How to save at the airport?

How to save at the airport?

money airportThe day of departure has finally arrived! You have certainly spent a lot of money on your plane ticket and have carefully established your vacation budget, which is not
not expandable! Before setting off on an adventure, one last step awaits you: the airport! Indeed, waiting in an airport is often an opportunity to spend a lot more money than you would have expected. Here are some tips to allow you to outsmart the expense items one by one and (almost) not spend money at the airport.

Transport

Before you even set foot at the airport, transportation to get there is already a significant expense. Whenever possible, avoid the taxi and choose public transport instead or even better, have an understanding friend drop you off.

In New York, to get to JFK airport a taxi can charge up to $70, while a subway/bus would only cost you $10. If your plane takes off very early in the morning, rather than opting for the expensive solution of the hotel, you can go to the terminal the day before and accommodate yourself to sleep at the airport and spend the best possible night on a bench.

Baggage

When packing your bags, check with the airline to find out the regulatory weight and size of the luggage you plan to take with you. If your trip includes a stopover, remember to look at the criteria of all the airlines you are going to take, the rules are sometimes different!

It's always infuriating to have to pay extra for a few pounds you could have done without, or for a cabin bag that's a few centimeters larger than the regulation size. If, however, an additional suitcase proves to be essential, be aware that registering it on the airline's website will allow you to save money compared to the price offered at the boarding office. It is also important to pay particular attention to the contents of your hand luggage, in order to make the passage through security as simple as possible. For more tips, check out our airport survival guide!

Food

The big trap at the airport is food and drink. How do you avoid going to a café or restaurant when you have several hours to wait? The best solution is to bring your own food. A good sandwich prepared at home will often be better than what can be offered in a café and will not come back to you at all for the same price. You can also take dried fruits and cereal bars, always recommended to quell hunger and boredom.

As far as drinks are concerned, it is recommended to take a bottle of water or an empty water bottle with you, which you can fill at the tap once you have passed security. However, if you feel the need to drink a little alcohol to relax, the most profitable solution is to buy one (or more) mignonette at the duty free shop rather than consuming in a café. Moreover, the duty free shop offers attractive prices for alcohol and tobacco, but everything else is generally quite expensive.

 

 Silver

It is strongly advised not to change money at the airport, because the exchange rate there is really excessive. It is best to change it in advance by checking the rate that you can be offered. On the other hand, you must check with your bank beforehand, what are the conditions for withdrawing cash in the country in which you are going (fees and maximum amount of withdrawal). Often, it is the most economical solution to manage your money while traveling.

Internet

If there is one place where wifi should be free, it is in an international airport! And yet, this is not always the case. Sometimes the first hour connected can be free, but it is common to see an hour of connection billed at 5 euros. Faced with this, two solutions: either there is a café where the connection is free, or you sit as close as possible to the VIP rest room hoping that the connection works. If the Internet is poor and you have long hours to kill, consider preparing a few films or series in advance to watch on your computer without an internet connection.

Purchases

Buying souvenirs at the airport is not a great idea. You will find souvenirs that are not always very authentic, and above all at prices that are always prohibitive. Obviously, if you forgot your little niece to whom you had promised to bring back a souvenir, this remains your last chance to make up for your omission.

Another small essential accessory to buy in advance: a pair of headphones! On some flights, they are chargeable, and it would be a shame to miss out on the film library offered on the flight.

Finally, a good novel remains the best way not to see the time pass and to avoid all the temptations that will make you spend money.

A last one for the road…

If you have time to kill before takeoff, this may be the time for a last check: do you have your passport, your visa…. and your travel insurance? To leave peacefully, we strongly advise you to take out travel insurance!

You will no longer have any questions to ask yourself in the event of medical expenses or even hospitalization or repatriation. A few hours or even a few minutes before your flight, this is the last opportunity you have to subscribe before the big departure! At ACS, subscription is done online in just 5 minutes, and you automatically receive your insurance certificate by email, so there is still time. 😉

Have a good trip !