a native speaker, you’re there to give them someone to practice with. It pays for hotel stays and meals. All you have to do is get there.

There are endless ways to volunteer abroad for free travel and rewarding experiences in a new culture. Spend an hour researching options online, and you can’t help but be inspired by the possibilities to give back while seeing the world.

6. Organize Your Own Volunteer Trip

You can also organize your own volunteer trip. With crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe , you can raise money from your friends, family members, and colleagues (and sometimes even strangers) to cover the costs of your volunteer trip. Perhaps they’ll even join you on your expedition.

But ensure your trip will genuinely change lives for needy people rather than serve as a cover story for you to persuade your friends to pay for your vacation.

I saw this happen just recently with a newly arrived couple at my wife’s school. They raised money from their friends back in the United States, inventing the name of an education-based “ministry” they claimed to be leading here in Abu Dhabi. It was an utter scam, as they have the same generous teaching package my wife does.

Whether they got away with it among their friends back home or not, they didn’t get away with it here. The link to their GoFundMe page made the rounds among the school faculty, and they’ve found few friends as a result.

So approach any crowdfunding attempts with complete sincerity and transparency.

7. Maximize Credit Card Rewards

If you have the right card, you can earn free plane tickets by putting purchases on your credit card. And many of the best travel rewards credit cards offer some enticing benefits. But that’s far from the only option for maximizing your rewards.

Many travel rewards cards, such as the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card from American Express , offer free or discounted companion vouchers every year. You can score a free flight from your rewards points plus a cheap or free flight for your travel partner from the companion voucher.

Then there are sign-up bonuses . Some are positively generous, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ‘s.

You can also maximize rewards by using your credit card every time you pay for flights. Some credit cards and partner airlines offer double or triple rewards — or higher — for booking flights.

There are loads of ways you can score free flights with rewards. Just don’t overspend in the name of saving money.

8. Capitalize on Loyalty Programs

Rewards don’t just come from credit cards. Airlines, hotel chains, and other travel businesses often offer loyalty points for frequent travelers.

If you always fly with the same airline, you can rack up frequent flyer miles. The same goes for hotels. These businesses sometimes offer brief promotions with killer deals to score points quickly and cheaply or accept fewer points than usual for flights or stays.

Travel forums and frugal travel blogs let you stay on top of current promotions. Some travel credit cards confer automatic loyalty status as well, which can be a major perk of membership and easily offset any annual fee if you travel often enough.

9. Swap Houses

You live in Seattle and want to visit Berlin. Someone in Berlin wants to visit Seattle. Why not swap houses with them for your trip? It’s a win-win. You get to stay for free in an authentic local home rather than a hotel, and your home doesn’t have to sit vacant and vulnerable to catastrophes like break-ins or flooding.

Granted, it’s not always that simple. Perhaps you want to visit Berlin in July, and the Berliner wants to visit Seattle in October. Perhaps you’re worried about the risk of having a stranger stay in your home.

The good news is reputable home-swapping websites provide a level of transparency, with peer reviews and identity verification to give members greater peace of mind. Some home-swapping websites also offer credit systems for indirect house-swapping. By offering your house to others, you accumulate points or credits, which you can redeem at your leisure at houses all over the world. Think of it like couch surfing for grown-ups.

A few reputable house-swapping websites to try are HomeExchange , Love Home Swap , and HomeLink . But even if you’re using one of these services, always do your homework before agreeing to your first swap.

10. Travel to ‘The Old Country’ for Free

Some countries offer discover-your-roots programs for descendants to come back and visit the home of their ancestors. In most cases, these programs are designed for young adults to come and stay with local host families.

Programs include:

• Birthright Israel
• Heritage Greece
• ReConnect Hungary
• Birthright Macedonia
• Birthright Armenia

Whatever your heritage, do some research on private or government-funded programs to streamline your visit back to “the old country,” stay for free while there, and potentially even cover your airfare.

While you’re at it, you can also look into citizenship programs for descendants. For example, Italy has a generous citizenship program through which descendants who can prove an Italian ancestor are generally eligible for dual U.S.-Italian citizenship.

A close friend of mine who was born in Boston was able to dig up proof that his great-great-grandfather was Italian, and he now has an Italian passport and the option of living in the European Union if he so wishes.

