8 Awesome Travel Discount Cards (That Can Save You A LOT Of Money)

1. ISIC Discount Card

The International Student Identity Card is one of the best cards on this list. The card is for any full-time student who is above the age of 13 or under the age of 26. The card only costs 25 USD and comes loaded with over 125,000 discounts and its own search engine for them. You gain special discounts on air travel through STA Travel, international recognition of your student status, trains and bus discounts, a 24-hour emergency help line, deals on hotels and hostels, as well as basic sickness and accident travel insurance for international trips. This is an awesome buy for any student. The card is good for one year.

2. ISIC Explorer

This card is the same exact card as above, except that it comes with a much better insurance package that covers mental health, and adventure sports like bungee jumping, hiking, and skiing. The extra benefit comes with a higher price at 200 USD and expires after one year.

3. IYTC

The International Youth Travel Card is great for anyone between the ages of 13 and 25. The card costs 25 USD and comes with 125,000 discounts, deals on hotels, hostels, and flights, along with the 24-hour help line and basic travel insurance. It’s important to note that you don’t need to be a student to get this card. The card is also good for one year.

4. ITIC

This is the last card that comes with strict limitations. ITIC stands for International Teacher Identity Card and gives you the same benefits as the last card, except that instead of recognition as a youth, you gain recognition as a teacher. This card is also 25 USD and lasts for one year.

5. Hostel World Gold Card

The gold card is open to anyone who wants it. The card saves you 2 USD on every hostel you book through their site and it costs 15 USD to buy. I’ve also heard that every now and then they send out free 6-month membership codes to random people who follow them! The savings seem small but add up quickly and who doesn’t love getting a discount on something that is already cheap?

6. VIP Backpackers Card

This card grants you discounts to tours, airfare, accommodations at VIP hostels, and a ton of other activities like rafting and skiing. The card costs 43 USD and is good for one year. Their hostels are most prominent in Europe, but with over 1,200 locations you can find them all around the world. The card also comes with a guidebook package for discounts in over 80 countries. Plus, their hostels are loaded with amenities like kitchens, courtesy buses, and a laundry facility.

7. Hotel Reward Cards

The next two are much more general than the previous ones. I noted Hostel World’s gold card earlier, but there are other cards that offer great discounts as well like Nomads World which is good for $1 off hostels in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and London. In addition, most large hotel chains have their own rewards cards that offer great perks for those who do not want to stay in a hostel.

8. Region Specific Cards

Before you travel, do some research online to check to see if they have any region specific discount cards on local museums, restaurants, and hotels. As an example, Iceland offers the “Happy Days” travel card for only 19 euro and it’s good for discounts in more than 130 locations with massive food discounts and a 2 for 1 Whale Watching deal.

Do you know of any discount cards that I haven’t mentioned in here? Leave the names in the comment section below to let other travelers know!