Offer Your Best Travel Tips in the Comments by 10am Eastern Saturday morning to Win.
Some of y’all will remember that I hosted an online forum about technology and travel that was sponsored by National Car Rental coinciding with the launch of their new mobile app.
I rent regularly from National and had been looking forward to the introduction of a mobile app (finally!) and the folks participating in the chat were friends and travel heroes.
I like the products I like, I share the reasons why here, and I don’t want there to be confusion over my motives — if I benefit personally from a referral link I always say so in the post, I frequently try to arrange to give any miles I may earn from referrals back to you in the form of bigger bonuses (some companies are receptive to this, others are not) and I prefer to do giveaways rather than take freebies myself.
There was modest compensation for participating in the National forum, and I already gave away half the amount here on the blog. I split it up into more than one giveaway largely because I didn’t want to have to do tax reporting!
I want your best travel tips in the comments.
- You may enter as many times as you like, but each entry should be a bona fide travel tip. I will compile the best tips in a subsequent post.
- I will select two winners, largely at random but to be eligible to win the entry must be (in my sole judgment) a genuine tip.
- Two prizes of (2) $100 Visa Gift cards each will be awarded.
You have a great chance of winning because internet traffic drops like a rock on Friday evenings, second slowest only behind Saturday evenings.
So.. what are your best travel tips? They can be anything from ways to improve the odds of getting an airline upgrade, a hotel suite upgrade, clearing airport security quickly, the best place to eat at a given airport, anything at all.
I love to learn from this community of readers, and love to be able to share your knowledge back with everyone else. I look forward to reading your submissions, and of course to selecting two winners!
- You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
Renting from National – always check their Last Minute Specials To Go before you pick up your car, they often have much better deals
open up the charles schwab no fee atm card. it is perfect for international traveling!
download an app like google hangout, line or whatsapp and you can stay in touch with family members back home in the US if you are traveling abroad. these apps allow you to make phone calls/text using data.
Definitely make sure to have a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees!
Sleep aids are a must when traveling long distances in a plane.
Always check to see if there is a festival or something else going on during your time at your travel destination. If I hadn’t done that, I would have had no idea that the Ommegang Festival was going on in Brussels this year. I was able to adjust my travel dates so that we were able to see the pageantry on it’s last night.
Be sure to take a no foreign transaction fee cc while travelling overseas!
If you’re a UA elite member who’ll travel to South America, try Copa Airlines. All UA Elites (silver, gold, plat, 1k) are eligible for a complimentary upgrade to business class in all multi-cabin Copa flights! 🙂
Use a points from a travel program that reimburses you for previously purchase travel (e.g., Capital One, Barclay Arrival, Bank of America Travel Rewards) to pay for the TAXES on your airline award redemption, then your airline ticket is 100% free inclusive of taxes!
always…always…always ask for an upgrade
Bring 1 or 2 credit cards from DIFFERENT banks (i.e., one chase, one citi, one amex), not all from the same bank. One time all my and my wife’s accounts got closed at Chase on the same day while we were in Hawaii and they would NOT reopen them. Fortunately I had a Citibank credit card with me!
If a plane seat map looks full (and has no good seats left anyway), don’t select a seat or call to de-select one. You’ll end up with a seat request card and get a seat assignment at the gate. More often than not, a bulkhead will open up because they are blocked off for people with disabilities, etc, and aren’t always used.
When traveling abroad, make sure you bring a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. Those will really put a damper on your travel budget
Buy hotel points to rdeem if necessary, it may end up being cheaper than advertised prices
If you’re travelling abroad, make sure to call your credit card company to let them know you’ll be using the card overseas from this date to that date, or they might think it’s fraud and you’ll be stuck overseas without access to any purchasing power…
Put your toiletry liquids in a clear plastic bag in an easy to grab location in your (hand)baggage. It will speed you through the airport security!
Traveling with a pet? When you get to your destination find the nearest 24 hour emergency vet clinic and add the location to your phone’s contacts. Hopefully, you’ll never need it, but if you do, it’s better to figured it out in advance rather than to wait until the heat of the moment.
Check Kayak for a better rate and submit a best rate guarantee! I just did that for a local best western, and got free breakfast a pool use for my 3 kids!
Often times you can find web sites where you can park your car at hotels near an airport for significantly less than airport parking or even park-n-go type places. The hotels will also bring you to airport and pick you up in their airport shuttle.
Having helpful travel apps like TripIt Pro help make traveling easier because they keep you up to date on flight delays or cancellations. Airlines sometimes do not update you on these very important details!
For choosing your seat via online check-in, be sure to always see a seat map (SeatGuru etc.) to check if you have a good seat or not, because being next to the restrooms can be really enervating.
Contact hotel managers before special vacations and let them know why you are traveling and politely ask if there is anything they can do to help make the trip more memorable. (Room upgrades often happen. Great if you have no status)
Get an under-the shirt pack to keep your credit cards, cash, and passport on you all at times! I got mine at LLBean.
For convenience I’d advise you to memorise your passport number and frequent flyer number, instead of taking both documents out each time you book a flight.
If your plane is delayed or cancelled, instead of waiting in line at the airport to talk to someone, simply call the airline and they will help you a lot faster.
Politely/jokingly ask for things. Example that got me an international upgrade to business class was after i got talking to the flight attendent I mentioned how it would be a waste to have that empty seat in business class go to waste… he gladly let me move.
Always expect the unexpected when traveling. If you are checking a bag, make sure you pack extra clothes and other neccesary items into a carry-on in case/when things dont go as planned.
Be sure to bring enough power converters with you when you travel oversea. Also, bring empty water bottles and refill water in hotels when you are in Europe.
When traveling abroad, take a photo of your passport information page and of any pertinent visas for your travel — just in case.
Have a wallet that you use only for your passport and travel documents, and keep all your travel documents in the order that you’ll need them. It makes things to much easier to not have to dig through your bag. Also, keep a pen in there!
Before travelling to a certain place or city, be sure to check out on the App Store (iPhone or Android etc.) if the city has an app with offline mapping, since it could be a great help to you in a city you are unfamiliar with.
Having a no international withdrawal fee debit/ATM card can be huge, particularly in countries where you can’t easily pay by credit card. While others exist, I found, oddly enough, that the easiest one to get is the State Farm bank account and debit card. Eight withdrawals a month are free. If you have a regular direct deposit, you have unlimited international withdrawals without a fee.
Traveling to places during off peak times greatly increases the chance of getting an upgraded room and also usually allows the hotels to offer better service.
Before booking hotel rooms, look for publicly available discount rates. Hiltons MVP codes, Hyatt”s recent DISC15 are perfect examples. While you are at it, always make sure you are registered for any current hotel promotions to earn extra points. Free points are free points
Before booking hotel rooms, look for publicly available discount rates. Hiltons MVP codes, Hyatt”s recent DISC15 are perfect examples. While you are at it, always make sure you are registered for any current hotel promotions to earn extra points. Free points are free points
When traveling to a new destinations, it pays to read travel blogs or ask advice on twitter. Very helpful resources and tips!
It helps to have an unlocked phone so you can buy sim cards for internet access at foreign locations. Getting a outlet converter before traveling also helps. A dead phone is very frustrating.
TD tank debit has no ATM fee, and theybreturn the fee if you withdraw money from other banks.
Read and understand the routing rules for international airfares, which allows one to exploit stopovers or favorable routings.
When looking for Business Class awards don’t be afraid to continue to look while on vacation as I’ve had luck finding seats 2 days before our vacation was to end and switching from our economy seats to Biz class (for a 10 hour flight). To top it off in my most recent experience w/ this they only charged me a small change fee and no extra points (even though I told them I had expected to pay more points), but if I hadn’t continued to look each night, would have never happened.
When booking flights, I have found that roundtrip tickets aren’t always the cheapest. I have had good luck booking one-way fares on separate airlines and making my trips much more affordable that way.
One good way to get an upgrade (if you are traveling with a spouse or partner) is to tell the hotel agent that you are on your honeymoon. My husband booked a reward stay at a hotel in Sydney once, and when we arrived, we told them we were on our honeymoon (a lie). The hotel agent gave us an upgrade to the penthouse suite for no additional charge.
Hertz has promo for gold member in Oct, 550 bonus point for one rental before 31, Oct, 2013. That’s good for one weekend day rental. I found $23 (incl tax) in Atlanta per day. Good value if you can redeem a car cost more than 23 in the future.
If you are traveling in the US, you can use Feecation.com to get reimbursed for many fees such as wifi, same day change fee, airport or hotel parking fee, resort fees, etc. Ironically there is a monthly fee but the refund could really add up if you are traveling significantly in a short time frame.
At least attempt to say a few words in the country’s native language before you launch into speaking English. Also, saying things like “please,” and “thank you,” will make you a great ambassador for your home country.
When renting a car overseas make sure you are billed in in the foreign currency quote vice U.S. dollars as you get the market exchange rate for that day vice the rental car rate which includes a worse exchange rate for billing you in US dollars quote. Double check this at the time of rental pickup.
When making flight/hotel purchases from a foreign country’s website, always use their native website (like .in, .rus, .sg, etc. instead of the .com version) along with Google Translate to get the local prices. Using browser in incognito mode also helps in avoiding the ‘tourist’ prices.
before you fly, always check on Facebook if any of your mutual friends live in the city you are travelling too- they are a great resource for “local” tips!
Combining two tips into one: “If you don’t ask, the answer’s no” and “It’s easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar” Don’t be afraid to ask for upgrades, better rooms, etc. but doing so in a genuinely nice way can increase the odds.
Whenever I’m going on a special trip and want to ensure an upgrade I email the hotel manager. Beyond upgrades we have received chocolate covered strawberries and other snacks for our special occasion.
Smile and learn to greet in their local language. Spend a few minutes reading about their customs and incorporate the subtle ones into your routine.
Alooo-ha! Good-und-Tag! Como-s-ta! Sawadeekaaa! Ne-hao! Konnichiwa!….and coming soon a-SalamMalaiKum (Maldives in Dec)!
With outlets being so few and far between at the airport, bring a power strip with you to use at the gate.
Noise cancelling headphones are amazing for international trips, I’m sad no one told me about them sooner!
My best tip currently is to look first at itasoftware, go to ita matrix and do a flexible date AND nearby airport search. I’m taking a group on tour to Spain in February, and just keep looking for the best dates for people to fly over and back, as well as those great fares from Butte which pop up irregularly.
Always be nice and friendly when travelling (or planning travel) ~ it can make a huge difference in what people are willing to do for you.
When purchasing luggage heavily consider manufacturers or stores with unlimited warranty protection; Red Oxx, Briggs & Riley, and Costco to name a few.
Use a local sim an an unlocked smartphone to stay in touch cheaply with whatsapp, talkatone and other such apps
Don’t say you’ll do it, actually take the few seconds and REALLY do it… when you rent a car and see any damage, regardless if you are provided a damage form to report it, take your phone and TAKE A PIK!!!!!
Ask the locals for places to eat for great, but cheap food. And as always, being polite and trying to speak the local language (at least a few words) only helps!
Make sure you understand the subtleties of the rules for the points you can get with your various credit cards — e.g. the double points on Amex business gold for airline purchases is only if you buy the ticket on the airline website, so don’t go through Expedia first for their bonus; some gas bonuses are only for “free-standing” gas stations; etc.
Some car rental companies offer substantial discounts if you prepay (or pay in advance) of the rental.
Even if you book a car before traveling be sure to check with Hotwire the day before you travel for a good deal. Then, when you prepay, you are paying at or about the time of the rental rather than months ahead of time.
When traveling abroad, always PRINT OUT your ticket information. I got stuck in a place where I didn’t speak the local language and needed proof of an onward journey. While I couldn’t TELL them, I definitely could whip out my travel info and SHOW them that I would be leaving the airport soon. This has saved me a few times!
Book trips with CSP for free travel insurance for flights delayed more than 12 hours.
This is a sort of “once-removed” tip: don’t use Bluebird for ANYTHING you can charge — use a credit card and then pay it off with Bluebird.
When traveling abroad, I used the Bluebird debit card to withdraw cash at participating ATMs. The exchange rate is pretty much the market rate, and the only fee you get charged is $2. No cash advance fee, unlike credit cards. Risk limited to how much you have funded the account with. You earn miles/points by using VRs to load it.
Be nice, no matter what is going on or hassles you’re enduring.
Call your credit card company when you travel overseas, a quick call now beats no money later!
When renting cars, the Chase UR site has the cheapest airport rentals, I’ve found. Rental must be round-trip and from/to an airport, but it prices out lower than other sites 98% of the time. Compare next time you need a car from an airport.
Download FourSquare when in a foreign country and use their “trending” feature to find out which place is bumping and partying!
Make sure to check Virtuoso, Visa Signature or Amex FHR before booking more expensive hotel stays. Many a times for the same price you get a bunch of perks.
Always ask for upgrades; flights, hotels, cars
If traveling abroad with a smartphone, I sign up with an international data plan and cancel it as soon as I get back, for those moments you need email/data access and have no wifi access.
To alleviate travel stress, some airlines like Lufthansa have ‘late night check-in’ allowing you to check-in your luggage the day before your flight. This is very helpful for early morning flights or if you have a family or a disabled traveller you can simply proceed the day of your flight, with boarding passes in hand, directly to security.
Use foursquares tips feature to find free wifi codes for airports.
Charge everything you can to a credit card with no foreign exchange fee. And know which programs for miles and points can help you on your travels
If you have nonrefundable economy tickets and no elite status, and at airport, and an earlier flight to destination is available, ask at the ticket counter for earlier flight if airline will put you on that flight without a charge. It often works. Especially if you did not check bags. Just did this going from DCA to CLT where the change fee for taking earlier flight offered at $75 when getting boarding pass. Changed with the ticket agent. Got to destination 2 hrs earlier st no additional cost.
Any time you have the opportunity, spend time cooking/picnicking abroad. Not only can it save loads of money, but foreign grocery stores are one of my favorite peeks into something off the tourist route.
Always mention special events, birthday, anniversary. You never know when you’ll be upgraded!
Large ziplock bags are a great way to keep clothes organized and taking less space.
Contact the hotel before special vacations and let them know why you are traveling and politely ask if there is anything they can do to help make the trip more memorable. (Room upgrades often happen — a little work for something very beneficial even if you have no status)
Hit Google for travel deals, but be careful what links you click on!
Several of the airlines offer a discount on on-board purchases if you use THEIR credit card (and will only take credit or debit cards for purchases). On the other hand, there are smaller airlines which accept only cash. Make sure to be prepared.
Some airlines make you present the card you used to book the flight before they’ll allow you to board. This is prevalent in Asia and Africa. Use a no FOREX card to book, then make sure you take that card with you. Especially to off-the-beaten-path countries (and have a little local currency with you in case CCs aren’t accepted – two tips in one!).
Planning a trip that is months away? Make car rental reservations as soon as you have your dates firmed up, but keep checking the rates periodically. Unless you choose a prepaid rate, you can keep updating your reservation without penalty whenever you find a better deal. I’ve saved up to $200 on a weekly rental on more than one occasion. (For this reason, never book a prepaid rate that has a penalty attached, unless you find an amazing advance-purchase deal for Christmas or other extremely peak seasons.)
Ask for standby availability if you’re early at the airport, you might make it on an earlier flight
Oh, and if you’re going to be in a country for more than just a few days invest in a local SIM for your smartphone. It usually costs relatively little, and the ability to call local and use data for cheap often offsets the costs within a week.
Domestically look to book one-ways flights as against round trips. They generally price out cheaper.
Use ATM’s in preference to exchange counters, especially as you should already have a foreign-transaction-fee free card. I always want to run up and shake people who are changing cash, especially at airports and places with such abysmal rates.
When looking for an award flight, especially one involving multiple flight segmens, use your airline search tool to build your itinerary then call the airline to book it giving them the flight routing information. Helps to get what you want. While you might have to pay a fee to book over the phone it might be worth it with complex travel routings.
Always bring an empty water bottle and fill it up after you pass security at the airport. Hydration is the key to happy flying.
If you have a choice of security lines, pick the one without the young kids or grandma in it.
Always pack emergency money with a credit/debit card in a separate bag for “emergency use”.
I always try to keep a small stash of euros on hand — very helpful when arriving at an airport with metro/bus transportation into town. Using the airport ATM will get you big bills (if it’s not out because of a lot of arriving passengers). Even in NYC, the buses from LaGuardia require correct change, in coins.