11. Drive Someone’s Car Cross-Country

During cross-country moves, people sometimes need help moving their cars. That’s where you come in. Some car owners will pay you to move their vehicles from Point A to Point B within a specified time frame. In some cases, they also cover your flight home. There’s no better way to get to know a country, especially your own country, than driving it.

In my 20s, I spent two years moving across the country every few months with my then-girlfriend, a travel nurse. I drove across the country a half-dozen times and developed a fondness for and truer sense of the U.S. than I ever felt from flying and visiting cities for a weekend.

After sitting alone in a car for six hours, when you stop at a roadside diner for lunch, you’re more likely to strike up a conversation with the locals. You can end up meeting fascinating people while eating local favorites.

And these road trip experiences don’t necessarily have to happen within the U.S. People on every continent need their cars moved. Start with Auto Driveaway for U.S. and Canada car transports — and a free road trip.

12. Crew a Yacht or Cruise Ship

Just because you don’t know a slipknot from a half-Windsor doesn’t mean you can’t crew a boat. Yachts and cruise ships need crew members of all skill sets, from cooking to security to communications. The ship provides room and board plus a chance to see the world while sailing the Seven Seas and beyond.

But expect the hours to be long and the wages to be low. One of my friends spent a year working on a cruise ship. She reports she averaged five hours’ sleep every night they were at sea. And even when you’re not technically on the clock, you can never truly relax. The possibility of an all-hands-on-deck emergency is always present, however remote.

If you long for the sea life but are wary of cruise ships, look into yacht jobs instead. Several websites help connect yacht employers with crew members, including CrewSeekers , Yacrew , and Find a Crew .

13. Sit Through a Timeshare Presentation

I’ve taken plenty of free vacations through timeshare presentations. But it’s playing with fire, and it can cost you far more in the long term if you end up buying.

Timeshare sellers have their pitch down to a precise science. They’re the best salespeople you’ll ever meet. Take my father’s advice and commit before going that you won’t buy, write it down on a piece of paper, and pull that paper out of your pocket to read it when you feel an overwhelming desire to buy.

Think about it. If it weren’t so profitable, how could they possibly give away a free vacation to everyone who attends?

At the event, the salespeople make the initial presentation and offer. A few people buy at the opening price. Then, you sit down one-on-one with an expert salesperson, who pitches you personally, probing for weaknesses and customizing their pitch directly to you. Then they drop the price — a lot.

After they probe and coax and tempt you some more, they drop the price again — and then again and again. By their final offer, the price is a tiny fraction of the opening price from the original presentation, which is hard to pass up.

If you understand and accept the risk, you can scope out some of these deals at TimesharePresentationDeals.com .

14. Take Advantage of Overbooked Flights

You’ve probably experienced this one. The airline employee opens the intercom and announces, “We’re slightly overbooked for today’s flight and are offering a free flight voucher up to $500 for any passengers willing to take our next flight at 7pm.”

It’s not always practical to take them up on it. Sometimes, you need to get home for a pressing reason, such as a big meeting the next morning. But sometimes, it only costs you a few hours at the airport, and you stand to save a lot.

Typically, if no one takes the airline up on these offers, they escalate. They may start at a $300 voucher, then $500, then $700, and keep going until the offer is so astounding people race to the counter to take it. If the first offer isn’t worth the inconvenience to you, but you do have some flexibility, move closer to the counter and keep your ears open. Be ready to jump on the deal if it escalates enough to be worth your trouble.

A little flexibility can go a long way.

15. Open a Bask Bank Account

Most rewards programs require you to spend money — counterproductive to saving.

But Bask Bank rewards you with American Airlines miles for saving money, rather than spending it. Every dollar you save earns you 1 mile with American Airlines, every single year. 

Best of all, Bank Bank doesn’t charge fees, so you get the rewards at no cost. Unlike credit cards, who fund their rewards programs with the interest paid by less savvy-cardholders who don’t pay their balances in full each month.

The less glossy the travel experience, the more memorable, rewarding, and authentic it feels. I can’t tell you anything about the Bahamas Wyndham I stayed in when I was 23 and trying to impress a girlfriend. But I can give you every detail of the $19-per-night guesthouse in Telavi, Georgia (the country, not the state), where the owner poured us homemade wine from her own vines.

Stay flexible and open-minded, and you can find ways to travel the world for free. Just remember there’s usually some trade-off to free travel, and you need to understand it completely before committing.

