Previously, only wealthy people could afford to travel and explore the world. Everything has changed, and now you can find travel options for every budget. Low-cost airlines, discounts on attractions for students, and group tours make travel affordable for everyone. However, people are still looking for a way to save money on vacation without sacrificing comfort. And a free VPN is one of those ways.
Brief Explanation of VPN
A virtual private network, or VPN, is a technology that allows user traffic to be routed via a distant server. The user’s IP address may be hidden in this way, and the VPN server’s address can take its place. Furthermore, trustworthy encryption techniques are used to encrypt the communication, thus enhancing data transfer security.
A reasonable question arises: what does this have to do with reducing travel costs? VPN allows you to cut three important components of your travel budget: airfare, car rental, and hotel accommodation.
How Airline, Car Rental, and Hotel Pricing Works
Obviously, the price should cover the costs of the service provider. However, this cost is only a small part of the final price. Airlines, car rental companies, hotels, and the intermediary websites through which you usually book all these services manipulate prices. They strive to strike a balance between the highest pricing and the most occupancy to maximize their earnings.
This means that companies analyze the data available about each user to offer them the highest acceptable price. For example, studies are confirming that even the operating system of your smartphone used to search for a flight affects the price. And IOS users usually get a more expensive offer.
Such companies receive a lot of information, such as your location, from your IP address. Based on this data, they offer users from high-income countries higher prices than users from countries with lower average incomes. This is where the way to save money lies, and where the free VPN will help.
How to Save Money on Travel With Free VPN
The way to save money on airfare, hotels, and car rentals is the same, so let’s take a look at it. With a free VPN, you may travel more affordably without sacrificing comfort. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on using a VPN to look for less expensive lodging, flights, or car rentals:
- Conduct your typical search for a hotel, car, or airline ticket using reputable price comparison and booking platforms (e.g., KAYAK, Expedia, Booking).
- Select a suitable option and keep the cost in mind.
- Open the VPN app and establish a connection to a server in a country with lower incomes.
- Begin a fresh search in an incognito browser window, following step 1.
- Examine costs. The changes in costs will surprise you.
With a free VPN, our IP address is concealed and substituted with the IP address of the server you select to establish a VPN connection. Because of this, third-party services are unable to determine your precise location and will instead presume that you are in the nation where the server is situated. That way, you’ll be able to purchase tickets and book car rentals at the same price as they are in the designated area.
So we found out that the price is influenced not only by the country of departure and arrival but also by the country where you’re located at the time of booking. This country is determined by your IP address, and you can manipulate it with a VPN. A VPN can make third parties think that you are in Indonesia, while you are sitting in California.
To maximize savings on airfare, check prices not only by connecting to servers located in third-world countries. Try also connecting to the server of the country of arrival or the server of the airline’s country. Sometimes it is the airline’s policy to offer lower prices for residents of their home country, so it’s worth checking out the different options.
When it comes to car rentals and hotel reservations, with a VPN you will not only have access to lower prices, but also more booking options. Car rental companies employ geo-targeting in their pricing. Aggregators for car rentals get paid a commission for each booking. Their goal is to upsell you on the priciest alternatives with the greatest number of extra services.
Therefore, regardless of the country where you are booking a car, if your IP address indicates that you are in a high-income nation, you will get offers from renters who have paid for advertising services and set up geo-targeting. Users from less developed locations will have access to the lowest alternatives. Use the strategy outlined above to gain access to more affordable booking options.
So, by connecting to different VPN servers, you can find the best deals on flights, car rentals, and hotel rooms. However, cost-saving is not the only reason to use a free VPN for travel.
Additional Benefits of Using Free VPN for Travel
The benefits of using a free VPN while traveling include increased security and the ability to access geo-blocked content.
- Increased security.
We all often use public Wi-Fi networks when traveling, particularly in hotel lobby areas, restaurants, and at rail and airport terminals. Did you know that your data might be exposed by hackers if you use free public Wi-Fi? All of your personal data, including exchanged emails, credit card details, and login credentials, could be susceptible to theft.
To safely use public Wi-Fi networks, install a VPN on the gadgets you bring with you. There is a free VPN for IOS as well as a VPN for Android, so all your gadgets can be protected. By encrypting your traffic and hiding your IP address, the VPN allows you to use public Wi-Fi networks without the risk of data loss.
- Internet censorship can be far more prevalent in a lot of countries than it is in your own. You won’t be able to use the usual social media when visiting China or Russia since those countries have restricted them. It’s also likely that you won’t be able to stream your favorite show on a streaming platform when you’re abroad. Connect to distant VPN servers to get around these limitations. By connecting to a server located in your home country, you will be able to enjoy the usual content wherever you are.
Without a trustworthy VPN, no traveler’s digital toolbox would be complete. So, start enjoying the benefits of using a VPN for travel on your next trip. Especially since it’s free.