You need to make miles a part of your planning process similar to financial planning. With good planning you can accumulate miles/points and enjoy amazing trips that would not be possible without spending a lot of $$.
Plan a few actions each week and set aside a few hours to manage your mileage portfolio.
Happy Travels!!
If you are just getting started in the travel game look at the folks that are going for the “hot deals” and see if you can overlap the dates they are traveling. Odds are good you can get guest access to a lounge from them if they are elite flyers trying to keep their status.
If you travel abroad a lot, get a Global Entry card. Sure beats standing in line for half an hour (or lots more) after a long overseas flight. Money well spent.
If you are at LAX you have to visit In-N-Out. It’s right on the end of a runway!
if you are an advance planning, generally earlier you book the better as general rule. But good to keep tabs on specials to favorite destinations so know yearly cycle of how specials play out for any particular destination. For instance special package deals for first 2 weeks in Dec (slow period) often become available in Oct going to Cancun or Maya. So don’t book Cancun in advance for that period of time.
Download new reading material to your Kindle or other e-reader so you have plenty to read in case you find yourself without the internet.
Try to brush up on some of the local customs where you’ll be travelling. For example, I learned that in Italy, in most cases, you must ask for your meal check. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting there forever. Apparently, they consider it rude to just bring the bill to the table without a request.
One of the best tips ever is using the British Air avios (frequent flyer points) for short haul US flights. I’ve flown one-way Helena to Seattle and DC to Chicago for 4500 points each — would cost minimum 25K on Delta (since they book one-way ff tix at the r/t fare).
(Looking at Sharon Jones’ post)– it took me a LOT of trips to Italy before I figured out, duh, that standing up at the counter for an espresso was about a third of the price of sitting down. Of course, sometimes you are tired and need to sit for awhile, so pick a beautiful outside table you can “rent” for an hour or so and enjoy the view.
Do as Anthony Bordain suggests and eat street food. Food trucks, street food vendors, etc often sell really really great local food. In Maui recently we were traveling with a 2-year old so eating at expensive/fancy restaurants wasn’t in the cards (sorry Pacific O) since she is currently a little too restless. So we ate more informally and two of best experiences we had were with street food vendors. Geste Shrimp is an amazing food truck in Kahului (check out the reviews on Trip Advisor!) serving perhaps the best shrimp I’ve ever had. And Ono Tacos north of Kapalua is just a hole in the wall, but serves a-m-a-z-i-n-g fish & shrimp tacos. Neither should be missed.
Using Starwood Cash and Points is hands-down one of the best hotel award moves.
In order to avoid change or cancellation fees on your airline ticket, keep an eye for any schedule change that may have occurred. Even if this change is only a few minutes, you could possibly make the airline change / cancel your ticket with no fees.
I could go on and on. But a simple tip for reducing cost of in-flight alcholic drinks when flying economy is to bring mini’s of alcohol with you on board. Bring alcohol that mixes well with the free sodas like coke/pepsi, orange juice, cranberry-apple, or coffee. Make your own drinks for cheap. My favorite is malibu coconut rum ($1 per mini) with orange juice.
Check and double check with your credit card companies that they are aware of you travelling internationally…never want your card frozen on a very important trip!
Be sure to use a cashback service/site like Ebates. or FatWallet.com before purchasing travel. You
can find comparisons of them and others at:
http://www.cashbackmonitor.com/
to determine the best cashback deal.
Make a note of the tracking numbers and with the date (you made the reservation)as some cashback sites make it difficult to go back and retrieve these numbers (if the cashback doesn’t arrive in a reasonable amount of time.)For example if you book a hotel many months in advance the cashback is not credited immediately. Then you have have to supply the tracking number but it’s not easily retrievable. (which is usually my issue)
Be flexible with your wish list so you can jump on a bargain fare. Off-peak destinations often have decent weather and if the air is cheap chances are the hotel savings will be good too and if you are really lucky and get especially nice weather it is a major score!
I have followed the “airfare drops at 3pm on tuesdays” fare religiously and it has always proved to be the cheapest time to book
Price your award travel out one leg at a time looking for the lowest price of award. Then use that schedule to build to full award.
Use uber when traveling to/from airports! Lines at major airports such as JFK have notoriously long lines and the car service uber allows you to schedule a pick-up via text and runs discounted promotions all the time
When booking hotels online, always check with the hotel itself to confirm your actual reservation.
always join the hotel’s rewards program even if it isnt a big chain. i was at the omni parker in boston last week and the ten seconds i took to register for omni rewards resulted in free wifi, 2 items of free pressing, free coffee delivery in the morning, etc.
Sometimes airlines call center wait times can be REALLY long. You can try to call the airline’s local office in other countries and get a much quicker respond. Most of these offices will have pretty good english speaking employees.
Always bring an empty water bottle with you on flights that you can fill up on the other side of security. The prices of bottled water at airports continues to be on the rise in the past decade!
Long term parking – always look up deals online instead of paying at the front gate. Money is easily saved!
Check out multi leg option when booking flights. Might be cheaper to fly into one airport and leave from another especially if it works well into your plans for international travel.
Definitely the Central America – South Asia sweet spot on US Airways for 90k miles in business is one of my favorite tips. Not only do you get a free one way from Central America, Mexico or the Caribbean to your home in the US (stopover in North America) but you then get to go to South Asia AND save 30,000 miles in the process. I love win-win situations.
This is for all the mom’s out there.
If you decide to take your children on a lovely scenic horseback ride through the vineyards that dot the coastline of the Adriatic…as soon as you get back to the hotel…and I do mean “as soon as”…dump a good amount of Fairy Tales or Bye Bye Lice shampoo on their darling little heads and YOURS. Lather and sit yourselves in front of the tube for 30 mint’s. Rinse and enjoy the rest of the vacation. Trust me, it’s much easier to take along a little bottle of an all natural lice shampoo than it is to figure out that your little darlings got lice from the riding helmets in Europe. This tip will not only save you hours upon hours of combing and aggravation…BUT!…will also save you from having to call your boss to tell him you just discovered you have lice an hour ago and cannot come in to give the presentation, and that you just emailed him the deck so he can give it. And THAT my friends is by far the best travel tip you will ever receive from me.
Have Accor program automatically move your hotel points into your favorite airline program. Tip: search Boarding area for steps.
when I travel abroad I often need a GPS device to find my way around. You can use your smart phone as a GPS without using your data connection by downloading the map data first before traveling. I turn on my smart phone to use GPS but turn off the data connection to avoid any charges.
Buy eForCity COTHPLUGUN01 Insten Universal World Wide Travel Charger Adapter Plug, White from Amazon…Cheapest and the best universal travel adapter you will buy.
PS I have no incentive for referring this product.
Have points in several Hotel chains so that you have options for your destinations.
When signing up for a credit card with a mileage/points bonus, always look for better deals on this and other travel sites. I just got a United MP Explorer card with 50K bonus point (with $2000 purchase in 3 months) and a $50 statement credit. Because I kept searching through additional offers, I definitely improved upon the original offer I received of 30K miles.
Issuing your airline ticket in countries outside the U.S can really save money sometimes. For example: BRAZIL has a law that airlines cannot add fuel surcharge. Another example: in ISRAEL there is a law that will give you 14 days from purchase to cancel a ticket for a very small fee of aprox 25usd, and this can be applied to tickets that originate and terminate ANYWHERE (not only start or end in Israel).
Take your Garmin with you when you travel. You can purchase the correct map, and then preprogram your own Garmin GPS for your trip. Then instead of fussing with a rented unit from the rental car company you have your trusty home unit with all the Favorite locations already loaded.
I’ll start with one of my hometown airports. Try to the steakhouse on the A Concourse. It is reasonably priced, and the food is decent.
I always put in a kosher meal request for international travel when travelling economy class. Kosher meals are way better quality than the standard “chicken or beef”. A second advantage is that you’ll be served first. There are usually a couple of meals leftover once everyone is served – if you’re polite and ask ahead of time if you can have a leftover meal if there are any, you can get seconds. That way you can actually fill your tummy if you’re hungry, as standard airline meals are puny serving sizes.
I signed up for an account with Rebtel (rebtel.com). It assigns a US phone number that you can call to connect to a specific overseas phone number. If I get stuck at a US airport for any reason, I can call the US number from my cell phone and talk to my people overseas with an explanation.
Carry extra zip lock bags on your trip. Useful in case you have an issue with your liquid bag (ie bottle spill). Very useful for warmer clients when keeping things dry in your pocket such as passport, money, etc.
Twitter isn’t just a place for self-aggrandizing celebrities – it is the perfect aggregation of quick tips, trip reports, and breaking deals. It is one of the few ways to catch mistake fares, but you can also spend hours churning through tips and chatter about your favorite hobby – travel!
Call the bank that issued your credit card before international travel and tell them where you’re going. Otherwise your card might get blocked after the first use abroad since they suspect fraud. Much better to call before travel and prevent any issues.
Purchase and know how to use ExpertFlyer via the smartphone. It has saved me in IRROPS/SDC situations (especially on UA) several times.
Always seal open liquids well and pack in plastic bag.
Carry a couple of 20 gallon kitchen trash bags. Use one for your dirty laundry as you travel (even better with the new Febreeze trash bags). Use others as seat covers on wet seats on Hop On Hop Off buses, any other wet surfaces you might want to sit on, covering those dirty pair of extra shoes in your luggage, etc.
Be open to new experiences and welcome the hospitality of others. Sure a little healthy skepticism is fine, but don’t let your paranoia and distrust get in the way of meeting the genuinely nice people that inhabit our world, both near and far.
Read a lot of travel blogs to learn as much as possible. 😀
My #1 travel tip is to purchase airline tickets directly from the carrier, not a third-party site. After a nightmare on our honeymoon, I will always buy direct from now on! It is not worth the perceived savings.
My #2 travel tip is to pack light and re-use. As a woman, take the opportunity to create new outfits from a limited arsenal. Get creative!
As in #56, shop at local grocery stores for souvenirs to bring home to friends and family – and buy a reusable grocery bag for yourself. You’ll be reminded of your travels every time you go shopping. Cheap and useful souvenir!
Always pack less than you think you need, also plan fewer stops on your trips to enjoy it more.
Bundle packing is one of my favorites – save space and keeps your cloths wrinkle free.
When flying overnight on a business trip to a new destination, time your arrival for early morning the day before, and arrange for a tour of the local sites of interest. You’ll enjoy a good night sleep later, be fresher for your business the following day, and subdue jet lag. The bonus is you’ll have seen the interesting highlights of your destination, making the trip more enjoyable and giving you basis for conversation with the local business contacts the following day. Well worth the price of one extra night at the hotel.
Look ahead at the destinations travel options and plan ahead on your pathing. You can plan out your walking, subway, bus, etc. path prior to your vacation. You can understand the frequency of public transporation and travel time through the websites. You can use Google to give you estimate of walk times and drive times. Best of all is using Google Maps with the Street view and getting a feel for the land marks and how to move around the area.
Try to work into an email or conversation with any place you have a reservation at that you are celebrating something. It’s best not to lie so pick the closest occasion even if it was a few weeks before or after. Honeymoons and anniversary trips are fairly likely to get you a hotel ugrade or at least a bottle of champagne…
For longer trips, check into staying at a condo which is often cheaper than a hotel and you can save money and eat healthier by preparing a few meals in the kitchen.
Multiple compression bags. Either separate out by days or by function and utilize compression bags to save tons of space. Allows you to carry smaller bags and give you more options for packing.
Take some snack food in your bag both for the plane ride and while you are out on adventures in the place you are visiting.
Make sure to charge your camera before leaving for the vacation and take the charger with you if you may need it. Better safe than sorry.
Roll your clothes up instead of folding them as it takes up less space allowing you to take more or have a smaller bag. You pick!
Wear the shoes for your flight that will take up the most space, and pack the small/light shoes.
Print out multiple copies of your itinerary, tour packets, airline info, hotel info, etc. Every person traveling should have a copy and should keep it separate from yours. This way in case one person loses their bag there is a backup. Keep one copy in an easy to access area for airline/rail/car rental/hotel check-ins.
Pack a small backpack or drawstring bag to carry your small stuff while exploring.
Having no status, I am always eager to get good seats. Both my husband and I prefer aisles and we have had good luck asking for aisles across from eachother. We often find the middles next to one or both of us end up free and our trip is all the more comfortable, much more so than if one of us was in the middle seat.
Set your alarm for exactly 24 hours before your southwest flight so u can check in online and get an early boarding zone
When booking airline tickets, always get the confirmation number from the airline itself, as other booking sites may give you their own confm. number which can differ from the airline.
I go to my local laundromat and pick up a single size box of detergent for $1, then put it in a plastic baggie and put it in my suitcase. Detergent (esp single serve) is not always available in laundromats abroad (one I’ve been to in Paris, for example). Or you can get it at the hotel but at a crazy markup (a Westin in Canada that I otherwise love). The single size box is really thin and fits well in a zipper pocket inside my suitcase.
I should mention that I travel w toddler twins and I always have to do laundry so I’ve spent a good desk of time thinking about and doing this!
leave yourself a text message of where you parked the car at the airport. Nothing like getting back home and wandering the lot in search of your car!
Try to limit your meals to Breakfast and dinners. Take granola bars, trail mix, etc. and eat that for your lunch on the go while maximizing your day. This allows you to see more things that are only open during the day and not spending valuable time eating lunch in a restaurant.
Get a travel case for your electric toothbrush. Going back to a regular (caveman style) toothbrush is the worst…
Double-check your mileage accounts to make sure you got the proper credits you deserved.
Take a plastic bag to put your dirty clothes in so that you can separate them from the clean ones in your suitcase.
Get a credit card that has no foreign transaction fee.
Make sure to take a business card, piece of hotel statinonary, or a print out you brought from home with your Hotel’s name and address in case you need a cab later in the day. Much easier to just give the cab driver the exact name and address especially in international destinations.
When renting a car, first check what coverage your credit card includes.
Don’t set up a destination until you find good deals on tickets/hotels if you are on budget.
If you aren’t wearing it on the flight, don’t forget your belt! It’s an easy thing to forget to pack.
I know most people here are interested in premium cabin travel. however, if you are stuck in the back of the plane on a long flight to Europe or Asia (just like me) and you want the seat next to you in coach class to be empty, choose an aisle seat in the middle block of the plane (as opposed to a seat in any one of the window blocks). the middle seats in the middle blocks are the last seats to be chosen by travelers, so they are the most likely ones to stay empty. this has worked very well for me over the years….
In case of a flight cancellation at the airport, try calling the airline’s 800# for rebookings while you’re standing in a long line waiting to be rebooked. Often you will be rebooked much quickly over the phone, saving you time and possibly getting you on a better flight than the people waiting in line in front of you. 🙂 If you have access to the airline’s club lounge, that is also a great place to go for rebookings instead of the general 100+ passengers long line.
Log-in and print your boarding pass 24 hours ahead.
Take a “travel wallet” with only the cards and id’s you will be needing on the trip. Leave the excess at home.
Always be courteous to airline and hotel personnel – will get you farther than having status.
Pre-book dinner reservations before arriving in the city. Domestic and international destinations have many options to book using Opentable, Toptable, etc. through the web. Many hotels will take reservations right through email or comments section of the hotel reservation. Allows you to already pre-scout a dinner spot and have a reservation versus wandering the area and waiting for an hour to be seated.
Take a small container of liquid hand soap as bar soap can leave your hands feeling all sticky…
Buy a few restaurant coupons in the city you will be visiting on sites like restaurant.com and groupon to save a little bit on meals.
Take a little time before leaving home to study the public transit if you will be using it. Subways and sorts can be tricky to figure out on your phone…
My best travel tip for inter-time-zone travel is very simply–if you are American, bring melatonin. It is the best way to get rid of jetlag, either by taking a late flight and sleeping, or the first night you arrive.
Ask for the can of soda, it will save the flight attendant the time of pouring and you will have more to drink.
Use ExOfficio travel shirts for their security pockets, non-wrinkle, convertible sleeves, extra venting, and overall ease of use. Some come with UV protection or Bug protection, great for those warmer climates. Overall, great to keep valuables more secure and handy.
Check before leaving to see if you have access to lounges at any of the airports you will be spending time at. It makes layovers much more enjoyable.
Before getting in the security line just take everything out of your pockets and put them in your carry-on. (cell, wallet, keys, money)
Get both the Tripit and AwardWallet apps on your phone so that you can have all of your travel reservation information and all of your loyalty numbers at your fingertips.
