Face it: we could all use a break. Who wouldn’t welcome some time away from the desk, a chance to visit a new locale that helps you view your everyday life from a fresh perspective?
There’s one hitch: travel is pricey. Costs have risen since the pandemic. For example, a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Europe is about 20% pricier than in 2019, according to CNBC reporting. Higher demand likely plays a role — American travelers expect to take an average of 3.5 leisure trips in the coming year, up from 2.9 previously, Destination Analysts finds.
That means it might be worth exploring alternative ways to fund your next big escape. Here’s a straightforward idea: enter a travel giveaway. It’s not just your grandparents’ pastime of mailing in contest entries — modern sweepstakes still exist and can deliver meaningful rewards. Below is a roundup of some top travel contests currently accepting entries.
Want to Travel Free? Try These Sweepstakes
The Great British Holiday Competition
If your dream trip leans more toward rolling hills than sandy shores, this contest could be ideal. The prize is a five-star holiday to London and the Cotswolds, one of the most picturesque regions on the planet. The package includes international flights and entry to Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill.
Your journey begins with a one-night stay at Middle Eight, a luxury property in Covent Garden. That evening features a Michelin-quality meal at Galvin La Chapelle. The next night you’ll stay at The Guardsman, a boutique hotel a short distance from Buckingham Palace. History buffs will appreciate included tickets to Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and the Tower of London. You’ll then enjoy four nights in the Cotswolds, split between a converted mill and a charming country inn.
To enter, you must answer a trivia question and provide your contact details by July 31, 2023. Visit discoverbritainmag.com on August 7 to see if you won. Travel dates for the prize fall between September 2023 and May 2024.
Enjoy Two Nights in Portugal
If Portugal has been on your list, this contest could shave some costs off your trip. The prize includes a two-night stay at The Lodge Porto Hotel with breakfast and one evening meal covered.
Porto is famed as the birthplace of Port wine, and The Lodge grants access to more than 15 wine cellars open to visitors. The contest gives you ample time: enter by June 30, 2023, and use the prize by June 1, 2024. Be mindful of blackout dates if you already have travel plans.
To enter, respond to a contest question and submit your contact information.
Want to Visit Barcelona?
If Barcelona isn’t on your must-see list, where have you been? Home to Gaudí, Las Ramblas and the Picasso Museum, and blessed with beaches, it blends history and seaside leisure.
Enter Barcelona Obertura’s competition, backed by three of the city’s leading classical music venues. The prize covers economy flights to Barcelona for two, a two-night stay — including breakfast — at the Grand Hotel Central, and a choice of concert or opera at one of the city’s famed music halls. You’ll also enjoy lunch by the sea and a visit to Casa Batlló, one of Gaudí’s modernist masterpieces.
To enter, answer the contest prompt and provide your details by July 16, 2023. If you win, travel must occur between September 15 and November 15, 2023.
You Pick the Destination — Business Class
BusinessClass.com runs a contest suited to travelers who aren’t fixed on one destination but want the flexibility to choose.
The grand prize is two free tickets from anywhere to anywhere. The platform picks routing and carrier, but you decide the destination. There are limits: both passengers must travel together on the same flights, and individual ticket value can’t exceed €2,500 including taxes and fees, so some far-flung routes may be excluded.
Deadline to enter is December 31, 2023. You must be a registered member of BusinessClass.com to participate. Enter here.
Kick Off Your Vacation in Crete
Count us in — Greece evokes summer like nothing else. This contest awards four nights for two at St. Nicolas Bay in Crete.
The prize includes a classic junior suite with sea views, a one-hour spa treatment per guest, and a candlelit a la carte dinner. Round-trip flights from your home are included as well.
The resort has been refurbished and features a 25-meter adults-only pool, multiple dining spots and the Poseidon Spa for ongoing relaxation. To enter, answer the question at the end of this article and submit your contact details.
Win the Trip of a Lifetime — Seriously
Who wouldn’t jump at $15,000 to apply toward their dream getaway? It sounds almost too generous.
Dotdash Media is awarding that sum in its official spring sweepstakes, which started January 1, 2023 and closes June 30, 2023. A winner will be chosen around July 10, 2023 — so now’s the moment to enter.
This contest is notably flexible. The prize is a literal $15,000 check made out to the winner. Technically you could spend it on anything, but why not put it toward travel? Enter here.
Get Cash for Your Next Outdoor Adventure
This one won’t necessarily cover an entire trip, but Outdoorsy.com is offering $1,000 toward your next outdoor journey, plus a prize pack with items like trail mix, hiking boots, coffee and a portable fire pit.
Enter by June 30. There are four winners total, and the $1,000 credit is redeemable only on Outdoorsy.com. Click this link to participate.
Let Hallmark Send You to Santorini
Greece again — why not let someone else cover your trip? The Hallmark Channel is offering a grand Greek getaway.
Rules: enter by June 30, be a U.S. resident, and have no felony convictions. A winner will be chosen via random drawing on July 14.
The prize is a 15-night, 16-day trip for two across Greece and its islands, including hotels, round-trip airfare and a Collette Tours itinerary, with an estimated value of about $11,600. Travel must occur before June 30, 2024. Enter here.
Score the Beach Vacation You’ve Envisioned
Choose any Sandals or Beaches resort and enjoy a 4-day, 3-night all-inclusive stay. The prize includes dining at resort restaurants and “unlimited premium spirits.”
Enter by June 30, 2023, to be eligible. Enter at this link.
Contributor: Maria Bennett often writes about travel and personal finance topics for Savinly, with work appearing in lifestyle and travel outlets.
