Thought paradise was beyond your budget? Think again. A TikToking mum has revealed a clever hack for getting return flights to the Maldives for under £300 – but there are a couple of catches.
Jenna Carr, known online as ‘The Travel Mum’, told her 372,100 TikTok followers they could get to picturesque Maldives beaches for a total of just £275 ($338) – by including a few stopovers along the way and turning the trip into an 18-night odyssey.
In a later blog post she updated this price, revealing how the trip could be snared for just £248 ($304).
Detailing the ‘epic’ journey, which includes some ‘disgustingly cheap’ prices, the globe-trotting mum said: ‘You’re going to spend two nights in Sofia Bulgaria, six nights in the Maldives, four nights in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, four nights in Jordan, and a night in Bergamo, before flying back home.’ In addition, this itinerary involved spending a night at a hotel next to the airport in Abu Dhabi prior to flying to the Maldives.
Speaking to MailOnline Travel, the savvy mum revealed how she discovered the hack, she said: ‘We are always looking out for bargain flights, to get to popular destinations.’
Jenna Carr, aka ‘The Travel Mum’, told her TikTok followers they could get to picturesque Maldives beaches for a total of just £275 ($338). In a later blog post she updated this price, revealing how the trip could be snared for just £248 ($304). Above is Male, the capital of the Maldives
Travel Mum Jenna breaks down the cost-cutting itinerary to her 372,000 TikTok followers. Speaking to MailOnline, the savvy mum revealed how she discovered the hack. She said: ‘We are always looking out for bargain flights, to get to popular destinations’
Sharing the specific flight details in the follow-up blog post, the travel-pro revealed that sun-seeking tourists can fly from London Luton to Sofia Bulgaria with Wizz Air for just £17 per person.
The flight takes off on November 2, at 8:45am and arrives in Bulgaria’s capital at 13:55, taking a total of 3 hours 10 minutes.
Jenna advised her followers to spend two nights in Sofia before taking a five-hour flight to the UAE for an overnight stay. The flight, which departs at 13:55 and arrives at 21:05, costs just £43.
Then, to enjoy a six-night stay in the Maldives, Jenna noted that return flights from the UAE can be snapped up for just £133 per person.
The catch – you’ll need to endure a five-hour 20-minute flight on a no-frills Wizz Air plane to and from the Maldives. The snag is that the Wizz Air A321 aircraft that flies the route isn’t certified to cross the ocean, so it has to follow an arduous route over India and Pakistan.
The outbound flight departs from Abu Dhabi to Male, Maldives, at 11:45 and arrives at 18:05, while the return flights depart at 19:00 and arrive at 23:40.
While in the Maldives, Jenna advised to stay on an inhabited island, such as Maafushi (above), rather than a resort island, to make further savings
First, travellers can fly from London Luton to Sofia, Bulgaria, enjoying a two-night stay in the capital
From Bulgaria, travellers can take a five-hour flight to Abu Dhabi (above) for a quick overnight stay before heading on their once-of-a-lifetime trip to the Maldives
While in the Maldives, Jenna advised to stay on an inhabited island, such as Maafushi, rather than a resort island, to make further savings. On inhabited islands, as we’ve reported, hotels can be snagged for as little as £38 ($46) a night.
After your stay in the Maldives, you can enjoy a longer four-night stay in the UAE and depart from Abu Dhabi to Aqaba, Jordan, for just £17 per person.
While Jordan is a popular winter sun destination for tourists, travellers should be aware it shares its borders with Israel and Syria.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) strengthened its stance on travel there this week. Its guidance reads: ‘The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to within three kilometres of Jordan’s border with Syria.’
Meanwhile, the Jordan Tourism Board has said in a statement: ‘In light of the recent developments in Gaza, we want to emphasise that Jordan continues to be a safe and welcoming destination for tourists from around the world.’
Continuing her travel advice, Jenna told her followers to fly from Aqaba to Milan Bergamo on November 19 with Ryanair for just £25, which takes four hours and 35 minutes.
On the way back, travellers can enjoy a four-night stay in Aqaba, Jordan – flights from Abu Dhabi currently cost just £17 ($20) per person
Finally, travellers can purchase a flight to Milan Bergamo and have a quick overnight stay in an airport hotel before heading to London Stansted
After a short one-night stay in Italy, travellers can finally find their way back to the UK with a two-hour flight from Milan Bergamo to London Stansted for just £13 per person.
Since the handy video was posted, it has garnered over 90,000 views and TikTok users are eager to try the trick.
One user declared: ‘What a deal.’ While another added: ‘Yes please.’
Asked if she has tried the route yet, Jenna told MailOnline: ‘Not yet! We were planning to do it this November but I am now pregnant, so we are waiting for the pregnancy to be more established before we go! Maybe in January.’
Jenna’s plan involves enduring a five-hour 20-minute flight on a no-frills Wizz Air plane to and from the Maldives
For those who want to try the trip themselves, she advised to pack lightly to avoid extra costs such as luggage charges and said she frequently flies with just a rucksack.
She said: ‘It keeps the trip super cheap and makes it really easy to move between multiple destinations.’
Adding one final piece of advice, Jenna said: ‘Make sure you book flexible accommodation, as if a flight is cancelled or delayed and you need to alter your plans, you won’t then incur additional charges. Always book travel insurance as no travel is risk free!’
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