If you are visiting Portland, Oregon, you can buy your souvenirs and gifts at the airport on your way out. Some very Portland shops have branches at PDX, including Made in Oregon, Mother Goose, Powell’s, Columbia Sportswear, and others. The prices are the same as in the city and of course there is no sales tax. So no need to shop in town unless you want to!
Take advantage of free wifi wherever you can find it, particularly when traveling overseas
If you’re going to a place with a spa, book your massage etc BEFORE arriving. Otherwise you may be disappointed to find there are no openings after you arrive.
Be sure to check the quantity and expiration date of your Over The Counter drugs and refresh any that have gone out of date or no longer have. Do not want to get to a destination and need an OTC drug only to find it is out of date or you used them all on the last trip.
Make sure to download travel apps to your phone such as you Airline, Hotel, etc. Then when use that app when checking in, when trying to check flight status, etc. Some of the airline apps also have terminal maps, lounge locations, and baggage information which can be useful when arriving at unfamiliar airports.
My number 1 tip is to try Priceline for bargain hotel bookings. You can often figure out what hotels are available by checking online forums and searching Hotwire to determine inventory.
I like to have an extra storage plastic bag to throw in change, cell phones, keys, etc before going through security. It makes it faster going through and easier getting out.
If you’re elite on Delta and they don’t upgrade you to first class, you can always get your glass of wine (in plastic, though — darn)or snack box with your “Have one on us” coupon that prints out with your boarding pass — IF you have printed that before arriving at the airport. If you don’t have a printer available and wait to print out the pass at the airport kiosk, you won’t get that coupon. SO, when traveling, don’t just check in online in your hotel room, but ask if you can PRINT your boarding pass at the hotel’s business computer and get that freebee.
Get an international atomic wrist watch. Great to just select your destination city and not have to re-program your watch. This also allows you to easily flip back to your home setting and see the local time. Casio has some very fine inexpensive options in this area.
Keep your passport in a money belt when traveling abroad — and sleep with it under you pillow. Trust me, you don’t want to deal with replacing a stolen passport.
You can buy first class lounge passes on Ebay if that’s your thing.
The Check Inn program by CLC lodging offers corporate rates for small business travelers.
Open up an Amex prepaid card, it works both as ATM and credit cards. The best part being it has no annual fees, no foreign exchange fees or transaction fees
Pay attention to the locals in front of you in the security line when traveling internationally. Many times you will not need to remove things like shoes or belts abroad. This will save you time and effort by not removing those items when you are not expected to do so.
Seek out the local, unique experiences. Stay away from Western chain hotels and get out and meet people.
Scan and email yourself a copy of your passport and all credit cards (front and back) that you will be travelling with in case they are lost or stolen.
Learn how to say a few words in the language of the country you are visiting. We learned “thank you,” “thank you very much,” “hello” and “goodbye” in Turkish before our recent visit to Istanbul and the smiles we got from the people we interacted with in stores, when asking directions, in restaurants and even at border control were well worth the effort. People really appreciate it. I actually carried a card in my pocket and sometimes dug it out to read to someone which made them smile even more.
Subscribe to the Best Rate Guarantee blog and spend a little time checking out rates if they post a deal in the city you’re traveling to. You can often get a matching rate plus $50 off on your next Expedia booking, but sometimes you can even get a free night (IHG guarantee). Best Western’s best rate guarantee matches a lower rate and gives you a $100 gift cert towards your next stay. This takes time, but it can add up to some serious savings.
Ensure you have a fee transaction fee-free and “chipped” cards at your disposal, otherwise you face 3%+ fees assuming you’re able to even use a card!
Probably has been said before, but check hotel prices every day after you book. Direct hotel sites change their prices frequently (especially discounted rate) and they will most likely adjust it when you call!
Always double check your reservations a few days before your scheduled travel to make sure everything is fine. It will prevent you last minute headaches and even being stranded without an airline or hotel reservation!
Scan a copy of your passport, credit cards, drivers license, etc. Basically anything you are traveling with that if you lost you would need to replace/report. Keep that separate if you can while traveling from those items. During the day carry the scanned copy of your passport with you and keep actual passport in the hotel safe (or vice versa if you need it during the day). Alternatively, if you have an expired passport carry that during the day and keep the actual one in the safe. Basically, like a boy scout prepare in advance for having to deal with a lost passport, credit card, etc.
Travel with multiple credit cards. Keep at least one in the hotel safe along with some back up cash. Then you have a fall back option in case you are robbed.
If you are traveling with another person (ie spouse) make sure you are not carrying the same credit cards. Otherwise, if one loses it you both are out of luck when you go to cancel the card.
Prioritize the best cards for your daily use (ie no foreign transaction fee’s for intl travel, points based, miles based, etc.).
I always write out on a small card in the native language of the country I’m visiting,”Do you have WiFi?” and “What is the password?”.
For your drivers license, take the most ridiculous picture the DMV staff will allow (note: they don’t allow wigs, but may allow fake facial hair). Everyone looks at your drivers license
It has gotten me hotel suite upgrades (front desk staff laughed when I checked in), free drink vouchers (check in for a flight at a staffed kiosk, ask for something when they laugh), tips from TSA on which security line is the shortest (TSA agents really appreciate a chuckle after scanning thousands of drivers licenses a day), and a few free appetizers a the hotel bar (bartenders check IDs too!).
Keep your toiletry liquids in a sturdy, clear plastic bag in a very easy-to-grab location in your bag. This will speed you through airport security.
Just like you buy your airline tickets ahead of time you can do the same with Train tickets, metro passes, Museum passes, tours, etc. If you plan your trip well in advance you can then make sure you have everything already taken care of and also have the option on spacing the payment out on these items as you can buy them over time. It also saves you time at your destination because you are not waiting in lines to buy these items.
Don’t lock your suitcases when you check them. TSA will cut the locks off.
It is worth it to have a certified copy of your passport.
Make sure your credit card can be used in the country you are traveling to.
Bring enough currency.
Don’t fill up your suitcase since you will be bringing souvenirs home
Learn how to say “Hello”, “Please “and “Thank You” in whatever the language is of the place you are visiting, should it be different to your native language. Manners matter.
When traveling internationally, check to see if there is any app available with GPS available that does not require purchasing the country’s SIM card. And before heading out on the trip, select a few places you want to go, and use that app to help you get there – either through walking or driving.
Charles Schwab debit card is also the best – no foreign transaction fee, and reimbursement for all ATM fees.
Check out the average temperature, rainfall, etc. when planning your trip. Make sure those averages are something you and your travel party can live with. Nothing worse than arriving in the Monsoon season, hurricane season, etc. and not being able to enjoy the location.
You can buy most foreign currency from your local bank. It is usually helpful to buy at least some local currency this way so that you can be assured that you have some when you arrive. Then if you are not able to find a quick ATM or reasonable currency exchange when you arrive you can wait to find one later. Also, if you have planned well in advance, then you can buy currency when the Dollar is strong and get a better exchange rate.
If your hotel is charging an arm and a leg for water, just get free water at the gym.
When traveling abroad make sure to use ATM adjacent to a bank. Foreign cards are sometimes swallowed by ATMs. If this is a standalone ATM, good luck getting the card back
Read Gary’s blog, View from the Wing, among the other great blogs on http://www.boardingarea.com
If you look like you mean business, people are more likely to treat you like it. A suit jacket has gone quite a ways for me many a time in the world of upgrades and other preferential treatment.
If you plan on staying at a boutique hotel and see a cheaper rate on an OTA than their website, give a call to the Front Desk and see if they will match the rate. Most hotels will match the rate since they don’t have to pay the OTA anymore for the reservation.
I doubt many of us will do this at chain hotels due to the BRG opportunities.
Try to learn the common words in the foreign language of the country you are visiting. It is also good to understand some of the basic food names so that you can order off a menu. Many local libraries now have free online versions of foreign language training. At the very least learn Entry, Exit, Bathroom, Hello, Goodbye, Thank you, Help, and Do you speak English?
Upload copies of all of your itinerary, passport, and eyeglass/contact lens prescription to Dropbox or other cloud server…you’ll have it wherever there’s an internet connection.
When bringing US dollars abroad, make sure they they are crisp and don’t have pen marks on them – many currency exchanges will be picky about this.
I know this seems crazy for a blog that loves credit cards, but when traveling in South America (for example) sometimes you need cash and can’t rely or don’t want to rely on foreign ATMs. Getting a currency exchange teller to take crumpled greenbacks is nearly impossible. If you are going to carry cash, make sure it is newly issued!
If you’re traveling abroad, print out paper copies of your itinerary and hotel and flight confirmations. Border Patrol agents like to see paper and you can’t rely on your phone’s email if you lose it or battery dies.
If you are renting a car for your trip also plan on where you are parking for each part of your trip. Many times in cities there will not be parking lots, or street parking near the place you are wanting to go. Or you may be able to plan for cheaper parking. Google maps can help you search these places out.
Also, make sure you know where you are returning your rental car and how to reach that location. Some cities may have underground parking lots with entrances well away from where you exitied with the car. There may also be one way streets, etc. Research how to return your car so that you will not be stressed out when trying to return it on time.
Thirsty after a long day of travelling? Look up beermapping.com. The Beer Mapping Project uses Google Maps to help you find the best places to go for beer in your exotic destination. While especially helpful in the US and Europe (mmm Belguim), I try to pop into the local brewery everywhere I go.
If you are interested in going on a Disney cruise you can get 5% off gift cards to put towards the cruise if you have a red card either credit or debit at Target. If you have a pharmacy account at Target as well and have earned a coupon after filling 5 prescriptions you can get a coupon for an additional 5% off leading too ~9% in savings on the cruise. the gift cards can be used to purchase many other things at Disney as well.
Some border patrol entry agents need to see that you have a confirmed flight leaving the country. Be prepared to have that ready to show the agent. Make sure you also are ready to answer their questions promptly when they ask them. Make sure you fully and accurately complete your Entry/Exit cards. You do not want to be fined or worse from messing these up. Finally, be prepared to fill out these Entry/Exit cards on the plane by having your pen, passport, and boarding pass available.
Check United’s Lufthansa First availability every day if you are scoping a particular flight. I was randomly poking around one day (after not receiving an expert flyer alert) and booked a TATL in first more than 15 days out!
Always pack your swimsuit in a large ziploc bag. That way, if it’s not totally dry when you need to pack it back in your suitcase, you’ll have something waterproof to put it in.
Do not rely on one travel website to judge a hotel. Do not read to much into comments on those sites. Do look at the most recent reviews across multiple websites. Also look for Trip reports on Travel blogs and from friends and family.
If you are traveling out of the country, call your credit card company before you leave and put a travel alert on your card. In addition, write down their international customer service number.
It is not that expensive anymore: If it will improve your enjoyment of the trip you worked so hard to save for and plan, ship stuff (that your bought or overpacked) home during the course of a long multi-city trip.
Better safe than sorry: Do not pass up the opportunity to use a bathroom!
when travelling abroad on flights that connect outside of your home country, make sure you put your plug adapters in your carry on and not in checked luggage. And make sure to bring the appropriate one for the country in which you connect. That way if you get delayed at your connecting airport you will be able to recharge your electronics.
Good wool socks. Easy wash and dry, and never get a blister.
If you are booking a Tour well in advance of your trip using a website such as Viator. Look at the reviews from the time of year that you are planning to go on the tour. So for example, if you plan on an October tour of the Sydney Blue Mountains make sure you look at reviews from folks from the previous October. This will give you insights as to the popularity of the tour at this time of year, how people enjoyed the tour at that time of year, etc. The same tour can be much different depending on the time of year or even the time of day for those tours with multiple options.
Also, make sure you contribute your two cents after you take a tour. Your honest feedback will be helpful to future participants and hopefully the tour company.
If you’ll be traveling to Russia, learn the Cyrillic alphabet. It’s really not hard. In fact, there’s a great starter article on learning half the alphabet in 5 minutes: http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/30/gadling-teaches-you-to-read-the-cyrillic-alphabet-in-5-minutes/ Then if you spend 10 minutes a day for a week or so prior to your trip, you’ll have it down completely. (I used a free app called Russian Alphabet.) Comes in super handy for reading street signs and deciphering the names of businesses as you walk down the street. Plus, every Russian I met was super impressed that I could read Cyrillic (even though I didn’t know a word of Russian).
Watch out for Dynamic Crrecy Conversion. It may seem simpler to have your purchase charged in your home currency, but, rest assured, you’ll not like the conversion fees on the transaction being converted two (or more) times!
Pack some old or less favorite clothes past their prime. Wear them, and then leave them behind! In fact, depending where you are, they are a great extra tip. (I remember the pinkish (not my color) fleece sweater I wore in Nepal. I was happy to have it there and happy to leave it with the hotel room housekeeper (who was happy to have it).
Always, always, keep a copy of your passport on you when traveling abroad!
We have found that cruise prices can be really good on Costco Travel. In one case, the price there was better than we found on any of the last-minute sites, and the cruise line couldn’t match it, AND it came with a $200 Costco gift card.
Bring a large ziploc plastic bag or two as they always end up coming in handy for something.
Have a easy to get to list of addresses for those folks you would like to send a post card. This makes it easy and quick for those special post cards from land mark destinations or last minute cards out from your hotel as you check out.
Most hotels do carry post card stamps and will mail your cards for you from the hotel. This can save you time by not trying to find an open post office during your travels.
If you are going to a Bed and Breakfast, email ahead and let them know you would like X amount of stamps. They can then have those ready for you when you arrive.
Learn the magical wonders of melatonin.
Use Foursquare to check-in to places and write notes/tips when you’re traveling. It’s an easy way to keep a record of where you’ve been and what you liked, and you can refer to it when you next return.
Make sure to pad extra time for connections between domestic and International flights, no matter how short that domestic flight will be. This is especially true when there are a limited number of International flights to your destination. Any delay could make you lose more than a full day at your destination.
Use priceline for hotel bookings when possible. There are many forums available showing recent bids and prices that were accepted. The prices can be amazingly low.
If you (for whatever reason) have to check in your luggage, always, ALWAYS (worth repeating) have in your carry-on a change of clothes and all that you cannot do without (e.g., medicine, chargers)
If you can’t get TSA Pre Check, purchase a Clear membership. They’re increasing their number of airports.
Use your Chase Ink card to pay Netflix directly and you only earn 1 point per dollar, but use your Chase Ink to pay Netflix through Paypal and you will earn 5 points per dollar!
Never trust hotel room alarms if you need to attend something in the morning, and be especially careful with time zones. Most cell phones automatically update these days, but I have an old alarm that travels with me that I set on the right time zone before going to bed.
If you want best chances of an upgrade, book non-business traveler times. Look at current seat map availability to get a pulse.
Think like a business traveler. Probably travels early Monday and mid-afternoon to late Friday. I’ve had most success on red eyes.
For United:
I always look at seat map first. How many total first class seats are there? That is the starting point. Then, how many Economy Plus seats are taken. Gold & up can book Economy Plus seats at time of booking, so the more that are taken, probably the more likely there’s status travelers on that flight.
buy trip insurance and email a copy of the policy to yourself or put it in an app like Dropbox. That way, if something goes wrong, you have a full copy of the policy to see if your event was covered without having to carry a print out which is often many, many pages.
Learn which airport terminals have less airline traffic and therefore shorter security lines. You can often quickly clear security and then walk back to your terminal post-security in a much shorter amount of time than if you had stood around forever in a long line just because your flight is going out of a popular terminal.
Earplugs always at a hotel. Too easy to be optimistic about quietness, only to be unexpectedly awakened by too many things out of your control.
Keep cash, 1/2 credit cards and copies of your document with you at all times, but leave your passport and most valuable items in the vault of your hotel room
Always ask the travel attendant, hotel clerk etc whatever you want. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Call your bank before traveling out of the country to make sure that your debit card will work (even if they say it will). And, make sure to use a no foreign transaction fee credit card.
Always wear shoes when visiting an airplane lavatory. That wet floor isn’t necessarily just water…
Ask hotel employees where they like to eat in a city. It’s guaranteed to be better than a tourist trap that you’ll likely stumble into in the center of any city or old town.
When you get a certificate (or promotion) from a loyalty club that you are a member, ALWAYS read the terms and conditions. Case in point.
In 1996 (yes 17 years ago) I received a 10,000 point discount certificate from Hilton Honors applied to a redemption of 100,000 or more Hotel Award. Only stipulation was a requirement for VIP status which comes automatic with the no fee Hilton Honors AMEX card. No expiration date. Placed it in a safe place.
