Ready to revolutionize your 2025 travel game?
This ultimate guide - including some of our favourite travel tips at Hack Your - will take your adventures to the next level.
From genius packing tricks to savvy booking secrets, these 19 game-changing travel hacks could help make your next trip cheaper, smoother, easier and more fun-filled.

Hack Your Trip’s top Travel Tips & Hacks for 2025

1. Get a new credit card

Many people have negative views of credit cards and there can be downsides to them. If you spend more than you can afford to pay off each month, you will be hit with a high interest rate on repayments. However, if you spend within your means and make your repayments on time, you won’t have to pay any interest on purchases and you could reap some big travel rewards. Look for a new rewards credit card with a high sign-up bonus to cash in on some cheap – or even free – travel in 2025. Some cards come with 100,000 Qantas or Velocity points – enough to redeem a return flight to almost anywhere in the world or take multiple domestic trips.

2. Use a travel eSIM

If you are not already using eSIMs on your overseas trips, chances are you are being ripped off by your Australian mobile provider. Telstra International Roaming, for example, costs $10 a day for many destinations. Comparatively, a travel eSIM can get you mobile data overseas for less than $1 a day in some cases. Check out Airalo or Saily, which are two of the biggest and best eSIM providers around. Both provide exceptional speeds and coverage and offer great-value eSIM options for almost any trip. If you are new to the eSIM game, you can even use our Airalo or Saily discount code for a saving on your first eSIM.

3. Buy THIS portable water filter

“Don’t drink the water” is a common warning for Australian tourists to many countries around the world, including large parts of Asia, South America and Africa. Not drinking the water usually means buying ridiculous amounts of plastic water bottles during a trip – which are bad for you, your wallet and the environment. But there is another way. The Waterman Portable Filter removes all the nasties from any water and is compact and convenient to take on travels. At Hack Your Trip, we have used this filter on recent trips across Asia and have found it to work exceptionally well. The water that comes through the filter tastes great and we have managed to avoid any tummy bugs during these trips.

4. Join loyalty programs

It feels like just about every business has a loyalty program these days, right down to the local bakery. Some loyalty programs can largely be a waste of time, but others are very beneficial. If you are not already a member, be sure to sign up for the Qantas, Velocity and Expedia loyalty programs. All can be joined for free and allow you to earn points and receive benefits on flights, hotels and more. Qantas and Velocity points can not only be earned from flying but also through credit card spend, grocery shopping, online shopping, fuel purchases and even utility bills. They can then be later redeemed for free flights or other rewards. Signed-in members of the Expedia loyalty program can save hundreds of dollars on hotel stays, with exclusive members-only pricing available on thousands of properties worldwide.

5. Get a fee-free debit card

If you, like many Australians, do all your banking with a ‘Big Four’ bank then you are probably being ripped off when you travel overseas. That’s because standard transaction accounts with Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac and ANZ all charge an international transaction fee of at least 3% and overseas ATM access fees of $5. These pesky fees could add up to hundreds of dollars during longer overseas trips. But there is another way. The ubank Spend Account is our top pick for making transactions and accessing cash while overseas. It does not charge international transaction or ATM access fees – and you can even enjoy a $30 bonus if you sign up for a new account and make 5 card purchases within 30 days. Simply use our referral code: SXMJWLH

6. Book flights and accommodation early

International travel dropped off a cliff during Covid-19. However, it has bounced back strongly in recent years and many destinations are recording record highs for visitors. Further tourism growth is expected in 2025, so it is a good idea to book your flights, accommodation and cruises early if you can. Many flights these days are far more likely to be overbooked than offer cheap last-minute deals. Similarly, hotels and cruises tend to raise their prices as rooms fill up with bookings.

7. Do a travel package deal

At Hack Your Trip, we love a great deal and we have found – and made use of – some exceptional travel package deals in recent years. Luxury Escapes is one such provider of these package deals and offers claimed savings of up to 78% for stays at hotels and resorts around the world. In some cases you can stay in four and five-star properties for the price of three-star options on other booking sites. Additionally, these travel packages also tend to throw in extras like daily breakfast, late checkout, free drinks and property credits.

8. Bank your Velocity status credits early

Big changes are coming to Virgin Australia’s Velocity program this year. Most bookings made on Virgin Australia flights from April 2 will earn far less status credits. However, if you make bookings by April 1 – even for travel beyond that date – you will still earn the current level of status credits for them. If you are striving for Silver, Gold or Platinum Status, don’t be a fool and make your travel plans for later in the year by April 1. You can learn more about the Velocity program changes here.

9. Avoid paying insurance on car hire

You can think you have snagged a good deal on a rental car – until you go to pick up the keys and are offered insurance which doubles the price of your hire. Insurance on rental cars is handy to have, but it doesn’t have to cost you $50 a day. Some credit cards include insurance for rental cars if you pay for the car using your card. This means there is no need to pay for additional insurance through the rental car company. Check your credit card benefits or consider a new card that offers this perk.

10. Get cashback on travel purchases

One way to save on travel in 2025 is to get cashback on your bookings. Whether you are looking to book flights, accommodation, tours or a rental car, you could earn up to 10% back by using a cashback website. Cashrewards is the biggest cashback site in Australia and has a huge number of partners, including the likes of Virgin Australia, Booking.com and Tripadvisor. You can earn an additional welcome bonus if you sign up to Cashrewards via our link.

