Sometimes organising a trip on your own can be quite complex. You don’t know where to start, there’s a lot of options and you get overwhelmed. Don’t worry, I am here to help! These are my hand-picked companies I personally use and trust – I don’t recommend anything I don’t use! Moreover, if you make your reservations using these links, you may get discounts (you don’t pay more) and I will earn a small commission to continue writing for you. Thank you in advance for supporting my work. 😉
Discounts and Travel Links
This is my selection of discounts for your travels and digital nomad life. Here I offer discounts on travel insurance, eSIM, tours, stays, rent a car as well as gear.
FLIGHTS, TRANSPORT & ACCOMMODATION
Flight Search
- Google Flights – Best for visualising prices across dates on a calendar view. I always start my search here. You can search by multi-cities (one way and return) which is cool if you want to find the cheapest option.
- Skyscanner – I have been using Skyscanner for over 10 years as my go-to search and comparison engine for booking flights online. The platform is intuitive, offering filters for flight times, connections, stopovers. There is no better tool on the market for combining filters to find the cheapest flights, which is why I recommend it.
When using this link you can find and book your flight cheaper.
Flight Compensation – AirHelp
- Airhelp – If you already had a flight delayed or cancelled you know it’s an headache to get your money back. Personally, I’ve had a few instances where my flights got cancelled and I always use AirHelp. They handle the entire process for you, taking a percentage of compensation if they succeed. If they don’t win, you won’t get charged either. When you subscribe to one of their plans, you can get 100% of compensation but only if you subscribe and log the details of your flight before you fly.
When using this link and code AHPLS5 you can get 5% discount for the AirHelp+ Smart & Pro memberships, it’s valid for the whole 2026.
Transport
Trains, buses, ferries, cars. These are the services I rely on to get around once I land.
Best for Europe – Trains, Buses & Flights
- Omio – Compare and book trains, buses and flights across Europe in one search. Omio let’s you compare prices and travel times between two points across different operators, making it easy to find the best schedules and fares.
I highly recommend Omio and – don’t forget to use my link and enter code APPDEAL7 for a 7% discount.
- Flixbus – Affordable, punctual, reliable bus travel across Europe. I use it a lot.
Car Hire
- DiscoverCars – World’s #1 car rental comparison and booking site. 24/7 support. I recommend you always book with full-coverage insurance as it covers broken windshield.
Rent your car and get full coverage insurance through my Discover Cars link — don’t skip the insurance, I never do.
- Rentalcars.com – One of the highest-rated car rental comparison platforms, also part of Booking.com, so you get even a better deal. I’ve been using it since 2018 and fully recommend it. I worked at this company for 3 years so I couldn’t recommend enough – they have a 24/7 support in multiple languages and usually replace a car or supplier in no time when you have last-minute issues.
Accommodation
From boutique hotels to budget hostels, these platforms cover every style of stay.
Most-used Hotels & Stays
- Booking.com – My go-to for hotel searches around the world. They have over 2.5 million+ properties in 220+ countries—including hotels, apartments, hostels, villas. Free cancellation on most bookings. I am Genius Level 3 which gives you up to 20% discount. The Genius program rewards you the more you book — here’s a quick breakdown:
- Level 1 (new account): up to 10% off
- Level 2 (5 stays in 2 years): up to 15% off + free room upgrades
- Level 3 (15 stays in 2 years): up to 20% off + free breakfast, upgrades, priority support & free cancellation
Use my Booking.com link to start earning your Genius benefits.
- Hotels.com – I recently start using Hotels.com and loved it. When you download their app you have access to traveler rewards through their loyalty program and some hotels are cheaper than booking.com so worth a check. Hotels.com is part of the expedia group and offers millions of places to stay worldwide, car rentals, daily deals and traveler rewards — all supported by expert tools that make spontaneous travel simple.
Use my Hotels.com link to start earning with the loyalty program.
- Hostelworld – The best platform for finding hostels – plus an active travel community.
Homes & Apartments
- Airbnb – Perfect for longer stays, travelling with friends or when you want a local feel.
TOURS & ACTIVITIES
Time to find amazing things to do. Here are my top suggestions when booking tours, transfers and monuments.
- Get Your Guide – I’ve been using GetYourGuide for over 10 years to book tours, day trips, transfers, and skip-the-line monument tickets — always with great results. The platform’s review system makes it easy to find the best experiences and providers wherever you travel.
Use my GetYourGuide link and get 10% off your first booking.
TRAVEL INSURANCE & CARDS
Travel Insurance
A good travel insurance plan can cover things like lost luggage, theft, flight cancellations, emergency medical care. Don’t travel without it!
- IATI Insurance – Great for solo travellers, digital nomads and Portuguese/Spanish-speaking market. Claims have always been quick and easy, often with no upfront payment required.
Use my link and get 5% off your travel insurance.
- ActivoBank – Se és português, o Activo Bank tem um seguro de viagem ON/OFF que podes ativar e desativar mediante o número de dias e risco durante um total de 30 dias por ano.
Cards
Spend abroad without the bad exchange rates and hidden bank fees. These cards changed how I manage money on the road – and I couldn’t recommend them enough.
- Revolut – I’ve been using Revolut for over 10 years and it remains my top recommendation for travel. It allows you to convert and spend in foreign currencies at real exchange rates with no hidden fees — saving you significantly compared to traditional banks. The free plan works well for most travellers, while the premium plan (10,39€/month) unlock extras like travel insurance, unlimited currency exchange with no additional fees, seven days a week, discounts, etc… Personally, I think this plan is useful when you travel longer than a month.
- Wise – Essential for digital nomads receiving income in multiple currencies.
STAY CONNECTED
- Airalo – If you need reliable internet while travelling — especially for remote work or sharing a hotspot with family — an eSIM is essential, particularly outside Europe. Airalo offers plans for specific countries, regions, or globally (Coverage of 200 countries and regions), and their global eSIM is my top pick.
Use my Airalo link and enjoy exclusive benefits.
TRAVEL GEAR
I’ve refined my packing list over years of travel. Here’s where I shop and my full packing guides if you want to go deeper.
- Loop Earplugs – 10% off with code AFF-THEALCHEMIST – A non-negotiable in my travel kit. Loop Earplugs blocks out noise on long flights, in busy hostels, and anywhere you need to sleep or focus. I use the Loop Quiet 2 for flights, sleeping and when I want to focus at work, while the Switch 2 are best suited for three.
- Decathlon – Europe’s largest sporting goods retailer, operating in 70+countries. You can buy travel gadgets, bags, and so on.
- Amazon – My go-to for travel accessories, bags, and tech gear. Check my curated guides for exactly what I bring on every trip. If you’re in Portugal