Redeemed an AXON award before the increase for a 4 night stay in New York City earlier this year. And yes, Hilton Honors applied the discount certificate!
Keep a copy of your passport with you in a separate place from your real passport.
I always put together a list of places, things, and contact numbers I want to use on Dropbox. Then I ‘favorite’/’star’ the item in Dropbox so it’s available offline.
This includes pictures of things, such as when I was in Dominican Republic and needed to get to the bus stations. I had pictures so I knew what they looked like. Another good one is subway maps saved locally on your phone.
When traveling abroad, bring a foreign transaction fee free CC, and pay attention to DCC, ALWAYS choose local currency rather than USD.
Always personally double-check that all of your items have been removed from a taxi or shuttle by the hotel porters before allowing the vehicle to drive away, especially for smaller items like cell phones, walking sticks and umbrellas. You might never see the item(s) again, or be out of pocket for the taxi costs to come back to the hotel a second time to return your belongings.
For international travel I always carry a photocopy of my passport and I email that to myself just in case.
Terminal F food court in ATL has some of the best food options in any airport.
Carry a photo copy of your passport. It can be a life saver if you lose your Passover.
If the flight is looking overbooked and you are interested in getting bumped, speak to the gate agent to indicate your interest.
E-mail yourself a scan of your passport so you can retrieve it if you need it from anywhere. GMail is free.
It’s always good to have an ‘extra’ e-mail account you don’t normally use so you can access it anywhere and not worry about security concerns. If there’s ever a security breach, you can just delete the account and not have to change all your regular accounts that you access securely from your own computers.
When traveling with children, do a run-through/role play practice of the security line procedures. They will know what to expect, and what to do, in what order. Makes the process very smooth.
When traveling in Italy, always check the menu for the “coperto” price before sitting down at a table. Otherwise you might have sticker-shock when you get your bill after the meal.
If flight is cancelled or severely delayed, call the airline, instead of waiting in the queue, to find an alternative.
Use the Chase Ultimate Rewards for rental cars, much cheaper!
Women often rely on a purse which is often out of reach so on any long flight I wear a light jacket that has 4 button pockets and my cell phone and iTouch that holds my tunes are always there as well as a CC and a few bucks just in case of an emergency.
If you are considering getting a rail pass, you often need buy one before leaving for your trip.
I always use cheapairportparking.org when I am leaving my car at the airport. They have great prices and often include valet.
Use contact lens container to store various face cream and serum. They are more secured than travel containers. And rarely leaks.
Pack you sleep ware on the very top of your luggage, so you can change immediately and go to sleep after long haul flights.
When traveling internationally, always carry some spare passport photos of yourself in case they need one for a visa upon arrival.
Get an unlocked GSM mobile phone so that you can accept SIM cards in almost any country at much lower rates to make local phone calls while you are traveling. Very helpful when calling the hotel for directions, making restaurant reservations on the go or just finding basic info through data.
Always look up what type of major events/festivals/concerts are going on in the place you are visiting to prevent any major/unexpected headaches
Read this blog.
Get a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees like many of the cards from Chase.
Get a checking account with ATM/Debit card that does not charge transaction fees for foreign withdrawals like a Charles Schwab checking account.
always carry or have some US dollars when traveling abroad for ease of use or in case you run out of local currencies
Get a money belt to carry valuable documents and cash under your clothing so that you do not have to worry about being the victim of pick-pockets. You’d be surprised how often I’ve heard this happen… especially to women (e.g. Argentina, Italy, France, China etc.)
Carry Starbucks gift cards at the holidays and give them as gifts to military personnel. Creates good karma that will pay you back tenfold.
Keep a complete second Dopp kit in ur suitcase so u don’t have to pack all ur toiletries every trip.
Buy a small first aid kit that includes pain meds, anti-diahhrial, laxatives, Benedryl, cold meds, Tums, sore throat treatment, bandages, disinfectant, and other things you’d want if you we’re sick and didn’t have easy access to them. Always keep this in your bag.
Always double check the dates of travel on airline tickets to avoid showing up at the airport on the wrong day.
I have been National emerald and Hertz gold for decades but at times the cost is so much lower I have opted for the cheapest. I have been given some awfully beat up cars so I photograph every angle in addition to noting every defect on the form which saved me a bundle on my Kauai rentsal.
Using Google Flights and Kayak Explore is a great way to pick where to go on a trip when you just want to get away and don’t really care about where you’re going.
Whenever there are 3 seats across and you are only 2 passengers, leave the middle seat empty and pick the outer seats. Less chance of people picking middle and if ever, you can decide which one to give up
If you are travelling internationally in a country with widespread wifi you can leave your phone in airplane mode and use a VoIP app like Skype to make cheap international phone calls. It cost me $2 to keep in touch with my wife for a week from Argentina.
If you are having problems with clearing your ears during airplane descent (not popping on their own with the change in pressure), pinch your nose and blow. This will force air through your ears to clear them. Much less painful than the alternative.
Check out wikitravel on tips on getting ground transportation on arrival like official taxi stand at airport so that you won’t look lost and be surrounded by illegal touts.
Get the Club Carlson Visa. You get a lot of points just for signing up. Points are easy to accumulate because you get 5 points for every $1 that you spend. Additionally, when you use points for a free room, and stay two days or more, the last night is free. Also, as a card member, you are automatically elevated to ‘Gold’ status. That means you get upgrades when available. I just stayed at the Radisson in Santiago, Chile. I used one night of points, got the second night free, and I got upgraded to a huge Suite. I also got a free breakfast buffet both days. Hard to beat that deal
Here’s a good one that worked for me once, accidentally. In two parts. First, always check one way flights to destinations that could have stopovers in the actual city you want to fly to. Then, if you plan to skip your connecting flight and buy your flights as two one way tickets, choose a short connection time. If the flight is delayed and you miss your connection, tell them there’s no point in taking another connecting flight anymore and ask for compensation. This worked for me when my first flight was delayed due to engine trouble and I got a $200 voucher with Frontier!
After booking a trip do not relax. Keep checking for either better prices or more convienient reservations. This includes ar, hotel and car.
Book a car rental online but DON’T prepay, then keep checking every day before your trip and if the price goes down, modify or cancel your reservation and re-book at the lower price!
use seatguru.com to help you select a seat on your flight. really cool website!
Always check multiple rates/sites when booking travel. hotels are famous for raising or lowering rates as the date approaches based on occupancy. So even after booking check back each week as the date approaches and re book if needed. Also remember the Government rate is not always the cheapest rate, in large cities like NY best available, AAA, corp etc. maybe lower then the govt rate.
Use Citi Thank You points to book AIRLINE tickets, they give you a 25% discount!
Forget mileage runs –credit card application bonuses are by far the best way to earn miles.
Refill your water bottles in the hotel gym. They almost always have a water cooler or some other source of filtered water.
If you need to buy a plane ticket and all the websites (e.g. Travelocity, Orbitz, Expedia, etc) are the same price, use Orbitz.com because if someone books the same flight as you at a later date, they will refund you the difference!
Pack a cheap chip clip or a binder clip. Perfect for keeping your travel snacks fresh and super handy for clipping hotel curtains together when they don’t quite meet and you want to avoid the early morning sun!
Use Matrix Airfare Search for finding the best fares online! Extremely powerful tool and very flexible.
If possible take first flight of day rather than late. Less delays and cancellations.
Take a portable powerstrip with you. Monster Outlets-to-Go includes a USB outlet.
Aside from the obvious benefit of having extra outlets, you also only need one adapter when in a foreign country, to plug in the adapter itself.
Put the room television remote in a zip lock bag. It will function just fine and you avoid touching the often stick or at least germ-y remote!
BOOKMARK View-From-The-Wing and read it every day to learn new travel tips and tricks!
Be nice! Not only the right thing to do, but it will get you further than being obstinant.
Check back for better seats several days before your planned trip. As elites get bumped up, their seats become available and you may get a preferred seat as check-in approaches. Know the upgrade windows for elites on the airline you’re flying.
Carry a couple of grocery bags – they can be used to hold dirty laundry, trash, stuff you randomly bought, maybe even vomit.
Use your local public library pre-trip: many offer downloadable e-books and audiobooks.
If you’re doing road trips through areas that don’t have good food, bring a rice cooker to use as an electric cooking pot.
Visit a public library when you reach your destination. large public libraries in urban centers often offer free cultural programs and exhibits. And nearly all public libraries will offer some wifi access, public computers at no or low cost, or allow you to charge your own devices. Also a great place for local information, tips, etc.
Use google voice over wifi to call home (US) for 1 cent/minute. And to text for free (if you’re using free wifi)
you can also use 411 to call a US business for free: http://lifehacker.com/5569538/use-goog+411-and-skype-to-call-any-us-or-canadian-business-for-free
For non-bonus everyday spend, the Club Carlson Visa is more valuable than a UR-earning Chase Freedom card, thanks to the Last Night Free benefit plus other benefits.
I always try to ask ‘the locals’ where they like to eat….and not just go to the tourist traps.
My tip is to sign up for reward programs for hotels and airlines.
When traveling abroad, do your homework when it comes to credit cards and int’l phone fees. The last thing you want is to rack up unseen charges or spend hours on your vacation handling a financial dilemma you could have prevented. Different cards have different usage fees and some continents might actually reward you while others will punish you.
When traveling in China, be aware that you may only withdraw $300 per day from the ATM of a specific bank. It doesn’t matter how high you have set your limit with YOUR bank, you are limited by the Chinese banks. If you need more than $300 cash you will need to visit ATMs from different banks (and note that this can look suspicious to YOUR bank and they may flag your account for fraud).
Make a copy of your passport just in case it is lost or stolen.
The ITA software matrix is your best friend. Not only does it help you find the cheapest flights and especially so if your days are flexible. However when you compare it to its mainstream counterparts such as Orbitz and Expedia its heads above and you’ll never get trapped by their hidden fees.
when renting ahead, get the smallest vehicle you can make do with, especially if at a busy time, because you will likely get a free upgrade.
Always carry an emergency med kit when traveling. I’m not talking about your prescription meds. That a given. I’m talking about stuff we take for granted such as NyQuil, Zyrtec or even cough drops. You’d be surprise how simple meds like that are not sold at pharmacies in other countries.
If you plan to travel to areas where tummy issues are common, ask your doctor to prescribe a Z-pack for you ahead of time so that you don’t have to waste time trying to find a doctor to see you in a foreign country. This saved my trip when I came down with a case of tummy troubles in Peru.
I always use a credit card that is a “primary” and not a “secondary” insurer …when renting a car. Always read the fine print!!!!!
Download maps or update navigation in your phone to prepare for getting lost.
Even if you don’t travel often, ALWAYS sign up for the frequent flyer/driver/train program. Often the perks such a skipping lines at avis/national save you time and headaches so you can your travel experience. And make you feel like you’re Gary Leff!
You can’t use gel ice packs or actual ice while passing through security checkpoints, but you can use peas! I use a bag of frozen peas in our lunch tote to keep my family’s lunch cool on travel days. The peas can be ditched once you use them, or refrozen at your destination. (I wouldn’t recommend actually eating them after you use them as an airplane ice pack, though.)
No checked bags!!! If you need room …try “compression bags”! They really work!!!
For two people traveling together, pack half of your clothes in their bag and half of theirs in yours. Chances of both bags getting lost or delayed slim. If one bag is lost you’ll each still have some clothes.
When traveling with kids, let them each pack a small backpack for their carry on so they are responsible for their own entertainment on the plane. Of course, guide and edit as necessary.
Can’t afford business class on points or miles? Try economy plus. The small amount of extra room can make a big difference.
Reserve a rental car on a rate that allows cancellation, then re-check the prices a couple of days before your trip. Prices often drop quite a bit at the last minute, and, if they don’t, you’ll have your backup reservation ready to go.
If you don’t have a reason to check in early, check the seat assignments regularly when within 24 hours if departure. They can change and better seats can open up.
Always ask if there’s any additional discounts!
Use twitter to resolve problems on the go–for example tweet @AmericanAir if you are likely to misconnect and need to be protected on another flight. Also works for problems at hotels.
Get a global entry membership for the precheck that comes with it. It’s a real convenience for domestic flights.
Bring a pen! It sounds so simple but I recently forgot one on a flight to SXM and had to borrow one from a car rental counter to fill out immigration forms.
Check Living Social and Groupon for discounts on activities and food at your destination.
Don’t bother bringing soap to hand wash clothes. Hotel shampoo works fine and a drop of conditioner in the rinse water keeps them soft and sweet smelling.
When flying on an award ticket with a layover, it never hurts to ask if there is space on an earlier flight. I recently was coming back from Paris on a USAirways flight and noticed a flight leaving an hour earlier from mine at CLT. I asked the woman at the US Airways desk if it would be possible to change flights and she kindly agreed and put me in a better seat with more legroom than I had reserved!
check seat assignment just before boarding: someone gets upgraded and you might get to swtich to their seats and generally they are good seats
If at first you don’t succeed, hang up and call or email again! I tried my first Best Rate Guarantee with Starwood and it was rejected. I checked again and submitted the next day for a different hotel in the same city. Never give up because the second call or email may succeed!
Master USAirways & United routing ‘rules’.
Print extra boarding passes and toss them in your checked bag. Add a destination phone# to it. If you bag gets lost and someone opens it you might get it sooner.
Check the air ticket price in advance.
When you reserve a rental car using a discount or bonus code associated with a corporate or club membership (i.e. Sam’s Club, BJ’s, AAA, etc.), be aware that the rental company may require proof of your eligibility when you pick up the rental. If you can not produce proof that you are a member or qualified for the discount, they can refuse to release the car to you at the discounted rate. I have had many rentals for many years and have used all kinds of discount codes and never had a problem. I had never been asked to show proof of eligibility. That lucky streak ended this summer in Anchorage. I had a very sweet, one week
rental using a BJ’s Club discount that was about 40% less than the next best rental I could find. When I went to pick up the car, they asked to see my membership card, which I did not bring (even though I am truthfully a BJ’s member.) No amount of discussion and appeal would change their position, no offer to call BJ’s or go on line to confirm my membership was accepted and I declined their offer to take the car at the non discounted rate. That was mistake number two for me. I was tired, irritated and on the verge of completely losing any vestige of composure. So, instead I took a cab to the hotel and then worked frantically that night and barely found an available rental car. (Another tip, don’t expect to find an available rental car on a Saturday night in the short summer time in Anchorage) In the end, my failure to simply bring my proof of eligibility resulted in my settling for a lesser car from a different company and spending over three times the rate I had reserved. Very close to $ 1,000 more total. Not to mention the stress and anxiety. It was a hard lesson to learn and a terrible way to start a much anticipated vacation.
Check out yipit before you head to your destination. They have all if the daily deals from the various websites living social, groupon etc. In one place so u don’t have to check them all. You may find something to save u money.. Food, attraction, spa etc.
Always complain on Twitter instead of the desk agent. Desk agents have less and less authority to do anything.
At mid-range US hotels, I ask at the front desk if any local restaurants provide the hotel with discount coupons for guest use. They often have a few choices available.
Even after booking a rental car, continue to keep checking the rates, especially within a few days before departure. Its easy to cancel and re-book a rental care (or modify the rental) without any penalty. Case in point.
Heading to Reno, Nevada. Price of a mid size care for a 4 day rental was $46 a day. Total $182. Add taxes and fees total is $312 (Reno charges a fortune for different taxes and fees). 3 days before departure, rate dropped to $12.45 a day. Rental price for 4 days $49.80, $74 with taxes and fees. Savings of over $230 for a few minutes work. Companion tip to follow.
Best Travel Tip: Sign Up the Boarding Area blog… simple
Pack efficiently by rolling your clothes. Avoids wrinkles too.
Never underestimate the value of coupons. If you live in the USA but the Entertainment Book. In addition to dining coupons (o.k. not the greatest restaurants), there are coupons for travel. With American Airlines each book has a $30 discount, $20 discount and $10 discount. Use once and it pays for the book. Over the years I’ve saved over $300 on airfare using the American Airline coupons. Next year its only one coupon for $10. Case in point.
Back to my car rental scenario. Used an Alamo coupon for $20 off a 4 days rental. Total cost of my car rental (rental and taxes and fees) in Reno for 4 days is now $48. Yep, that’s it.
You’ll find coupons in the Entertainment book for Hertz, Avis, National, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and Alamo. Best coupon is a free weekend day. Did I leave anyone out?
