17 Tips to Travel Like a Pro

I travel MANY times a year (more than I can count) and I used to hate it… well, maybe not hate it, but I didn’t love it. I was stressed, disorganized and found travel exhausting.

There are a few tricks that I discovered over time that make travel not just bearable but enjoyable. Whether you travel frequently or just once in a while, these are the things that have helped me to enjoy travel the most.

1. Carry On Only – Whenever possible avoid checking bags. This is obvious.
2. Bring an Empty Water Bottle – I always feel dehydrated and most airports have bottle fill-up stations.
3. Check-in Online First – If you already check-in online you can still make your flight as long as you get to the gate before boarding closes (as long as you don’t check bags). This buys you time and relieves stress if you are running late.
4. Always Bring Snacks – I hate being hungry.
5. Get Lounge Access – I have access to the frequent flier lounges and it makes a HUGE difference (especially when flights are delayed and I’m waiting around the airport for a long time). They are quiet, have Wifi, free drinks and healthy snacks. It is like an oasis from travel noise.
6. Accept that you Have No Control – This was the best piece of advice I got from a friend. Accept that once you get yourself to the airport you have no control over anything else that happens. Don’t get stressed over delays.
7. Take the First Flight in the Morning – This is the least likely to have any delays.
8. Give Yourself Buffer Time – I always make sure that I can miss at least one flight/connection and get where I need to be on time. This reduces my stress about delayed flights.
9. Have a Backup Plan – I always have a backup plan for what will happen if something goes wrong with my itinerary.
10. Avoid the Last Connection at Night – I HATE getting stranded at a random airport because my flight was late and I missed my connection. I’ll spend more $$ or even stay an extra night when possible to avoid a last of the night connection.
11. Invest in Good Luggage – Good suitcases make travel better.
12. Invest in Noise Cancelling Headphones – They make flights with crying children more tolerable.
13. Have a Game Plan for Security – Know what you need to take out and have your bags ready to easily get items in and out.
14. Smile – Be friendly to airport staff. The constantly deal with angry people and a smile goes a long way.
15. Keep Your Boarding Pass and ID in the Same Place – I hate it when I have to search through my purse or bag or pockets for 10 minutes to find my ID or passes. I always put them in the same place in my bag to make them easy to find.
16. You can Ask for Full Sized Cans – If you want more than the tiny cup they give you, ask for a full sized can. They normally say yes.
17. You can Bring Mini-Alcohol Bottles as Carry-on Liquids – Sometimes you just need a drink. You can bring mini-alcohol bottles as your carryon as long as they are in the Ziploc bag.