G. Brian Davis

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How to earn and use the Southwest Companion Pass in 2024

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• The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring a buddy with you for just the cost of taxes and fees.
• With some strategy and foresight, you can earn this unlimited travel benefit through 2025.
• Read Business Insider's guide to the best travel credit cards .

Traveling can be a great adventure, but it's even better with a friend or loved one. Southwest offers an incredible perk called the Companion Pass, arguably one of the most valuable benefits in the travel industry. This benefit allows you to fly a buddy with you on any flight you take — with a few caveats and exceptions, of course.

Here's everything you need to know about getting and using the Southwest Companion Pass, including the best strategies to keep it for as long as possible.

Southwest Companion Pass Guide

The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to choose one person to fly with you on both paid and award tickets for just the cost of taxes and fees, for up to two years (provided your timing is right). To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you'll either have to accrue 135,000 qualifying points or fly 100 eligible one-way flights in a calendar year.

But here's a nice little trick: The points you'll earn from the Southwest credit card bonuses and spending count toward earning the Companion Pass — so opening a card and earning the bonus is an easy way to achieve a big part of the requirement.

The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to book a friend or family member's airplane ticket, on the same flight as you, without needing to pay any cash or points for the flight. You will be responsible for taxes and fees, but typically these do not amount to much (about $6 each way for a domestic flight).

Once you earn the Companion Pass, you can designate your travel companion in the Southwest system. The good news is that you can change to a different companion up to three times per calendar year. This means that you can bring along different friends for different trips.

How to Get a Southwest Companion Pass

To qualify for the Companion Pass, you need to earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or fly 100 one-way flights per calendar year on Southwest Airlines, which must be earned and posted to your Rapid Rewards account.

However, if you hold a Southwest credit card, you'll receive a "boost" of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year. You won't actually receive 10,000 redeemable points — this benefit effectively reduces the number of points you must collect to 125,000. You'll only receive one boost yearly, even if you have multiple Southwest cards.

You can earn qualifying points by:

• Booking flights
• Earning points issued on Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards
• Earning points from Rapid Rewards partners

You won't earn qualifying points for the following:

• Purchased points
• Points transferred between Rapid Rewards members
• Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards ®
• Points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs
• Points converted from e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club
• Points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment
• Tier bonus points
• Flight bonus points
• Partner bonus points

Southwest Companion Pass Timing

If you decide you want to earn the Companion Pass, you need to plan out the timing just right. If you're going through the work of getting a pass, then you should maximize the amount of time you have to use it. 

As soon as you earn the pass, it will be valid through the rest of that calendar year as well as for the entire year that follows. For example, if you earn the Companion Pass in 2024, it will expire at the end of December 2025. That means:

• If you earn the required number of points in November 2024, you will only be able to use the Companion Pass through December 2025 — just a little over a year.
• But if you earn the Companion Pass in April 2024, you can use it through December 2025 — nearly two years of nearly-free travel.

The year in which your qualifying Southwest Companion Pass points post to your account is the year for which they will count toward the Companion Pass.

With this in mind, the best time to start planning to get the Companion Pass is toward the end of a calendar year, or very early in the new year. 

Earn the Southwest Companion Pass With Credit Cards

If you're flying thousands of miles to earn the Companion Pass, you're doing it the hard way. You can more easily earn the required number of points using Southwest credit cards, since their welcome bonus offers and points earned from spending count toward the qualifying points you need.

Southwest consumer credit cards

All three personal credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses of 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Southwest rapid rewards® premier credit card, southwest rapid rewards® priority credit card, southwest business credit cards.

You can easily earn the Companion Pass by earning a bonus from one of these personal cards and one from a Southwest business credit card, plus the points you'll earn from spending enough to meet both bonuses.

You can only have one Southwest personal card at a time. However, you can have one personal card and either (or both!) Southwest small business credit cards at the same time.

You don't have to be a full-fledged CEO to get a business credit card. You may qualify for a small business credit card even if you just freelance, work a side gig, or occasionally sell secondhand items on eBay.

