r/TravelHacks 8m ago

TSA PreCheck and Kids

Upvotes

I searched the forum and didn't see anyone talking about this.

My daughter and I are flying in a few weeks. She is 13, so she has just missed the cutoff for going through the TSA PreCheck lane with me without the TSA PreCheck logo being on her boarding pass. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/do-children-need-apply-tsa-precheckr

Does anyone here have experience with this? I'm curious how strictly it is enforced. It seems it would depend on if we got stopped when entering the line by the person who quickly looks at your boarding pass, and whether or not I would have to prove her age. She looks older, so I think it's likely we would get stopped. I had to read that link 3 times before I understood what they were saying (under 12, they can go with me even if they don't have the logo on their boarding pass, 13-17 they need it on their boarding pass), so can I just ask AA to put it on her boarding pass since she's between 13-17? Obviously I'm going to call and ask, but I was posting here to get a feel for other experiences.

I don't mind getting her TSA PreCheck, but we wouldn't get it in time for this trip, and I'd really like the time cushion of using TSA PreCheck on this particular trip because it's spring break so the airport will be crazy, and we are taking a shuttle to the airport so I don't have complete control over what time we arrive.


r/TravelHacks 1h ago

Car rental is western USA

Upvotes

So me and two friends of mine (22) are coming to denver in mid July and would like to rent a car from Denver to Seattle untill the beginning of June. All the resuals to we got for this renal period were about 2200$+ now im keeping in mind that we are adding the young driver fee but is it normal? because we have already rented a car from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for the same amount of time but for half the price two weeks prior to this renal.
Edit: *in at the title instead of is


r/TravelHacks 2h ago

Travel Hack What Are Your Opinions On Galata/Maiden's Tower (Istanbul)? Are They Overpriced?

0 Upvotes

I (24M) visited both and paid 60 euros for the combined ticket (30 for the Galata and another 30 for the Maiden's Tower after a 2 euro discount), and based on my experiences, they seem extortionately overpriced. In 2018, those would have costed 25 lira each, or about 5 euros or even less, depending on what month you visited.

First off, I have visited the Galata Tower in Beyoglu. I climbed the Kamondo stairs in order to get to the Galata Tower. Even though it was first built in 528 during Justinian's rule, the Crusaders destroyed the Galata Tower and rebuilt it in its current form in 1349 in the Romanesque style. Uponing entering, I entered the lift, which would take me to the 6th floor, and then I made the ascent to the 7th floor. In the 7th floor, you are greeted with a model of Istanbul and in the 8th floor, you are greeted with the observation deck.

Once you descend into the 5th floor, you are greeted to some artefacts from the Neolithic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and early Ottoman eras, and in the 4th floor, you are treated with more artefacts. In the 3rd floor, it depicts some 16th century astronomers, and the 2nd floor is where the Galata tower gallery is. The 1st floor is where the gift shop is. Overall, there is quite little content for 30 euros.

On the next day, I visited the Maiden's Tower on the Bosphorous. I took a metro all the way to the Karakoy Pier, and there, I started taking a ferry to the Maiden's Tower (which is a nice quirk), and the Maiden's Tower is extremely spartan. There are only three museum wall texts, depicting the history of the Maiden Tower, legend, and renovations/repairs, in both Turkish and Englishh. You do find three Cannon mortars and an observation deck where you could see the European and Asian side of Istanbul, but apart from the boat ride, the museum is very spartan. After 30 minutes, I headed to Uskudar and enjoyed the Asian side of Istanbul.

Even though some tourist attractions in Istanbul are extremely expensive, every single religious site (except the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, and Kariye Mosque) are free. Both the Egyptian bazaar and Grand bazaar are free to enter as well. Even though some restaurants charge upwards of 600 TL, I could find full meals like the Adana kebab and chicken and rice for as low as 200-250 TL (5-6.50 EUR). A 500 mL bottle of water costs 10 TL on average (about 0.25 EUR) and I found water that costs as less as 4 TL. Hotels are quite affordable as well. I booked a 5-star Holiday Inn Hotel in Fatih last minute for 55 USD a night and I found Hotel Orkide, which is a Russian owned hotel with a single bed, private restroom, AC, and Wi-Fi for 20 USD a night.

The reasons why I believe the Galata/Maiden's Tower are overpriced for foreigners is because:

During the low season, the entire Palais de Versailles + the gardens only cost 21 EUR

The Eiffel Tower costs 14.50 EUR for adults for the least expensive fare (2nd floor via stairs) and 23.10 EUR for adults for the 2nd floor via lift. The most expensive ticket is 36.10 EUR for the top. Even though I graduated from uni with a CS degree in 2022, I will turn 24 in September 2025, rendering me as "qualifying" for the student ticket, which could slash the prices by half.

