The 17 Best Places to Travel in 2026 — Cheapest Months, Local Passes, and Miles Tricks

Make 2026 your most value-packed travel year: cheap months, local passes, and points tricks for the 17 TPG picks

Feeling overwhelmed by noise, inflated fares, and confusing loyalty rules? You’re not alone. In 2026, travel demand keeps hitting new highs while award charts and local pricing get more dynamic. This guide turns The Points Guy’s hotlist into a value-first playbook: for each of the 17 destinations we give the cheapest months to travel, the local passes that unlock big savings, and the exact points-and-miles tactics to cut costs and upgrade smart.

Quick strategy: always pair a city’s transit/tourist card with a flexible points transfer to nail the cheapest award seats that remain after dynamic pricing spikes.

How to use this playbook (read first)

• Start with the cheapest months — you’ll often save 20–40% on cash fares and hotels.
• Buy the city tourist or transit pass for instant savings on transport and attractions.
• Search awards across multiple alliances and be ready to transfer points — 2025–26 has more transfer bonuses and targeted award space.
• When awards are expensive, combine points + cash for hotels and use short-haul Avios-style redemptions.

2026 travel trends that shape value strategies

• Dynamic award pricing is widespread — search more partners and be flexible with dates.
• Regional low-cost long-haul routes launched in late 2025, creating new cheap connections if you time tickets right.
• City passes went digital — QR-based passes mean huge time savings and more bundled discounts.
• Train travel demand climbed post-2025: look for rail pass promos and book sleepers early.

The 17 best places to travel in 2026 — value playbook

Below: destination, cheapest months, must-buy local pass, and points & miles tricks you can use right now.

1. Lisbon, Portugal

• Cheapest months: November–February (avoid Christmas/New Year)
• Local pass: Lisboa Card for transit, tram, museums and discounted attractions
• Points tricks: Use Avios (Iberia/BA) for short-haul from Europe or Iberia redemptions to LIS; consider transferring flexible currencies (Chase/AmEx/Capital One) to airline partners during transfer bonuses. For hotels, use Marriott/Hyatt points in nearby properties and look for cash+points nights to reduce taxes.
• Pro tip: Fly midweek and book return on a separate low-cost carrier leg to shave cash — then use points to cover the long-haul portion.

2. Kyoto (and Kansai), Japan

• Cheapest months: January–February and June (before summer tourism spikes)
• Local pass: Kansai regional rail pass or the IC card (Suica/ICOCA) for local trains and buses
• Points tricks: Transfer to JAL or ANA partners when award space opens; use short-haul Avios or Iberia for positioning flights from Europe. Consider paying for intra-Japan legs in cash if award availability is poor and save points for premium cabins on longer sectors.

3. Medellín, Colombia

• Cheapest months: March–May (shoulder season before highland rains settle)
• Local pass: Buy or top up the local reloadable transit card for metro and metrocable savings
• Points tricks: Use North American carriers’ partner awards (search on Star Alliance and SkyTeam) — often one-way awards to Colombia are a hidden cheap option. For hotels, consider Hyatt or Marriott points at conversion-friendly rates and use points to cover boutique stays that would be pricey in cash.

4. Reykjavík, Iceland

• Cheapest months: November–early March (winter deals, northern lights season)
• Local pass: Reykjavik City Card for museums and public transport discounts
• Points tricks: Use Avios or Alaska miles for transatlantic one-ways to Reykjavik; book domestic car rentals with card benefits and apply hotel points toward countryside guesthouses. Consider flying Icelandair or low-cost carriers then using points to upgrade or cover the return leg.

5. Split & the Dalmatian Coast, Croatia

• Cheapest months: April–May and September–October
• Local pass: Purchase local ferry tickets in advance and look for a multi-route ferry pass where available; city tourist cards in Split bundle museums
• Points tricks: Use Avios for short inter-European hops; when flying from the U.S., look for partner award space via Star Alliance into Zagreb or Split and use points to upgrade to a comfortable onward connection.

6. Cape Town, South Africa

• Cheapest months: May–August (Cape Town winter — lower hotel rates)
• Local pass: MyCiTi transport card and the Cape Town Pass for attraction bundles
• Points tricks: Seek out Star Alliance awards to CPT or use Avios for Oneworld connections via Europe. Use hotel loyalty to book a few high-value nights at a points-friendly property and cash for guesthouses to balance the budget.

7. Oaxaca, Mexico

• Cheapest months: May–June and September–November (outside Guelaguetza and major holidays)
• Local pass: Buy local market tour bundles and combined museum passes where offered; use local colectivo and bus passes for cheap intercity travel
• Points tricks: Short domestic redemptions within Mexico are often sweet spots with Avios and airline partners; use points to cover long-haul flights and pay cash locally for culinary tours and markets — that’s where you’ll get the best value.

8. Tbilisi, Georgia

• Cheapest months: November–March
• Local pass: City transport smart cards for metro and buses; combined attraction passes in Tbilisi are increasingly common
• Points tricks: Look for award space on European and Middle Eastern partners; consider redeeming points on premium transits into Tbilisi via Istanbul or Doha. Accommodation value is high — use points at a few nights and pay cash for boutique guesthouses.