Here's what the two Southwest business cards currently offer:

• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card — 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card — 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open

How to earn the remaining points you need for the Companion Pass

If you only open one Southwest card, you'll usually be short points for earning a Companion Pass. To earn the remaining points, there are a few strategies:

• Use the Southwest card for your everyday spending and all other bills and expenses — and boost your earnings even more by making online purchases through the Southwest shopping portal
• Fly Southwest, where you'll earn between 6 and 12 points per dollar, depending on the fare type
• Book hotels through Southwest Hotels (in partnership with Booking.com)
• Rent a car through Southwest Book a Car
• Sign-up for Rapid Rewards Dining and eat out at participating restaurants

Compare Southwest personal credit cards

Each credit card comes with different perks and annual fees. Here's what you should know about each personal card.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the lowest-tier card in this Southwest family, with an annual fee of $69.

Infrequent Southwest flyers get great benefits on this entry-level card: 

• 2x on Southwest purchases
• 2x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases
• 2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
• 2x on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
• 1x on everything else

You'll also get 3,000 points on your card anniversary, two EarlyBird Check-Ins each year, 25% back on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi purchases, and a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points per calendar year.

Learn more about this card in our Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card review . 

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is the middle child of the credit card family, with a good range of benefits to offset the $99 annual fee.

Premier cardholders earn rewards at the following rates:

• 3x on Southwest purchases
• 2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshares
• 2x on Internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services

You earn 6,000 Rapid Rewards points each year when you renew the card, and get two complimentary EarlyBird check-in credits each year. You'll also earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status for every $5,000 you spend with no limits, as well as 25% back on inflight purchases. Finally, you'll also receive a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year, which gives you a head start on earning your next Companion Pass.  

Learn more about this card in our Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier credit card review . 

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is Southwest's top-tier consumer credit card, and a great option for frequent Southwest travelers to keep in their wallet.

The earning rates on the Priority card mirror those of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card. Priority cardholders earn: 

• 1 point per dollar on everything else

You'll also receive 7,500 Rapid Rewards points on your card anniversary, earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status when you spend money on this card, and receive a $75 annual Southwest travel credit as well as four upgraded boardings per year when available.

The Priority card also gives you 25% back on inflight drinks and WiFi, and a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year.

Learn more about this card in our Southwest Priority Card review . 

Both of Southwest's business credit cards offer great value for a reasonable annual fee.

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

The Southwest Performance Business card is a heavy hitter for frequent Southwest travelers, especially if you often purchase WiFi during your flights. This card currently offers a welcome bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth 112000 based on Business Insider's valuations.

This card has the highest annual fee out of all Southwest credit cards, at $199. In exchange, you get a slew of benefits that are worth significantly more than what you pay, assuming you can utilize most of them. 

You'll earn Rapid Rewards points at the following rates: 

• 4x on Southwest purchases
• 3x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners
• 2x on rideshare
• 2x on social media and search engine advertising
• 2x on internet, cable, and phone services
• 1 point per dollar on everything else 

You get 365 inflight WiFi credits with the Southwest Performance card. This is one of the most unique (and generous) perks for inflight WiFi across all airlines and credit cards. You'll still earn rewards for each $8 WiFi purchase, but receive it back in the form of a statement credit on your next bill. And the high number of annual WiFi credits available means that you can connect your cellphone, iPad, and laptop on every flight (if you so desire) without ever running out of credits. 

You'll also earn 9,000 Rapid Rewards points each year on your card renewal anniversary; 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status for every $5,000 spent on the card; $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit; four complimentary upgraded boardings per year when available; and a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year. 

Read more about this card in our Southwest Performance Business card review .

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card is a strong choice for business travelers who occasionally fly on this airline, especially if you can make use of the welcome bonus: 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

For a $99, you'll get many of the same benefits as the Performance card with slightly lower earning rates: 

• 2x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners
• 2x on rideshares
• 1 per dollar on everything else

Cardholders get two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, 25% back on inflight purchases, 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status for every $5,000 spent on the card, and a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year. They also receive 6,000 Rapid Rewards points each year on their card renewal anniversary. 

Read more in our Southwest Premier Business card review .

How to Use the Southwest Companion Pass

As a Companion Pass holder, you can book your flight to your desired destination using cash or points. Once your flight is confirmed, you can add your companion for the same flight online, through the Southwest mobile app, or by calling Southwest customer service.

There's no limit to how often you can use the Companion Pass — as long as you're flying and there's at least one spare seat on the plane, you can book it for your travel buddy.

You'll get the most out of your pass if you choose someone you frequently travel with, such as a spouse, child, best friend, or family member. 

