People Are Taking An 8-Hour International Vacation

Thanks to new airline subscriptions and social-media communities, the ability to take international day trips is surprisingly affordable… and becoming a trend.

The Big Picture: If being able to go anywhere for the cost of a nice dinner doesn’t make the world suddenly feel smaller and more accessible, possibly nothing else will. Don’t be surprised if your next date becomes a very quick international or intercontinental getaway.

Behind the Itineraries: WSJ reports that when Damian Nichols and his wife were craving fajitas from their favorite Mexican restaurant, they were able to get from Scottsdale, Arizona to Denver, Colorado and back for roughly $70.

Here’s how people are making that happen:

• US-based airlines are launching all-you-can-fly passes — like Frontier’s “GoWild! Annual Pass” ($599/year) — that lets people book domestic flights for just a penny… as long as they do it within 24 hours of departure.
• In Europe, several budget airlines (easyJet, Ryanair) have been around for several years and allow people to make similar trips all across the continent.
• There’s also a growing number of communities — both free and subscription based — to help travelers stay up to date on deals, including The 1491 Club and the Extreme Day Trips Facebook Group.

Final Stop: Extreme day trips, also called the “notel” (as in “no hotel”) lifestyle, may really take off with cash-strapped travelers who are trying to navigate the shaky world of trade wars, political upheaval, and rampant inflation. It may take away the control of properly preparing for your trip, but it could add a level of serendipity lost in an era of never-ending curation. Just pack a bag and run to the airport…

…but don’t miss your flight back.