7 ways to pay for reservations this year

With the holidays behind us, many people are planning trips for 2025. Traveling is often stressful, but there are things you can do to make it less stressful.

Here are seven ways to book ahead and save this year.

Lyft-DoorDash partnership

Lyft and DoorDash users who link their accounts can take advantage Several perks throughout the yearinclude:

• 5% discount for on-demand trips
• 10% off four scheduled airport trips, up to four per month
• Two free priority pickup truck upgrades every month
• Try DashPass three months free for new members

Lyft often offers travel promotions from time to time throughout the year, so be sure to check your Lyft account for those rollouts.

To participate, link your DoorDash and Lyft accounts This.

Share and shuttle UberX

Uber offers two options for travelers arriving at the airport to save money. It reintroduces the option to book one Share UberX at 10 airports, specifically:

• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, DC
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
• Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)

Riders who book UberX Share can save up to 25% on regular UberX fares, even if they don’t travel with a companion.

For passengers traveling to and from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), consider booking a ticket Uber shuttle. For $18 one-way, users can book a shuttle to the airport, with up to 4 seats. Users can book Uber Shuttle up to seven days in advance and just five minutes before scheduled departure on three different routes to or from LGA. Service is available weekly every 30 minutes, from 5 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.

Rebook your booking if the price drops

To get the best airfare prices, Book flight tickets and book hotel rooms for domestic itineraries at least one or two months in advance and about three or four months for international itineraries.

In addition to using points and miles to book travel, consider tracking your bookings to see if prices drop. If so, while waiting for your booking type, you can cancel and rebook at the new rate. Remember to read the terms and conditions of your booking to verify this is an option. For example, many basic economy fares are non-refundable.

Although all airlines offer a 24-hour free cancellation period, you must still comply Change the policies of each airline 24 hours after booking.

Typically, full-fare economy or higher class tickets are the most flexible, with basic economy being the most restrictive.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all allow passengers to fly exchange their tickets without paying change fees. Generally, you can rebook and receive airline flight credit for any price difference between the two flights.

Besides, Some higher level tickets will be fully refunded.

Some ultra-low-cost airlines have relaxed their change and cancellation fee policies in 2024, making it easier to cancel and rebook.

If you book a ticket using airline points or miles, policies typically reimburse you for those points or miles.

Book a waiting room

Due to overcrowding, many airport lounges offer the option to reserve a seat for entry (and some even require it).

For example, the reservation system is currently active at Capital One Landing at DC’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The new restaurant-style lounge concept opens November 2024.

If you’re planning to visit an airport lounge during your trip, double check in advance to see if it has a reservation system and whether you can make a reservation. Some lounges have waiting lists but you cannot make a reservation until you arrive at the airport.

This is the case for MDW Club at Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW). It has a timed entry system that you can only enter in real time by scanning the QR code at the door.

National park reservations

Many US national parks Requires timed entry reservations on specific days of the year during peak travel days. Some of these national parks include Mount Rainier, Yosemite, GlacierDome and Rocky Mountains.

Some parks require permits to enter specific areas such as campgrounds. This was the case in Zion, Arches, Shenandoah, AcademyHaleakala and the Great Smoky Mountains.

Before visiting, check carefully input request in each national park.

Book tourist attractions

Besides Excessive tourist taxesCities have begun requiring timed entry requirements for certain tourist destinations during peak holiday periods.

Like Rome prepare for the Holy Yearthe city will require visitors to book timed admission tickets for the Trevi Fountain in 2025. This could include fixed time slots and capacity limits for the fountain and surrounding steps around it.

Book parking at the airport

If you’re parking at the airport this holiday season, remember that you can reserve a spot in advance at many places. airport parkingincludes LGA, SFO and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

Although there is no need to book a parking space, they guarantee availability without worry and can also help you save money.

In some places, these savings can be as much as 50%, although that number varies from airport to airport.

Bottom line

From navigating airport logistics to making reservations, planning as much as possible can alleviate some of the stress of your trip.

Remember though, there’s only so much you can control when you travel, so try to enjoy the process along the way.

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