If you don’t have status flash expired airline status cards at security to go through elite lane
Get a Schwab debit card to get free ATM withdrawals that are fee free world wide
Take a look at public transportation options… often more convenient and cheaper than renting a car
Inform the hotel if you are on your honeymoon, its your anniversary, or if you are celebrating another special occasion. Never hurts to let them know.
Check the CDC’s website and be sure to get your shots (if needed) before traveling internationally!
If traveling abroad, cache google maps on your phone so you can minimize data use when getting directions!
Bring a hard copy of your passport, credit cards and other identification when you travel out of the country. Also a good idea to e-mail that information to yourself. You never know when it might come in handy…
Print out your itinerary. Smartphones can loose coverage, battery power, etc.
Check baby car seat in a duffel bag for free, put other stuff underneath it. Presto! No baggage fees.
You can bring food through security; just not liquids/gels/etc. Now that there is no real meal service in economy even on fairly lengthly flights, my SO and I just bring food with us to the airport and eat it on the plane. That way we don’t have to pay $18 for a ham sandwhich in the airport/on the plane.
Always ask to have parking and resort fees waived when checking into a hotel. Checkin staff have wide discretion.
Use the first use promo code 8av0e ($10) and promo code insurancejournal ($20) to get a very nice $30 discount on your first use of Uber car service. Much better and cheaper than a taxi.
Bring an empty water bottle with you and fill it up on the other side of security. If you bring a reusable bottle, its also great to bring with you for a full day of sight-seeing!
My favorite tip for personal travel or vacations: Pack half of what you think you “need” and two times the amount of money (and an extra suitcase if you are able to).
It’ll make your vacation so much more fun and far less stressful!
Use first-use promo code 8av0e ($10) together with promo code insurancejournal ($20) to get a nice $30 discount with your first ride with Uber car service. Much nicer and cheaper than a taxi!
Always price your rental car through Costco if you are a member; rates can often be much better than other sources (including Ultimate Rewards or Thank You network).
Amex sells annual travel insurance policies for just a smidgen of money. If you fly a lot, their travel delay insurance will almost certainly pay off, and it works on award flights unlike credit card insurance program.
My best travel tip is if you are staying in a hotel on the other end of your trip make sure you read online the reviews of that hotel and read ALL of the comments that people post. I have dodged some really bad nightmare hotels this way. People have posted if they found bed bugs etc. at that hotel. Also research the crime rate in the area of the hotel that you are going stay at believe me this is a real eye opener.
keep the shower caps from your stays and wrap your shoes to put in your carry on. This keeps your clothes clean.
When trying to upgrade to a better room, check the hotel website for availability and the specific names of the rooms and suites. This way you svn specifically ask for the room type and be confident with its availability. As an SPG Platinum, I’ve been told there were no upgrades available until I mentioned the specific availability online.
Being both paranoid and undercapitalized, I recommend getting a RFID-blocking travel organizer to hold your passport, GOES card, and chip-embedded CCs. Take them all to the lounges/bars of in-airport hotels for a free airport-lounge feel (hey, you have to pay for the decent beer at both places).
Always carry at least one credit card that does not charge foreign exchange fees when traveling to a foreign country.
Hang up call again, aka HUCA.
In renting a car, use a credit card with ‘primary’ insurance or the Premium Travel insurance from American Express, which covers a car from 1 to 30 days for only $24.95.
The extra socks that you get in business or first class (or for those who miss the upgrade, hospital socks) make great shoe covers. One for each shoe adn they can go anywhere in the suitcase, separately, to allow for easier backing than a pair. Then you can either throw the “socks” away when you get home, or wash them for another day. Much cleaner and sturdier than a plastic bag, softer on your dress shoes, and environmentally friendly too!!
Take the time to prepare a quick meal to take with you and eat at the airport and therefore easily save $20 per person.
Before traveling to a new city, it is best to summarize a dozen of main place names in mind. It would help when you take subways or buses within the city.
Instead of using ziploc bags to pack my clothing, I now use the plastic, zippered “cubes” that you find on a new comforter/quilt/duvet. These are much sturdier and retain their box shape.
Using Yelp to find local restaurants in new cities has provided me with some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten
Always book flights as two one-ways when it is the same price or number of miles because it gives more flexibility when changing or cancelling travel.
Create a folder in Dropbox for your trip, and save airline/hotel confirmations, travel insurance info, Lonely Planet guidebooks (.pdf form) and any other useful info. Make sure to “star” each file on the Dropbox App (for iPhone/iPad) so that it’s downloaded to the phone, and then you can access everything without WiFi.
Share the folder with your travel partner, and then each of you have access to all the trip info!
I have found that on my vacations it is best to plan for no more than one large activity/event that is absolutely going to happen on a certain day. The tendency to try to do everything and plan for several large things every day exhausts us and disappoints when we find out that we overbooked our time and can’t meet our expectations. With one large plan each day, we can feel good that we did what we wanted, and then we can consider some various smaller options with free time or perhaps just linger longer over dinner or a stroll. When we do more than we expected/planned, we feel much more satisfied.
The moisture packs that come in shoes? Keep them and throw them in your camera bag when going to humid destinations. I hear it helps protect your camera in the long run. Kind of hard to prove, but easy to do, so I do it anyways!
Research your health insurance provider’s “in network” clinics and/or hospitals. In case of a medical emergency this can help minimize your expenses.
Email a copy of your passport to yourself. Paper copies in your suitcase are good to. Double protection.
Sometimes, you can find cheaper parking through hotels. For instance, the Holiday Inn has cheaper parking rates than my local airport. I then ride their shuttle to the hotel. It is $2/day cheaper than the cheapest airport option.
Macks Silicone earplugs. So much better than the foam freebies!
Always bring extra ziploc bags. Great for wet garments ( gym clothes, swimsuits) or to cover the remote in the hotel room so you don’t get ebee jeebies!
For the ladies: Carry a your small handbag in a larger carry on bag. This will count as your purse and you can put more stuff in it!
Can’t sleep without your favorite noise machine, but it’s too big to pack? Download a free app like White Noise Lite or Lightning Bug Sleep Clock onto your tablet or cellphone. Cranked up to full volume, an on the nightstand beside your bed, you’ll be zzzzzzzzzzzzing in no time.
Make a copy of everything in your wallet and a copy of your ID. Leave the copy at home or with a trusted friend. In case of theft, credit cards can be easily cancelled.
Never wear a belt–gets you through security faster.
Cash management accounts from Schwab and Fidelity offer bank cards which can be used around the world to withdraw funds with no ATM fees.
Buy a Rick Steves book if you’re going to Europe
For those traveling by car, download “Gas Buddy” app. Gives the prices of gas at stations near you or in a specific zip code or city.
Plan award travel ahead, but think about contingencies if things don’t work out (i.e. weather, travel insurance). If you are looking for award space monitoring, invest in getting a service like Expertflyer. ( It really helped me out once I’m on my trip and I got an alert that an inventory in a certain class I was hoping for opened).
Always get each type of card(MC, visa, amex) and get one with no-foreign transaction fee.
When traveling with small kids, ask if there’s a family line to go through security at the airport.
Headed to NOLA? Eat at Mulate’s for good food and fun Zydeco music. The atmosphere is great and the people – those who work there and the other patrons – are friendly!
Get to know the locals. Have an open heart and sense of adventure. Trust your gut, but dig in! You’ll be lead into experiences far richer than the imagination could muster.
Organize family packing by using packing cubes. Easier to pack/unpack when you get to your hotel, too!
Take along a collapsible hamper to keep the hotel room from looking like a laundromat explosion when on family travel.
Don’t pack clothes that require ironing.
Dryer sheets remove static from your hair and clothing and make your suitcase smell awesome while taking up virtually no room.
For an international trip with kids I always keep these three things with me at all times: portable wet ones, a deck of cards and a tiny roll up travel potty.
Before you start your trip, take a photo of your luggage. Put yourself into the pic, standing next to the bag.When your bag goes missing, hand over the copy to the baggage folks at the airport. This can really help with finding your luggage.
Ensure that you take bottled water with you when travelling to remote rural areas and the bush.
Store your credit card numbers in an encrypted Evernote note, assuming you trust Evernote and its encryption. This can come in very handy.
Buy a Visa gift card with $100-200 on it and keep in a similar safe, hidden location. This is only to be used for emergencies. Losing your wallet and having no ID nor money while traveling abroad can be a nightmare.
Purchase some anti-bacterial, moisture-wicking undergarments and take them on any trips that may involve high temps, a lot of walking, excessive physical activity, or prolonged wear/re-use of said undergarments.
Put all your stuff from your pockets into a accessible pocket in your carry on bag before security check. That way you have less chance of things going missing when everything goes through the scanner.
Check your points and miles balances when you get home! Several times lately I’ve had to call or email to get the points or miles credited to my account that I earned while on travel.
Check for hotel promotions before heading out the door! Make sure you’ve signed up for any quarterly bonuses or other promotions to earn additional points for your stay.
Use British Airways miles to fly on US domestic routes. ORD to IAD -> 4,500 miles e/w
If you have a chip card, make sure you call your issuer to learn your PIN so you can use it at train ticket and metro machines.
When flying in economy on a plane with 3-3-3 seating, get an isle seat in the middle section to minimize “climb over” traffic.
Always let the restaurant or hotel know when you are celebrating a special occasion on a vacation. Often times you will score a free desert or upgraded room.
Let the concierge help you secure tickets to major attractions or purchase them before you leave home. This saved us a good deal of time at Sagrada Familia since the ticket lines were long!
Check out British Airways Avios for domestic award flights.
Use a local sim card when traveling abroad. They have prepaid plans that are much cheaper than roaming charges. Make sure you have an unlocked GSM phone.
Let the UrbanSpoon app help you choose where to eat on your next vacation.
Be sure to check a booked itinerary for schedule changes. You may be able to change to more convienient flights at no charge.
Always check seat guru, not good when you spend the extra miles on business class and end up with those slantedseats instead of lay flat seats
Follow a few local travel/tourism sites on twitter in the weeks leading up to your vacation to find out about local events, fairs, and festivals that will be in town.
Download one of the apps on your smartphone that could translate English to the language of an country you are travelling. The app would actually not only convert English into the local language but also speak out the words. Makes traveling more fun and easier. I felt like a local in China (almost)
Use GardenGrocer to have groceries and supplies delivered to your hotel room when visiting Walt Disney World. Much cheaper than buying on-site!
Earn, burn, Churn and Learn Baby!!!
One of my travel rules is “always go into town the first night.” If you’ve been traveling all day, it is very tempting to just hang out at the hotel and go to bed early, but I made that rule after I found out the next morning that I had missed the annual summer fest at a little town on the coast of France. I have scored standing room at La Scala, the Munich Opera (Aida!)and a box seat at the Folk Opera in Madrid, by pushing on and checking out what was going on in town that first night.
When traveling in pickpocket/tourist crime prone areas – I carry an extra wallet in my purse with some expired credit cards and cash equivalent to $20. Handing this one over can save one a lot of trouble instead of the wallet with real cash, drivers license etc.
Never, ever, ever fly coach. Figure out a way to get ff miles. Credit card sign up bonus, buy them when they are on sale.
If you’re traveling with kids to Disney World, go to a place like Michaels and get packets of glow sticks. When you’re in the parks at night you’ll save yourself a lot of money not having to buy toys from vendors.
Scan your passport and email it to yourself before leaving for a foreign country so that if it gets lost, you can access the data from any computer.
When booking hotels, always check different sites for BRG.. and booking through a shopping portal is a must!
I always travel with a scarf or two- they pack super small, add variety to outfits and really add to my comfort.
Going overseas? Get Google Translate for your smartphone!
When flying with kids, I can’t always get them juice to sip at takeoff and landing (to alleviate inner ear discomfort) so I keep a stash of candy that I only distribute at those key moments. They still swallow, which is the point 🙂
At Boston Logan terminal E, stop by the “Burrito Elito” and get a turkey chilli. You’ll mileage run to BOS for another before you know it!
roll your pants so that you can fit more clothes in your carry on.
try to downsize just to a carryon, so you don’t lose your luggage and don’t pay for luggage fees.
i had my luggage lost and it was NOT FUN. it was such a hassle.
Plus I hate paying unnecessary baggage fees.
If you are traveling international first or business class and have extra bag allowances, take one medium size bag and use it for packing, then put that suitcase (or duffel) inside a regular large suitcase. That makes it easy to take an extra suitcase to bring back purchases and souvenirs. It also means that on the way out, you don’t have to carry the extra suitcase. My wife and I both have medium size four-wheel rollers that fit perfectly into our large four wheel rollers. On long international first class trips (three weeks to a month), we each pack one large rolling suitcase, then we share the medium roller that packed inside the other suitcase, then on the way back we bring back our purchases in the extra suitcase. Not only that, but with the four-wheel rollers I can carry all the suitcases by myself.
tripadvisor app has a wonderful point me there feature to help you get to your destination/attractions
ask nicely if there’s upgrades possibilities. don’t act entitled
Safeguard the credit cards in your wallet by lining it with aluminum foil. It’s cheap and it works!
For international travel, make sure you have a “suite” of no-foreign-transaction-fee cards – a Visa card, a Mastercard, and a debit card at a minimum. You don’t want to get stuck in a situation where the only card they accept is the card you don’t have, or that charges you a fee!
google translate is great while traveling overseas
So you’re allowed a carryon bag and a personal item like a purse. i pack bigger tote bag to hold my magazines, ipad, anti nausea rx, meds and stuff my purse inside it and wheel a carry on. it’s like a bonus when you stuff your purse in a bigger tote. so technically it’s still 2 items
when traveling (esp. foreign) bring your AMEX, VISA and MASTERCARD preferrably from different banks in case one decided to shut you off (like AMEX FR, or Chase closure, etc…).
even if checked baggage was free i try my best not to use it and stick with carry on.you can check in a lot quicker and by pass the long lines at the counter. like southwest and other budget airlines, you print your boarding pass and go straight to the security checkpoint. LOVE IT
in addition to hating fees and the possibility of losing my bag, I HATE waiting for the carousel. I want to get in and out of the airport quickly.
another tip for when traveling (esp. foreign) bring your AMEX, VISA and MASTERCARD preferrably from different banks: some dept store gives discount (5-10%) if you use certain card (example: certain electronic stores in japan give 5% for Visa signature holders)
japan is so dang expensive. on top of that, the us dollar is weak. so when i want to buy legit Japanese gifts and trinkets for friends and family. i head up to their dollar store equivalents. it’s got amazing things that trumps our dollar stores here in the States. It’s really nice stuff, not junk like dollar stores here.
Do leg exercises frequently and drink lots of water to avoid leg problems upon arrival.
another tip for when traveling (esp. foreign): make and keep copies of your ID, cc, pasport at home with your family; a copy to bring with you but keep separately from the originals
check out costco for great deals on car rentals
Borrow travel books from the library instead of buying them and throwing them away after one use.
The taxes listed for Avios award flights on the British Airways site are not always accurate….to your benefit. Don’t make a decision based on what is listed on the website. Call. The taxes could be much less, as they were for us when booking recently.
For the road warriors, have a separate toiletry bag always stocked and ready to go with duplicates of your every day items. Saves time and hassle of remembering
bring duct tape on to cruises. it’s your cure all for amazing multipurpose solutions. from keeping your drapers closed to jerry rigging something.
i use it to put a giant X on my bags so that i can identify them from the other similar bags
for longer trip…avoid putting the from and to dates when you are away on your auto reply email. you are telling people (or maybe thiefs) that you are not home please come during that time.
as chic as black luggage bags are, STAY away from black.
if you do check your luggage and you’re waiting for the merry go round for your bags, someone could easily take your bag by accident or on purpose but if it’s fugly or has a giant mark on it, you know it’s yours.
i usually tie a big ugly ribbon on it, my mom uses pipecleaner wires and my hubs uses duct tape to put a giant X on it. it makes identifying your bag a whole lot easier.
When landing at a large airport on a busy day that’s a ways from your destination (e.g. IAD on Sunday after Thanksgiving, trying to get back to DC proper or Arlington, VA), find others going to the same general area and split a cab. It’ll save you a lot of money (important as a grad student!), waiting time (especially if you find someone already in line who’s willing to split), and you may even meet interesting people.
