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!
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.