Knowing
a few of the best travel tips and tricks can make the difference
between an expensive & frustrating trip and a perfect one. From not
paying cancellation fees to the cheapest times to fly, this curated list
will make travel easy.
Make Friends with a Local
Why do
you travel in the first place? To experience the culture of wherever
you’re going, right? Of course, unless you’re spending a week at an
all-inclusive beach resort (no judgement). If you want to experience a
place like a local, you could spend some time asking the bar staff where
the best restaurants and pubs are, but you could also actually have
them show you around. A travel expert writes, “As soon as possible,
become friends with a local. That will make everything 90% easier than
it should be.”
Don’t Pay a Hotel Cancellation Fee
A travel
expert who books travel for a living, says, “If your plans change and
you need to cancel your hotel reservation against the hotel’s
cancellation policy, don’t call and cancel. They’ll charge you. Instead,
call the hotel and move your reservation to next week. Even if it is
against the cancellation policy, most hotels will allow you to alter a
reservation without issue. Then (usually a few hour later to guarantee
you talk to a different hotel rep) call and cancel your ‘new’
reservation.” Done and done.
Use a Credit Card That Uses Points
You want a
credit card that gives you points. If you’re putting business travel on
a credit card, you will suddenly notice you’re spending thousands each
month. You should be getting points from those. The more points you get
the more free flights you get. If you love travel and have a credit
card, this is a win-win.
Get the Whole Row: Book the Window and Aisle Seats with Partner
If you’re
flying with a companion and you can pick your seats online, don’t sit
right next to each other in a row of three seats. One of you take the
aisle, and the other take the window, leaving the middle seat empty if
possible. A travel expert explains, “When other people are selecting
their seats, nobody willingly takes a middle seat unless there are no
other options. Instead, they’ll go for a window or an aisle, or if
they’re travelling with a companion, then usually any two seats
available next to one another. If the flight is not full, then you are
now much more likely to have an entire row together once the plane takes
off.”
Don’t Get Pickpocketed
This is
especially useful for those of you keep all your most important
documents (IDs, passport, license, etc) in one place. A travel expert
writes, “I keep my wallet in my front pocket instead of the back. I’ve
caught two people trying to pick my front pocket because it’s a lot more
noticeable than if someone bumps into you and reaches into your back
pocket.” That, or you could also try keeping all your really important
gear in like, a bag with decent zips.
Photocopy Important Docs to Leave with Friends
Take
photos of or photocopy important documents such as passport, credit
card, ID, and so on. Email the photos to yourself and leave copies with
friends or family. If you lose these items then they are easily
accessible.
Don’t Pay for Wi-Fi at the Airport
If you
are in an airport and don’t want to pay for “Boingo” wi-fi, go to their
login page, click “The Good Stuff,” and visit any web page. The rest of
the internet will be unblocked as well. Using Google Chrome for this
hack works best.
