Travel Tips

Travel is expensive, but there are ways to reduce travel expenses. Use these tips when you plan your next trip to avoid paying too much.

Paying for airline, train, or bus tickets on the day of travel is expensive. By purchasing your tickets ahead of time, you can save quite a bit of money. A flight that costs $1,200 on the day of travel can often be purchased for as little as $300 if you buy it two or three weeks before your travel date.

Flying during off-peak times can also save you a lot. The days right before and after major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are typically more expensive. If you plan to arrive and depart four days before and after the holiday, the rates will be much cheaper. During the week, Tuesday and Wednesday are typically the cheapest days to travel. Friday through Sunday are the most expensive.

There are a number of websites that offer airfare, and a few sites just compare rates. Visit the airline’s official website for airfare rates, then check a couple other websites like Orbitz or Priceline to compare rates. Do this each time you travel because the cheapest tickets are not always on the same website.

If you must travel without purchasing your tickets in advance, check with all the airlines offering flights to your destination to see if there are any last minute specials. Sometimes airlines need to fill seats so they will offer a discounted rate within 24 hours of a flight.

Avoid baggage fees by packing only a carry-on bag. Most airlines allow you to carry on a small suitcase, purse or briefcase, and a backpack. Check the airline for current baggage details, and take full advantage of the carry-on bags allowed.

Unless you must arrive in or depart from a specific city, check flights to and from airports in towns nearby. For example, if you are traveling to Omaha, Nebraska, you can check flights in Omaha, Kansas City, Lincoln, and Wichita. You may find a cheaper flight going somewhere close to where you need to be, and you can drive your rental car to your final destination. A couple hours in the car can save you hundreds of dollars or allow you to take a direct flight instead of multiple plane changes.

Most airlines have a loyalty program- take advantage of it! You can earn points that can be redeemed for free air travel, hotel vouchers, or flight upgrades. If you fly more than once a year, this can end up saving you a lot of money on future flights.

Depending on current exchange rates, you may save money by paying for flights with a foreign currency. To figure out if this will actually save you money, look up the price of the flight and then look up the current exchange rates.

These tips can help you save a little or a lot on your vacation. The money you save on travel expenses can be saved for your next vacation!

Taking a vacation with your children can be a very memorable and exciting experience for kids and adults alike. Making it to your destination in one piece with a car full of happy people would be the ideal, but that is not always the case, particularly when you have a rather large family. Follow the tips in the article below if you want to make your trip go as smooth as possible.

One thing that is vital when having a road trip with children is having plenty of games to play while you are in the car. Children get bored very easily, and the fact that they are confined to one space can make them pretty antsy. Bringing along some travel games, reading and/or coloring books and some dolls should be enough to keep them entertained for a while, but that may not last too long.

Before you leave to go on your trip, you should think about going online and finding a site that has some ideas for games that can be played in a car. While you may already be aware of some of them, like Hangman, it would not hurt to find some new ones that the entire family could enjoy. Make sure that the games you find are not too difficult because you do not want the younger children to feel left out.

When you are going to a destination that is very far away, you will have to stop several times in order to sleep and get prepared for another day of driving. Most of the time, people like to find small hotels or motels that are pretty economical in price and en route to where they are going. While there is nothing wrong with that, it would be much more exciting for the children if you spent some of the nights camping out in a tent. This may not be comfortable for you after driving for so long, which is why it is not recommended you camp out every day. Alternate between staying at a hotel and camping out in order to make the trip comfortable and enjoyable for all.

When you are in the car for longer periods of time, having an air conditioner running is not always practical. It can become pretty chilly in the car if left on for a long time, and it decreases your gas mileage. You should open the windows and let the fresh air in. If it is still unbearably hot, you can take a spray bottle of water and mist the water on the children. Younger children would most likely be very amused by this, while older children will be happy to have some type of relief from the heat.

Road trips can be fun for people of all ages, which is why they are great for families. While they can be very stressful, if you plan ahead correctly you will have a very nice time. Use the tips above to prepare yourself for your journey.

International travel is exciting and can also be enlightening. If international travel is new to you, it can also feel a bit overwhelming. There is a lot to pay attention to when traveling, from time changes and foreign customs to passports and currency. To make your journey go smoothly, follow the helpful advice outlined below.

Learn the common language of the place you plan to travel, and spend some time practicing. Before you visit a foreign country, you should be able to say at least a few phrases in the language of the land. Also, if you are taking an iPhone or other electronic device, load a language application. There are translation tools and language dictionaries available, often at a low price. You can also use your computer to find a language buddy to help you practice before leaving on your trip.

Do some research on the local customs and national holidays of the country you are visiting. This can help you avoid embarrassing yourself and also make sure you have a hotel room reserved well in advance if you are traveling during a holiday or event that can cause all the hotels to be full. Also, if you are planning to visit a museum, you want to make sure the place is open during the time you will be there.

Make a copy of all your important papers, such as your passport, national ID card, drivers license, and birth certificate. Scan and email these copies to your email address and to a friend, and also keep a copy in a location separate from the actual documents. If you lose the documents or they are stolen, it will be easier to get things sorted out if you have a copy of them.

If you are traveling internationally with pets, make sure you learn all the regulations that you and your pet will be subject to before leaving. Some countries have a strict quarantine procedure, and others only require quarantine if you do not have certain documents.

