Traveling is easier when you are well prepared for it. There’s so much to do when preparing for a trip, from searching for affordable flights to packing your bags. This can get exhausting, but traveling is meant to be enjoyable, which is why hacks go a long way to make it easy.
Following travel hacks is a great way to save money and time and reduce any hassle. Lucky for you, you’ve found the right place, as this article pretty much covers how to make your trip easier.
Check them out!
1. Be flexible
Flexibility is important for a sweet and easy travel experience. You should be flexible with your flights, destination, date, stuff to pack, and more. You can find cheaper flights if you’re flexible with your flight date. Use the flexible date option to find the best day with the cheapest tickets.
In addition, you should book flexible tickets in case of a change of plans. However, that may come with cancelation and change policies that may not apply to the cheapest basic economy tickets.
2. Sign up for flight deals alert
Getting the lowest price tickets will make travel easier and save you money. You can do that by signing up for flight deals alerts. For example, you can use websites like Google Flights for fare alerts. That way, you’ll get to know when prices change or drop for your chosen route, and you can book when it’s convenient for you.
3. Utilize the Frequent Flyer Scheme
Utilizing Frequent Flyer Schemes will make your travel easier. Enrolling in your airline’s frequent flyer program allows you to enjoy certain benefits. You can rack up points from your miles and redeem them for air travel or other rewards.
Include your frequent flyer number to your reservation, or you can credit the miles with a partner airline if you’re using an airline different from your usual. That will cut your spending a little.
4. Book everything in advance
You’ll have an easier travel experience if you book everything in advance. Once your flight is confirmed, you should book your arrival transfer from the airport, especially during peak season or in a place you’re unfamiliar with.
In addition, you should book your accommodation and settle where to stay before leaving. If you’re relocating, you should hire movers who will help you pack, move and unpack before you travel. This will save you the hassle of looking for transportation when you’re tired and jetlagged.
5. Choose the best seat for your flight
Your seat matters if you want to enjoy a comfortable flight, whether long or short. Of course, every seat has its pros and cons, but you can be smart about it and choose one that’ll be most convenient for you. For example, you can choose a seat over the wing if you get motion sickness.
Also, you can choose a seat towards the back of the airplane if you want easy access to the bathroom. Lastly, you should book a bassinet seat while traveling with a baby.
6. Carry a refillable water bottle
Water at the airport gift shop tends to cost more than usual, and paying for water every time you’re thirsty isn’t all that great. You may even have to pour it all out before going through security.
You can avoid spending much on water by carrying a refillable water bottle. After going through security, you can fill it up from filtered drinking fountains or in the bathroom. That way, you can save money and protect the environment.
7. Get luggage scales
Airlines often enforce strict weight limits and will charge you extra if you exceed them. You can avoid this when you use luggage scales to measure your bag to ensure you’re within the limit.
Luggage scales don’t cost much and will save you some extra luggage fees at the airport. Otherwise, you can buy a suitcase with a built-in weight scale. However, those can be costlier than regular bags.
8. Pack some essentials in your carry-on
Luggage delays are a thing when traveling, and they can happen to anyone. It gets sad when you have no clothes to change into, a toothbrush to brush your teeth, or a bathing suit. This can make you grumpy, especially when you’re jetlagged.
Pack your essentials in your carry-on to avoid that and other unforeseen situations. This can include a change of cloth, flip flops, bathing suit, sunscreen, toothbrush, moisturizer, and other essentials that’ll sustain you until you reunite with your luggage.
9. Utilize packing cubes
Packing cubes enable you to pack and organize your belongings more efficiently. You can categorize your belongings to the right place, so nothing gets lost in your suitcase.
This helps you easily find what you’re looking for without taking out everything in your bag. Furthermore, they also help with preventing your clothes from getting creased.
10. Have a travel credit card
Getting a travel credit card is a great idea if you travel often. This will help you save money on your trips. These cards often come with benefits that may amount to free travel insurance, points that can be used for flights, hotels, and other travel expenses, and access to airport lounges.
Find the best travel credit card option with the benefits and perks that best suit your needs.
11. Carry a busy bag
Traveling with kids can be a bit demanding, but you can minimize the stress of handling your kids on a flight with a busy bag. This bag is meant to keep them busy throughout the flight and prevent them from being bored.
The bag can contain coloring books, crayons, small toys, snacks, and anything that’ll keep them occupied until the journey ends or they fall asleep.
12. Download movies, TV shows, and music
You may get bored when traveling by road, air, or any other form of transportation. Worse, you may not have internet access, which can bore you, especially if the journey is long.
A nice solution is downloading movies, TV shows, or music to keep you entertained throughout the journey. You can watch and listen to them offline as a pastime.
13. Carry copies of essential documents
You should carry copies of your essential documents when traveling. You may need to show proof of identity or apply for a new one should you misplace any. While having a digital copy is a great idea, you should also have a physical backup printed should your phone battery die, or you lose your mobile phone.
14. Download an offline version of Google Maps
This travel hack will help prevent you from getting lost in an unfamiliar place. You don’t need the internet to navigate locations with the offline Google Maps version. This is important because you may not have access to the internet or data when you’re exploring. Search for the location you’re visiting from the app and click the “download offline” option.
