How our holiday savings took off

BAD ADVICE: Don’t take their word for it

A STRONG Aussie dollar is a great thing when travelling abroad, especially to the USA.

Just ask Melbourne woman Rebecca Rogers, 24, who is off to the states for three months with partner Stephen Cuff, 26.

The savvy professional has been paying for the holiday in advance for more than a year, saving thousands simply by watching currency movements. “I was keeping an eye on what the dollar was doing when booking transport and accommodation,” Ms Rogers said. “We used Skyscanner and an app called Hopper and made sure to lock in prices as they fell.” “We signed up for alerts of low prices on Broadway tickets and promo codes for sports, like the NBA,” Ms Rogers said. “We’ve probably saved about $2500 all up across a three-month trip, on what would have been a $10,000 spend, just by watching the dollar and paying when it was strong.”

Ms Rogers said not to wait to trade your money just before a trip, in case of a negative global event.

“I’ve pre-bought currency for a year and secured a good rate on the day, rather than risking something happening,” she said.

Skyscanner released a list of our 10 favourite US places to visit on a strong Aussie dollar. Los Angeles topped the list, followed by New York and Honolulu. A return airfare to LA in 2017 averaged $1589, while New York was $2246 and Honolulu $1058.

Skyscanner Australia senior growth manager Robyn Lee said currency can make or break a holiday budget.

“Booking travel experiences when the dollar is strong is a brilliant way to keep costs down,” Ms Lee said. “Pay for your hotel when the rates are good. A lot of the time you’re only asked to pay when you check in, but that’s also when you get charged a potentially higher rate.”

Wotif research shows currency strength now influences the destination choice of 67 per cent of Australian travellers; up 45 per cent over the past decade.

Wotif managing director Daniel Finch said Australians are more conscious of their holiday spending. “More Aussies are planning and booking their travel online,” he said. “Travel is also becoming more affordable with new routes by low-cost carriers and the rise of discounted airfares,” he said.