In today’s world, travel often comes with a hefty price tag. Whether it’s accommodation or transportation, finding ways to save money is a constant pursuit for adventurous souls.
One way to save big on your future trips is to take advantage of GO with Busbud, a loyalty program that unlocks a world of savings, specifically designed to reward frequent bus and train travelers, all around the world.
How to save on your trips using Busbud’s loyalty program
To join the program, all you need to do is download the Busbud app from the App Store or the Google Play store and create an account. Then, use the app to book your tickets and start saving. But let’s break it down a little so you can predict how much you’ll save while exploring the world.
The program consists of four levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Every traveler starts at the bronze level. After taking 5 trips in each level, you’ll upgrade to the next level – and save even more. The more you travel, the more you save.
How to redeem the credits:
It’s simple:
Take 5 trips booked with the Busbud app → redeem the credits on the 6th trip
How much can I save?
Your savings vary depending on the level you’re at. Let’s look at some examples to keep it clear.
Bronze level savings
You automatically start at the Bronze level After taking 5 trips, you can redeem your discount and save on your 6th booking.
Example:
James lives in Houston and travels to Houston often to see his family on weekends. This is how much he spent on his past trips:
- Houston to Dallas: $25
- Dallas to Houston: $24
- Houston to Dallas: $25
- Dallas to Houston: $24
- Houston to Dallas: $25
As a bronze traveler, he accumulated $10.50 of cash back. Since he can redeem his credits on the sixth trip, his next tickets will only cost about $13.50.
On average, travelers at this level save about USD $7,20 when redeeming tickets.
Silver level savings
Silver-level travelers save even more on their trips. To reach the silver level, you must:
- Take 5 trips booked with the app
- OR travel 1250 kilometers using the Busbud app
- OR visit 2 countries using Busbud.
The discount will be available after taking 5 trips booked with the Busbud app.
Example:
Maria is new to Busbud and is using it to book a trip from Montreal to New York City for the first time. After the trip, she’ll have visited two countries using the app and will become a silver level traveler, accumulating extra credits when booking her next trips.
After using 5 tickets booked with the app, she’ll be able to redeem her credits.
On average, travelers at this level save about USD $8,50 when redeeming their tickets, though this amount could be higher depending on the route and the bus company.
Gold level savings
Gold-level travelers accumulate more credits and enjoy more travel rewards. Getting to this level is easy. All you have to do is:
- Use 10 tickets booked with the Busbud app
- OR travel 2500 kilometers using Busbud
- OR travel in three countries using Busbud.
The discount is unlocked after 5 trips booked with the Busbud app.
Example
Leo is a bronze-level traveler backpacking with 4 friends through the US and learning that the most affordable way to explore the country is by bus. These are some of his routes:
- Boston to NYC – ticket price $28 – cashback $2.20
- NYC to Philadelphia – ticket price $11 – cashback $1.06
After using the 10 tickets he booked for himself and his friends on the Busbus app, he made it to the Gold Level and started accumulating more credits. Now, next time he books a trip, he’ll be able to redeem his discount, because he already used 10 tickets.
In this case, when booking his next trip he could redeem his credits of $18.30. This means that his one-way ticket for his next trip, from Philadelphia to Washington DC, would go from $22 to about $4. A pretty great deal, right?
On average, travelers at this level save USD $9.80 when redeeming their credits.
Platinum level savings
Travelers at the Platinum level save the most, as this is the highest level of Go with Busbud. You’ll be a platinum member after:
- Taking 15 trips booked with the Busbud app
- OR after traveling 3750 kilometers using the Busbud app
- OR after traveling in 4 countries using the Busbud app.
After you take 5 trips, your credits will be unlocked.
Example:
Bonnie and her family have been using Busbud for a while, and have booked more than 20 trips in the past 2 years. Now that they moved to the US, they are excited to explore their surroundings and take advantage of her platinum status. This is the trip the four of them are planning to take this month:
- Miami to West Palm Beach: $22 each ticket
- West Palm Beach to Miami: $26 each ticket
After her trip, she’ll get a $11 discount on her next trip. As they’re always traveling as a family, the discounts unlock quickly and they can enjoy the best deals and discounts on the program.
It’s an incentive to travel often and explore your surroundings knowing you’re making the most cost-effective and sustainable trip possible.
Travelers at this level save USD $10.65 on average when redeeming their credits.
You should know:
- The discounts you can get from the loyalty program apply only to the ticket price and do not cover the cost of taxes and fees.
- The credits accumulated will change depending on the bus company, route and currency you’re using.
- To have a clear understanding of how much you can earn from a specific ticket, use the Busbud app and see the GO credits on the checkout page.
- Keep in mind: book and use 5 tickets -> redeem credits on the 6th ticket
Start saving now
Even small savings can add up significantly when it comes to travel. Every discount on a bus ticket translates to more souvenirs, a longer stay in that dream destination, or a delicious local experience. So why not join GO with Busbud and start unlocking savings with every journey?
Download our app from the App Store or the Google Play store, log into your account, and hit the road – all while keeping your budget happy.