15. Buy a universal adapter
One thing you need when traveling to a different country is a universal adapter. Chances are that you’ll need a different adapter to charge your phone and gadgets. You don’t want to be stranded in your hotel room with dead gadgets and no way to charge.
The universal adapter has different charging options that’ll cater to your needs regardless of where you are. Don’t forget to buy it before leaving as it can be expensive at the airport.
16. Use a pillow as an extra carry-on
Sometimes, your bag may lack space to carry everything you need for your trip. And since you don’t want to exceed the weight limit and spend more, you can use your pillow as an extra carry-on. Unzip the pillow cover and remove the pillow.
You can keep your clothes or additional clothing inside the pillow. Roll up your t-shirts, underwear, or other clothing and keep them inside the pillow.
17. Don’t travel on bottleneck days
Bottleneck days are days most people will be traveling. You want to avoid crowds to ensure the easiest and most hassle-free travel. Getting through the airport or train station during those periods can be draining, so you should avoid that.
For example, if you’re traveling for Christmas, you shouldn’t travel between December 23rd and 26th.
18. Travel during shoulder season
The shoulder season is between the high and low seasons, and tourism is usually low, which can be during spring and autumn. During this period, flights and accommodation prices are often lower, and you can book activities usually sold out during the high season.
The only downside to this is the unpredictability of the weather, but it’s nothing you can’t handle if you plan your trip well.
19. Use Google Translate’s camera feature
The language barrier is often an issue if you travel to a country where the major language isn’t English. Having Google Translate will save you some trouble. You can use it to navigate menus, road signs, or texts. When you scan the text in a foreign language, the app translates it to your preferred language.
20. Charge your electronic devices
To avoid running out of battery, you should change your devices the day before traveling. This will enable your comfort while you wait for and through the flight. Furthermore, you should keep your charging cords handy where you can easily access them, like in your carry-on bag.
You can also take a portable charger to recharge your battery if you need more power during the flight.
21. Plan your meals ahead
You should plan ahead if you’re traveling long distances and they will be serving meals during the flight. Tell the airline about your dietary restrictions and order a special meal before the flight. Otherwise, you’ll have to manage the standard options available during the flight.
22. Remember where you park
Vacation is fun, but it can be frustrating if you don’t remember where you parked after a week-long vacation or more. Note where you park, the parking row number, and other features that’ll help you remember before traveling. You can also take a picture to help you remember.
23. Consider TSA PreCheck
Going through the security line at the airport without taking off your shoes sounds great, but it comes at a cost. Luckily for you, it’s not so expensive. Get a TSA PreCheck membership so you can go through exclusive security lines.
The TSA PreCheck lines often move faster and don’t require you to scatter everything you’ve packed. The good thing is the membership lasts for five years.
24. Know your luggage
Missed or delayed luggage happens and can be frustrating. But getting it back can be easier if you know your luggage. You’ll likely need to fill out luggage paperwork for lost or delayed luggage, and it requires keen descriptions.
Therefore, know what your luggage looks like and take a picture of it for certainty.
25. Sign up to house sit
You can save up on accommodation costs by signing up to house sit. This involves you looking after a home in exchange for free or subsidized accommodation. Connect with homeowners needing house sitters, and you can save money.
In exchange, you may need to water their plants, mow the lawn, feed their pet, and look after their home while they are away. This also allows you to experience the location like a local.
26. Alert the credit card company of your trip
Ensure you inform your credit card company of your trip before leaving. This will save you the hassle of proving to them that you’re the one using your cards. Not doing this may have you stranded when they flag your card for fraud or place it on hold.
Let them know the duration of your vacation and inform them of any changes.
27. Take photos of everything important
You shouldn’t take this hack for granted. Take photos from your parking spot to your luggage, wifi password, receipts, to rental. This will save you from uncomfortable situations. For example, you may need to present receipts for reimbursement or splitting costs.
Taking pictures of your rental when you pick it up and drop it off will help you clear up any misunderstanding that’s not your fault.
28. Take reviews seriously
Reviews will let you know people’s experiences with a service and help you choose. Check the reviews of your rental service, restaurants, hotels, and every service you intend to use during your service.
Note red flags, bots, or planted reviews when researching and save yourself some stress or heartbreak of using the wrong services.
29. Choose your travel partner carefully
Traveling with people or someone can sometimes be more fun than solo travel. But it can be a nightmare if you travel with the wrong person or group. Confirm that your travel partner(s) shares the same interest as you and the same travel styles.
You don’t want to be stuck with the wrong person throughout your holiday due to bad sleeping habits, lateness, and other problems. Choose your travel buddy wisely, and you’ll enjoy your time.
30. Prepare for emergencies
Emergencies happen, and preparing for them is the right way to go. One way to do that is to keep emergency money or credit card aside in a safe place should the need to use it arise.
In addition, you should research, write and keep emergency contacts specific to your destination should you need an ambulance, a hospital, or a police service. Remember to take a first aid kit as well.
Wrapping Up
Traveling is an activity-packed experience, from planning to packing to traveling, exploring, and having fun. But all these can be jeopardized without the right attitude. You can enjoy your vacation stress-free with the right hacks and follow through with them. The point is to always be a step ahead and anticipate anything. Happy exploring!