20 Little Secrets To Improve Your Travel Experience
Flying can be exhausting, stressful and irritating, taking precious time out of your business trips or holidays. You’re often uncomfortable, crammed onto a tiny little seat, and your meal times are dictated by others. When you arrive at your destination, you’re likely to be dishevelled and jet lagged, and before you even set off, you have the stress of initially booking your tickets and then attempting to pack. It’s worth it though, once you reach your final destination.There are, however, plenty of ways in which you can make the experience a little easier. We’ve searched high and low to bring you our ultimate travel hacks. Print this list off and reference it for future trips and hopefully we’ll help to take the stress out of travelling.
Get discounted fares by changing your location to somewhere else when you are booking. | |
Clear your cookies and browsing history to find cheaper flights. | |
 | Choose a credit card that gives you travel perks such as extra air miles or free travel insurance, just make sure the insurance covers what you need. |
| Look into whether you are eligible for a free stopover on your flight. Your airline may also provide other little hidden perks, even if travelling economy, if you have extended transit times so don't be afraid to ask for lounge access, food vouchers or an upgrade on one of the legs. See also: 10 Hints To Airline Upgrades |
| When travelling with a companion, immediately book the aisle and window seats, there is a good chance that if the flight isn’t full, no one will book the seat in between you and if the flight is full the person is sure to swap for the aisle or window if asked. |
Book return flights for the best deals and based on current trends book somewhere between 21-35 days before your departure date for the best pricing. | |
| Download your airline’s app for paperless boarding passes and up-to-the-minute information on your flight. See also: Tips To Quickly Navigate International Airports |
| Mark your suitcase as ‘fragile’ to best ensure that it isn’t thrown around. It’s also more likely to be placed on top and come out of the carousel first. |
| Pack a see-through bag of travel essentials in your hand luggage. |
| Pack a couple of dryer sheets in with your clothes to keep them smelling fresh for when you arrive and unpack. |
Avoid small suitcases and carry on a soft bag that you can easily squeeze into small spaces. See also: Items To Always Put In Your Carry On | |
| Make a purchase at the airport so that you can fill up the plastic bag and pop your handbag inside it – that way you can sneak in an extra item of hand luggage. |
| Ensure that you are one of the first to arrive at your gate, as stragglers may have to place their carry-on bags in the hold if the flight is full. |
| Wear a coat or dress with deep pockets for flying, so that you can store your purse, phone and other essential items in your pockets for easy access and free up space in your bag. |
| Wear a large scarf for flying that can be unravelled to be used as a blanket or bunched up to use as a pillow. |
Cheat jet lag by getting in tune with the eating and sleeping time of your destination as soon as you board your flight. See also: Your 10 Tips To Cure Jet Lag | |
| Be friendly to the air stewards, don’t be shy to offer them chocolates or sweets for your best chance of receiving a free upgrade or being guided to an empty row of seats. See also: 8 Flying Tips From The Flight Crew |
| Receive your in-flight meals faster by ordering vegetarian or special dietary food. |
| Skip the taxi queues at Arrivals by heading towards the Departure gate, just be careful with some airports as they can be on to this little trick. |
| Make free calls when you’re abroad by using the calling options on Facebook Messenger or What’s App, or by using Skype or Facetime when you are connected to Wi-Fi. |
Emma Lavelle is a UK based writer and photographer and has her own blog Field and Nest.
