Savvy Traveler Tips
Even as a travel expert, I get caught up planning other people’s trips that I sometimes forget my own! To avoid this, I have a list of reminders and tips that get me back into the travel mindset and share with my clients as we start planning:
Going Abroad?
Check your passport expiration date and set a calendar reminder if it expires in the next year or so. The time to renew has gotten better post pandemic but you still don’t want to get caught without it and not enough validity for certain destinations that require 6 months.
Check right away if you need a Visa to your desired destinations in advance on CIBT, Sherpa or the US State Dept sites to get that process under way. Sometimes they are simple, while others might require some hoops to jump through.
Vacation Days
If you don’t have the luxury of a hybrid or remote job, look at the calendar to maximize PTO days with holidays and breaks. Consider who else is traveling and the time of year to match the best time to visit the desired place.
Build points and loyalty for free with your hub airline, hotels and credit cards. Check on the cards to maximize the travel credits, benefits or sign up bonuses. The flight loyalty programs are free to sign up, so even if you’re not a points hacker, you can still accrue points with minimal efforts.
If you can, fly direct! With the airline cancellations and constant travel hiccups happening, my best advice is to try to fly nonstop options and allow some buffer time. You save time on connections and more time vacationing. Yes, it can be more expensive, but I’d argue it’s worth it. If you miss your river cruise or set departure, you’re also losing out on your travel investment. Less connections, travel time and avoiding mishaps gives you more time to vacation too.
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
For ease of travel, I suggest getting PreCheck or Global Entry. If you have a travel-centric credit card, in many cases, they include this cost in your membership and fees. Take advantage of it!
Make Reservations
Nowadays, you really need to make reservations for key attractions and top dining locations. Think of places like the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, Machu Pichu and limited entry to that spectacular view on top Huayna Picchu, Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, hard to get reservation at a Michelin Star restaurant in a top city, and many other things in between.
For clients, I always ask the ‘must dos’ so we can make sure to lock those in right away and double-check based on their travel dates if it’s possible.
Packing Smarter
Check weather ahead of time and closer to the travel dates. Make sure you bring things that can layer or be worn more than once, especially when it comes to shoes. They take up the most space. If you get merino wool items, they tend to wick sweat, not keep odor and less wrinkly to rewear. Try Unbound Merino for men & women. If you travel a lot or have circulation issues, get compression socks to wear on the plane.
If you’re headed somewhere with a lot of sun, get sunscreen before you go. Nothing worse that not being able to find it in shops right away and being exposed to the sun. Also it’s so expensive at resorts or in the destination unless you’re at a local pharmacy.
For women, consider kind of female products you’ll need. In other countries, there aren’t the kinds of choices we have depending on the destination and if it’s a conservative/ Muslim country.
Check what chargers you need and any compatibility with international plugs. Carry a good battery charge pack if you’re going to be out for long days. Taking photos, directions and social media can always drain your battery fast. Make sure to check your phone plane and limit the app usage in the background.
More detailed packing tips here.
Currency and Payments
Check the local currency and exchange rates. Consider getting a small amount before your trip at your bank or get locally at an ATM but check if your card offers no international ATM / bank fees. Another thing to consider, get out tip money before the trip and have smaller denominations separate - put it in a separate pocket or envelope.
Medical & Prescriptions
If you need any shots (Yellow Fever, Covid, for example) or medical prescriptions (your daily needs, Diarrhea meds, hydration packet, Malaria, etc.) beforehand, speak to your doctor and make sure you have plenty to last the full trip and a few extra days should you ever get stuck behind due to any flight cancellations or incidents.
Travel insurance from your trip to your car rental, make sure you’re insured or you have a very good credit card insurance policy included. Read the fine print! My go to trip insurance companies are Allianz, SafetyWing and World Nomads to find the right policy for you. The policies are you usually based on the final budget of the trip and will have stipulations of when you need to purchase it like right when the trip is booked or certain days before your trip.
If you want to personalize these tips and have the help of a travel expert, the best thing to do is work with a travel advisor. It’s our job to keep tabs on the above and plan helpful reminders!