Make sure to confer with your hotel to make sure pets are permitted at the time you make the hotel reservation. You will also need to learn about policies regarding whether you can leave your pet in the room when you go out sightseeing, or if your pet cannot stay in the room if you are not there.

You should call ahead and find a veterinarian near your hotel, in case of emergency. Try to find a vet that has a language in common with you, or have a plan for a translator to be present.

Learn what time zones you will be traveling through, and be prepared for an acclimation period. It can take several days to become accustomed to the time difference. If you can go through time zones gradually, do it! Being sick from jet lag is not only unpleasant, it can cause you to postpone some plans.

As you can see, there are many things you can do to prepare for your international vacation or business travel. Don’t let stress ruin your trip, just use the tips outlined above to keep you sane and help your travel flow smoothly.

Traveling abroad, whether for pleasure or business, can be lots of fun but also a bit stressful. These tips will help you be prepared so you can avoid unnecessary hassles.

When planning your trip, take a look at your passport. Make sure it is valid, readable, and undamaged. If your passport needs to be renewed or replaced, now is the time to do so. If you wait until you are packing for your trip to check your passport, you could end up having to delay your trip.

Check to make sure that you have the correct visas. If you are traveling to a country that you have not visited before, double check visa requirements. Visa requirements can change, so it is best to check again before leaving on your trip.

Different airlines have different carry-on restrictions, so check with all the airlines you may be flying on to make sure you are within the rules. Make full use of the allowed carry-on luggage to save money on checked baggage.

Waiting at the airport can be boring and sometimes frustrating. Be prepared! Take along a book or electronic game system, or maybe a journal or notebook. Check-in lines can be long, as can security check-in lines. It is also possible that you could be required to go through security checkpoints more than once, especially at airports in the United States. Getting through customs can also be a hassle. Just relax and go with the flow. Your blood pressure will thank you.

Make sure that your checked baggage is within limits. Take the time to weigh your luggage as most airlines have both a size and weight restriction. If your luggage is close to the weight limit, take a few things out. The scale you use is not going to show the same weight as the scale the airlines use. You do not want to have to choose between leaving something behind at the airport or paying a hundred dollar over-weight fee because your bag is five pounds over the limit.

Plan to arrive at the airport two hours before your flight is scheduled to leave. This allows plenty of time to get through lines, get something to eat and drink before your flight leaves, and deal with unexpected security issues the airport may have that day.

Double check all your bookings prior to leaving. Check that all your flights are on time and check the weather at your destination and arrival airports to see if a weather-related delay is likely. Also check the weather at any lay-over or stops. Call the motels where you have reservations to make sure everything is set. Know what you will do if you get stuck at a lay-over location- find a motel close to the airport and check availability. This might seem overly cautious, but if you find yourself stuck in Denver overnight because planes are grounded due to a snowstorm, you will be happy that you thought to plan.

There are lots of things you need to consider when planning a trip overseas. If you plan carefully, you can avoid many common hassles and inconveniences.

The news has recently covered several stories of families separated while traveling on an airplane. While most airlines do not guarantee that parents and their children will be seated together, there are steps you can take to ensure that your children stay with you while on the plane.

When you purchase your airline tickets, ask the customer service representative about preferred seating options. If you buy your tickets online, there may be an opportunity to choose your seats or pay extra for preferred seating. Whether you choose your seats during the checkout process online or not, make sure you still call the airline after the tickets are purchased. Let them know that you bought your tickets online, and want to make sure your children are seated with you.

Some airlines offer guaranteed seat placements if you pay an additional fee. Taking advantage of this service may cost some money, but the peace of mind is worth it. Having to ask a flight attendant to arrange seating on the day of your flight is a hassle and stressful. If you can pay a bit extra for guaranteed seats, you can avoid this hassle.

Several airlines, especially budget airlines like Southwest Airlines and JetBlue, do not assign seats. Seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so whoever gets on the plane first gets the first choice of seats. These airlines often allow families with children to board early, so ask if this is possible.

Some airlines have a boarding system that is similar to first-come, first-serve, but the order of boarding is determined by the price of your ticket. If you paid the lowest ticket price, you are at the end of the boarding line. These airlines usually only allow families with very young children to board early. If your flight is on this type of airline, pay a higher ticket price to make sure you board early enough to keep your family together.

If you are unable to get guaranteed seats with your children prior to boarding the plane, or the airline makes a mistake and attempts to separate you and your children, be assertive. It is important here to keep a calm tone and a polite voice. A passenger is easily ejected from the plane if flight attendants feel threatened or harassed. Let the flight attendants know that you alone are responsible for your children, and you cannot care for them or control them if you are not seated together. Insist, calmly and politely on being seated together.

Although flight attendants prefer not to do so, they can require other passengers to give up their seats and move so that your children can remain with you. Sometimes passengers will volunteer, other times they will grumble and protest. Either way, do not interact with the other passengers other than to thank them for moving. It is the flight attendant’s job to deal with unhappy passengers, so let them.

Keeping your kids with you while on an airplane is very important. It allows you to supervise them and comfort them when necessary. It can also be very stressful for both you and your children to be separated while in the air. Use the tips you just read to make sure that you and your kids stay together while traveling.