How is everyone affording all of this international travel?

[Anonymous]

I find it hard to believe that you got one week in Europe, two weeks in Mexico/hawaii and a long weekend in Caribbean for 3 people including flights, stays, and food for less than $10k.

Unless you’re going absolutely off peak at all times or staying in dumpy places, it’s more than that.

[Anonymous]

We do at least 3 trips a year and we...
1) have only one kid
2) live in a much smaller home than a lot of our friends, so our housing costs are so much lower
3) play the credit card points game
4) prioritize travel expenses over other non-essentials

#2 and 3 are the most important to being able to afford travel

[Anonymous]

our combined yearly income is around 330k, but we do live in the midwest.
We are empty nesters, own three homes free and clear and drive our cars into the ground.
We never go out to eat, I do my own hair, do not get any "work done" and I teach yoga on the side so that gives me free gym time.
I'm a bit of a clothes horse but do recycle and buy used, if I can.

We are extremely frugal travelers. Eating well and good hotels are not important to us. Seeing the sites and hiking are.
I book everything myself - just got back from 9 days in Switzerland and it was $550 from ORD.
We stay in hotels with free breakfast, fill up, and don't eat until the evening, and never in a restaurant.
We bring a backpack and that is it.
Even with our own children, I see so much frivolous spending it drives me crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do at least 3 trips a year and we...
1) have only one kid
2) live in a much smaller home than a lot of our friends, so our housing costs are so much lower
3) play the credit card points game
4) prioritize travel expenses over other non-essentials

#2 and 3 are the most important to being able to afford travel

Also not sure how much this has been emphasized in this post already, but we also live below our means in terms of housing, leaving more expendable income for travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it hard to believe that you got one week in Europe, two weeks in Mexico/hawaii and a long weekend in Caribbean for 3 people including flights, stays, and food for less than $10k.

Unless you’re going absolutely off peak at all times or staying in dumpy places, it’s more than that.

I said I use points. But PPs are right that points don't cover everything, you have to fork out some cash too. So I spend $10k and use points and can do 2-3 big trips a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we make $150-200k/yr (some variation over the last few years). 1 kid.

We spend $10k per year on all of our travel. But this is what it gets us:

In 2025, $10k got us
-1 week in Europe
-2 weeks Hawaii
-Long weekend in Caribbean
-Plus 2 flying trips to see family

2024
-1 week in Europe
-2 weeks in Mexico
-Long weekend in Caribbean
-Plus 2 flying trips to see family

We each open a few credit cards per year to get bonuses, book flights a year out, use points for hotels or Airbnb for lodging. Flights are almost free or a few hundred for taxes for international trips. We got the companion pass for Southwest (by opening 2 SW credit cards).

As someone who does/has done all you mention, that still seems like a lot of travel for $10k.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I find it hilarious how many posts in this thread there are where the real answer is “I’m rich” but the poster still includes a lot of details about how virtuous they are as cope. “We have a 7 figure HHI so we can afford basically any kind of travel BUT ALSO I rollerblade to work so that’s somehow relevant”

DP

Eh, we have a HHI north of $350, but we have a very low mortgage, stuck with public schools, drive our cars until they die, don’t redecorate for fun, etc. Basically, we don’t blow money on a lot of things others do so we have more money to spend on travel.

Honestly, we don’t drink, and I believe we’ve saved thousands each year because of it. I’m shocked by how much people spend on beer, wine, and booze each week—whether they drink at home or at bars. I challenge drinkers to do the math and see for themselves.

Speculating you save “thousands” through the virtue of not drinking? Wow great work being an even worse example of what I’m saying 😂

If you know people who buy multiple bottles of fancy wine each week plus whatever fancy beer and booze for their DH AND however much they spend going out Friday and Saturday night, then you realize how much some people blow on drinking. I know this because I have friends and family like this who openly comment on how nice it must be to have money to travel as much as we do, and I’ve helped them run the numbers. In short: it’s an eye opening exercise for many people.

Sorry if I hit a nerve, pp.

