Sorting the social media platform’s fact from fiction.
While TikTok travel hacks may be a dime-a-dozen, not all of them are worth their weight in gold. We’ve collected five of the leading TikTok hacks and done the hard yards for you, to determine if these travel-focused tips are actually worthy of your time and attention.
So, do these popular TikTok travel hacks actually work? Let’s find out!
@kristenashleyblack save space save money @ryanair #travelhacks ♬ versace mens spring summer 2020 – ⠀
The DIY neck pillow
TikTok user Kristen Black attracted plenty of applause for her take on the traditional travel pillow. Her November 2021 video captioned ‘Save space, Save money’ saw her roll a bundle of jumpers into a DIY neck pillow as a way to shed extra kilos from her luggage. Would this one work for you? It’s dependent on your airline. While there’s a chance you’ll be able to board with a few jumpers tied around your neck, airlines with stricter baggage allowances may not be so supportive of your extra garb.

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@sightseeingsenorita SAVE $$$ #travelhacks #flighthacks #tiktokhacklife #tiktoktravel #traveltiktok #moreyouknow #howto #savemoney #cheapflights #cheaptravel #travelcheap ♬ Drip Like ME – Kenndog
Search for flights incognito
Can it really be true that cookies can help to increase your flights? Absolutely says TikTok user @sightseeingsenorita (among many others) who believes that clearing your cache and searching for flights using an incognito window can help shave startling amounts off your flights (potentially anyway). Her claims have actually been backed up online with hundreds of people agreeing with her internet sleuthing.
@kingcredit Travel Hacks from a professional Travel Hacker 🤫 #travellife ♬ Fake – The Tech Thieves
Fly on a wednesday
@kingcredit is no stranger to a travel hack, with plenty of his TikTok videos devoted to them. He claims that the cheapest day to fly is consistently Wednesday each week. But we’ve found not so when you take a look at airline websites. There’s very little change in terms of flight costs across the week internationally. It’s in the domestic travel scene that you may find cheap options mid-week, but they will generally be outside of commuter hours.

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@mylifesatravelmovie How to find the cheapest ROUND TRIP #flights ! #flighthacks #cheapflights2021 #cheapflights #budgettravel #tiktoktravel #fyp ♬ original sound – My Life’s A Travel Movie
Change your destination to ‘Everywhere’
If you’re more focused on the bargain rather than the destination we have a TikTok travel hack that’s right up your alley (and really works). TikTok user @mylifeisatravelmovie pointed out that if you place your chosen destination as ‘Everywhere’ in Skyscanner, the leading flight costing website will showcase the cheapest destinations within reach, all year through. Just remember to choose ‘whole month’ and ‘cheapest month’ as your timeframe when searching.
@imogenblow That girl was spooked #budgettravel #traveltiktok #travelhacks ♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery – Dante9k Remix – David Snell
Bring a coat
TikToker Imogen Blow, the self-proclaimed Queen of budget travel, swears by sneaking excess baggage (mainly coats and jackets) into your carry on. Her video went viral when she shaved off 5.5 kg of luggage by placing nine smaller jackets into a black puffy winter coat she was carrying. Can this really work? It has potential, but you’d need to be heading off to a winter destination, and be travelling with an airline which is lenient in terms of the baggage you can carry on board.
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