Travel Discounts for Teachers You Definitely Want to Know About

Teacher

Fun fact; pretty much everyone in my family is a teacher. Okay, so three people in my family are all teachers, but that’s a lot. My mom, my aunt and my best friend/cousin are all teachers, and they love what they do. They don’t get paid much – and they know it – but they love it. It’s certainly not always an easy job. I know that growing up my mom wasn’t always receptive of the idea of us going to our friend’s houses. We always thought she just hated us and did not want us to have any fun when she denied our requests to sleepover with friends, visit or go somewhere with their families. Not all the time, but sometimes. And she never had a reason other than, “Because I said so,” and we did not argue with that.

As I grew up and had kids of my own, I began to realize that she did not hate us. In fact, she simply knew the parents of the other kids and there wasn’t a chance in the world she was allowing us to go to their houses and reside momentarily under their supervision. I see it now. I see my kids becoming friends with kids and I check out their families on social media and I think to myself, “No. No way. Not happening,” and I get it. Being a teacher is hard work. You are underpaid, you are overworked, you are underappreciated and everyone always knows better. Some parents are great; others are a nightmare. It’s a mostly thankless job but they all live for the moments when a student makes it all worthwhile.

When I realized that these teachers are living their lives for other people and rarely for themselves, I realized just how selfless they really are. On that note, I also realized that there are a lot of travel discounts and deals that are for teachers that might make their downtime just a little bit more enjoyable. I thought, because I love the teachers in my life and have so much respect for them as a whole, I might share with you just how you can save big on vacations if you are a teacher.

Ask for Educator Discounts

So, did you know that many places will straight up offer you an educator discount simply for being an educator? All you have to do is ask when you show up if one is offered. I know from being a Floridian with lots of beloved teachers in my life that Sea World is always offering amazing deals to educators and students alike, and even some of our favorite Disney Hotels such as the Swan and Dolphin offer educator discounts. They’re not advertised, but they are available.

The moral of this short story is to ask. The worst anyone can say is no, and what harm will that do you? if you ask and they say no, life doesn’t change. If you ask and they say yes that they do offer discounts to educators, you totally win and life changes for the better right that moment. I like the odds, too, since most people are always happy to accommodate those who take their kids off their hands for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Student Discounts

Now here is something that we bet you did not know. If a location offers student discounts, they usually offer the same discount to teachers. It’s not all that well advertised in many areas, but it’s a good way to ensure you get some discounted travel perks when you head out of town. You can ask hotels, restaurants, car rental agencies and more if they offer student discounts that are also available to teachers. We guarantee that the vast majority of student discounts are good for you with proof of your teaching credentials, too.

National Education Association Benefits

If you are a member of the NEA, you might find that there are some serious benefits for you to use when you travel. For example, there is a program offered to all NEA members called the Click & Save program that allows you to save money on hotel rooms, car rentals and even cruises. You might want to check into that the next time you are planning a vacation.

Government Rates

We hope that you know by now that you are an employee of the government if you are a teacher. If you’re unaware, we’re just going to take it upon ourselves to assume you’re either new or you just haven’t had enough coffee yet (since becoming a teacher) and your brain isn’t functioning at full capacity since school just started for the year. Hotels, rental car agencies, theme parks and so much more offer government rates for teachers, and you might want to take advantage.

Photo by Getty Images

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