You did not “hit a nerve.” Of course there are endless ways to blow a fortune—including international travel. But the key is to start with a fortune.

dp.. I think you are missing the point.

You get to the fortune by not spending so much on other things. Many of us don't come from family money. When I started making $200k back in 2000, I still lived somewhat frugally. My mom made a comment about how cheap I am on myself because I didn't buy myself nice things making so much money. My sister made less than me, but herself lots of jewelry and name brand bags.

Making $200k in 2000 was already affluent. So the answer is: be quite affluent. Yes, also don’t be a complete idiot. But the first step is to be rich.

I traveled when I earned $30K in 2003. I was a legal assistant at a white shoe DC law firm, and one comment I still think about to this day, is when I was leaving on a vacation to hike Macchu Picchu, one of the partners asked me where I was staying in Cusco. I said: A $5 a night youth hostel, and he laughed and said - "I forgot that when you have time to travel, you don't have a lot of money, and when you have a lot of money, you don't have as much time to travel."

[Anonymous]

The original question was idiotic. People have all different levels of money. I can afford to travel first class on every trip I take. How do people afford private school for their kids? How do people afford to live in McLean? How do people afford expensive cars? Ridiculous question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People can say what they want but the answers are as follows:

1) people make a lot of money
2) people go into debt

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The original question was idiotic. People have all different levels of money. I can afford to travel first class on every trip I take. How do people afford private school for their kids? How do people afford to live in McLean? How do people afford expensive cars? Ridiculous question.

This. Stop trying to keep up with the Jones. Here in NoVa we live in a bubble. There are many who never afford to travel outside our country. But it's a beautiful country...my kids have seen the Grand Canyon and neighboring National Parks. They've been to New Orleans.

Yes...we have also traveled internationally but only with sacrifices...no private schools, no fancy cars, no monthly mani/pedi. Plus...and this is very important...we have family in Europe and stay with them 90% of the time. So this is how we live within our means. We also prioritized saving for college and paying 90% of all college tuition and fees so our twins wouldn't have much college debt. My 23 yr old son, now gainfully employed just paid off his very low student debt.

OP. It's not about traveling internationally or going to fancy locations....it's about making memories with family and spending time with family. We did simple weeks in Williamsburg and weekends in Colonial Beach too. My kids grew up knowing the importance of family time and hard work/sacrifice.

[Anonymous]

Domestic travel just isn't that much cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Domestic travel just isn't that much cheaper.

True. But when I was growing up on a middle class income even domestic travel was unusual. UMC DC families take 2-3 trips a year that would be “once in a lifetime” trips for median income families.

[Anonymous]

People in DCUM world have very high incomes compared to the rest of the country.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Everyone mentioning points always neglect that there's always taxes and fees you still have to pay, especially for flights. 12,000 points plus $400 in tax and fees is typical for a cheap points ticket on economy to London using British Airways and Virgin as examples. Using one cent to the point, it's marginally cheaper than booking with cash. So the 50,000 points plus $200 in taxes and fees if flying to Paris or Amsterdam on KLM also isn't as great of a deal either (all assuming you use cash back as the alternative use for points).

But points can get you good deals on hotels.

OP, I have always traveled even when a broke grad student. I make a good income now but I still travel frugally. It's easy to travel cheaply in Europe while still having a good trip. The cost of living is so high in the US that a two week in Europe is partially offset by savings on consumption in the US during those two weeks. Most people traveling internationally are paying for it out of income, not family money or whatever. It’s a blend of salary and budgets. To be in the top 10% of wage earners in the US you need a salary of around $165k, and anyone making $100k+ can make an international trip happen, so assume at least 20% of Americans can afford to travel overseas. That is a lot of people.

Last but not least, flights have never been as cheap as they are now. I can buy round trip tickets to Europe slightly off season for $550 if booking far enough in advance. That is what we were paying for tickets to London 30 years ago!

I just booked round trip business from the US to New Zealand/Australia and the taxes were $75 per per person per leg, so $300 total. Cash value was ~$6500 a ticket. No one is using CPP on economy tickets.

