[ad_1]
Recently, travel has not been easy.
Crowds, delays, staffing challenges, weather; All of this can throw a wrench into your long-planned dream trip — or a quick trip you’ve taken many times before.
That said, there are smart travel tips that may be more important than ever; Ways to make sure – if things go sideways – you’ll get your sanity, property and hopefully the peace of mind you want from your vacation.
Here are my “must do” travel tips for the current travel climate.
Protect your luggage
“Never check your luggage and you’ll always know where you are!” It is easy to declare. But life is not that simple. Some journeys ask more than you can bear; Sometimes you are forced to check your bag even during carry-on.
Best bet? Many airline apps do a good job of keeping you somewhat informed about the current location of your luggage, but are semi-obvious (“Your luggage has arrived at your first stop and will be transferred”, for example).
How do you know exactly where it is at any given time? Finally, be smart like me and throw the Apple Airtag (https://www.apple.com/airtag) in any and all checked bags.
With the AirTag function, you can see every movement of your bag in real time. You can actually see your luggage on your AirTag as you walk up to the connecting gate. And if your bag goes astray, you’ll know where it is right away – a big help.
A friend on a recent trip lost his luggage on a connecting flight and was stranded in the Canadian Rockies with no winter gear. He ended up sitting in the airport for the whole time, lost in a corner. Airtag would solve that.
They’re easy to use (find my class on your Apple device), their batteries last a full year, and they’re waterproof. I will never go without them again (and by the way, just in case you forget something) throw one in your luggage.
Cancel your trip
If you’re going somewhere that requires a rock-solid arrival date and time (say, a cruise or other adventure that leaves your flight destination), set your trip off by 24 hours. Even if it means an extra hotel night, it can also be the difference between making your big trip or not. I see this as an opportunity for a small destination within a destination.
I am traveling at the end of February with the intention of coming through Vancouver. If I arrive in a few hours (fingers crossed), I’ll arrive a day early and explore the city. If I’m late after cancellation, I’ll just miss that, not the start of my important journey. And if I arrive on time? More experience is a good thing.
Dress smart on the plane
During the new travel challenge, it’s a good idea to think ahead when dressing for a flight. (Note: Remember when the flight was glamorous and you got dressed up? Times have changed). Think destination, but also stops.
If you’re going from a hot destination to a cold one, err on the side of cold. Stick with your reversible, cold-weather clothes, but pack a warm-weather change of clothes in your carry-on. With this, if your luggage gets lost or gets stuck somewhere, you’ll have both hot and cold weather options. Believe me, the guy I saw last week in Canada was wearing shorts and a t-shirt for days.
Don’t think that food and drink on board is a sure thing
While some flights offer food for sale (and of course we’re talking about those in first class here), many don’t – and sometimes they may have a small bag, even if they advertise it. Pretzels and some water or — should the flight be rocky — don’t let the flight attendants serve them.
If for some reason you need food and drink on board, bring your own to be sure. Carry an empty water bottle through security and then fill it up. Make PB and J at home (but not tuna; nobody likes tuna fish on a flight) or buy food in the terminal before boarding. That way, you’re sure to have what you want or need on your flight.
Download the airline app and join their frequent flyer program
Even if you never use that airline again, the app is always your best way to contact customer service (if you have a flight rebooking or other issue), track flight updates and in some cases even make purchases on board.
On a recent United Airlines flight, the only option to buy things like wifi and snacks was to use the app. Many also offer discounts to those who join. Download it and familiarize yourself with it at home before you travel.
Do all the important things
Medicines, tools, chargers for them, and other things you need should always be carried (and if you’re asked to check the bag door, take those things before they take them out of your carry-on. I don’t want to go a day, night, or more without your insulin, other medicine, or a way to charge your phone.
Don’t let all this planning stop you: flying can still take you to places you’ve always dreamed of visiting. And once you’re there, with smart planning, all ends well.
[ad_2]
Source link