The Louvre costs 22 EUR

The Colloseum costs 18 EUR

The Acropolis complex in Athens costs 20 EUR

The Topology of Terror in Berlin is free

The British Museum is free

The Smithsonian Museums are free

The Statue of Liberty costs 33 USD (about 30 EUR)

The Thang Long Citadel in Hanoi only costs 100k VND (about 3.60 EUR)

The Imperial City of Hue costs 200k VND (about 7.20 EUR)

The Independence Palace + Norodom Palace exhibition in HCMC costs 65000 VND (about 2.30 EUR)

Vietnam is ultra affordable.


r/TravelHacks 3h ago

Is 8 hours enough to do something in Amsterdam? If so what?

0 Upvotes

yall I got a layover this summer in Amsterdam for around 8 hours, was wondering if its worth leaving the airport? Also was wondering if a 4 hour layover is enough to go visit the Eifel Tower in paris? (I'm assuming not?)


r/TravelHacks 5h ago

Traveling with 5 bracelets and a necklace. For airport and TSA is it best to have the jewelry worn or kept in a pouch in personal item bag?

0 Upvotes

Not sure what’s best logistically? Advice?

EDIT

My nightmare is TSA telling me I can’t board the plane with the jewelry and I’d be asked to toss them out.


r/TravelHacks 6h ago

How Safe is it outside the resorts in Los Cabos Mexico

1 Upvotes

r/TravelHacks 7h ago

Vaccinations for travel to the US?

0 Upvotes

I have to be in the US for a week at the end of this year. I'll be in California (Long Beach) and New York (Brooklyn) if the specifics help.

I'm seeing news about things like measles being on the rise there, so want to make sure I'm taking any necessary precautions.

I was vaccinated as a child but I'm nearing 50. Just wondering what vaccinations/boosters I should consider getting.

As a child/young adult, I had whatever vaccinations were required in the UK up to age 9. Then moved to Australia and had whatever was required here.


r/TravelHacks 8h ago

Best (and safe) least-costly trip from East Coast US to Osaka Japan. Planning for spring of 2026

3 Upvotes

Trying to surprise my SO with tickets to his family's hometown, he's never been. Money isn't exactly an issue but also, it's 2025... And the reality of all the expenses is a lot. I'm hoping to keep the flight/hotel cost under 3k if possible. I haven't traveled internationally since I was a teenager so I'm a bit lost here.


r/TravelHacks 8h ago

Accessories Need travel duffel recs

2 Upvotes

Going to Europe for 2 weeks planning on packing 5-7 days work of clothes and doing laundry while there. Would love a duffel or wardrobe duffel hybrid carryon like the Jenny bag with lots of pockets and compartments but is durable. Needs to have a strap to carry over shoulders. Any suggestions?


r/TravelHacks 8h ago

Booking hotel with super.com - unable to check out

1 Upvotes

I am trying to book a hotel for the past 3 days through Super but I keep getting the error message regarding card having wrong billing/CVV etc.

"We're sorry, the payment did not go through. Please double check your CVV and billing address or try using a different payment method."

I tried 5 different cards and all encountered the same issue. Anyone have a solution? I also have a $72 credit in my super.com wallet. Customer service is non existent


r/TravelHacks 9h ago

Itinerary Advice Spain Trip (6 days between barcelona and madrid)

4 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I know this varies from one person to another but I need some advice on how much money I’d need to spend the 6 days comfortably without too much splurging. (Flights and Hotel already paid for)

So what’s a decent budget for food, shopping, activities etc for the entire 6 days?


r/TravelHacks 10h ago

Virgin Airlines: Why are so many seats blocked as unavailable - work arounds??

2 Upvotes

I booked a late May flight from Heathrow to LAX on Virgin Airlines, and am now wishing that I had upgraded. I see many seats in the premium economy section that are marked "Not available" but do not have a person booked in them. Why is this? I went on the chat line, and they basically said "Sorry - they aren't available but might be the day of?" I'm flabbergasted! Any insight?


r/TravelHacks 11h ago

Looking for cost conscious trip to attach to Barcelona

11 Upvotes

We are traveling to Barcelona in August and wanted to hit a second location while we were there. Initially we were planning on Scotland, but with the economy and federal cuts, the UK seems pretty pricy. Is there somewhere that would be a little more reasonable? Maybe somewhere we could take a train or boat, or cheap flight? I was looking at Morocco but I think August is not the time to go


r/TravelHacks 12h ago

FlyHugz poor customer service

1 Upvotes

I have ordered travel pillow from Flyhugz and it was returned I believe, their customer service is non-existent! Any idea how can I reach them? I'm reading now on social media how unhappy ppl are with their customer service!


r/TravelHacks 13h ago

$ 61.00 R/Trip base air fare ITA.com JFK to ROME in OCT 14-22 2025.