And how many points was it? You conveniently left that off. And then compare the points + fees with the cost of an economy ticket, as that is the starting point for most people.

I'm glancing at the points calculators, business tickets to Europe typically have tax/fees starting at 500 each way. On top of 150k points. One airline seems to buck the trend and that is United, with much lower fees both economy and business, but much higher points required too. So it's a wash. Because if you're being honest, what you're probably doing is paying the cost of an economy ticket to fly business.

You can get better deals if booking much further out, 12 months, instead of six or so, but it does mean significant commitment long in advance.

It was 166k each round trip. No one is paying $400 in taxes and fees to flying to Europe unless you’re flying business with Flying Blue. Book a flight through a partner that doesn’t pass along fuel charges. I’ve never paid more than ~$70 per person per leg to fly business Europe.

I am looking at reward calculators. Virgin round trip to London from DC in March is 12k points plus $440. For economy. Upper class is well over a thousand. FlyBlue is over $600 for Amsterdam or Paris in business plus 300k+ points.

United is 305k points round trip plus $384 in business. For economy it is 71k points plus $214.

Virgin and Flying Blue pass along fuel surcharges. Here are a bunch of random upcoming business class flights I just found. DCA-JFK-LHR on AA for 70k+$5.60. IAD to DUB on Aer Lingus Via Alaska for 45k+$19. IAD to MUC On Lufthansa via Air Canada for 70k+$56. Maybe if you spent less time being smug and more time learning the hobby you'd understand how wrong you are.

You are quite hostile and rude. I looked at the reward booking options across multiple airlines and still can't find these amazing flight deals. You mentioned AA, and random midweek dates in March is still showing me 115k points plus $1,889 for business class. Next July is 410k points though taxes and fees is only $427. You didn't tell us the dates you're using so I'm guessing those are a year out?

I have spent hours plotting and strategizing these possible flights and am just not seeing these fabulous deals.

NP and I find AA miles really hard to use, especially for international travel and with multiple people. I inadvertently let my last 40k AAdvantage miles expire from inactivity and don't have the energy to call to try to find some way to earn them back, it just doesn't seem worth it. IIRC you can sometimes have better success calling them to book because not all of the eligible partner airlines are available for online booking, unless that's changed.

In general international business travel is a hard way to use points IME. It’s the goal for most people but I guess that’s why it’s so hard - demand has gotten a lot higher and most flights only have 6-8 business seats that release at the “saver” points price.

I do love AA for domestic points though. We can fly to AZ or CA for 7500-10k points each way. We’ve flown to see family in VT for 5500 points each way. I keep trying to use AA points for the Caribbean but unless you want crazy bad layovers the points prices are very high.

I agree, but so many posters are claiming on here that that is how they are able to travel so much internationally, by using points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original question was idiotic. People have all different levels of money. I can afford to travel first class on every trip I take. How do people afford private school for their kids? How do people afford to live in McLean? How do people afford expensive cars? Ridiculous question.

This. Stop trying to keep up with the Jones. Here in NoVa we live in a bubble. There are many who never afford to travel outside our country. But it's a beautiful country...my kids have seen the Grand Canyon and neighboring National Parks. They've been to New Orleans.

Yes...we have also traveled internationally but only with sacrifices...no private schools, no fancy cars, no monthly mani/pedi. Plus...and this is very important...we have family in Europe and stay with them 90% of the time. So this is how we live within our means. We also prioritized saving for college and paying 90% of all college tuition and fees so our twins wouldn't have much college debt. My 23 yr old son, now gainfully employed just paid off his very low student debt.

OP. It's not about traveling internationally or going to fancy locations....it's about making memories with family and spending time with family. We did simple weeks in Williamsburg and weekends in Colonial Beach too. My kids grew up knowing the importance of family time and hard work/sacrifice.

lolol. I'm sorry but some of you are so out of touch- you're "sacrificing" luxury items to afford different luxury items? While saving that much money for college? Maybe a better way to descibe this is that you need to prioritize how you spend your high income.