Some of us just have that insatiable desire for travel, always thinking about the next adventure. We totally get it – we would much rather collect stamps in our passport than do anything else in the world. That’s why we do what we do! Years ago, when thinking of our future, we knew we wanted to travel and we wanted to do it often. But the reality is, travel can be expensive, and we still needed to make an income. So, for many years, the question remained, how do you do both? How can you make money while still traveling the world?

Fortunately for us wanderlusts, there are several different jobs that will pay you to travel. You don’t have to withstand the 9-5 grind if that’s not your thing. If you would much rather be living out of a suitcase, then keep reading. We’re diving into 6 amazing career options that are great for travel-addicted wanderlusts.

1. Flight Attendant

If you love interacting with people and don’t mind a bit of jet-lag, this could be a great job for you. Most airlines do not require any previous training or flight attendant experience and you will actually be getting paid to travel – sounds sweet right? Each airline has their own training program, so once you are hired, they spend several weeks preparing you for the role with extensive safety and customer service training. Some airlines only fly domestically, which means they don’t travel outside of the country you are based in. Typically, domestic flights aren’t as long, so you’re less likely to have many layovers. Applying to airlines that fly internationally, will increase the likelihood of experiencing some great layovers in countries around the world.

As a flight attendant, you typically will work the flight over to the destination, and then spend the next 1-3 days at a hotel before working the flight home. Each airline can differ, but typically flight attendants are paid a special hourly rate plus per diem. Per diem pay is essentially an allowance for your meals. When you work for an airline, you also get very cheap tickets, so you can travel with friends and family for almost nothing. In fact, I worked as a flight attendant when I met Uroš. We started traveling together using my flight passes, and it made it much more accessible for us to see so many new places together.

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2. Instagram Influencer

The thought of being an influencer can be really intimidating and seem out of reach, but the truth is, anyone can be an influencer with the right strategy and consistency. As an Instagram influencer, brands, hotels, restaurants and even airlines will pay you for content creation or promoted posts. Some tourism boards often reach out and offer free travel in exchange for content. Basically, you will take pictures and video and promote their business or destination to your followers. This is a great strategy because you are bringing great content to your audience (providing value) while also pursuing your own dreams and making a living! It’s really a win-win.

Although there is a lot of work and long hours involved, you still have a great deal of flexibility as an influencer. You can set your schedule and work where and when you want. As an influencer, you can just as easily work from Bali and you can from Texas. If you are creative and driven, this could be the perfect job for you. Check out our story here to read more on how we created our dream job as travel influencers. 

3. Cruise Ship Worker

A mega cruise ship is like an entire floating city with countless job opportunities. You can work on a cruise ship doing administrative work, culinary jobs, teaching, serving, entertainment, cleaning, etc. In addition to being paid to travel, your food and accommodations are paid for, giving you more money to spend on adventures and exploring when docked.

4. English Teacher

English is taught in many countries around the globe. As an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, you can live and work internationally, allowing you to travel to new places and explore new cultures. Depending on your specific work contract, your flights and accommodations may also be paid for in addition to your monthly salary. Some schools have year long contracts that include flights, vacation time, salary, accommodations, etc. where others will pay you for your time and you will have to take care of the rest on your own. 

If moving to a new country sounds too bold for you right now, there are other options for English teachers. Today, as a lot of learning turns virtual, many international students are turning to the internet to find an English teacher. You can tutor students (e.g.  Skype) and work wherever you like. With remote work, you have more opportunity to travel and work anywhere in the world, if you have a working laptop and an internet connection. There are international online courses that can help you get your ESL teaching certificate in under a year.

5. Au Pair

Do you love working with children? If so, an au pair job could be perfect for you! As an au pair, you will live with a family in another country and provide fulltime babysitting services, help with schoolwork, and possibly cook some meals for the children throughout the day. There are many agencies such as aupair.com that will help match you with a host family. Using a website like aupair.com, allows you to select criteria including age and country, to display the best matches for you. This job is a great option if you want to spend a significant amount of time immersing yourself in another culture and even learn a new language. Living with a family from an entirely different country and culture will give the most authentic experience and create memories that last a lifetime.

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6. Photographer

Imagine getting paid to travel the world and take pictures of breathtaking waterfalls, volcanos, mountains, hotels and restaurants? Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Travel photographers can make a great living by taking photos of travel destinations around the world. Photographers may be hired by a tourism board, tour company, advertising agency or hotel. Depending on your contract, travel expenses and accommodations could be included, on top of your agreed upon rates. If you have a passion for photography, continue practicing. Take as many photos as you can and get creative! There are lots of free resources online that will give you professional tips and tricks to get your work noticed.  We’ve included some of our own on our blog as well.  

Although they all give you opportunity to travel, each one of these six jobs are distinct. The requirements and expectations for each job is very different so you need to consider what is most important to you. Do you want to see multiple countries or spend an extended period of time in one spot? Do you want to get paid to travel or have the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world? Travel always gives us a new perspective; it has shown us that we can think outside the box and create a career that was absolutely perfect for us. If you dream of spending your life traveling, we encourage you to purse those dreams. Anything is possible!