Savvy Travelling
On this page, you will learn about different commercial services which Finnoy Travel considers useful and reliable. Whether you are a novice traveller or with much travelling experience, these services are helpful for you!
We are only suggesting services which we have tested ourselves and proven to meet two criteria: Good quality and reasonable price. We may be entitled to small commissions resulting from purchasing the following services but clicking the links on this page is naturally free. Get ready and the helpful tips are now in your hands!
Flight Bookings
Flight prices vary from one booking site to another. Booking from airlines' pages is the safest option but rarely the cheapest one. You may save a remarkable amount of money by comparing prices between booking sites.
Skyscanner
It is easy to find the most suitable flight schedules with Skycanner. This service compares flight prices on many international booking sites to minimize cost risks. As soon as the user finds a good schedule, he can decide on which booking site to place a booking on or maybe book directly from the airline. We recommend using only well-known booking sites. Read our flight booking guide to learn how to use Skyscanner wisely.
Airport Lounges
Airport lounges are the best places to relax just before longer or shorter flights. We love spending time in lounges instead of noisy, crowded and overpriced airport cafes. Not all people know that entering a lounge is possible just with an economy class ticket. Of course, it is not free but with a pre-purchased lounge pass, the costs stay low.
Lounge Pass
Lounge Pass sells discounted entry passes to high-quality airport lounges around the world. With less than 30 euros you may secure yourself a comfortable and relaxing chair, a complimentary buffet and unlimited drinks. Lounges are perfect places for spending layovers between flights. We have also written a guide how to use Lounge Pass service.
LoungePair
Budget travellers are encouraged to try their luck on LoungePair bidding platform. LoungePair does not have a fixed price list but the customer decides the price him/herself. The lounge accepts or rejects the customer's bid. LoungePair suits best visitors who visit lounges outside the busy hours or only for a short time.
Lounge Memberships
Frequent travellers should consider purchasing a lounge membership. With the right membership level, you have will unlimited visits to airport lounges. We have written a separate article about Priority Pass which is maybe the most well-known lounge program.
You may also be interested in our Ultimate Airport Lounge Guide.
Airport Transfers
Airports can be reached in different ways. Public transport is often practical but a private transfer suits better for quality-conscious travellers. An English-speaking driver will meet&greet travellers soon after the landing and take people and heavy luggage to the destination in a smooth way. Prices of private transfers are competitive compared to regular taxis.
We recommend pre-booking a transfer when travelling to destinations where taxis are unreliable.
Welcome Pickups
Welcome Pickups offers airport transfers in most popular destinations. Drivers are local English-speaking professionals who also monitor flights for delays. Transfer fees are inexpensive and they are paid online. In case of unexpected situations, cancellations are free and you can always contact Welcome Pickup's customer support for immediate assistance.
Hotel Bookings
Hotel prices vary in the same way as flight prices so comparing rates on different booking sites is necessary. But it is even more important to use reliable booking agencies which have good booking conditions. Booking directly from a hotel may be the safest option but 3rd party booking sites are often cheaper.
It is possible to compare booking sites using a metasearch engine, like Trivago. Even though these will find the cheapest rates, they will often redirect the user to a booking site whose reliability is unknown.
Booking.com
Concentrating only on one hotel booking service is a simple but working strategy. We recommend using Booking.com that has many advantages: Most of the bookable hotels can be cancelled free of charge; The price level of hotels is averagely low and Booking.com has good customer service in case you encounter problems with your hotel bookings. Using the system is also simple and it works in many different languages. We typically book our hotels on Booking.com because the selection is good and prices are competitive.
Booking.comFerries and Cruises
Instead of flying, having a ferry is often a more practical way to travel short distances. You can take your car on a ferry and it is easy to rest in a cabin. Overnight travellers do not need to book hotel rooms. Modern ships have also good catering services and entertainment.
Direct Ferries
To find the best ferry connections, comparing options is necessary. Many competing ferry operators sail on the same routes and you can easily compare schedules and prices on Direct Ferries. The service shows schedules and prices clearly. You can place a booking right away after finding the most suitable connection. Direct Ferries finds often connections that you didn't even know before.
Seascanner
Seascanner is an excellent tool for looking cruises nearby or even transocean premium cruises. The service does not just compare prices but also booking is possible on Seascanner. This cruise broker knows the most well-known cruise companies so with a single search, you can get a wide view of options.
Tours
Going on tours is one of the best ways to see and experience what the destination offers. A good tour includes all the necessary services which make it an easy and safe choice. In addition, local tour guides who are the best experts on the destination share interesting stories and provide useful extra information.
GetYourGuide
You can look for interesting tours from local operators on GetYourGuide. Through GetYourGuide, you can book reliable tours to destinations all over the world. You pay for the tour during the online booking and get a voucher in your email. The service can be claimed with the voucher at the agreed time. The best thing about GetYourGuide? - Most of the activities come with a 24-hour free cancellation policy in case of plan change.
Car Hires
A hire car gives more flexibility and freedom to explore places on a holiday at your own pace. Hire car prices vary a lot and comparing them is recommendable. It is even more important to check that the insurance level of your car is sufficient. The agreements normally contain an excess that you must pay in the case of an accident. Even a small new scratch in the car can cost you hundreds of euros. We have written a guide How to Hire a Car Abroad.
We recommend buying additional coverage for a hire car. By doing so, you reduce your excess to 0 euros. This is especially important if you are an inexperienced driver or if the road traffic culture of your destination involves more risk than in your home country. Quite often, small damages to your rental car are committed by other drivers, say a small scratch while parking carelessly.
Discover Cars
You can compare prices of well-known car hire companies on Discover Cars. On their website, you can also buy additional protection for the car and in case of an accident, your excess will be paid back to you. The additional coverage is significantly cheaper on Discover Cars than buying it directly from hire companies' offices. The cheapest car hire company may not be the best option so we recommend reading reviews written by previous customers.
Travel Insurance
It is mandatory to have travel insurance when travelling to certain countries. A wise traveller buys well-covering travel insurance for unexpected matters. Treating a sickness or an injury abroad may become super expensive but travel insurance keeps you less worried about costs.
SafetyWing for Nomads
SafetyWing provides travel medical insurance for people all over the world, while outside their home country. The insurance covers medical costs and also other costs related to unforeseen circumstances like transport delays. People may choose a fixed-term plan or an automatically renewing subscription. A continuous plan is the best for nomads while there is no limit to how long you can travel. It is even allowed to have a short-term visit to the home country and you will still be covered. On the SafetyWing website, you can get an instant quotation.
Payment Cards
Payment card selection varies from one country to another. We recommend having at least two different payment cards, especially while travelling to make sure you have a backup payment card in case you encounter card-related problems. Be sure that the cards have enough balance available.
Curve
Curve Metal suit well for travellers. It provides great benefits such as travel insurance, hire car insurance and discounts to airport lounges. Curve card does not work alone but it only combines your existing cards into the Curve application to manage your transactions efficiently. Our Review of Curve Card describes the features in a more detailed way.
Plutus
Plutus is a cashback debit card providing crypto money back from almost all purchases. Cryptos can be exchanged for real fiat money. By paying all your travel expenses with a Plutus card, you get a nice amount of money back. Look at our Plutus Review to learn more.
Wise
Wise is a multi-currency bank account. You can keep your money in different currencies in sub-accounts and spend them later with the Wise Debit card. Exchanging currencies thru Wise is cheaper compared to traditional banks. With a Wise card, you save a lot on currency conversions and spend like a local abroad. The detailed Wise Review explains the advantages of travelling with a debit card.
