Trying to decide which companies to book your trip with? Over the last fifteen years of travel, I’ve used hundreds of companies. Some have been great, some have been awful. Below is a list of the companies I come back to time and time again. They are the exact ones I use when I am booking my travel. I’m a firm believer in them and that’s why they are listed. They are the best out there and continually offer the best deals. Use them to book your trip!
This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and highest availability. I use them for all my hostel bookings. And, since they bought their competitor Hostelbookers, they are really the only game in town.
Booking probably has the widest selection of budget accommodation in the world. In our studies, they constntly found the cheapest rooms. I lso like their easy to use interface and no money down policy. They are especially good for listings in developing countries.
This great website searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that larger sites miss. While I always start with Skyscanner, I’ll also check this site too as a way to price compare.
This site connects with homeowners who rent out their homes/apartments to you. You’ll get all the comforts of home and the chance to stay in a non-touristy part of the city at the fraction of the cost of a hotel room.
This website allows you to stay on people’s couches or spare rooms for free. It’s a great way to save money while meeting locals who can tell you much more about a city than a hostel/hotel. Even if you don’t want to stay with someone, you can always find incredibly fun local meet-ups through the app.
Trusted Housesitters is a platform that connects you with people in need of pet and house sitters. In exchange for lookjing after their pets/home, you’ll get access to free accommodation. It’s an aamzing resource for long-term travelers looking to travel slow.
I buy all my travel insurance from World Nomads. They have great customer service, competitive prices, and in-depth coverage. I’ve been using them since I started traveling in 2003.
Medjet membership is a good option for those people who are going to be far from home and want added evacuation coverage. It’s great for solo travelers and super affordable.
Insure My Trip is a wholesaler that helps you compare prices so you can buy the one that’s best for you. While I love World Nomads, they only insure up to 70 years old so if you are over 70, use Insure My Trip.
Safety Wing offers basic but affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans with a deductible, making them a good choice for super frugal travelers.
Intrepid is my go to company for small group tours as use expert guides and focus on leaving a small environmental footprint. I love their trips and the company’s ethos. As a reader of this site, you can get discounts from them too!
One of my favorite walking tour companies, Walks offers in-depth history, food, and cultural tours in cities around the world (with a speciality in Europe). Their small-group tours are curated and tend to offer exclusive behind the scenes access other companies can’t get.
EatWith allows you to eat home cooked meal with locals. Everyone sets their own price (so prices can vary wildly depending on the cook) but this is a great way to do something different, pick a local’s brain, and make a new friend.
Fat Tire Tours offers bike tours to popular attractions throughout Europe and the US. They’re one of my favorite bike tour companies in the world. (They are pretty popular so try to book in advance.)
Like Intrepid, G Adventures runs small-group tours all around the globe. Their multi-day trips use on local guides and emphasize ethical and sustainable travel. Their tours are budget-friendly and perfect for travelers of all ages.
If you’re looking for a fun, party-focused tour company then check out Stoke. They have tons of amazing tours and festival trips all around the world. Use code NOMADICMATT for 10% off your next trip!
This is my favorite premium rewards card as it includes a ton of amazing perks for avid travelers. It’s the supercharged version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and is a great choice for serious points collectors.
This is a great choice for people who are looking for general rewards but might want a wider range of transfer partners. There are perks for avid travel and amazing point bonuses for hotel stays as well.
This is my go-to card for all of my business expenses. The bonuses on travel and office expenses really add up. If you’re looking for low fee business card with amazing perks, this is the card for you.
This is a great all-around card for your everyday spending as well as your travel spending. Offering both dining credit as well as travel credit, it’s a great choice for travelers who also enjoy dining out.
This card recently got a makeover from Marriott and now has an amazing welcome offer as well as some great perks. If hotels are your go-to choice for accommodation, this is the card for you!
This is a great card if you’re a regular Delta customer. You earn 3x on Delta purchases and on purchases made directly with hotels and 2x at restaurants and supermarkets. If you’re planning to fly Delta often, get this card!