It's no secret airline tickets; gas prices shot up during COVID and still haven't entirely recovered. Getting around is more expensive than ever, making travels to visit friends and family or explore less feasible on a college budget. There are, however, tips and tricks that can help mitigate costs to get you where you're going, whether through the air or on the ground, including loyalty programs, gas cards, and travel hacks.

Air Travel

Flying is by far the most convenient and quickest method of travel, but it's also typically the most expensive. Depending on the time of the year and even the day of the week, traveling between even major hubs can hit your bank account. Luckily there are options, so you don't have to break the bank every time you fly home for Christmas.

First are budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit. What you sacrifice in comfort and legroom, you make up for in savings. These airlines are perfect for short trips where you're packing light. While ticket costs are typically the lowest in the industry, they are also notorious for charging for everything beyond a personal item. If you're traveling for more than a couple of days or want to pack more than one or two outfits, compare the ticket prices with the fee for a carryon or check back against airlines offering complimentary carryons.

One travel hack I've employed frequently when flying one of these airlines is taking a travel pillow, whether a neck pillow or otherwise, removing the pillow, and stuffing the case with clothes. Travel pillows do not qualify as personal items or carryons, so you won't be charged for bringing them on the airplane. This way, you don't have to pay a hefty fee to pack more and be comfortable traveling with a pillow.

If you have a few more assets to your name, another option is signing up for a credit card with an airline or a card specialized for travel where your rewards go toward airline miles rather than cashback. As an incentive to sign up, they'll offer a certain amount of miles after hitting a spending threshold on your card, e.g., 80,000 miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months of signing up for your card. Spending after that will give you two or so miles per dollar. Take advantage of these offers if you already have expenses on a card, e.g., groceries, rent, or bills. If you're not quite earning enough to cover the initial expenditure, skip out because the interest accrued won't outweigh the benefits of earning extra miles.

Last, whether you sign up for a credit card or not, go ahead and sign up for the loyalty programs of each airline. It's free, makes booking and checking-in easier, and you accrue miles that can give you a higher travel status which comes with perks like free upgrades and earlier boarding even if you weren't the one to book the ticket. This is especially helpful if you're part of a university-sponsored team and fly often or your parents book your tickets home.

Ground Travel

Driving your car will likely be the most common method of going from point A to point B because it's the least expensive, you can pack it for long breaks or road trips, and you have the freedom to travel around your destination. For six years, I drove my car between Ohio and South Carolina. The first ten-hour drive was a bit of a nightmare, but eventually, I grew accustomed to it and began to look forward to quiet time when I could listen to music or a podcast.

Regular upkeep of your vehicle, like oil changes or tire rotations, are short-term expenses that prevent long-term problems. Be sure you're performing those often, especially if you're making semi-regular long drives. Gas is expensive, but certain stations will offer perks for loyalty. Costco is one of the best examples. They're membership-based, so you won't be able to operate the pump if you don't have a card. While membership costs a certain amount of money per year, if you depend on your car, you will likely break even and then some on the amount you save on gas, plus you gain access to bulk grocery items in the shopping center. Similarly, certain grocery stores like Kroger will also offer gas savings.

If you don't have a car, or you do but don't care to drive, buses are another budget-friendly option as long as you have a way to get to and from the nearest station. The provider with the most routes will likely be Greyhound but look for the deals depending on your region. Most providers will offer a free carryon and one checked bag they store under the bus, so it's another way to save on packing expenses. This depends on your comfort level of traveling a long way with strangers. Unlike airports and air travel, security is much laxer for bus travel, but most people, like you, are just looking to get from point A to point B.

The last tip for ground transportation has to do with rental cars. It's a common misconception that you cannot rent a car if you're under 25. You can, but you must pay an underage fee on top of the already-expensive rental fees. If you're visiting somewhere short-term and don't plan to put too many miles on the vehicle, a great alternative is to rent a U-haul pickup for a few days. The rate is way lower than a rental car, and you can rent one as long as you're 18 or older. The only downside is the poor gas mileage, but it's a good short-term fix if you just need to get around town.

Expenses are inevitable when it comes to travel, but they can be mitigated to fit your needs and budget. Don't hesitate to bounce off of this and explore more travel hacks that can get you where you need to go for a lower price. Going through the hassle will make you appreciate even more once you have a job and means booking travel without as much stress, but are also good fallback options if you're ever in a pinch.