Tips for going to nationals for less money?

[JayShower]

Does anyone have tips on how to make traveling to (USA) nationals less expensive? Thinking I want to go this year, it seems like a fun way to meet lots of other skiers from around the country.

Some ideas I have: try to carpool from the airport with other skiers, split hotel, maybe camp in a tent like collegiate tournaments (idk where though).

This of course depends on me qualifying, which I think I can do if I keep improving. We will see!

[mike_mapple]

Buy your plane ticket as early as possible, splitting a room is cheaper, or looking at Air BNB compared to hotels sometimes. But typically the earlier you are able to book the cheaper it should be. IDK if you will want to camp, in the past its usually very humid/hot and nothing beats the cold AC after the day...well maybe a cold beer during the breakdown each day in my case.

[lpskier]

No camping at the tournament site and the airport isn’t that far away. 
Flying is generally cheaper than driving, especially if you are going to ski your event and leave. 
If you know someone that’s also going, buddy up and split expenses. If you don’t know anyone that’s going, ask around at Regionals. 
@mike_mappleis right. AC and a cold beer will be much appreciated after a hot day at Okeeheelee. 

[MI3Eventer]

You can get discounted Delta flights through this link.  https://www.teamusa.org/usa-water-ski/about-us/our-sponsors

[sunperch]

Skis fly for free on Southwest.

[jayski]

[JayShower]

Thanks everyone for the tips! Flights are cheaper than I thought (at least right now).

Also I’m not sure I understand how qualification works. On the usawaterski rankings site for nationals qualifications, the COA for slalom is 85.67. My rank value is below that, but if I increase my LCQ High Rank Value by skiing in tournaments this summer above that would I be qualified?

[scoke]

6 hours ago, JayShower said:

Thanks everyone for the tips! Flights are cheaper than I thought (at least right now).

Also I’m not sure I understand how qualification works. On the usawaterski rankings site for nationals qualifications, the COA for slalom is 85.67. My rank value is below that, but if I increase my LCQ High Rank Value by skiing in tournaments this summer above that would I be qualified?

someone will be along but it looks like men’s 1 the cutoff is around 2@28 off or so? 
 

basically, you’ll need to see 2 ball or better probably consistently to be qualified. (It might be 4 ball). 

[Horton]

I know a lot of pro skiers will go on Airbnb and just get a room when they travel to a Pro Event. As an old guy that sounds completely wacky but I think that's what the cool kids do.

[Gerry Carson]

One nationals that just my son and I went to, I rented a U-haul truck. I think it had a low day rate, like $10/day plus miles. The place we rented from was only a few miles from the site. There was no camping on site, but I told them I was a vendor and we were able to park at the vendor area close to the lakes. We just slept in the back of the U-haul for 4 days and saved a bunch of money on hotel rooms.