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| What I’ve learned traveling with my parents |
| by Brian Kelly |
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Hi Everyone,
Some of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken have been with my parents, including the one I’m currently on right now in Norway, which has been nothing short of life-changing.
We went to Tromso and then spent three nights in Northern Norway, and my personal bucket list got a little shorter after I swam with orcas and humpback whales (you can check out my coverage of this trip so far on my pinned Instagram highlight).
If you’re a whale lover like me, you have to visit Norway (you can see them via boat tour if snorkeling isn’t your thing). I recommend visiting in November when you get sunlight from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which offers more time for whale spotting than in the winter.
Traveling with parents or older relatives just means traveling might look a little different, which brings me to a recent reader question from Olga that inspired this newsletter:
“My mom is 80 years old, and my dad is 86 years old. For them, the cold flu season is too much, and they want to see their grandkids for Christmas in Perth, Australia. They would like to travel at the beginning of December and come back to Madrid, Spain, at the end of January. Do you have any advice on getting the best fares in premium economy or business? Are there senior prices?”
As many of you prepare for holiday travel, I wanted to share my tips for traveling with older family members and ways to make it more affordable.
Stay flexible with dates
Olga’s parents have a solid shot at getting decent airfare (even though it’s getting closer to the beginning of December), mainly because their dates are flexible and they’re leaving a lot of space before and after the holidays. The beginning of December and the end of January aren’t peak season dates, so staying flexible with actual travel dates can help you get better fares.
Knowing how to search airfare and set pricing alerts can also help you save money.
Do airlines offer senior fares?
Some airlines do have discounted fares, but you might have to call the airline directly. For example, Delta Air Lines says they offer discounts in certain markets, but you’ll have to call to find out. Since Olga’s family lives in Spain, Iberia is a good choice, but they only offer senior fares to the Balearic Islands. If there’s a specific airline your family prefers to fly with, have them call the airline to see what options are available.
Consider joining AARP
AARP features a partnership with Expedia that can help you save on travel through its AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia. Offers vary, but right now, you can save $50 on any flight package. You’ll need to be a member of AARP to get the discounts, and I recommend signing up through a shopping portal to earn bonus points. You can sometimes find special membership offers and earn hundreds of extra AAdvantage Miles by signing up for AARP through AAdvantage eShopping.
AARP also has an excellent list of travel providers that offer discounts to adults ages 65 and older—these include American Airlines, British Airways, and United (you’ll need to call these airlines, as I mentioned above).
Use points and miles
If cash fares are too expensive, even with discounts, use points and miles for the trip. Consider transferable credit card rewards that can transfer to airline programs. Remember, even if your parents or other family members don’t have points and miles, you can use yours to book a trip for them or consider family pooling.
Airlines such as Iberia, United, Qatar, Singapore, Virgin Atlantic, and others allow members to combine their balances and reach award redemptions faster, so if you and your family members each have only a small number of points, combining them may be enough for at least one ticket.
Transferable credit card points can be great for hotel stays too — either transferred to a hotel partner program or booked through the credit card travel portal.
My experience traveling with my parents (and a few more tips)
I feel lucky that my parents are excellent travel buddies. In fact, my dad was the OG Points Guy, taking my family on trips (yes, I helped plan them) to the Cayman Islands and beyond as I was growing up.
I had an amazing father-son trip to Egypt with my dad a few years ago, and once I took my mom to Easter Island and Santiago, Chile, for Mother’s Day. I even took my parents on a round-the-world trip a few years back, with stops in destinations like Bali and China.
My best advice for traveling with older adults is to ensure the pace fits their needs and to have printed copies of everything. I also use my statement credits to get them TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, which can help expedite travel. If anyone has mobility issues, ensuring all parts of your trip have accessibility options before traveling is also important.
Olga, I hope you can help your parents get to Australia affordably this holiday season, and that you all have an amazing trip. Traveling with older adults can be different from what you’re used to on a solo trip, but the memories you’ll make together are so worth it.
Safe travels,
BK
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| Photo Credit: BRIAN KELLY/THE POINTS GUY. |
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