11. Take advantage of flight layovers

If you are planning on flying far away in 2025, consider making the most of a layover. In some cases, booking flights with lengthy layovers can be cheaper and you can enjoy a different destination on the way to your main event. For example, Singapore is a stopover on many routes to Europe and those who have a layover of at least 5.5 hours in Singapore can hop on a bus for a free 2.5-hour city tour. Some other popular airlines for Australian travellers to Europe – including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar – also offer free or discounted hotel stays on longer stopovers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.

12. Travel lighter and pack your bags better

We’ve all been guilty of packing too much for a trip and coming back with more than a few items of clothing that we never wore. In 2025, try packing lighter so you have less baggage to lug around and you don’t have to worry about whether your bag will be under the 20kg mark or not. Another hack we have found to work well is using packing cubes, particularly for busy, multi-destination trips. You can find some good packing cubes on Amazon here.

13. Book accommodation with breakfast included

Where possible, we like to book accommodation which includes breakfast. Why? The main reason is because it saves time in the morning searching for food and if you are looking to do some tours during your trip then pickups are often early. Being able to pop downstairs to grab a quick bite at the hotel buffet can be a nice time-saver – and it is also nice to know that at least one meal for the day is already prepaid.

14. Get THIS carry-on travel backpack

At Hack Your Trip, we got this tomtoc Travel Backpack recently and quickly found it to be a game-changer during trips. It can fit LOTS of items, with a 40L main compartment. It also has drink bottle holders on both sides, some handy smaller pockets and separate sleeves for both your laptop and tablet. Additionally, it’s super comfy to wear, well-made and environmentally friendly – being made of recycled plastic bottles.

15. Use incognito mode for flight searches

When searching for flights online, use your browser's incognito mode. This prevents websites from tracking your searches and potentially raising prices. This tactic is fairly common practice for some airlines and websites.

16. Use a VPN for enhanced online security

When travelling – particularly overseas – accessing public Wi-Fi networks is common practice. Whether you are connecting to a hotel, restaurant or airport Wi-Fi network, you could find yourself exposed to hackers or cyber criminals who could steal your data or money. We always use NordVPN to protect ourselves when we are using any Wi-Fi networks while travelling. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet – keeping your data invisible to hackers.

17. Pack a reusable tote bag

In 2025, plastic bags are banned in many destinations worldwide – and rightly so. But bags can be handy for carrying shopping purchases back to your hotel or taking items with you for a day at the beach. Be sure to pack your own reusable tote bag for these occasions.

18. Consider purchasing digital luggage tags

Worldwide, many bags are lost or stolen in the airline industry every day. Don’t let your bag be one of them. Many travellers are now using products like the Apple AirTag to track their bags and significantly reduce the chances of them being lost. These tags allow you to track your luggage in real-time through your iPhone and prices are more affordable in 2025 than they have been in the past.

19. Use your annual leave strategically

If you use your annual leave right, you can enjoy a lot more holiday time in 2025. Workers in some Australian states could spend as much as 57 days away this year by utilising public holiday hacks. For example, just seven days of leave this year could see you enjoy a 16-day break over Easter in April given that Easter and ANZAC Day fall close together this year.

20. Get THIS all-in-one travel adapter

Forget about purchasing multiple travel adapters and bringing multiple USB chargers with you on your next trip in 2025. Here’s an easy travel hack to save you hassle and luggage space. At Hack Your Trip, we use this universal travel plug adapter, which is the ultimate 5-in-1 tool around. Not only does it provide conversion to US, UK, EU and Australia, but it also has four fast-charging USB ports built-in – including two USB-C ports. This means you can charge up to five devices at once with just one wall socket.

21. Use a hotel price beat guarantee

If you are looking to stay at a major chain hotel or resort this year, it can pay to do some price research first. Many major chains offer price-beat guarantees, including Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Accor. This means, that if you find a cheaper price for the same room on another website like Expedia, these hotel groups will beat it by up to 25%. It is not always easy to find a cheaper rate than what the hotel’s own website is offering, but we have had success with this hack in the past.

22. Get a good travel pillow

If you are planning on taking a long-haul flight in 2025, investing in a quality travel pillow is a very good idea. It is much nicer to arrive at your destination having enjoyed a little bit of sleep, particularly after a long overnight flight. The Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow is the No.1 selling travel pillow on Amazon and is well worth considering if you want to add a level of comfort to your next flight.

23. Download Google Maps offline

We always get a quality eSIM for mobile data while overseas, but even the best mobile networks don’t have strong coverage everywhere. Therefore, it is a good idea to download Google Maps offline, particularly if you are venturing to more regional areas or are low on data. This can help ensure that you don’t get lost in a foreign country.

24. Avoid exchanging cash for foreign currency

Before you travel, there is little need to exchange Australian dollars for foreign currency. ATMs are fairly readily available in tourist hotspots around the world and will usually give you a far better rate than any currency exchange store will – particularly if you use a fee-free debit card. Exchanging currency at airports might seem convenient, but that convenience comes at a cost.

25. Book a private room at a hostel

Hostels are only for singles in their early 20s, right? Wrong! Many hostels offer private rooms for couples at far cheaper prices than nearby hotels. Hostels are often in prime locations in cities around the world and many even include a free basic breakfast in their room price. If you are looking to save a few dollars on your next trip, it could be worth considering a hostel.

Summary

You can travel smarter in 2025 by using some of these travel tips and hacks. From making the most of layovers to earning more credit card points and packing some must-have essentials, your next trip could be better, cheaper and more hassle-free.

Written By: Chris
Updated: January 2025

Expert Advice: 25 Game-changing travel tips for 2025