Travel has gotten more difficult, more expensive, and less reliable in recent years. As you think about the holiday season. Here are some tips to create a less stressful trip!
Insurance – For bigger trips with more upfront expenses, I always buy insurance. I just plan on it as part of the total cost (it adds about 10%). I make sure I have “cancel for any reason” and “trip interruption”. A reminder from a good friend and great traveler, buy your insurance from a 3rd party, not the airline or hotel. The only addition I would make to that, is sometimes I will add on the company’s insurance for a rental car. I still have my big insurance policy and I still have my day to day car insurance, but if I am somewhere where damage from the elements is likely (Iceland comes to mind) and I don’t want to get into a long dispute with a company, then I’ll sometimes add their insurance too. There is also an “art” to keeping down the cost of insurance. If booking a trip myself (which is the case 90% of the time) then I only include the large non-refundable expenses. As an example, if my hotel reservations can be cancelled with 72 hours’ notice, then I will only get enough insurance to cover 3-days (not 3 weeks). If I used frequent flyer miles then I don’t include airfare. Over the last few years, even the trips that have gone very smoothly, I have broken even on my insurance. And for those that I lost a little money, the piece of mind was worth it.
Credit card – Book as much as possible on a credit card. This does a few things – you have another advocate on your side if things go wrong, it can act as extra insurance, and you have a record of actual purchases and costs all in one spot. And of course, you are also earning more points for your next trip!
Fly in the morning – The first flight of the day is the most reliable. The airlines have most likely adjusted from any weather, crew and maintenance delays the day prior. Later in the day you are subject to domino effects of delays in other cities or other planes. As a side benefit, this also allows you to maximize time at your destination.
Carry-on bag – Two thoughts here. 1) If possible, only have a carry-on for your trip. This allows you to be more mobile while at your destination, but also more flexible when traveling. Most importantly it means you aren’t stuck waiting for a lost bag at your destination. 2) If this isn’t doable, have 24-hours’ worth of essentials in your carry on.
Bonus Idea #1 – The best way to fit into a small bag is to think about layers. If you just bring enough t-shirts and underwear (the bottom layer that touches the skin) for every day, all of your outer layers can be worn several days in a row. Also socks and pants can last 2-3 days. Even for hot weather, I have a couple of go-to dresses and skirts that only need me to change out my tank top or t-shirt.
Bonus Idea #2 – If able to travel with a carry-on, but worried about having room for gifts and souvenirs on the way home, you can pack an extra tote or backpack (flexible with no frame). You can then check your carry-on home and bring the extra bag on your return flight.
Layovers – Make sure you have enough time for your layover, especially if transferring to a location that does not have frequent flights. Again, just plan it in to the calculus. When traveling to South Africa, there was only one flight a day from New York. But there are dozens of daily flights from DC to New York. I planned an extra several hours at the New York airport with the plan to have dinner there. I am not disputing that airport meals are expensive. But the extra 3 hours and $20 was worth the piece of mind to get a multi-week trip off on the right foot.
Buffer Day – For an important or complicated trip, plan 1-2 buffer days. When going to South Africa, we were a group of 5 coming from 4 different origins and most only had 1 flight a day. I booked two nights in Johannesburg to make sure everyone arrived before we started our safari. And as a bonus, we all had a great time exploring the city!
Hotel Loyalty Points – When traveling, I try to stay in smaller locally owned cute places with character. And I save my Marriott and Hyatt points to use when delayed. The apps and airport locations make it easy to book at the last minute. And because the nights are “free” I don’t feel like I am out a ton of money.
Back Up Frequent Flier Miles – I have not done this yet, but thought it was a brilliant idea when I heard it. If your timing is critical, use your frequent flier miles to book a backup flight on another airline a few hours after your paid flight. This means you have a second option if your flight is significantly delayed or canceled. And because frequent flier flights can be canceled right up until departure, you aren’t out anything if your primary flight works out.
Life Kinetic Travel Research 