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How to plan a successful genealogy trip

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    Thanks to the rise of at-home DNA testing and sites like Ancestry.com, there’s a growing interest in genealogy travel — people looking to learn more about their heritage by traveling the world, meeting up with distant relatives and visiting historically significant sites in their ancestral countries.

    But genealogy travel is unique — and even someone experienced in leisure travel may find trouble planning a trip of this sort. To further complicate matters, there are actually several types of genealogy travel. From research-based trips to full-on heritage tours with pre-planned itineraries, there’s a whole host of ways you can use travel to learn more about your familial history and lineage.

    Are you interested in genealogy travel? Want to save on expenses and plan the best trip possible? This guide will show you how.

    What type of genealogy trip should you take?

    Before you can start your planning, you’ll need to determine what you want from the trip first. What are you looking to learn or experience during your travels? What are you hoping to take away from it all?

    There are several ways you can go about genealogy travel. You can:

    Of course, you don’t have to pick just one of these goals. If you’re able to take a lengthier vacation, you might be able to combine a few of these trips into one, visiting relatives, doing research and experiencing an ancestor’s culture all in one fell swoop.

    What to do before you embark on your heritage journey

    Since most genealogy trips involve an international trip or, at the very least, travel to somewhere you’re unfamiliar with, it’s very important you’re adequately prepared. That means pre-planning your excursions, studying up on the region and language, and packing the right maps (and maybe even printing out detailed directions just in case your phone doesn’t have a data connection).

    Here are a few other tips that can make your genealogy trip successful:

    There’s a chance your phone may not work while traveling, so don’t put all your plans, tickets, and itineraries only on a device. Make sure to print out the important stuff and store it in a folder in your backpack or purse as well.

    Remember to pack all the essentials.

    How to pay for your genealogy travel using points and miles

    Genealogy travel can be expensive, especially since it’s usually international. Once the flight costs, lodging, food, and experiences are all factored in, you can easily see expenses creep well into the thousands.

    Fortunately, you don’t have to drain your bank account in order to make a trip like this happen. Here are just a few ways you can make genealogy travel just a little bit more affordable:

    If you’re worried about the costs of your genealogy travel, you might consider staying in hostels or Airbnbs, cutting down on the tours and landmarks that charge admission, and making your own food while abroad. These can all cut down on travel expenses significantly.

    Once you’re there, savor the moment

    With genealogy travel, there are no guarantees. Remember: you’re going there to learn. There’s a chance you might not like what you discover, your information was incorrect or inaccurate, or the trip may just fall short of expectations. Try to prepare yourself for any outcome just in case.

    Along the way, try to take in the local culture as much as possible. These trips are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and no matter what you learn, you’ll likely want to reflect on these memories later on. Take lots of pictures, keep a notepad on hand to jot down your thoughts, and bring along a loved one to experience it all alongside you.

    Bottom line

    Taking a genealogy trip can be a great way to experience the world and learn a little more about your lineage in the process. With the right planning approach and some creativity in the credit card department, it can even be quite affordable, too.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)