Key takeaways
- Award flights cost significantly less when booking one seat instead of two or more, with transfer partners like Aeroplan offering exceptional redemption rates.
- Hotel points provide the same value for solo rooms as doubles, meaning per-night value is higher for solo travelers than shared occupancy.
- Solo itineraries require less buffer time between activities, letting you either pack more experiences or maintain a relaxed pace.
I’ve enjoyed countless trips over the years—a multigenerational family holiday in Germany, an outdoor honeymoon in Madagascar, solo flights across the United States to visit loved ones or attend work events. But I had never booked an international flight entirely on my own until recently, when I decided a week in Lisbon was the moment to try solo travel. What I discovered about award redemptions, points strategy, and the practical economics of traveling alone has me already planning my next departure.
The Logistics Demand Falls Entirely on You
Solo travel creates a constant load that group trips distribute. Every detail—monitoring flight status, reading airport signs in unfamiliar languages, navigating public transit, tracking luggage—is your sole responsibility. You cannot risk dozing at the gate or leaving your belongings unattended. Walking up to a Portuguese metro ticket machine after a sleepless transatlantic flight felt genuinely intimidating, a stress I would have shared with a travel companion on any other trip.
The exhaustion accumulated faster. By the time I reached my first Lisbon hotel, the combined strain of solo airport navigation, transportation logistics, and luggage management had drained me more completely than a typical arrival day. Yet that fatigue arrived paired with something unexpected: empowerment. I had navigated an entirely unfamiliar system alone and succeeded.
Finding Social Connection When Traveling by Yourself
One-on-One Interactions Come More Naturally
I expected dining alone to feel awkward and sightseeing without companions to trigger self-consciousness. As someone introverted by nature and lacking practice with stranger conversation, I braced for discomfort. Instead, solo meals felt calm and meditative. Freed from conversation demands, I experienced each new location more fully. Sightseeing became less exhausting, not more.
When I did engage with others—restaurant servers, a tuktuk tour guide—the single-person dynamic made small talk flow more easily. Without my typically more talkative travel companion, I initiated conversations more naturally and built genuine connections. Mid-week, my social battery depleted from constant novelty, so I spent a day in Monsanto Forest Park, where trees and birdsong provided the recharge I needed.
The Flexibility to Change Your Plans on a Whim
Group travel requires negotiation. Solo travel permits instant pivoting. This became one of travel’s clearest advantages: when your energy or interests shift, you adjust the itinerary without consulting anyone.
Why Award Flights Become Cheaper for Solo Travelers
This is where the points advantage crystallized. Booking one seat instead of two or more transforms the economics of award redemptions entirely. I had accumulated Amex points and needed a positioning flight from Newark (EWR) to Denver (DEN) before heading to Lisbon. United offered direct nonstop options, but I held no MileagePlus balance. I transferred Amex points at a 1:1 ratio into Air Canada Aeroplan, a United Star Alliance partner.
The Positioning Flight Sweet Spot: 15,000 Aeroplan Points Plus $34
The cost structure demonstrated solo’s advantage clearly. Air Canada priced that EWR-to-DEN nonstop—a four-and-a-half-hour cross-country flight—at 15,000 Aeroplan points and 47 Canadian dollars (roughly $34 USD). That redemption value is exceptional for domestic routing, especially compared to booking two seats. The 9 p.m. departure time didn’t appeal to me, though it represented the cheapest option.
Standby Lists Favor Solo Travelers With One Seat to Fill
I added myself to the standby list via the United app and arrived at EWR a few hours early. A solo traveler managing one seat faces far better odds than a pair trying to coordinate across standby flights. I caught an afternoon departure and spent the freed day visiting family in New York City before heading home at a reasonable evening hour. The flexibility came naturally because I was only managing my own itinerary.
Hotel Points and Travel Credits Stretch Farther for Solo Stays
While solo hotel room rates typically charge more per night than splitting a room with a companion, points-based stays eliminate that comparison entirely. I booked nights at Andaz Lisbon and The Vintage using hotel points, meaning zero out-of-pocket cost regardless of occupancy. A single room consumes the same points as a double room at these properties, making the per-night value significantly higher for solo travelers versus published cash rates.
I also had approximately $40 remaining on my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card’s annual $300 travel credit from prior redemptions. That amount covered a ticket to the Lisbon Oceanarium, one of Europe’s most attended aquariums. I paid nothing out of pocket for that activity—something I’d never achieve with a travel companion, since a single credit amount wouldn’t stretch across multiple tickets.
Solo Itineraries Require Less Wasted Time Between Activities
Group travel always demands buffer time. More travelers means more time spent getting ready, higher odds of forgotten items, and longer waits to enter popular attractions. I typically build extra padding into trips with my husband and even more time when traveling with friends or family. On my solo Lisbon week, the Oceanarium’s website suggested allotting two to three hours. I was inside and out in just over an hour, then spent the extra time exploring street art and browsing a nearby used bookstore along the metro line.
This efficiency works bidirectionally. Travelers seeking a relaxed pace with discovery time built in find it naturally in solo travel. Those wanting to pack maximum experiences into limited days can fit far more activities into fewer hours without feeling rushed or pressured.
Decision-Making Without a Sounding Board Becomes Surprisingly Difficult
I deliberately planned little in advance, thinking solo decisions would be straightforward. I was wrong. Without a travel companion to narrow options or bounce ideas off, I frequently felt overwhelmed. The single most stressful part of my entire week was an evening in my hotel room agonizing over what to do the following day. With more solo trips, I expect this will improve—and I’ll plan key activities in advance next time to sidestep decision paralysis.
Europe Offers Ideal Conditions for First-Time Solo Travelers
Lisbon proved an excellent entry point for solo travel, and most European cities share similar advantages. English is widely spoken, award flights and points hotels are plentiful, public transit is reliable, and activities abound regardless of your interests. Cities cater to different preferences: Paris and Amsterdam for art and museums, Athens or Berlin for dining scenes, London or Dublin for pub culture and social settings.
Practical accessibility matters as much as attractions. You can explore regions far beyond the city center via trains and rideshare without the cost and hassle of renting a car in an unfamiliar country.
Solo Travel Unlocks Empowerment Beyond Economics
My favorite trips remain the ones I share with loved ones—but solo travel proved something I’d underestimated. It’s not simply logistically feasible; it’s genuinely rewarding. The empowerment of navigating a foreign city on your own terms, the economics of award travel for a single passenger, and the freedom to pivot plans instantly make solo journeys worth taking on their own merit.
One week in Lisbon was enough. I’m already planning where to go next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the positioning flight from Newark to Denver cost in points?
15,000 Aeroplan points and 47 Canadian dollars (roughly $34 USD). The writer transferred Amex points to Air Canada Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, since the flight was operated by United, a Star Alliance partner of Air Canada.
Where did the writer stay in Lisbon using points?
The writer stayed at Andaz Lisbon and The Vintage, both booked with hotel points, for zero out-of-pocket accommodation costs.
What advantage do solo travelers have with standby flights?
A solo traveler managing one seat has far better odds of securing a spot on a standby flight compared to couples or larger groups trying to coordinate across standby options.
