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Yes, it is September still but the holidays will be here in the snap of your fingers! Here are some tips to make travel less of a strain on your pocket and your mental space . . .
Fly on the actual holiday
Those last few days before a popular holiday can be a nightmare at the airport. Think day-before-Thanksgiving crowds and overbooked flights. But on the actual holiday? When people are already celebrating? Mmmmm… not so much.
We totally get it if you’re flying in to spend a holiday with family and friends. But if you’re using a holiday as an excuse to get out of town (totally cool, you guys; we do it, too!)? You can save some major cash flying on the holiday.
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Join points programs
Save some money with one of our fave travel tips: using points. Check with credit cards, airlines, and hotel chains to see what kind of (free!) points programs you can sign up for. As you accumulate points, you can use them to upgrade your seats or hotel rooms, and in some cases even fund your entire vacay.
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Consider travel insurance
Life happens: vacation plans change, people get sick, work projects take over. The only thing worse than having to miss out on a long-awaited vacay is having to pay for it even though your stuck at home. Ouch and double ouch!
Check out the prices for travel insurance or flights with cancellation policies. The cost could easily be well worth it!
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Avoid overweight baggage fees
You need a lot less stuff when you travel than you think you do, really. Pack carefully and lightly, leaving extra room in your suitcase. That way, if (when!) you buy souvenirs, you won’t have to fork over extra fees for an overweight bag.
Or go with one of the travel tips below and ship your stuff to your hotel or Airbnb, and then ship it home. Easier and cheaper than paying extra fees!
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Adjust your sleep ASAP
Jet lag, tossing and turning, and under-eye bags that rival your suitcase: all hallmarks of flying into a different time zone. Not fun! The best way to overcome that is to get on the local schedule right away.
If you flew west, keep yourself up a little later that first night. If you headed east, get to bed a little earlier than usual.
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Choose where you stay wisely
Yes, it’s fantastic when you find a cheap hotel or Airbnb. But look carefully at where it’s located. If it’s so far out of the way that you have to take cabs every time you want to go somewhere, you might end up spending more.
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Eat like a local
When you’re out of town, skip the chain restaurants and find some mom-n-pop eateries featuring local fare. Not sure where to go? Ask at your hotel, talk to the owner of your Airbnb, or use an app like Yelp to find someplace super authentic.
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Keep it digital
Forget about shuffling through papers. Keep everything on your phone, where you can find it with just a tap. This includes your boarding pass, hotel and car rental reservations, luggage shipping labels, and anything else you considered printing.
Oh, and just in case the WiFi is spotty: take screen shots of anything vital, including your boarding pass’s QR code.
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Take lots of photos
Your photos will be some of your best memories—take lots of them. Then when you get home, use a printing service to make a photobook. Something to look at until your next getaway!
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Pack essentials in your carry-on
If you travel often enough, sooner or later it’ll happen: you’ll arrive, but your luggage won’t. Keep everything you’ll need for that first night plus a spare outfit (and a bathing suit, if you’re hitting a beach) in your carry-on. On the off chance of delayed luggage, you’ll have no worries.
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Ship your stuff
The easiest way to avoid hassles at the airport is to ship your luggage directly to your hotel or Airbnb with LugLess. No suitcases to haul through the airport and no time wasted at baggage claim. For less than the price of the average checked bag, your travels will be that much smoother.
There you have it: tips to make your 2022 holiday travels smoooooooth. Time to schedule your travel to get in on the best prices before October comes!