It’s no secret that having children is an expensive prospect. And traveling with children can be even more expensive.
But the reason for this isn’t just because you’re paying for extra people. Here are some less obvious reasons why traveling with kids costs more than traveling alone or as a couple.
1. You are basically forced to travel at the most expensive times
Some of the most expensive times of year to travel are during the spring and winter school holidays, and during the summer. But if you have school-age children, you’re stuck with these breaks, which means you’re basically forced to pay more to travel.
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Of course, you can choose to take your children out of school and travel at a less popular time. But then you have to deal with makeup work and you also risk incurring the wrath of your teachers.
It’s one thing to take a first grader out of school for a week and catch him up on some basic math lessons. But try taking a high school freshman out of calculus for a week. You’re probably not in a position to help them do this advanced work, which means they’ll have to scramble and play catch-up.
2. You will pay more for flights if you want to sit together
When you’re traveling with an adult colleague, it’s nice to sit together. But if that’s not in the cards, you can probably handle it – especially if it means being able to buy a lower-cost ticket and save money.
As a parent, though, you don’t easily have that option because shopping for the most affordable airfare often means not choosing your own seat. And if you have young children, you can’t afford to be separated from them. You also, unfortunately, can’t count on the kindness of strangers to switch seats (although, to be fair, if you haven’t shelled out to choose a seat, that really shouldn’t be anyone’s problem but yours).
3. You can’t take advantage of layovers to save money so easily
Sometimes opting for a nonstop flight will get you to your destination faster but at a higher cost. However, as a parent, you may not be able to save money by booking multiple flight segments because your children may miss it during a three-hour layover.
Plus, with a layover, you have to factor in the cost of feeding an entire family at the airport, where basically any quick meal you buy will be overpriced. This is very different from being an adult couple with a layover or a solo traveler who is content to grab a protein bar for lunch and call it a day.
How to make traveling with children cheaper
Traveling with children is clearly complicated – not to mention expensive. But there are steps you can take to save, including:
- Choose less popular destinations if you’re traveling during the school holidays – for example, a lesser-known state park rather than a national park.
- Book a vacation rental instead of a hotel so you aren’t forced to spend on as many restaurant meals.
- Book your flights in advance to have more airfare options.
- Use a travel rewards credit card that offers money-saving perks like free checked bags.
- Drive to your destination instead of flying when possible.
It’s not easy having kids or taking them places. But if you’re strategic about booking your plans, you could save some money in the process.
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