Even better, go to the Departures drop off area and have a cab (or friend) pic you up there. I do this at DTW every time, and it saves me at least 20 minutes versus waiting in the cab line or a friend to drive their way through Arrivals area traffic. For Thanksgiving or similarly busy times, it can save me up to an hour.
keep a recycle/tote bag in your luggage in case you need an extra bag to carry something
i always carry an extra set of clothes with me on long haul trips with layovers. At least you’ll have something to change to in case you get stuck on a layover!
buy your luggage from costco. my 1 month old luggage set got destroyed by my puppy and costco replaced them no questions asked. didn’t have to file a warranty reimbursement or anything. HASSLE FREE
Sign up for no foreign transaction fee credit cards.. like chase sapphire!
Book your rental car off an airport site and do not take an airport shuttle, even if run by the rental company. There are significant extra fees added. The rules vary from airport to airport. Check with the specific rental location to get the charges and rules.
always check boardingarea.com for the latest and greatest news regarding travel deals and happenings!! woohoo yes I said it.
If you have a cold when flying, buy EarPlanes or some other flight specific earplugs. They can help prevent your ears getting clogged. Be sure to follow instructions on the box. Not as straight forward as you may think.
when you board a plane and your seat is way back, always try to put your carry on in a luggage bin closer to the front never behind your seat. it sucks big time when you’re trying to deplane and grab your bag but it’s way behind you and everyone is trying to get off the plane. so you have to wait till everyone deplanes to get your bag.
if you are getting to your seat and you see that overhead bins are getting full, just park your bag on the nearest overhead bin before you get to your seat.
if you can’t find a award for R/T flight try breaking up the flight into 2 one ways/. so far it’s worked for me on my international trips
Learn to say the magic words: please & thank you, in the local language. It goes a long way!
check tripadvisor, yelp, boardingarea, and flyertalk as well as your fave blogger’s site and search for previous trip reports to help you with your research
Mark your calendar to show when you need a transaction to keep any miles from expiring.
Always be ready to show the credit card that you used to pay for the tickets/taxes upon check in.
Take a ZipLoc bag filled with anti-bacterial wipes. Use them to clean plane armrests and trays. In the hotel clean the tv remote, phone and door knobs. Also…Lysol spray is the only thing that kills norovirus, the plague of cruise ships, other than bleach. Lysol makes a tiny spray bottle that is perfect for travel. It is not fun getting sick on vacation.
Always have a photocopy of your important IDs like passport, driver’s licenses, etc.
to go through security check point lines faster, avoid strappy heels, sneakers, or anything with laces.
i wear flats, flip flops or Toms so I can slip in and out really quickly.
if you are in a foreign country. always take a business card with you so that you can ask for help when you get lost or need a taxi ride. also take a pic with your phone in case you lose the card
Take a picture of your hotel address with your cell. You may need at it immigration or a number of places and you could be in trouble if you lost the print out and can’t access the Internet. Saved me soo many times!
pack grocery bags (to keep wet swim suits, or keep your dirty clothes from your clean clothes)
i bring medical face mask and mini lysol spray. because people cough around you and do not cover up.
i’ve gotten sick one too many times so when i look like a weirdo with the mask on i’m the one who gets the last laugh because i don’t get sick anymore.
the nasty air gets recirculated and you’re inhaling that junk
roll up socks into the shoes you pack
makes sure you utilize every nook and cranny of space in your luggage
use travel packing squares. they are very efficient lil packing buggers
When traveling to a major metropolitan area such as NYC, DC or London, download the local subway/ metro/ tube map on your smartphone before departure.
pack your meds in your carryon not checked luggage.
nothing worse than having no meds and being sick on vacay.
if your luggage gets lost you’re SOL
Learn how to say “Where can I fix my flat tire” when renting a car in the language of where you are visiting. You could be driving through a small mountain village, where you have no reception and no one speaks English. It happened to us and it could happen to you!
It’s very helpful to keep all points accounts together in 1 system like AwardWallet or Points.com. It helps when making award bookings!
A lot of great general comments in here, so I’ll be specific. When searching for award flights on Delta.dumb, er… delta.com, make sure to search each leg of your trip as a one way award, find and write down all the low level segments that work for you, then plug them in one by one to the multi city tool. If done properly, you have a good chance at it actually pricing correctly, even with stopovers and open jaws. Good luck!
Be aware of the cultural significance of the dates you travel. Attempting to go to Japan during Golden Week, for example, is a bad idea. New Year’s can be another difficult date, since so many places are closed, much like the U.S. on December 25th.
Make sure you get your flu shot a few weeks before traveling! They are now covered under most insurance plans, since they are “preventative care”. Next time you stop into a CVS to pick up VRs, get a walk in flu shot and you’ll get a 20% off a shopping order coupon good through March of next year!
always bring a pen with you in your purse or carry on.
do you know how many times we get custom/immigartion forms and people are begging to borrow yours? i don’t mind at all. glad to help. i feel bad for those who get to immigration/customs and they have to step out of the long @ss line to fill out their forms. i hate lines and i hate waiting.
bring a pen, people. others will thank you.
Make sure you carry on your I Pad, reader, phone, chargers, camera, music/instruments, glasses, contacts, toothbrush, change of clothes & shoes in case of lost luggage, and if travelling overseas make sure your credit cards don’t charge a foreign transaction fee.
It’s customary when visiting friends in Japan to bring a small gift that represents the area you’re from (“omiyage”). Consumables are generally appreciated, because Japanese living spaces are typically small and knick knacks pile up, but I don’t like to bring candy or food. I’ve found that small calendars with pictures of my state or city make nice gifts, and they don’t have to be kept forever (it helps if you live in a picturesque state/city, of course!)
only 12,500 award miles from NRT-NAD on UA award travel one way. the secret is you could get off in Perth….which is normally 25K each way. got it?! good! my ticket is already booked and i payed 33 bucks! Boarding Area life time follower!! i learned all these things from all you miles and points addicts!
For long trips, tiny packets of laundry detergent have been invaluable.
Keep a spare credit card some place other than your wallet.
Use the TKTS booth in NYC to get discounted tickets to shows. No guarantee a certain show will be available, but if you’re flexible you can save some money!
Do not bring stinky food on an airplane! As lovely as that tuna sandwich may taste to you, the people around you don’t want to smell it!
Not high tech, but my fear of get my TV remotes has me raiding the ice bucket for the plastic cover and then using that to encase the remote so I never touch it!
When returning a rental car, take a photo showing both the mileage (which proves the timing) and the gas gauge on full.
Underpack. If you think you might need something, don’t take it. You can buy just about anything you really might need and will usually find you won’t need to.
Most people don’t think of New Orleans as a family destination, but with the Audobon Aquarium, Insectarium, and Zoo, Mardi Gras World, paddlewheel boats, surrey bikes in City Park,….even the WW2 Museum….it is one of my favorite family vacation spots!
Thinking of how to get to and from the airport. Don’t rule out using Public Transportation. In many cases its the easiest, fastest and most inexpensive way to get to and from the airport. Applies to most major national and International cities. Case in point.
In NYC there is the Airtran from JFK which connects to the subway and Long Island Railroad. Total cost to get to Manhattan $7.50. From LaGuardia you can take the Q70 bus, (it even has luggage racks) express to the subway. Total cost $2.50 and your in the city in less than an hour.
When I travel to LAX, if going casual and one bag, I always take the local bus. 20 minute ride and a five minute walk. Voila. Total cost 25 cents. (I get the senior fare). Beats parking at $20 a day plus tax, or a $40 cab ride.
If you leave your cell charger at home, ask the hotel reception for one to use. People leave these behind a lot and most hotels have a great selection behind the front desk.
Please excuse my auto correct changing germy remotes to get my remotes. Sorry and ignore this as an entry.
Check on what your status perks might be at the hotel you’re staying at. We recently stayed at a hotel and were surprised to find out that my elite status allowed access their full-up health club including daily exercise classes…not just a small exercise room like so many hotels have.
While you are on Air, it’s good to get little high.
Best kids club and spa resort EVER: Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Golf Resort & Spa in Vilamoura, Portugal. Take your family…yes, your young kids…and RUSH to this resort!
A sound machine app is a lifesaver in a less-than-quiet hotel room.
When on a plane, keep dousing your nose with saline spray. You will be less likely to get sick. Works very well for me.
Always travel with a plug expander (i.e., a wall plug that turns one outlet into three). Even at peak demand, with every outlet taken, you’ll be able to charge up.
Remember that while MOST Chase UR transfers are instant, not all are. Chase UR transfers normally take 1 or 2 business days (and the website warns that they may take as long as a week). Plan accordingly.
Unfortunately, I don’t get to fly business often, so if you are often stuck in economy for long-haul and you know it’s not gonna be a super-busy flight, I prefer to check in online as close to boarding time as possible. It you are in a plane with a three seat arrangement on each side, you can choose a window seat in a row with a seat at the isle taken. Chances are that the middle seat won’t be taken by other passengers (again, unless the flight is full). This way, at least you have some extra leg-room to stretch and some space to put your personal items/pillows etc.!
Be friendly. If you get angry because things aren’t going your way and you show it, things will probably continue to not go your way.
The Hilton HHonors program is impossibly complex, but you don’t have to work hard to figure out optimal redemptions. I’ve posted a summary at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16556311-post11.html; the downloadable Excel spreadsheet takes all the guesswork out of it.
ok one more! please forgive me if this was already posted!
Amex card’s and some other CC’s like Ritz Carlton have a $200 airline incidental credit….which incidentally renews at the beginning of the next calendar year. so you get $400 in credit’s and still have time to decide if you want to keep the card. how do you use these credit’s? well i had a close in booking fee recently for $150 (75 per ticket because of not booking 21 days in advance) and they credited it back. Now I must tell you the way they code these charges did not automatically reverse the close in booking fee’s because it appeared on my CC statement like a ticket purchase. So if you want to get the credit you will have to call and explain the situation (calmly) to an agent and the will take care if it. miles and point’s addict’s are very dear to me! thank all of you and enjoy your travel’s!
Approached in the wrong way, airport security checkpoints offer excellent opportunities for losing your things (or even having them stolen). Instead of waiting until you’re in line — and juggling wallet, laptop, shoes, etc. — to get organized, do it before you even enter the line.
I always stop at an empty counter or airport chair & empty my pockets into my backpack & ready my ID and boarding pass. When I go through security, all my valuables (except my laptop) remain hidden & comparatively safe, as opposed to being exposed in a plastic TSA tray.
Use hotel linked credit cards for free nights. Matching hotel status may allow airline status to increase (ie Marriott/United and Starwood/Delta
Always check your points-earning settings on hotel programs BEFORE you check in. Know what the earn ratios are for partner miles vs. hotel program points, and confirm that your preferences are properly set in advance of arrival.
Flyertalk is a great resource for short term fare drops, however there is a lot of quick research required before deals expire. Make friends with 5-6 FT’ers and split up the work.
Invest in a ‘power brick’, something to keep your phone and/or tablet charged,while traveling. For an iPad, be sure it has at least 2 amp output
If you are single and travel on a limited budget, hostels are a great way to save money.
Book hotels in Europe during off-season to save money or your reward points.
If you have status with a hotel chain, print a copy of the published benefits (or bookmark the page on your smartphone) to have with you on property. Nobody can remember all the variations in amenities across various chains and status levels — from free breakfast to free wifi to late checkout — and it’s useful to have an advance plan for which ones you’ll be entitled to & may need to explicitly request.
Even if you book through websites such as expedia, always mention your rewards or club membership to earn points for your flight or hotel.
Ear plugs. Foam, wax, whatever floats your boat. From airplanes to hotel rooms, they are a great thing to travel with
If you really travel on a tight budget, then you can consider cheaper options such as couch sharing by giving a small donation to the guest who offers his/her bedroom or couch for crashing during your stay.
Keep a pair of clothes pins in your travel bag – great for blacking out and keeping the hotel drapes closed that are over the air conditioner, especially when you have an east-facing hotel room
Flightcar is great for saving airport parking!
Take an extension cord with you when you travel! Very handy.
One thing I like to do on domestic flights where I have my laptop is stop by RedBox on the way to the airport. More often then now, I’m on flights that don’t have AVOD, so you pick up a DVD, watch it on your computer in flight, and then drop it off at a RedBox when you land in your next city, which often gives you a good excuse to explore the local neighborhood to find one. But you can rent from one city and return to another with no additional charges- it’s awesome!
And of course, if I’m not flying with my computer and just have my ipad and I rent a movie from the Apple story, always go through one of the airline portals like aadvantage shopping! Might as well get a few extra miles to boot! =)
Write which card to use for what spend, on the back of the card with a fine tip Sharpie – also, note the cancellation date if/when you cancel the card & put a reminder in your (Outlook/Gmail) calendar when to re-apply.
I carry a small power strip that allows me to share an AC outlet with others who are charging their phones, tablets, and laptops.
Contract one of the award booking services to maximize your mileage redemptions – $150 can be money well spent!
Ear plugs, a book, water bottle are extra essentials to bring for a trip
If you are planning long, extravagant, or otherwise “once in a lifetime” trips, consider enrolling in status challenges or matches to upgrade your status for the trip. Most programs, you can only dot his once in your life, however, if the trip is worth it – go for it!
If you go to visit Petra in Jordan during the warm months (including still right now), it’s best to go in the afternoon, as the sun will be blocked by the mountains in most of the exploring areas (monastery, etc). The weather will be nicer in the shade and you won’t get as sunburned. Plus, towards the end of the day, you should be able to get camel, donkey, and horse rides for cheaper. They started asking for 20 dinars ($28 USD) per person for a camel ride back to the Treasury (valuable when you’re tired after exploring). However, around 4pm, noticing that there were a ton of camels and no customers, I got them down to 5 dinars ($7 USD) after some haggling. Well worth it since we were tired!
Take along space bags to free up extra room in your luggage.
Nowadays, I like to bring either an HDMI or RGB cable with me so that I can hook up my laptop/iPad to the TV in the hotel room. Many hotel rooms now have a built in spot for connecting it, while others require a direct linking to the TV. If you want to watch Netflix, Hulu, or something downloaded to your computer/iPad, it can be very useful.
Before heading out of the country, I always leave a copy of my itinerary with my family. Leaving my itinerary gives my family peace of mind knowing that if they don’t hear from me, they can always reach me at the hotel(s) listed on my itinerary.
make sure to book your trip with the credit card that has travel protection, and bring that brochure with you, should something goes wrong, you will know how to utilize it.
Whenever I have a trip that is 1 week or longer, I use the Sleep and Fly option out of several hotels near O’Hare. The total cost is usually lower than just parking at LOT E. The ‘sleep’ option can be used at the start or end of the trip. I think this applies all major US airports. Cheers.
If you have a smart phone and have a map app like Google Maps – what I do is I cache the location of where I’m headed to next.
Simply by keying in the location in Google Maps, and then scrolling around the airport and hotel that I’m staying at and the city (you can also bookmark certain locations for easier reference).
Once you reach the destination airport, you don’t need 3G or WiFi for the maps to work – the GPS will work without 3G / Wifi and you can see where you are as the Maps images are already stored in your phone.
This helps you navigate around the city when you are offline, minimise getting lost, and also track your journey in case cab drivers try to cheat you by taking a longer route.
And the cost is free!
Always ask for a room upgrade, especially when you arrive late at night, because if a better room is available, the front desk folks will usually give it to you if they see that nobody will be checking into the upgraded room the next day. Ask politely 🙂
Do get one of the Platinum Amex cards for the extraordinary benefits like the $200 annual airline fee credit and the lounge access for Delta, American and US Airways. The large annual card fee is definitely worth the perks.
If you definitely fly American domestically (non stop), make sure you open a British Airways executive account and start accumulating Avios miles through either flying and/or getting and using the British Airways Chase VISA. The non stop domestic redemptions of Avios miles for American flights is a bargain.
Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it up at a water fountain. I hate paying tip dollar at airports for bottled water.
Consider bringing moisturizing eye drops on long flights – that dry air really does a number on the eyes and using eye drops brings a lot of relief.
Always have a backup plan (plan B) if plan A doesn’t work. Just got back from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia. Several of my no-foreign transaction fees credit cards simply would not work there, even though I had alerted my banks about my foreign travel plans. Shifted fro plan A to plan B………and Plan B worked like a charm……. Chase Hyattt card with special chip worked in all 3 of those countries!
Get to the airport early.
If the airline changes your scheduled flight, it’s an opportunity to get a better routing or departure time. I recently found out UA changed my scheduled 5:30 am flight and was able to change to a much more desirable 10:00 am departure. They don’t pay attention to the cost of the substitute flight, so even a minor change that gives you a short connection or a mis-connection may allow you to improve your schedule.
