Planning a graduation trip with friends

Final exam timetables differ between schools and subjects, so the right date is the one when everyone has finished. Have everyone mark their free days in 4trips; the app shows when the whole group can go and the organizer locks the dates. Late August or early September is often cheaper, if summer jobs allow.

The classics are sea and islands: Croatia, Greece, Spain, Malta. Split, Hvar and the islands mixes beaches, boats and nightlife; Barcelona and Lisbon combine a city with the beach; Prague is an affordable capital.

In 4trips each person adds their budget, interests and pace; the AI suggests a few destinations with an estimated cost per person, the group votes and the organizer confirms. Nobody ends up somewhere they had no say in.

• Travel: budget flights or ferries booked in spring cost far less than in June.
• Accommodation: an apartment for six to eight people is cheaper per person than hotel rooms.
• On the ground: food, local transport, nights out and at least one big activity, like a boat day.
• A buffer for surprises, because there always are some.

4trips sample itineraries show the cost on the ground day by day, item by item: a week in Split and the islands starts at around €650 per person, before travel and accommodation.

The number one cause of arguments is who paid for what. Log every expense in 4trips as it happens and choose who it is split between; balances update for everyone straight away, and at the end the app shows the fewest transfers to settle up. Details in our guide to splitting travel expenses with friends.

Many places to stay and some activities require guests to be 18 or over, and everyone needs valid travel documents. Check the conditions before booking. You need to be at least 16 to create a 4trips account.