31 Jan Alaska on a budget
With the rising cost of fuel, travelling to Alaska is getting more expensive each year. However, there are things you can do to reduce the cost of an Alaska vacation. Here are a few suggestions that you can use to make the trip to Alaska more economical:
•Use frequent flyer miles to purchase a reduced price flight, or to obtain a free flight.
•Obtain an Alaska Airlines signature card. The signature card typically rewards you with 20,000 frequent flyer miles (enough for a half price ticket) plus miles for every dollar charged on the card. You will also receive a $50 companion fare each year that will save you $250 maximum on the price of a companion ticket with the purchase of a full fare ticket.
•Pack light. Take no more than 1 piece of checked luggage per person. On the return trip you are likely to have a box of fish to check and you will be charged for more than 2 pieces of checked luggage. Some airlines are already charging for a second piece of checked luggage.
•Take your clothes and toiletries in a carry on bag if possible.
•Instead of carrying enough clothes for your entire say, take only enough clothes for a few days and do laundry in Alaska.
•Buy groceries and cook in your cabin instead of eating out.
•Eat some of the fish you catch during your stay instead of paying to have it processed.
•When traveling with a group of 3 or more people, rent a car in Anchorage and drive to the Kenai Peninsula. Even with the high price of gas, it’s still cheaper to drive than fly to Kenai.
•If there are only 1 or 2 in your party, take an ERA flight from Anchorage to Kenai and rent a car there. In this case, it would be cheaper to fly than drive.
We hope these suggestions provide useful when you plan you next Alaska vacation.