From TikTok trends promising £5 flights to beautifully organised packing cubes, the internet brims with so-called travel hacks. But as a mum who travels frequently and on a budget with two kids, I’ve tested more of them than I can count – however only a few make the cut. These are seven hacks we use time and again, which save us time, money and make family travel smoother. No fluff, just real advice from a mum who’s been there, done that, and packed the baby wipes.

Travel midweek

Flying Tuesday to Thursday is almost always cheaper than weekends, and usually far less chaotic. That’s a win when travelling with children, especially for neurodivergent kids who benefit from quieter, less hectic environments. On one trip, we saved more than £500 simply by flying out on a Thursday instead of Saturday. Did we pull the kids out of school for a couple of days? Yes. But for us, the saving made the decision straightforward. During the summer holidays, midweek travel is a no-brainer if you’ve got the flexibility. (Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville)

Hand luggage only – yes, even with children

Checked bags are expensive and unnecessary. We often travel as a family of four with just hand luggage and the savings run into hundreds of pounds across several trips. It takes a little preparation, and we find that packing cubes are an essential component to get everything in that we need, but the freedom of skipping baggage reclaims and carrying less on the road is unbeatable. Some of the tips for reducing the volume into a personal item (take a small backpack that meets airline dimensions rather than a handbag) include using a child’s check-in allowance, wearing bulky clothes and being smart with liquid limits, such as taking shampoo bars. (Photo: Zia Soleil/Getty)

Stay just outside the tourist centre

Want to cut hotel costs in half? Stay 10-20 minutes outside the city centre or coast. On a recent Paris trip, we booked a hotel in a peaceful suburb with direct metro access to the centre. It was half the price of central Paris hotels and gave us a quieter space for the kids. The same goes for coastal holidays – an inland hotel can be far cheaper, and some even offer free beach shuttles. (Photo: ART on FILE/Getty)

We use hotels.com for almost all of our accommodation bookings. Through its OneKey rewards programme, we earn credit that we often use on airport hotel stays before early flights. Recently, we booked a £150 hotel stay with breakfast for free thanks to our reward balance. Pick a platform you like and stick with it, because the points can add up faster than you think. (Photo: miljko/Getty/E+)

Pack a ‘first night’ bag

If we are arriving somewhere late, we pack a small cube with essential overnight items to save digging through our bags. This includes PJs, toothbrushes, nappies, wipes, snacks, and baby milk, all ready for a quick bedtime routine. It’s especially useful when staying at an airport hotel before an early flight so that you don’t have to undo all your packing. (Photo: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg via Getty)

Call ahead for family-friendly freebies

Before you arrive, contact your hotel and let them know you’re travelling with children or a baby. You’d be surprised what they might provide: baby bath products, bottle warmers, high chairs, bed guards… we’ve even been upgraded to a bigger family room in quieter seasons. Some hotels are amazing, others might give you a strange look… but if you don’t ask, you don’t get! (Photo: Malte Mueller/Getty)