Travel smarter to save this festive season
From saving during the booking stage to avoiding blowing the budget on small conveniences during the trip, here are seven ways to ensure you come home from your family holiday with happy memories – not buyer’s remorse.
Take full advantage of your Private benefits
Get ready for lift-off by refreshing your memory on your Standard Bank Private benefits. For example, Private clients enjoy 10% off any accommodation you reserve through Booking.com, and complimentary airport lounge access namely, our Standard Bank Library Lounge at OR Tambo and Fluent Lounge at Lanseria as well as Bidvest Lounges relative to your credit card* (it’s the best way to keep the kids from spotting the toys and giant chocolates in the duty-free shops before the holiday has even begun). In addition, World Citizen Credit Card holders further enjoy unlimited* visits to a global network of luxury lounges at over 1300 lounges across 400+ airports worldwide, with Mastercard Travel Pass (simply download the free Travel Pass app for lounge access). And don’t forget to swipe for purchases using your Standard Bank Private Credit Card or your Evolve Card to earn up to 3x UCount Rewards Points* as you travel.
Get around like everyone else
Hailing a taxi or taking an Uber may be convenient, but those trips and tips quickly add up. If your destination has a working public-transit system, use it! Buses, trains and trams are not only an affordable way to get around, they also offer a more immersive experience in local life. Enquire about multi-day transit passes, which are often cheaper (make sure tourists are allowed to access these as they are sometimes reserved for locals only).
Roadtripping? Make the most of the car-rental discounts enjoyed by Private Clients. You’ll get up to 35% off with Avis for international car rentals, and up to 20% off your next local car rental with Rentalcars.com. And while you’re at it, swipe your Standard Bank Private Credit Card or Evolve card to earn UCount Rewards Points (based on your card spend), which you can redeem when you fill up at participating Astron Energy or Caltex service stations. You can also earn and redeem your Rewards Points at Woodford Car Hire.
Swipe with Shyft
If you bought your forex through Shyft – the global money app that gives you the best forex rates, anytime, anywhere – then you’ll have taken advantage of the best rates on the market ahead of your trip. If not, you may want to learn more about Shyft here. However, Shyft isn’t just for purchasing forex ahead of your trip at the best possible rates. You can also order a multicurrency card so you save on conversion fees every time you swipe during your travels.
Pro tip: If your kids are old enough to go off exploring by themselves, order a Shyft card for them too. You can use the app to control how much money is loaded onto the card at any time. This means you can top it up for their adventures (or in an emergency), but they won’t be able to blow your entire holiday budget on “those boots I saw on TikTok”.
Stay tapped into global travel trends
Some trends help you save money by teaching you what to avoid. Holidaymakers may have never had to plan their trips around a pop star, but you would have been hard-pressed to find affordable accommodation in a city where Taylor Swift happened to be performing in recent months. So don’t forget to keep an eye on pop-culture phenomena!
“Dupe destinations” are another trend that helped travellers in 2024. What is a “dupe destination”? It’s an alternative holiday location that mimics the appeal of more famous – and, therefore, usually more crowded or expensive – travel hotspots. You’ll find a similar experience in terms of culture, scenery or architecture at the dupe, but it’s more affordable, family friendly or sustainable than its mainstream counterpart.
Pay attention to global economic trends, too
Thinking about surprising the family with a spontaneous overseas adventure? You may be better off with a spontaneous staycation …
Global inflation and fluctuating oil prices have influenced airfares, while airlines and airports, particularly in the US and Europe, faced staffing shortages, leading to operational delays, longer security lines and challenges in maintaining flight schedules. Meanwhile, again in the US and Europe, hotels and restaurants have struggled to recruit enough staff to service tourism demands. This is likely due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, which caused many workers in the hospitality industry to seek more stable, less seasonal employment.
Think climate
In 2024, extreme weather events, driven by climate change, disrupted travel and underscored the need for sustainable tourism practices globally. A particularly intense heatwave in southern Europe affected roughly 40% of the region, which posed serious health risks. Meanwhile, large parts of the continent also faced devastating floods after storms during autumn.
In the Americas, the world's hottest recorded summer exacerbated wildfires in Canada, Brazil and California, disrupting air travel and forcing evacuations. Southeast Asia – a destination beloved by South Africans because of how far our rands stretch while on holiday there – experienced catastrophic flooding caused by Typhoon Yagi combined with seasonal monsoons.
These disasters not only disrupted travel plans, but highlighted the urgency of integrating climate resilience into travel and tourism infrastructure, while promoting eco-conscious choices. Next time you book a trip, look for travel experiences and providers who prioritise sustainability.
Eat like a local
Eating out can quickly add up, especially if you’re dining in touristy areas. Instead, head away from the most popular spots and you’ll stumble upon hidden gems that offer not only an excellent, family-friendly local meal, but significant savings too.
Visit street-food vendors and food markets to graze your way through some local favourites at a fraction of the cost of a sit-down meal. This is also a great way to get the little ones to step out of their culinary comfort zone (but perhaps keep their favourite snacks in your backpack, just in case).
If your accommodation has a kitchen, hit the local grocery store. Enjoy browsing the shelves full of unfamiliar goodies, then pick up a few items to prepare a meal or two chez vous. This works especially well if your kids are still on a sleep schedule – or even if mum and dad just need an early night!