9. Ljubljana & Lake Bled, Slovenia

• Cheapest months: October–March
• Local pass: Ljubljana Card bundles museums and public transport; regional rail passes can save when hopping to Lake Bled
• Points tricks: Use Avios or short-haul award redemptions inside Europe; when flying transatlantic, search Star Alliance or Oneworld routings to Ljubljana via major hubs and reserve award space early.

10. Athens, Greece

• Cheapest months: November–March
• Local pass: Athens City Pass or public transport reloadable card for airports and metro
• Points tricks: Use Avios for short-haul island hops from Athens or transfer hotel points to cover island nights if award flights are expensive. Keep an eye on transfer bonuses from flexible currencies for cheaper premium redemptions to Europe.

11. Copenhagen, Denmark

• Cheapest months: January–March
• Local pass: Copenhagen Card for free entry to museums and free public transport
• Points tricks: Northern Europe has many short-haul Avios opportunities; use hotel chain points strategically — consider offsite hotels with free breakfast redeemed with points to reduce daily costs.

12. Montreal, Canada

• Cheapest months: November–April (except holiday weeks)
• Local pass: OPUS transit card for STM buses and metro; city museum passes for bundled discounts
• Points tricks: Use Aeroplan or Air Canada partner redemptions for transborder award deals; short domestic rides are often cheap with Avios or cash fares — use points for longer legs.

13. New Orleans, USA

• Cheapest months: January–February (outside Mardi Gras)
• Local pass: Jazzy Pass for RTA streetcar and buses; the New Orleans Pass for attractions
• Points tricks: Use flexible points for domestic award sales; combine Southwest or JetBlue cash sales with hotel points. For unique boutique hotels, redeem loyalty points selectively for the best value.

14. San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Cheapest months: September–November (hurricane season yields lower rates, but buy travel insurance)
• Local pass: Consider car rental deals or local bus passes; tourist attraction bundles can reduce museum and fort entry
• Points tricks: Short-haul awards from the U.S. mainland are often excellent value with Avios or Alaska; use hotel points for beachfront nights during shoulder seasons.

15. Bali, Indonesia

• Cheapest months: October–November and February–March (shoulder monsoon windows)
• Local pass: No single pass dominates — book activity bundles and local driver packages for best value
• Points tricks: Long-haul award space can be pricey; instead, use points for premium outbound flights and pay cash locally. Transfer bonuses to airlines that fly Southeast Asia can unlock discount premium seats.

16. Edinburgh, Scotland

• Cheapest months: November–February (watch for Hogmanay crowds)
• Local pass: Edinburgh Pass for attractions and local bus/tram discounts
• Points tricks: Use Avios or Virgin Points for short-haul transatlantic connections via Dublin or Reykjavik; consider rail passes when traveling around Scotland — sleepers sell out, so book those early.

17. Auckland & New Zealand South Island

• Cheapest months: May–September (Southern Hemisphere winter)
• Local pass: Regional rail and bus passes for inter-island travel; city tourist cards for Auckland
• Points tricks: Use Star Alliance awards (e.g., ANA, United) to Auckland; position to Australia/New Zealand during low-season sales and use points for the long-haul leg. Consider a points-covered business class night into Auckland and pay cash for local eco-lodges.

Actionable checklist: how to book the highest-value trip in 30 days

1. Pick your destination and confirm the cheapest month from the list above.
2. Buy the city transit/tourist pass as your first local purchase to secure daily savings.
3. Set award and cash fare alerts across three tools (Google Flights, Skyscanner monthly view, and an award search engine like ExpertFlyer or the airline site).
4. Check current transfer bonuses for Chase, AmEx, Capital One, and Citi — move flexible points only when you see needed award space or a transfer bonus.
5. If awards are inflated, combine a one-way award + a one-way cheap cash fare. Use points to upgrade the long-haul leg.
6. Reserve any sleeper trains or ferries early; they’re often the true bottleneck in price seasons.

Final notes: trust, transparency, and where to save most

In 2026 the smartest travelers mix three things: date flexibility, a purchased local pass to eliminate daily ticketing friction, and a multi-pronged award search for the best mileage value. City passes are now digital and often provide instant ROI on day one; loyalty programs are more dynamic than ever, so check partner awards before transferring points.

For budget destinations, the biggest savings often come from timing (choose the cheapest months listed) and using local bundled experiences that cut per-attraction costs. For premium value, use points for long-haul flights and hotels where cash prices spike, and pay cash for food and tours where local businesses benefit most.

Small shift, big results: buy the city pass first, then book flights with points.

Start planning now

Bookmark this guide, pick one destination, and set alerts today. To make it easy, we created a printable 30-day booking checklist and a one-sheet points flow (transfer partners and likely sweet spots) for these 17 destinations — download it, and start hunting awards with confidence.

Ready to travel smarter in 2026? Choose a destination from the list, sign up for targeted award alerts, and buy the local pass before you leave. Follow these steps and you’ll cut cash costs, stretch your points, and get more trip for your budget.

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