Designate your Southwest companion

Before you start scouring the site for flights, you must first register your designated companion on your Southwest Rapid Rewards account.

To do so, log into your Rapid Rewards account at Southwest and click Choose Your Companion under the Snapshot tab. Enter all of the requested information about your companion until the process is complete. A Companion Pass member kit and membership card will arrive within 10 business days.

You don't need to wait for your Companion Pass member kit to arrive in the mail before you start booking tickets. In fact, you don't really need the pass itself at all; you can add a companion to any flight you've already booked for yourself directly through the app or the website, and they will receive a confirmation number and boarding pass just like any other passenger. 

Add your companion to a reservation

Once your flight is booked, visit the My Trips section of your account. Find your flight in the section titled "Upcoming" and click on the "Add Companion" link. Here, click "Continue" to proceed to the next step where you can purchase your companion fare and review the information. Once you hit the "Purchase" button to complete your booking reservation, you're all set.

You can also book via phone and notify the customer service representative that you will be using a Companion Pass.

How to change your designated companion

You can change your companion up to three times each calendar year. If you choose a companion when you earn the pass in 2024, you can rotate through four total different companions before 2025.

You cannot switch your companion online yourself; instead, you need to speak with Southwest directly at 800-435-9792. The process is straightforward: A customer representative will take the information about your new designated companion and make the switch for you.

You cannot book new travel with your next companion until all travel with your current companion is complete. For example, if you're traveling to New York with your sister in August, but want to fly to Los Angeles with your spouse in September, you cannot add your spouse as your companion until your trip in August is completed.

If you use points and need to cancel for any reason, all of your points will be restored to your account.

What Is the Southwest Companion Pass Worth?

Southwest is largely a domestic and Caribbean airline, but it also serves many popular destinations such as Mexico, Aruba, the Bahamas, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. The value you'll get from the Southwest Companion Pass depends entirely on how often you and your travel companion fly Southwest. You could easily save tens of thousands of dollars with this perk.

Southwest points are worth 1.4 cents each toward flights, on average, based on Personal Finance Insider's current points and miles valuations . But the Companion Pass can effectively double the value of your points.

Once you've successfully earned the 125,000 points necessary to qualify for the Companion Pass (again, the qualification is 135,000 points, but Southwest cardholders get a 10,000-mile boost), you'll have enough points for at least $1,750 in Southwest flights (125,000 points x 1.4 cents each).

The Companion Pass allows you to bring along another person for just the cost of taxes and fees, meaning you could potentially get $3,500 in flights ($1,750 x 2) just from the points you earned to qualify for the pass.

Southwest Companion Pass Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the southwest companion pass.

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best travel benefits in the industry. If you hold a Southwest Companion Pass, you can bring one designated travel companion on any Southwest flight you take for just the cost of taxes and fees, as long as there's at least one extra seat on the plane. The Companion Pass works on both paid flights and award travel.

Are Southwest buddy passes free?

Southwest companion fares are almost free — you'll only pay for any associated taxes and fees, which are often as low  as $5.60 on most domestic one-way direct flights. Taxes and fees must be paid in cash. 

How can I tell if I have the Companion Pass on Southwest?

After you earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you'll see a banner in the center of your account page prompting you to designate a travel companion. Once you do so, you'll see your Companion Pass badge and companion name on the right side of your account page. 

How do I get the Southwest Companion Pass?

You can earn the Southwest Companion Pass by earning 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points or flying 100 one-way cash flights within a calendar year. Qualifying points can be earned through Rapid Rewards credit card spend, or by flying with the airline.

Is the Southwest Companion Pass good for two years?

You can earn the Southwest Companion Pass through the year following the one in which you earn the required 135,000 points or complete your 100th flight. Thus, you'll earn the Companion Pass for nearly two full years if you can complete the requirements in January each year. 

How many times can a Companion Pass be used?

The Southwest Companion Pass is unlimited. You can bring your designated companion on any flight that you take yourself, as long as there's an extra seat on the plane. You can even use the Companion Pass on Southwest award flights booked with Rapid Rewards points.

Is the Companion Pass only for domestic travel?

The Companion Pass can be used for both domestic and international travel.

Can my companion fly without me on Southwest?

Your companion cannot fly on a companion fare unless you are on all of the same flights, but they can still book their own travel through Southwest as a regular passenger.

