Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World

by Scott Keyes

Overview

** USAToday Bestseller **

The founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights explains why we’re searching for airfare all wrong, shares the strategies that have saved his two million newsletter subscribers a collective $500 million on airfare, and presents a bold new approach for how to see the world while never overpaying for flights again.

When Scott Keyes booked flights to Italy for $130 roundtrip and Japan for $169 roundtrip, he didn’t just uncover amazing fares; it was the beginning of a new approach that makes travel possible for anyone who has dreamed of seeing the world.

What’s stopping us all from traveling more? The confusion of buying airfare—not knowing when to book, where to buy, or what to pay.

Take More Vacations is the guidebook for anyone hoping to turn one annual vacation into three. Readers will discover why the traditional way of planning vacations undercuts our ability to enjoy them, and how a new strategy can lead to cheaper fares and more trips. Why cheap flights never have to be inconvenient flights, and all the steps you can take to get a good fare even when you don’t have flexibility. The surprising best week for international travel, and how small airports actually get the best deals.

Keyes challenges the conventional wisdom that it costs thousands of dollars to fly overseas and shows readers how to make previously unthinkable trips possible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062993540
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/11/2021
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	387,646
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Scott Keyes is the founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, a travel platform with over two million members around the world. It’s been called “the travel world’s best-kept secret” by Thrillist and received praise in The New York Times and The Washington Post, among others. Prior to becoming a leading expert on cheap flights, Scott graduated from Stanford University and worked for years as a journalist, with bylines in The Washington Post , The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Nation, and elsewhere. When he's not on a plane, he lives in Portland, Oregon.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

1 You Don't Take Enough Vacation: The Curse of Expensive Flights 1

2 Travel as Medicine: How Cheap Flights Lead to Happier Trips (and More of Them) 14

3 The Flight First Method: A Better Way to Search 30

4 Flexibility: Using it to Your Advantage (and What to Do When You Don't Have Any) 46

5 Then and Now: A Brief History of How Airlines Determine Prices 72

6 The Golden Age of Cheap Flights: How and Why Everyone Can Now Afford to Fly 86

7 Unpredictable and Irrational: Why Airfare Is So Volatile 99

8 The Fundamentals: Answers to Everyday Flight-Booking Questions 111

9 Cleat Your Cookies: Nine Flight-Booking Myths Debunked 156

10 Should You Take That Trip? How to Think about Overtourism and Emissions 165

11 The Unexpected Joys of Travel: How to Get Better at Vacationing 182

12 Pro Tips: Advanced Flight-Booking Tactics to Maximize Your Vacation 202

Conclusion 249

Acknowledgments 257

Notes 259

Index 275

Editorial Reviews

"Scott is one of the foremost experts on finding flight deals. This detailed, practical book will show you how to take more vacations for less in no time. I learned a lot from it."  — Matthew Kepnes, founder of Nomadic Matt and New York Times bestselling author of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day

“Take More Vacations is a must-read for anyone who wants to travel. Every dollar you save is a dollar to put towards your next trip so learning all of the tricks of the trades is key for any traveler.”  — Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of The Points Guy

“When it comes to airline fares, Scott Keyes is the maestro of money-saving techniques.  In Take More Vacations, he reveals secrets gleaned from years of deciphering the complex world of airfares.  Savvy travelers should take advantage of his insider’s knowledge!”  — Rudy Maxa, travel writer, broadcaster, and host of RMWorldTravel  

"Want to fly around the world for cheap? After reading this book you will be armed with the knowledge of how airfare works so you can relish the joy of travel for the rest of your life." — Johnny Jet, editor-in-chief of JohnnyJet.com

"Scott's website is a boon for travelers on the hunt for bargain fares, but this book is even better. Read it and pack your bags for adventure!"  — Chris Guillebeau, Author of The Money Tree and The $100 Startup

From the Publisher

"Scott is one of the foremost experts on finding flight deals. This detailed, practical book will show you how to take more vacations for less in no time. I learned a lot from it." 

Matthew Kepnes

When it comes to airline fares, Scott Keyes is the maestro of money-saving techniques.  In Take More Vacations, he reveals secrets gleaned from years of deciphering the complex world of airfares.  Savvy travelers should take advantage of his insider’s knowledge!” 

Rudy Maxa

"Want to fly around the world for cheap? After reading this book you will be armed with the knowledge of how airfare works so you can relish the joy of travel for the rest of your life."

Johnny Jet

"Scott's website is a boon for travelers on the hunt for bargain fares, but this book is even better. Read it and pack your bags for adventure!" 

Chris Guillebeau

Take More Vacations is a must-read for anyone who wants to travel. Every dollar you save is a dollar to put towards your next trip so learning all of the tricks of the trades is key for any traveler.” 

Brian Kelly

04/30/2021

The premise of this book is deceptively simple. According to Keyes (How To Fly for Free), Americans do not take enough vacations, perhaps because flights are expensive. When they do travel by air, their destination-centric approach prevents them from finding cheap flights that would enable them to travel more often. Keyes advises travelers to plan their trips around cheap flights, instead of hoping to find a cheap flight to a specific destination. This book is chock-full of practical advice for securing cheaper flights by adjusting advance booking (selecting months, not specific days or weeks); travel days (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday); trip length (seven or more days); class of service (main or basic economy); and flexibility (avoiding airlines where changes or cancellations are not allowed or incur extra fees). Keyes also provides useful information on airfare pricing volatility, cheaper accommodations, travel insurance, optimizing layovers, Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck, credit card points vs. miles, pairing a long-haul flight with a budget flight, and the value of making memories while traveling. The book has more than 15 pages of bibliographic notes and a 10-page index. VERDICT Highly recommended for frequent travelers or travelers who are flexible and would like to travel more often.—Elizabeth Connor, Daniel Lib., The Citadel, Military Coll. of South Carolina, Charleston

Library Journal