Let's Talk Flights!
How to hack your flights and travel the world on a budget.
Hello hello again from Lima, Peru!
Today’s newsletter coming a little late because I was out all day watching the Peru vs. Australia game!
I also have some news - I quit my job!
I have been a teacher for two years, and though I appreciate all it’s done for me and love my students, I am so happy to be done with it.
I’ll still be teaching 3 hours a week on my most profitable classes and privately tutoring, but I’m done having my teaching as my bulk income.
So what’s next?
I’ve decided I’m going to take a few months to just TRAVEL. Not be a remote worker, but just travel however I want through Cusco, New York, Spain, and Portugal.
What does this mean for Nomad in Training? We’ll take a brief break in August, and restart again in September when I’m back!
For now, expect me weekly in your inbox!
All About Flights!
Thanks to Josh for inspiring this week’s meaty topic!
Last week when we talked budget I forgot one key detail - flights.
The reason for this was two-fold:
I didn’t buy any flights in May
I don’t actually pay cash for any of my flights so I don’t think of it as part of my budget
Here is where I admit something to you - I have never paid for a flight in my life.
My family works in aviation and as a result, we have some ways to not pay for flights.
Mostly this is through the use of credit card points. As my father says, we are “point rich, cash poor” kind of folks.
This, of course, makes it a lot easier for me to travel the world - and is a total privilege.
Could I still travel the way I do now if I was paying in cash for flights? Absolutely.
Today I’ll break down three resources to save money on flights:
Skyscanner
I actually know people who base their entire trips off of Skyscanner.
The best feature is called “Everywhere.”
You put in the city you are currently in and select “Everywhere” as your destination, like below:
Then, you’ll find the cheapest flights available around the world!
It will give you options of several countries in order of least expensive to most expensive:
Then when you click a particular country it gives you options for multiple cities, as well as whether it’s available nonstop:
Skyscanner is an amazingly fun resource to help you dream up what is possible from wherever you are!
Scott’s Cheap Flights
Scott’s Cheap Flights will track price drops from your local airport and send the deals to you directly in your inbox!
Warning: To access premium features you have to pay!
There are three membership levels, I’ll let you be the judge of them!
Limited = Free
Premium = $49/year
Elite = $199/year
Credit Card Points
I put EVERYTHING (and I mean everything) on my travel credit card.
I use Chase Sapphire Preferred the most (if you sign up using this link I will get some points, FYI).
Earn 80,000 bonus points with Chase Sapphire Preferred. I can be rewarded, learn more. https://referyourchasecard.com/6p/9JN9L73A2U
I put my accommodation, food, and everything else on this card to rack up as many points as possible.
I also took advantage of the intro offer to get about 80k points to start (worth $1,000USD when redeemed for travel).
In the past, my family also used Capital One Venture Rewards Card and The Platinum Card by American Express. (All three are featured on the lists below)
There are countless other travel credit cards, just find the one that suits your needs!
Here is an article by Nomadic Matt on the best travel credit cards.
Here is an article by Expert Vagabond on the best travel credit cards.
Here is an article by The Points Guy on the best travel credit cards.
Bonus Resource: @FerracoFTW / Cheap Flight Search
I recently connected with Mike Ferraco, a small creator that helps you find cheap flights, on Twitter.
Enter your travel details on the website and they will reply with the cheapest flight you can take in 24 hours!
It costs $5 for your cheap flight search, which is pretty cool!
I did a search from Madrid to Lisbon, and within 24 hours, I had this in my inbox:
I was really impressed with all the info given and the overall value and will definitely be using this service in the future!
Let me know if you use Mike’s service and what you think!
Location Highlight: Lima, Peru 🇵🇪 🦙
Right on the coast, Lima is an oasis in the desert of Peru’s western desert. It was built by the Spanish but has been occupied for hundreds of years by Indigenous Peoples such as the Wari.
While you’re there, make sure to eat at least one of the following: lomo saltado (a fried beef steak dish), ceviche (fish cooked by lemon and lime juice), or ají de gallina (shredded chicken in an ají, bread, and nut sauce).
Lima isn’t normally a place where nomads go, and I wouldn’t recommend it for a very long time. But it’s a beautiful place to spend a few weeks and experience Peruvian coastal culture, explore museums and archaeological sites, and enjoy good cuisine in a metropolitan area with plenty of green spaces.
Where to Stay: Miraflores (chill vibes) or Barranco (upbeat, hipster vibes)
When: March-June
Cost/Month: $1,097USD
Average Internet: 4 MBPS
Nomads: 1,000 there now
Best Museums: Museo Larco and Huaca Pucllana (I used to work here! Also, book the restaurant at night, it’s amazing and right on the pyramid site)
Source: Statistics from NomadList - an amazing resource for nomads!
Nomads: have a location you’ve nomaded in and would like to highlight here? DM me on Twitter (@alexaleighrome) with your location idea to be featured in the newsletter!
Nomad Question of the Week
What is your favorite luggage? (Anonymous)
Short Answer: My Osprey Backpacks!
I no longer travel with luggage very often!
I’m planning a 6-month trip to Brazil next year, and I will probably bring a suitcase then because I’ll be there so long and will want a lot of clothes and shoes.
That being said, when I’m hopping around a continent, I typically only bring two backpacks.
I have an Osprey Fairview Trek 50 that I absolutely recommend to everyone!
Unfortunately, they stopped making the bags that clip into them, much to my dismay. (I’ve tweeted at them to no avail). I wouldn’t necessarily recommend my current backpack from Osprey either, except for the fact that it clips into my Fairview.
My advice? Find your ideal plane carry-on backpack and clip it to the Fairview with carabiners.
Here’s my essay on why EVERYONE should travel with a backpack (instead of luggage).
Be sure to DM me on Twitter (@alexaleighrome), reply to this email, or comment on Substack your questions about digital nomadism! I will answer all of them, but some of the most interesting ones will end up here!
Nomad News
The Best Time to Book Flights - The Points Guy (more travel hacking tips for flights!)
Best Countries to Travel to for Veggies and Vegans - Timeout
What happens if you get COVID abroad? - USA Today (This happened to me, and don’t fear! It ends up being not too bad)
“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret.” — Oscar Wilde
Thank you all so much for reading to the end of the newsletter!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition and found it helpful!
I’d love to hear what you think of the issue and any questions that you may have! Feel free to comment on Substack, reply directly back, or to DM me on Twitter (@alexaleighrome).
Have a great week, nomads!
Enjoy this newsletter? Buy me a coffee here!
These are great resources. I have the premium membership to Scott's Cheap Flights and it's worth it! You'll get your money back if you book a single deal.
Thanks for featuring my cheap flight search service!