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Customers are satisfied with the storage of the backpack. They mention that it has several compartments, pockets, and areas to keep all of their items. Some say that it holds a weeks worth of stuff and is perfect for carrying personal items on an airplane.

"...The color is unique. I like several of the inside compartments and the water-resistant pouch. It is an excellent purchase." Read more

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Customers like the quality of the backpack. They mention it's well designed, well made, and holds quite a bit. They also appreciate the beautiful color and the fact that it'll hold up well over multiple trips.

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Customers find the backpack very convenient for traveling, and say it's easy to carry on. They also mention it'll be perfect for a weekend getaway and cruise.

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Customers like the comfort of the backpack. They mention that the padding on the back is comfortable, the straps are very comfortable, and the material is soft enough to be squeezed a little. They also appreciate the spaciousness and the many pockets.

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Traditional cyclists encounter new Yellowstone travel companions

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – Imagine the cyclist clad in brightly colored skin-tight shorts and top, helmeted head held low, legs pumping hard into the headwind as they pedal up a steep hill near Norris Geyser Basin.

Then, quietly humming past them comes a joker clad in a Hawaiian shirt pedaling an upright town cruiser bicycle. Ringing a handlebar mounted bell as they pass, the goofball shouts a greeting and waves.

Such scenarios may be more common these days, marking the end of an era of traditional cyclists dominating the spring ride into Yellowstone National Park. Now blazing onto the landscape are e-bikers of all shapes, sizes and ages. Technology has made it possible for the average rider to trek where once only the brave, bold and fit ventured.

Sun seekers

The weekend of April 13 was a prime example of the new epoch. Unlike most spring days when snow or sleet are likely as Yellowstone edges from freezer-cold to just frigid, this day saw temperatures in the 60s and cerulean skies.

The parking area at Upper Terrace Drive, above Mammoth Hot Springs, was strewn with cyclists assembling their gear. Some dressed for a festive ride, with a pink onesie and hand-sewn possum costume complete with rodent teeth, just a few of the many odd outfits.

Vehicles disgorging riders extended down the hillside. Other visitors parked at Mammoth and braved the switchback climb up to the gate that blocks vehicles for this temporary cycling season.

When the road between Mammoth and West Yellowstone is plowed clean of snow in spring, for a short time bicyclists are allowed to ride the route nearly vehicle-free, except for the occasional workers driving through.

We considered riding up from Gardiner along the new road constructed after the 2022 flood washed out the old Gardner River route. The replacement highway makes a serpentine climb above Slide Lake along a one-time stagecoach road. Turnouts provide an opportunity for grand views looking back toward the Absaroka Mountains and Gardiner Basin. But the possible drain on our bicycle’s battery power deterred us from the climb.

“Coming down is great, going up is tough,” warned Jay O’Connor, who guides e-bike tours into the park. “It will chew your battery up.”

It was 2013 when I made my first foray into Yellowstone for the April cycling season. All of the warnings about self-rescue, unpredictable weather and the possibility of bear or bison encounters had me on edge, not to mention the 100-mile round trip. That’s the farthest I’ve pushed my cycling muscles, and then only three times. Two other years we went only one way, or waited until the road was open to vehicles and used that to shorten the distance.

In all of those years, the weather has been cool, which is to be expected at elevations ranging from 5,500 to 7,500 feet. We’ve pedaled through snow, rain, sleet and wind, numbing conditions for cycling.

This time, the weather was unbelievably balmy. Cyclists flocked to Yellowstone’s North Entrance. Coats and mittens could be abandoned in the car. Sunscreen was more important.

Animals were few, with most elk and pronghorn congregating closer to Gardiner and bison just beginning to trek toward Swan Lake Flat after lounging on the green lawns of Mammoth.

E-biking surge

It’s a guess, but maybe one-quarter of the cyclists were on an e-bike as we ventured from the locked gate to the Norris Geyser Basin overlook. Pedaling into a headwind with an elevation gain of about 1,200 feet we covered the 17 miles quickly, stopping over at Roaring Mountain on the way in to sunbathe, watch the ravens and snarf down sandwiches.

On the way back, we were lucky enough to talk our friend into shuttling the vehicle back to Gardiner so two of us could ride the winding switchbacks downhill. The route drops about 1,100 feet in 6 miles.

The replacement road from Mammoth to Gardiner features a 10% drop with some hairpin turns, which is a lot of fun on a bike, but not when you are pulling a loaded snowmobile trailer in icy conditions.