If you have a capital one credit card go to the redeem points section of the website if you need to rent a car. They offer great rates on redeeming cars for points. Even if you want to pay cash I have found very low prices in that portal, especially on tough cities like NY where a one day rental might be 80.00. This is a great value to spend the points but you can also pay cash in that portal as well.
All those chargers, and wires you bring on your travels are a pain as they get all over the place. Use clear zip loc bags to better manage these things.
Travel light and travel small. Especially going overseas, rooms are on the smaller side and cabs often have small trunks. It may even be better to have two smaller roller bags than one larger bag to manage. Large bags seem to get in the way once you get to your room
Buy one of those fold away small duffle like or similar travel bags and throw in your suitcase. When you are coming hoe that might be handy for c=souvenirs to take as carry on as you come back. Also useful for dirty laundry or if you want to take clothing to the laundry
Don’t eat raisins before a flight or any clotted cream when heading to the UK.
Ok sorry those tips are for me only
Get Global Entry. You will really learn to appreciate it. TSA pre check is continuing to roll out and on occasion the lanes or closed etc..but it is so hassle free. When you come back from overseas breeze by everyone as they watch in amazement.
Get an unlocked phone for your international travels. Once you get there buy a low cost sim with primarily data/messaging. In the UK get the 3 card from 3.co.uk. They also cover some other countries like Austria. For a reasonable amount you can get pretty good service. pop the sim in and you are good. Older ATT Iphones can be unlocked easily from various website. You want a factory unlock so you can download all IOS updates
The Merrill Lynch plus credit card from BOA has some nice perks for the big spenders here. No annual fee. If you spend 50K or more in a year you get free club access in Delta or American. This is on top of the points you get. You choose 1 of them and get the membership for one year form the point you call it in to them. There are some other perks but the lounge access is the best at 50K level. The service on this card is pretty good as well for a no annual fee card. No signup bonus though
If you travel a lot you really will save a lot of weight and hassles with an ultrabook like the MacBook air or a similar pc ultrabook. MacBook air has an insane battery life and slips into a case easily. The power brick is not massive either. Used MacBook airs are quite reasonable on ebay or amazon. Gazelle is a good source for used MacBook airs and other laptops. Mac owners tend to keep those things in great shape as well
Overseas sometimes using your regular credit cards out and about might have some risk and hassles. I have my fair share. Consider some prepaid visa and or amex cards for certain types of transactions. Many here use those cards for min spend etc
Unless you are traveling to japan carry a few rolls of decent tp (toilet paper) They have stuff overseas that we use as paper towels for our car windows.
Be careful about booking a car at the concierge desk. these days they have “house cars” which charge a nice premium over normal costs via car or cab. Use some of the online resources like flyertalk or milepoint to see what car services or good or can be booked online. If you want a cab get a regular cab. No house cars. I used Le Cab in Paris last week and another service called Vienna airport cab. Both saved me money and were prompt and reasonably priced.
@Gay -Underpack. You got that one right. I am still trying to stick to that one. So many times you realize that you had more than you need. Especially overseas.
Check your rental car carefully. If there is any sort of damage have it noted clearly on the contract before you leave the lot. Also take a picture of it.
I might be stating the obvious, but treat people in customer service like they are people. Most people yell at them for things not their fault. Ask how their day is. Where they are from. It’s amazing what they can do for you sometimes.
I use expert flyer to search for award seats 11 months out. If none are available, I use the ‘save query’ feature which will search it daily and will notify me if the number of seats I need are available. Than I book them ASAP.
I have found that I sleep better now using an eye mask. When you factor in light from the clock, blinking smoke detector, light under the door and from the window outside, it can disturb your sleep more than you think!
Visiting NYC is a must for people at some point in their lives, however NYC appears at first glance very unfriendly. One big issue is the lack of clean public toilets! Unlike Europe there aren’t street toilets that you pay for. TIP: go into the lobby of any nice good-sized (not boutique) hotel and you’ll find a free, impeccably clean facility, and no one will ask you a single question! The nicer the hotel, the fewer the questions!
Always get 2 hotel keys in case one doesn’t work!
If using mobile boarding pass app, take a screenshot of the barcode and save to your photos so you don’t have to wait for it to load when you get to security/gate.
If you want a less crowded restroom at the airport, and there is a separate car rental facility there, use that instead. That’s the place to change your clothes undisturbed!
Use Yapta.com to monitor flights already purchased for flights of interest to notify when there are price drops. This has saved me sooo much money on airfare!!!
If you are trying to get Global Entry for your family including children consider Nexus instead, which costs $50 per adult and children for free. Nexus allows expedited border crossing with Canada and includes Global Entry as a side benefit.
Bring Tea Tree oil on your travels – a few drops under the nose on the flight to prevent colds, you can gargle with it diluted in water for a sore throat, and rub on a minor cuts to prevent infections…
Take a photo of your luggage on your smartphone, in case of lost luggage problems…
Always talk nice to the gate agent; it can help get you that upgrade you are waiting for. They have the keys to the castle (the plane), as they say.
To combat seasickness on a cruise, try taking 1,000 milligrams of dried ginger root before the cruise
Take old clothes (nice, but old), which you can throw away as you travel. Helps with the whole packing piece.
Tuesday afternoon is the best time to look for airfare sales. Often, an airline will put up a sale on Monday, and by Tuesday afternoon, most other airlines will bring their prices down to match that sale.
Print 2 copies of your boarding pass. When you approach the gate agent to ask for a bump just hand your extra to them so they can easily process your $400 prize.
When catching a flight wear an easy-fitting sweater and pants, plus slip-on shoes, which save time at security checkpoints.
When going on a business trip and checking lugagge have a extra set of clothes in your carry on so that I your checked is misplaced you can still function.
Be polite, say please & thank you — it does wonders when your travel!
Buy cheap new books/toys that your kids will stay occupied discovering for the first time to keep them busy on the plane. Consider wrapping them too for their added excitement.
Take a cellphone photo of your passport and email it to yourself. Save the email. It’ll always be there and easily retrievable should you need it.
When you order your travel money, make sure you also order a bunch in low denominations for tipping.
If you have kids, give them food right at takeoff (not taxi, but actual takeoff). You’ll keep them distracted during the hardest part of the flight.
If you are in Chicago and want to visit the John Hancock building don’t pay to go into the observatory level. Instead go to the Signature Lounge which is one floor below and order a drink. Whether it is an adult beverage or not, you will get the same views for generally the same price (or lower) but you will have a tasty beverage in your hand!
Read lots of travel blogs – they are always full of great tips!
Collect points in multiple programs and alliances to increase flexibility in booking trips.
Always have a separate bag of toeiletries packed and ready. Saves a lot of time each time you travel knowing you have one less thing to worry about
When booking a hotel room, mention its your anniversary and 9 times out of 10, you’ll get some benefit. Whether its a room upgrade or bottle of wine or something else. And chances are, the date is close enough to something that you should be celebrating
If a staff member does something nice for you or goes out of their to help you, send an email to the management. Customer service isn’t an easy job and an often thankless one. It doesn’t take long to send a note of appreciation and it could result in an Employee of the Month or some sort of recognition for them.
Roll your clothes to avoid wrinkles and save space.
Don’t forget to charge all your batteries the night before including phone, camera, laptop, iPad, etc. the worst is showing up at the airport with one of them dying, especially the camera. #BeenThereDoneThat
One more…where ever your travel takes you, remember you’re a visitor. Ie…don’t complain about “the locals on the beach”. It belongs to them, not you.
Read the local paper.There are lots of interesting events:wine tasting,gallery opening,farmers markets,etc.
Always remember to make use if stop-overs, open jaws, and free one-ways when planning your award travel.
Try to remember to pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag; you never know when you’ll need it.
Be friendly to your fellow travelers out there, and you may just be amazed the great people you will meet. Safe and affordable travels, everyone!
In addition to traveling with universal power adaptors, I carry two 3-outlet plugs and a 12-foot extension cord. Very helpful to yourself and others!
Check those displays of pamphlets or business cards when you travel. We’ve found several discounts on admissions and food. Also, search your phone for discounts wherever you go. Even ask the ticket agent or cashier if they know of any discounts currently offered. I usually save a few or several dollars for almost no effort…and it adds up!
Always check the AAA rate for any hotel stay and compare it to any other offers or available rates. The rate is almost always refundable and eligible for points earning. The minimal cost of annual membership is easily made back in just a couple nights.
Staying at the Sheraton but wish you were at the Westin? Call on the morning of your arrival and ask the front desk manager for the best rate. Depending on your existing reservation you might have same Day cancellation or if you are moving within the same group (spg) will wave cancellation fees. This might get you the room you want at a nicer hotel but for a much lower rate in order to fill empty
Rooms. I moved from the fourt points to the Westin last week! Can’t hurt to ask.
USAirways and American release their premium seats 30 minutes before a flight – don’t ask for an upgrade, just ask to be moved closer to the front of the plane – you will likely get the extra legroom seat if it’s available!
When roughing it for an adventure (eg Hiking the Inca trail) utilize your points for a stay in a nice hotel at the end of the trip. Allows for a positive finish regardless of inconveniences along the way.
Make sure to let your bank and credit card companies know you are traveling or they may block your ATM and credit cards when you try to use them abroadd.
Sign up for as many reward programs as possible with hotel chains and airlines
If you have a rental car reservation make sure to keep checking for coupons and sales. I often have been able to rebook at a lower rate.
Only check a bag if you absolutely have to. You might be surprised why will fit into your carry-on and ‘one personal item.’ You’ll save money, sure, but there’s also the amazing feeling when you’re walking out of the airport while everyone else is staring at an empty baggage belt!
I think I first learned this tip from Rick Steves, and it’s become a mantra for me when packing (I even taught it to my 8 year old nephew): There are two kinds of luggage: Carry on and lost. I’ve traveled for 17 days without checking and avoid it at all costs. Never checking a bag unless absolutely necessary saves an incredible amount of time checking luggage and waiting for it at the carousel, anxiety hoping it shows up, energy moving luggage, and even money on bag fees and bellman and taxi tips. Plus, when you don’t check you can be a much more flexible traveler.
Just for the record: Thomas’ post wasn’t there when I was typing mine (we must’ve been typing at the same time — I didn’t copy him!). But I guess that goes to show what an important tip it is — we should both win! 🙂
Test all the addresses you know you will be visiting in your GPS before you leave. It’s less stressful to discover they are wrong while at home and much easier to just search through recent destinations while away.
When going to foreign countries bring lots of $1 bills.
I used them for tipping instead of using the local currency (and having to go to a ATM machine to replenish the local currency). Never was turned down!
If you do decide to carry-on your bag, make absolutely sure you’re up to date on what is allowed and what is not. The hassle of being stopped because you forgot you packed a slightly-too-large bottle of shampoo more than undercuts any time saved – and if you have to check the bag anyway, you’ve wasted double the time (the time when you were stopped and the time waiting for your bag.)
One last health tip for travel. If you feel yourself getting sick, sore throat, etc. Drink a packet of umcka. I carry it with me at all times. Drinking it hot seems to work best. Since I’m working in the medical field exposed to germs constantly, this knocks out bugs quick.
I pack so that everything fits in one bag with a maximum weight of 25 pounds-then I’m ready for anything.
Don’t pack clothes that require ironing
I found a company online that specializes in travel size items. I travel with small kids and I stock up twice a year on all kinds of travel items, especially food items. These come in so handy while waiting for flights, on the flight, in hotel rooms or condos. They also save me money!
Your phone is a great travel tool. In particular, use the camera to take a photo of your hotel room door — so you won’t forget your room number (never carry the key with the sleeve that has your number on it as it makes thieves’ jobs to easy) — and of your rental car when you pick up and when you drop off.
Make photocopies of your passport. Or scan your passport and email a copy to yourself.
Never check any of the following: your toothbrush, your prescription medications, your deodorant.
Travel during off peak travel times – just went to Paris in September, and the weather was great and attractions seemed much less crowded than mid-summer!
Military personnel can access unused time share inventory for free at afvclub.com. Space “A” weeks in very nice destinations go for as little as $349. And they often have two-for-one specials!
Late check out is a great travel perk, but many times electronic keys are set to expire at check out time and aren’t extended when your check out time is. When you come back to your room after the normal check out time, stop first at the reception desk and have them reset the key to your extended check out time. It saves time and frustration, especially at large resorts with a long walk or hotels with slow elevators.
Use your SPG points for hotel stays as that is the best value for those points
If you have Southwest Rapid Rewards and think you may want to fly, book it. You can cancel for free, or rebook at a lower price in the future if there is a sale.
We take a sharpie with us to mark each persons’ hotel keys. No more arguing about which key is missing!
Take extra dental floss. When traveling in Japan a few years ago I found I needed to line dry some clothes and had nowhere to hang them. Enter dental floss! It’s incredibly strong and comes in it’s own little roll which takes up next to no space in your luggage. Then just toss your clever clothesline after use. MacGyver would be proud!
Noise canceling headphones make a flight more relaxing. You don’t need the most expensive ones – read reviews!
When traveling in China, it is invaluable to have a Discover card handy. It is tied to the local UnionBank card and can be processed as a local credit card. Most local establishments will not accept foreign credit cards.
Not all suitcases are alike – I have a Kenneth Cole carryon and I am amazed at how much I can pack in it
When traveling in the US, make sure to use Restaurant.com (and use a points-earning shopping portal before shopping at Restaurant.com)to check out the restaurant deals in the areas you’ll be visiting. Use Google Maps to locate the restaurants and Yelp, Trip Advisor, etc. to decide whether those restaurants make sense to you.
Remember you need a passport for Canada. My fishing buddy forgot and had to use a PDF on his phone and his best pleading to get across the border.
Be politely, but try to ask and surprise is awaiting
Always have a look at BRG opportunities. It may save a lot.
Remember to check credit card perks during trip.
If you’re a government employee, check the rate – sometimes you can’t get a great deal. Make sure to read the fine print – some hotels have different rates for federal vs state, or require you to prove you are on work related travel
Try to fold all the cloth. It save space and look better.
Have an itinerary before you go with expectations to ignore it and go where the vacation takes you!
Purchase lifemiles during their 100% bonus promos and then redeem for international business class at cost that is often the same or less than coach travel. Furthermore, despite popular belief, domestic connecting legs on United (not Usair) can be added to the itineary in First Class for the same price. For Example: I just redeemed: JFK-FRA-CDG on Singapore A380/Lufthansa in business class and returned NICE-FRA-ORD-MCI in Business class on Lufthansa (United First from ORD-MCI).
Buy everything you possibly can online via a mileage shopping portal. Check to see which portal gives the best mileage by checking evreward.com Religiously take screenshots of your purchase in the event the mileage shopping portal doesn’t offer credit.
Set up a separate email account to receive travel advisories do streamline your regular email account.
Make sure when using your Schwab bank ATM card that an actual ATM fee appears on the receipt, otherwise you will NOT get refunded.
When traveling overseas keep a photocopy of your passport in your wallet.
If flying southwest, keep checking back for lower fare and rebook online. It’s super easy and saved me 25000 points last night.
When traveling throughout the world, and the bathroom you’re using is filthly, but has toliet paper, put down the toliet paper on the toliet seat if there are no seatcovers.
With hotel reservations, always check multiple sites in case you qualify for a best rate guarantee.
Simple Tip: Get Global Entry!!!
I like taking grocery bags and using them for everything on my trips. Great for covering shoes in your luggage or just holding wet laundry after a swim!
I always travel with several credit cards to get the most of my points and miles. I photocopy the back sides showing number to call if lost/stolen and carry separately, just in case I don’t remember which cards I brought and had an emergency.
With airline award tickets, check the travel blogs for the latest rules to save on fees.
When you travel to expensive cities like NY, Paris or London, a 10 min subway trip may have a tremendous effect on your hotel price. For instance, if you stay in Queens, two subway stations from Manhattan, the hotel prices reduces by, at least, 100 USD/Night, for the same category. You can spend this money with other pleasures during your trip :).
With rental cars, always take before and after videos to protect yourself from unwarranted charges.
Learn to use the word please and thank you wherever you travel. A little courtesy goes a long ways…
Take public transportation like the locals!
