Staying Fit

Travel can be very pricey these days, so looking for discounts is more important than ever. Thankfully, there are some excellent deals to be found on everything from airline tickets and rental cars to luggage.
Booking travel via an aggregator site often makes a lot of sense. There’s one that has the official imprimatur of the armed forces to offer travel deals to the military community. American Forces Travel is an initiative by the five military branches of service and the Pentagon, supported by Priceline. Veterans can go there to get deep discounts on travel and vacations.

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Also check discounts from individual providers to find the best rates. Many of the discount programs of airlines and car rental providers rely on Veterans Advantage, which offers plans for varying lengths of time — the cost can be easily recouped by the discounts you will get. Enrolling gets you free travel protection for you and up to four family members.
Here is a slew of offers from airlines, rental car agencies, bus and train lines, RV rental outfits, and travel gear retailers. Hotels deals are so abundant they need their own list. This list is not exhaustive, so always check with your favorite travel providers to see if they have a veterans discount before booking.

Travel gear and luggage discounts for veterans
Dagne Dover offers veterans a 20 percent discount on high-quality bags, including backpacks, duffels, and toiletry bags.
Sword & Plough offers veterans a 20 percent discount on bags and luggage, as well as jewelry made from repurposed bullet casings.
Tortuga Backpacks gives veterans 20 percent off on all carry-on-size travel backpacks.
Vera Bradley gives veterans a 15 percent discount on a huge range of stylish travel bags, backpacks, laptop bags, bag accessories, and other items.
Kipling, with a large inventory of bags and luggage, offers veterans 15 percent off online and at retail stores, and 10 percent off a Kipling outlet stores.
OGIO offers veterans 15 percent off their travel bags, sports bags, and other gear at OGIO.com, excluding gift cards, with a discount limit of $1,000 per person.
Military Luggage Co., retailer of rugged, military-style bags, gives veterans a 10 percent online discount with the code PROTECT at checkout.
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