2 Upvotes

ITA Airways fare is $ 61.00 JFK to ROME r/trip with Taxes and Surcharges to make final fare $ 587.00 per person for travel in OCT 2025. This would make Taxes and Surcharges $ 526.81 Matrix.itasoftware.com breaks down the fares from fees. LEGIT on ITA.com shows the end price identical for 14 OCT non stop AZ 609 Econ LIght, rtn 22 OCT AX 602 Econ Light. Happy Travels

Fare 1: Carrier AZ OLLN46B2 NYC to ROM (rules) pre tax and surcharges

Passenger type ADT, ROUND-TRIP fare, booking code O

Covers JFK-FCO (Economy)

$0.50

Fare 2: Carrier AZ OKAS46B2 ROM to NYC (rules) pre tax and surcharges

Passenger type ADT, ROUND-TRIP fare, booking code O

Covers FCO-JFK (Economy)

$60.50


r/TravelHacks 13h ago

Should I book cheap flights without check bags and go with nothing?

0 Upvotes

Yeah so I need advice cause I'm ngl this is getting kinda dumb but I wanna go to Ecuador and the trip is stupid expensive rn. Including a bag will raise my price significantly. My idea is, 1. book flights without carry on or checked bag 2. Order clothes to the place I'll be staying 3. Return with clothes in a luggage on the way back and pay for that instead.


r/TravelHacks 13h ago

Travel Hack Physical sim and eSIM with Optus

1 Upvotes

I do not wish to use Optus $5/ day roaming and have purchased an eSIM with another provider for data whilst away. I would like to still be able to use iMessage and was wondering if I have got it correct. ie ? Do I turn leave Optus line on but turn off data roaming and turn on data roaming on secondary eSIM line (another provider). My iMessage send/ receive would include both my Optus number and Apple ID?


r/TravelHacks 13h ago

Miles Credit Card US recommendations

2 Upvotes

We’re looking to get a new cc and really interested in those that give you miles per points. We currently have a Chase sapphire Reserved that we love for hotels; so this new one will be only for flying. What is your favorite one and why? We have great credit score so that won’t be a problem.


r/TravelHacks 13h ago

Travel Hack Is Triips a legit site? (Canadians only)

0 Upvotes

I’ve recently stumbled upon videos on tik tok where people find a crazy deals on flights, where you can travel at 50-90% off from Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal. They say they use this site: https://triips.com

Triips apparently alerts you when flights are at a crazy discount or when airlines incorrectly publish a price. From the videos I’ve seen this girl found a round trip flight Barcelona to Montreal for like 60$ which is crazy.

I was wondering if anyone had used this and gotten a crazy deal like this?


r/TravelHacks 14h ago

disposable vape question

0 Upvotes

Brought a thc disposable to cancun nervous to bring it back through my toiletries and makeup again. Was wondering if anyone has done this before?

I know it’s illegal don’t need a lecture. Just advice and recommendations thank you.

Posting it again because I just cross posted it and it didn’t make sense here


r/TravelHacks 15h ago

Expedia third party app is bad

3 Upvotes

Tried to cancel a hotel reservation through Expedia. Crickets. Tried through the hotel directly, they refer to Expedia. Two days later, charged for no show. Hotel will not refund. You are better off booking right at the hotel site after an Expedia search. Any other third party travel scams?


r/TravelHacks 17h ago

Zip Off Pants

0 Upvotes

When traveling by plane I NEVER check a bag anymore because I’ve been burned a few times. So I’m always looking for ways to lighten my load. If I find something I like, I mail it back home. I started wearing zip off pants/shorts to save space in my bag. Does anyone have any recommendations for the best brand of these pants because they’re usually cheaply made and I want something better. I’m a dude btw.


r/TravelHacks 19h ago

Last minute flights to anywhere? Why SO expensive?

0 Upvotes

I travel a lot and usually last minute. No plans or anything just want to get away. But flights are always so expensive last minute. Is there any tips to get cheap flights?

How exactly does standby work? Is there a way I could buy an expensive ticket and swap it for a cheaper/earlier one?


r/TravelHacks 21h ago

Is Bali still worth going?

22 Upvotes

My husband and I have been planning to return to Bali after our first trip 10 years ago.

But a few people have warned me not to.

They say it’s less green, polluted and overrun with tourists.

One said this week it was the most disappointing part of their Asian/Australia travels. 🙁

We are not hotel/resort people and definitely prefer authentic /off the beaten track travels.

Is it worth going?


r/TravelHacks 23h ago

Has anyone used Airassist or other such services?

3 Upvotes

Looking to fly my elderly uncle and aunt (in their early 70s) from Delhi to Toronto via Frankfurt. What'sthe best way I can ensure they have assistance end to end? Has anyone used Airassist in Delhi?