The Park Service is considering building a new North Entrance road. If a different route is chosen, the temporary road could be open to bikers and hikers. Then Yellowstone visitors would have another year-round paved route free of vehicles.

Envy or anger

O’Connor said although he’s been in the e-bike tour business for four years, he still gets yelled at by traditional cyclists who call him a “cheater.” He said on occasion the offended cyclists have come close to throwing punches.

He told those insulted by his mechanical assistant: Just wait, someday your knees or hips will be in tough enough shape that an e-bike will seem inviting.

“I think e-bikes are an amazing investment,” he said. “And they are here to stay.

“It’s a bicycle with extra help.”

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I got remarried, and I'm raising 3 boys in a blended family. Kid-free travel helps us bond as a couple.

• Sara Lyle and her husband both  went through divorces and now have  shared custody of three sons with their exes.
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• Kid-free travel allows them to reconnect as a couple and counteract the demands of blending a family.

Last Christmas, my youngest son got me a "Wonder Mom" coffee mug from his school's holiday fair. It's red and blue with yellow stars and makes me smile whenever I see it in the cupboard. While I appreciate the sweet gesture, the gift didn't come with any superpowers. If it did, they would come in handy on school days. Allow me to explain.

My husband and I are raising a blended family with three boys — 8, 13, and 15 — who each go to a different school with slightly different start times. We have one car, so ensuring they arrive before the last bell rings requires Swiss time-keeping precision.

To beat the clock, I get up at 6:30 a.m. and head downstairs to cook breakfast for the five of us while my husband takes care of waking up the kids. Most mornings, I make a few variations of breakfast because we have a mix of picky eaters and food allergies to accommodate, and I want to make sure they have something healthy-ish in their stomachs before leaving. There are medications and vitamins to remember, school IDs and water bottles to pack, and the dog needs to be fed, too.

Once the boys are off, my husband leaves for work, and I get started on my to-dos from the home office. After school, there are pickups, extracurricular activities, dinner, and bedtimes to juggle. My husband and I finally take off for the night around 9:30 p.m., assuming there isn't any last-minute laundry to do.

Parental burnout is on the rise

We aren't the only ones with a schedule like this — to say nothing of dealing with work, financial and other pressures — which is why it makes sense that parental burnout is so high .

A 2023 study by the American Psychological Association found that parents of children under 18 reported a significant increase in stress levels compared to pre-pandemic times. To be exact, 33% of parents now rate their stress between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale, a 9% increase since 2019.

The APA also looked at the impact of parental burnout and recommended various strategies to "enhance resilience in parenting" such as going on vacations without the children or simply taking "microbreaks" throughout the day. This can be as simple as listening to a guided meditation in the car after running an errand.

While the microbreaks idea was a new one that I might try, my husband and I were already well-acquainted with the relationship-strengthening remedy of getting away sans kids. It makes me a better mom, too. Here's what I mean.

A balance of family vacations and solo getaways

Since my husband and I blended our households last year, we've been intentional about doing activities and outings with all three of the boys to create family memories and build some lifelong bonds.

So far, we've gone on some fun ones, including a long weekend in Colorado Springs for our wedding with the boys last summer. This fall, we're looking forward to a Caribbean cruise for a nephew's wedding.

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However, between orchestrating the travel logistics to refereeing flare-ups along the way, it can feel like we need a vacation from our family vacation when we get home.

Then, there are the realities of reentry: unpacking everything you packed before, washing the dirty clothes, putting away the laundry and luggage, and catching up on all the other stuff you missed while you were away. For us, multiply that by five.

Getting away as a couple ? It's a comparative breeze. Even just staying for a Friday or Saturday night in nearby Denver allows us to reconnect and recharge, making us better able to handle the ups and downs of modern-day parenting.

We weren't together, pre-kids

My husband and I were never a couple before having kids; we were with other partners. Now, because we share custody with our exes , there are times we are without all three of our sons. Missing them can be tough, but we cherish the opportunities we have to be as "cringe-y" as we want — a term used by our youngest regarding too much PDA — and have some non-parental fun.

Spring break this year was a blast, for example. We spent half the time soaking up the Florida sunshine, seeing family and friends in our shared hometown. Then, we hopped over to New Orleans to enjoy the French Quarter revelries and basically eat our way around town — minus any dietary restrictions from the kids.