When renting a condo or villa abroad, the owner or Management Company often requires a wire transfer as form of payment. Unfortunately, it is extremely hard to send a wire for the exact amount due because of fluctuations in exchange rates and multiple fees imposed by banks on the transaction. Large banks in the United States banks typically charge $30 to $50 for a foreign outgoing wire. This fee can quickly increase when you have to send additional wires to make up for funds not received by the recipient due to fluctuations in the exchange rate. Fortunately, there is a quick fix. Open a Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account. This account comes with a linked Schwab One brokerage account with no fees or minimums. Best of all you can specify the foreign currency amount to be sent to the recipient’s foreign financial institution. They will receive payment in their local currency – all for a small fee of $25 for the foreign outgoing wire. You will have peace of mind that the amount you sent should be the amount that is received by the recipient.
Always be aware of your surroundings, whether in a hotel lobby or streets of a new city.
The flexible with travel dates so you can score an upgrade!
If you know you’re going to need a taxi in the U.S. and are unsure that your cab, or the town you’re visiting doesn’t have cabs that accept credit cards, be sure to bring plenty of $5 bills and $1 bills. I found out the hard way on a $29 fare that the cab driver did not have any change for my 2 -$20 bills while riding in his cab.
A smile goes a long way when checking in to a hotel or airline.
Club Carlson hotel awards are the best for European hotels. Too bad these hotels are so small and usually can’t accommodate families. Their credit card allows one free night for every award booking. Essentially you book on award night and get one free. This is a terrific savings of $$$.
If you’re traveling to LAS from a hotel by yourself and are in a taxi queue and you see another person by themselves in a taxi queue, ask to see if they’re heading to the airport and are willing to share a cab. There are many single travelers flying out of LAS, and this can split your cab fare in half.
Avoid international ATM fees and foreign currency conversion fees by opening a no fee Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account. This account comes with a linked Schwab One brokerage account with no fees or minimums. Best of all you also receive unlimited fee rebates from any ATM worldwide. Also, it pays a small 0.10% APY variable interest rate on any balance
Always continue to monitor prices–especially with hotel stays. I have saved a lot of money by continuously checking/changing previously booked rates.
Always tell your credit card company of your travel plans, especially if you travel to a Scandic country.
Guys— adhere to proper urinal etiquette no matter where you are in the world. Makes for a less ackward world.
Research tipping protocols before you travel to a new destination.
If you’re flying business class or first class on American and have a napkin with a slot, use the button hole to your advantage to avoid spilling food or drink on yourself.
Rule #1: Plan ahead. You don’t want to be Paris and find out you waited until the last day to go the Louvre only to find out it is closed on Tuesdays. A little pre-planning goes a long way to making the most out of your time in a city. Try to group visits to the day attractions which are near each other.
Rule #2: Never check bags on the outbound flight as wasting time messing with delayed or lost bags is a drag while on vacation. But do stick a duffle or inexpensive bag in your carry-on for any items or gifts you by buy when out of the country.
Rule #3: Enjoy the vacation
Buy a Swiss Pass. No matter where you go in Switzerland, never wait in line at ticket counters or fumble for money when you have one pass that provides unlimited travel on the Swiss Travel System including trains, buses and boats. Use them all to journey between the Alps, St. Moritz, or any part of Switzerland without worrying about transfers, conversion rates, or practicality.
And all that stress-free travel provides the opportunity to take advantage of the more than 400 museums the Swiss Pass will get you into for free. There’s no smarter way to see more of Switzerland than with a Swiss Pass. It helps make every minute of your trip quality time.
Not all cabs will accept a credit card payment in Berlin, ask before you enter the taxi.
If it’s necessary to have access to email while traveling abroad, have 2 email addresses with 2 separate email providers. In some countries it’s easier to access certain email providers than others depending on your internet connection.
Rule of thumb when tipping in the UK – if you have to pick up your own drink, you don’t need to tip.
If someone delivers your drink, then do tip.
Bring some immodium AD capsules or Pepto Bismol whenever you travel, even to other “first world” countries. Just be sure if bringing Pepto Bismol it’s under 3oz if in carryon luggage.
Don’t pack more than you can carry by yourself (without any assistance up a set of steps).
If you’re a student or senior citizen and are traveling, always check to see if there’s discounts offered.
Always have an updated itinerary on hand. Make sure you include the store hours for places you want to visit, local weather information, directions, and other tidbits that may not seem obvious!
Enter Detroit airport through the beautiful Westin hotel to avoid long security lines. The Westin has it own security entrance into the airport.
By the way, I’ve also forgotten an umbrella on a trip. So please check weather information and plan accordingly. A tough pair of shoes wouldn’t hurt either.
We tend to spend more when traveling than at home. Plan your card spending ahead and take the right cards along. Nothing worse than missing point oops when you’re spending a lot.
If you need a white noise machine to sleep don’t bring it on a cruiseline. Despite it not being on a prohibited item, Carnival cruiseline in particular deems it a hairdrier and will confiscate it. This was very unpleasant, and an added 3-5lbs in my checked luggage that I could not use.
Always travel with a refillable water bottle to avoid ridiculous prices for water. After security you may refill it.
Get the FlightAware app. Their info on flight delays, gate changes, etc. is almost always more up to date than the airline’s app or the airport monitors. When everything goes sideways, you’ll get the updated info before everyone else and can get on the phone to find alternatives while they’re all sitting there in the dark :). Also, use the “Track Inbound Flights” function to predict delays before they happen.
If you’re a person that checks luggage, be sure to pack at least one pair of spare undergarments in your carryon bag. It’s unpleasant to have to wear non-clean undergarments if your bag gets delayed or lost.
Last tip: have your stuff ready when you go through airport security. Shoes off and Id out so you don’t hold up the line.
Always have a copy of your passport and cash in your luggage or bag when traveling abroad. If anything happens to your passport, at least you have a copy to legitimize your identity and makes it much easier for the US Embassy to provide you a new one so you can go home.
Take the time to see if the airport you’re at has a recycle bin besides a trash can. I’ve seen way too many soda and water bottles thrown out that could have been easily recycled at the airport.
Take advantage of the 24 hour ticket refund window to watch for better times, more time to consider trip plans, and to virtually extend the book-by dates on special fares
NEVER check luggage. Get a good carry-on bag (we use the flight crew bag – PNT Stealth NG Pilot Bag – designed by pilots to last for decades) and stop standing at baggage claim for 30 minutes hoping they haven’t lost your luggage (again). For longer trips, find a local laundry. In Bangkok, for example, $10 will get everything you’ve packed washed, dried and ironed – it will look better than it ever has! Save time, money and hassle.
Pack black pants, shorts or skirts. They don’t show dirt, can be worn several days and anything goes with them.
When traveling to a hotel and cruising for an upgrade/special occasion, it makes a HUGE difference if you email the GM beforehand. Try for a week at least in advance. You not only can start feeling the staff out based on the response but also create a paper trail in case there are any problems.
When my family gets to the airport, I usually have my husband drop me and the kids at curbside check in. By the time he parks and gets back, we have our luggage checked and are ready to head to security, and we didn’t have to schlep everything (including the kids!)from the parking lot.
Look for play areas in airports. The kids play areas have been lifesavers when delayed at DFW and LHR!
Make sure to scanned and email you passport VISA and other travel documents to yourself…
Make sure to scan and and email your passport, VISA and other travel documents to yourself…
When traveling on two different airlines, see if the carriers participate in interline baggage checking which allows you to check your luggage through to its final destination, thus saving you the trouble of picking it up and rechecking it at the connecting airport.
when traveling to an unfamiliar city, put the address of your hotel, hostel, etc in your phone prior to departure. if it’s an iphone, sometimes you can get bus transfer options to go with walking and driving directions. most importantly, this will keep you from being swindled by a less than trustworthy cabby looking to pad his fare (call me skeptical, but i would rather be hyper vigilant than a mark).
When renting cars outside the US, most rental agencies will try to convince you to pay for “excess coverage” insurance or pre-authorize $2000-$5000 on your credit card if you decline this extra insurance coverage (this is essentially the deductible for the CDW insurance).
If you are renting even occasionally, buy an annual Excess insurance policy. For £50, you’ll be covered for an entire year (Google “Questor Insurance”). Save the $10-15/day for every rental or the hassle of a big pending transaction on your credit card.
Don’t over plan it-explore!
1) Get an unlocked smart phone and/or iPad or tablet that’ll accept a local SIM card when traveling internationally (because wifi is not always available).
2) Instead of discarding old (but still decent) clothes/underwear, save them to take for long trips. When it’s time for you to return, you don’t have to take them back with you – thereby freeing up space and weight baggage limit to pack extra items (like souvenirs) that you may have bought. You’d potentially save yourself excess baggage charges!
Frozen pizza is allowed through security. When it thaws out, cold pizza is better than coach food on a TATL flight
At BWI, use the lesser-known downstairs security line by the baggage claim
Department stores or Sephora are generous with samples. Perfect sizes to meet the 3-1-1 rules.
Take a screen shot of the mobile boarding pass to avoid connection issues at the checkpoint or when you actually need it.
Take tiny packets of hot sauce from fast food restaurants or red pepper from pizza places. Makes coach food more bearable
Tip the maid and leave a note asking for more toiletries. Save $ at home.
One of the most useful travel apps – Get the free Métro application for iOS or Android. You’ll be a pro at navigating the public transportation systems in 400+ cities around the world. Very easy to use, and it doesn’t require an Internet connection to function.
Using the mass transit system is a great way to see a city, hang out with locals and save money. Using the Métro app will allow you to do this with ease and confidence.
When traveling on an award ticket, make sure you carry with you the credit card you used to pay taxes and fees.
If flying Southwest, make sure to check in at exactly 24 hours prior to scheduled departure to get the best number, unless you want to pay the early bird fee ahead of time.
When traveling with small children, dress them in odd color combinations. Take a picture of them each morning. Ir they get lost you’ll have a picture and they will be easier to pick out of a crowd with the odd color clothing.
When things go wrong during your travels (and at some point, they will) keep a positive attitude, know your options ahead of time, and catch more bees with honey than with vitriol.
Get Global Entry! No customs line when coming back from international flights, and almost guaranteed TSA PreCheck when traveling domestically. PreCheck line is usually much faster than the elite line!
When you check into a hotel, check the shower to make sure it works. You don’t want to find out there is a problem in the morning as you are getting ready with no time to spare.
When checking into a hotel alone, put always request 2 keys. Put one in your wallet immediately, then put the other in a conspicuous place. If you forget to pick up our room key on the way out, you will always have a “spare” in your wallet.
1) always use carry on baggage only.
2) travel on the airline that will benefit you (lounge access , preferred seats etc.)
3) get global entry as it saves tons of time
My favorite travel buddy is my Amex Plat card. I use it for lounge access when I travel and always check with the lounge agents if there’s a better seat available.
Remeber to bring your positive attitude and at least 2 of your best rewarding credit cards. A smile takes you a long way in resolving any issues…
Get the Chase Sapphire card!
My travel tip is always email the manager or manager of reservation department at hotel your staying at before you arrive. Tell them that your celebrating some special event and thats the reason for your travel. In my experience the manager will always email you back and give you a upgrade to the room or have a special something when you arrive. Think about it like this, will have have something to celebrate, be it a beautiful day or your happy to be alive, there’s always a “Special Event” in your life to celebrate.
Scan and email copies of important documents such as your passport and reservations to yourself at an email address that you can access from any computer (such as gmail, yahoo etc.)
When visiting San Francisco, fly in/out of OAK rather than SFO to avoid delays and fog.
for family vacations or trips longer than a couple days, check out apartments and condos on vrbo instead of a hotel
Always ask for an upgrade everywhere.
Sign up for volunteer denied boarding even without an announcement.
Checkout seatguru before picking a seat.
Use charles schwab for no fee atm when travelling abroad.
Use chase no fee credit when travelling abroad.
Carry multiple copies of your passport and DL and leave it in different bags.
Check out wikitravel to get a quick summary of the place you are visiting
When travelling international get local sim cards at airport instead of using your AT&T or Verizon network
Convertible pants (so the legs zipper on/off) when flying between different climates. No news to change. Just zip on or off the legs and you are good to go.
Visit grocery stores at your destination to reduce your breakfast and snack costs.
Carry extra batteries in case your camera does not have a rechargable batteries
Save all your old clothes that you don’t like for trips. Then wear them on the trips and discard or give them to local goodwill type places (they usually wash them first anyway).
Ok, do you might look like a hobo some days, but your suitcases will be a lot lighter on the way back, and it’s much easier to pack!
Carry a power with you all the time. Helps both at hotel and airport.
Invest in a toiletry travel bag. That way you don’t have to pack and unpack stuff every time you travel and no way you will forget anything.
Label you phones/iPads or anything else you use on a plane or in the airport, with your name and phone number. If you forget it on a plane, they will call to return it to you.
If its not labeled, there is no way to know whose it is. Airlines find tons of phones each year.
Keep your phone and wallet in your pocket and your shoes on while taking off and landing. You will have everything you need in case you need to evacuate.
Carry a few ziplock bags on extended international travel. You will be surprised what all you can use it for.
Never exchange currency at american airports. They will rip you off with their fees and rates. Try to convert it at Wells Fargo before you start your journey or do it at a local bank at your destination.
Get Club Carlson credit card and try to stay at Club Carlson hotels to get 1 night free.
We are going to Europe for 5 weeks and the hotel prices are staggering, but Choice just lowered their points redemptions to 8k/night, which you can buy 8k for $88 from them.
We didn’t buy any points, but instead transferred AMEX MR points to choice at 1:1 and got Clarion rooms for 8k, which cost $440/night in Paris.
Always bring extra patience and a smile.
After entering your hotel room ,put the latch on the door or lock it. I have had people given the wrong room key and try to enter my room. I have also been given the key to a room that was already occupied. This also prevents housekeeping from entering unannounced
If staying at a hotel or going on a cruise….Take a power strip! Also might want to consider a short extension cord.
Don’t underestimate Priceline for hotels/rental cars! Forums can give you a great idea of the hotel you’ll get, and rental cars are a no brainer!
Don’t waste your time when arriving at your destination trying to figure out what to do. Take 2 days before your trip and create your own schedule of activities (your own guide). following the schedule step by step will allow you not to miss the most important attractions and sights!
If you need a plastic bag for whatever reason, the laundry bags in the closets of hotel rooms work in a pinch!
My favorite thing to do is either pick up cheap clothes at goodwill or take items you no longer want to wear – wear them and leave them, so on the way back you have tons of room for items you buy!
My biggest tip is usually for myself: pack less and bring one bag!
Try not to plan too much and let things come naturally as you travel.
Try to meet a local so you can see things you’d never think of or read about on blogs or in guidebooks.
I wear natural fibers at home but pack synthetics for the road. No odor and dry quickly when washed inhotel sink.
Take advantage of complimentary hotel overnight shoe shine when traveling on biz but make sure you tuck some singles in tne shoes for guys that do the work.
if you plan to buy coffee, buy in whole bean. Nothing is worse than having ground coffee explode in your luggage.
bring a z-pack. You don’t want to get sick, but be prepared
if taking a hiking vacation and you have internal country low weight limits, wear your hiking boots and cargo pants on the plane.
pack a copy of your itinerary in each bag. That way, if your bag gets lost, they know where you are going to be.
ask your pet sitters to send pictures of your pets. That way, you won’t feel so homesick
bring an empty bag with you to fill up with presents and things you buy while on vacation
Never bring a knife to a gun fight.
Keep a bag packed for a last minute emergency trip.
I use space bags if I need to fit some clothes into my computer bag. This just helped me complete a trip with just one bag.
PACKING
-Small resealable zip-bag of powder detergent for emergency hand washing at your destination.
-Flip flops. I’ve noticed it’s mainly hotels catering to Asian tourists that will provide room slippers. You never know what’s been on that hotel carpet even at a 4 or 5 star establishment! Plus, if there’s a pool, you are good to go.
-Foam earplugs if not your own noise-cancelling headset to block engine noise or small talk/give a visual cue that you are zoned out!
SECURITY
Remove and store your watch, jewelry, etc in a safe place inside your hand carry bag just prior to disembarking from an airport shuttle/private car vs dumping in the TSA security tray. Inevitably people will forget something or the trays get backed up and everyone gets flustered. Put items back on as soon as you get to the airport lounge or settle into your assigned seat.
Using a debit card in a foreign ATM may actually be more convenient and cheaper than exchanging currency locally. Confirm before you go.
bring running shoes, or at least really comfortable walking shoes. You’ll probably save a lot on taxis, and then sleep really well at night. If you’re a runner, when you go out in the a.m. for a run, scope out the areas you want to revist later, and get the route together.
Put your cell # or email address on your power cord, computer, kindle, phone…The person who finds it has a way to contact you if they want to do the right thing.