By combining several expenses of a trip into one price, travelers can often cut travel costs by as much as one third. Look for packages before buying air tickets, reserving hotels or renting a car.

Luxury comes in packages of all sizes – literally, if you’re shopping for travel. And those handy packages do more than make travel planning easy: they make luxury travel a lot more affordable. The best part is that these specials are more common and offer bigger savings at the up-scale level than for budget travel.

Don’t make the mistake of confusing packages with escorted tours. Unlike tours, packages leave you free to travel at your own pace and with whomever you choose, whenever you choose.

Here are some of the ways packages can help you travel in style without taking out a second mortgage:

Combining air, hotels and transportation in a single price: Airlines often have agreements with car rental companies and hotel groups that allow them to package the three most expensive elements of a trip together at significant savings.

Adding upgrades: Cruise passengers who buy airfare through the cruise line can often take advantage of special upgrade offers for their overseas flights, at far below the normal upgrade rate.

Rolling in value-added extras: Hotels often attract guests with themed packages that add extras such as event tickets, ski lift passes, tours, hotel limo transfers, free bike rentals or even extra nights free.

Offering special savings for families: Hotels often offer a second adjoining room for children at half price, or invite children to eat free when dining with their parents in the hotel restaurant.

Weekends in the city: because city hotels tend to be busiest during the business week, they often have special weekend packages, such as two nights for the price of one, or a second night for half price, or complimentary upgrades to a club floor (which usually include free breakfast and early evening snacks).

Paying in advance for foreign travel: Packages are also paid in advance and in your own currency ,so you know the cost and it is locked in to protect you from currency fluctuations.

So wrap up that package and go!