Last fall was another adventure, hitting the streets of my old stomping grounds in New York City for five days. Stay up late, wake up late, rinse, and repeat. They don't call it the city that never sleeps for nothing.

Sure, there are heart-twinging moments when we think about the boys — what they might enjoy or find overwhelming about where we're visiting — but we wouldn't trade our kid-free trips for anything.

We learn about ourselves

One of my favorite things about travel, in general, is coming back a whole new person. Getting out of your comfort zone can transform the way you think or see the world. I have experienced this phenomenon in varying degrees at different times in my life, from the summer in high school when I stayed with a friend's family in France to the seven years my son and I lived in Singapore and had the chance to travel around Southeast Asia .

There are so many places my husband and I want to visit together, and we're eager to cross them off our now-shared bucket list.

Speaking of the list, we realize we probably have fewer years ahead of us than behind us, and we aren't waiting for retirement to enjoy the here and now. It's also wonderful to know I can explore the world with my favorite person at my side, holding my hand.

Traveling without our kids is not about abandoning ship, it's about refilling our cups. Child-free vacations might not be an option for everyone, but even a staycation can do wonders.

Got a personal essay about living abroad or parenting that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor: [email protected] .

Watch: Why one mother fled Texas to keep her child safe

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Introducing Firsty, your ultimate travel companion for mobile data. Say goodbye to expensive roaming fees and hidden costs with Firsty. With our app, you're instantly connected to every provider in over 70+ countries without paying for an eSIM or bundle. What is an eSIM? An eSIM is an embedded SIM card. It's built into your phone's hardware and serves the same function as a physical SIM. But it works 100% digitally. Instead of dealing with a physical SIM card, you can download Firsty, install it on your device, and instantly connect to a mobile network at your destination. No physical SIM cards, spotty Wi-Fi, or surprise roaming fees — just easy, affordable, flexible connectivity. What is Firsty? Firsty offers free global mobile data without roaming fees or hidden costs. Choose Firsty Free for essential connectivity, or upgrade to Firsty Fast for lightning-fast speeds and seamless roaming. How does it work? 1. Install the Firsty app. 2. Install and activate your eSIM for free. This only takes a few minutes. 3. Automatically connect to a local network and get 100 MB of Firsty Fast wherever you are as a gift. 4. Now, you'll always have a reliable connection without the hassle of switching eSIMs! Simple, right? Firsty Free: Stay connected for up to 60 minutes with unlimited data for messaging, navigation, and more. Watch 30-second advertisement to reconnect with unlimited data for the next interval. Enjoy essential apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, email, and Uber without paying a cent. Firsty Fast: Automatically connect to the fastest available network for reliable connectivity wherever you go. Pay per day instead of buying a bundle. Buy for the amount of days needed. Get up to 2GB of data daily, with transparent tracking and top-up options. 100MB of Firsty Fast given as a gift after eSIM activation. Global Coverage Firsty is available in over 70+ countries and regions, including the USA, UK, EU, Japan, Canada, Thailand, and more. Our one global eSIM ensures seamless connectivity worldwide without the hassle of switching eSIMs. Why choose Firsty? - Easy Setup: Download the app, activate our eSIM once, and get online in minutes. - Keep Your Number: Maintain your existing phone number for essential two-factor authentication. - Reliable Customer Support: Our dedicated support team is available 24/7 to assist you. - Save up to 60x on roaming fees. FAQ: How much does Firsty Fast cost? Starting from just €2.50 for 2 GB of data per day, Firsty Fast offers rapid data access with no monthly fees or hidden charges. We have the same rate for every country. The more days you buy, the cheaper the daily rate becomes. Who Benefits Most from Firsty? - Travel Enthusiasts: Stay connected on your adventures, whether for business or leisure. - Digital Nomads: Remain productive with reliable connectivity while working remotely. - Business Travelers: Access large files, send emails, and video conference at lightning-fast speeds. Is my phone compatible with eSIM technology? Most phones produced since 2018 support eSIM, but it's worth noting that compatibility may vary based on your location and carrier. For a full list visit: https://www.firsty.app/post/does-my-device-support-esim Learn More: Visit our website at www.firsty.app or contact [email protected] for questions or comments. Experience seamless connectivity on your travels with Firsty. Download now and stay connected wherever you go!

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