According to some of the latest statistics by the US Travel Association, over half of Americans had left unused vacation by the end of the year in 2017, taking an average of just over 17 days off. Even if you’re not one to leave any all the table, odds are you still don’t feel you have enough time to do much traveling, with U.S. workers typically getting only around two weeks’ time off annually.
Some of the most common excuses people say they don’t travel more is not having enough vacation days to go where they want and not having enough money. But the reality is, whether you live in Nashville, Boston, San Diego or somewhere else, it is possible to find the time and money to make it happen.
Plan Well in Advance
If you have a tough time being able to take a big chunk of vacation days off at once, try planning well in advance for a better chance of getting it approved by your boss. If you can get your request in months ahead of time before other people start putting their requests in, it may be more doable than you think.
Planning ahead also means you can usually find better deals and more options on airfare and accommodation too. If you’d like to take an international trip, while there’s no guarantee, booking airfare about four to five months in advance is usually the sweet spot and eight to 12 weeks for a domestic flight.
Working Remotely
If your job allows you to work online remotely, perhaps you can convince your boss to allow you an extended “vacation” by working while you’re away at least part of the time. You could work a couple of hours early in the morning, in the evening or even from the beach. It’s becoming increasingly common for employees to do so, making it easier to get the time you need to travel longer distances without sacrificing pay. Of course, if you dream of being able to do this full time, you might want to seriously consider other career options that will allow you to do so.
Take Red-Eye Flights
If you want to really maximize the vacation you have, look for red-eye flights – not only are overnight flights often cheaper, but it will save you a couple of days, one at the beginning and one at the end of your trip, allowing you to make the most of every hour of vacation time you accrue. Invest in a good neck pillow, an eye mask, and some earplugs and aim to sleep on the flight, waking up refreshed and ready to enjoy the day in your destination.
Extend Your Business Trips
If you travel for work, one of the best ways to squeeze in extra personal travel time is to extend the trip in the destination you’re already in, or perhaps add a stopover. You’ll save the money you would have had to pay for the flight, and you won’t use as much vacation time either.
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