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Alaska is expensive no matter the season but it is especially expensive in the summer. After all, businesses need to earn their income during the limited tourist season and it’s not an inexpensive place to operate. Normally air fares and hotels are at premium levels during this time but this year I saw some unusually affordable airfares surface. So much so that I was motivated to plan a frugal getaway.
My plan was to fly to Alaska, find a hotel for a couple of days, explore the area, then fly home. I was flexible on the destination and open to just about any type of activity. Once I started putting the trip together, however, I ran into some expensive obstacles. Here’s how I managed to save on each element of my trip yet turn it into an unexpected relaxing journey through the Alaskan wilderness.
Lodging
Summer lodging in Alaska is pricey – hotels hovered around the $200/night range and I really wasn’t interested in the hostel experience. The expense would be fine if I was sharing costs with a fellow traveler or if this was a bucket list trip but it was neither. So, instead of booking a hotel, I decided to buy a ticket on the Alaska Marine Highway System and secure a cabin.
By doing so, I received two nights lodging for $119 total and then subsequently reimbursed the travel expense with my Discover It credit card cash back option. I ended up returning from Alaska via Seattle and booked the Crowne Plaza at the Seattle Airport with IHG Rewards Club points from my IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card.
Airfare
I frequently offer the advice to try one way fares when planning a trip. Since the Alaska Marine Highway ferry would depart from Juneau and my journey would end in Ketchikan, securing one-way tickets fit the itinerary perfectly. I found a one-way flight to Juneau for a couple hundred dollars and used 16,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points redeemed via my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card towards the purchase. This was actually the find that started the whole idea of making a quick trip to Alaska. I subsequently found a one-way low level award ticket on Delta for 12,500 miles from Ketchikan to Seattle.
Lastly I found the cheapest one-way ticket back to Michigan which happened to be for the day following my arrival in Seattle. It took me several hours to match my airline tickets with the ferry schedule, keep the costs down and to make sure I avoided any additional expensive overnights in Alaska. When I finally put the puzzle together, it resembled a house of cards – if one element of the itinerary was delayed or cancelled, the whole trip would fall apart. But it didn’t, it went like clockwork.
Transportation
I had a few extra transport expenses but they were minimal. There was the $15 taxi ride from the Juneau Airport to the Alaska Marine Highway ferry docks and when the ferry docked in Sitka there was a tourist bus to town for $10 round trip that guaranteed it would return before the ferry’s departure. I was able to walk from the ferry dock once I arrived in Ketchikan to the airport ferry dock less than a mile down the street. And what a lovely walk it was. It was $6 to take the ferry to the airport.
Food and Drink
To keep costs down, I did take some instant oatmeal, cup-a-soup packets, instant coffee, and some nuts with me. I really didn’t need to as food on the ferry was not as expensive as I had read. An Alaskan fish dinner was $9.50. Alcohol was another matter all together, but more about that later.
In Conclusion
So, for very little money, a few Delta frequent flier miles, and some Chase Ultimate Rewards Points I was able to throw together a frugal, but great, Alaskan adventure. Plus I was able to experience the grand Alaskan wilderness during the summer season, which I have not done previously.
Many people wait a lifetime to make the trip to Alaska. I say just go, even if it’s only for a few days. I did and it was amazing. Stay tuned, because on Wednesday I’ll share all the details of my adventure and my tips for planning and experiencing your own frugal Alaska Marine Highway adventure. Some refer to riding the ferries in Alaska as an affordable alternative to a commercial cruise. I’ll share everything I learned including costs, logistics, and comfort tips – then you can decide.
[Lead photo: courtesy of Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs]
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