Travel tips from holiday makers and travellers are invaluable as they can save you time and money when booking and going on your holiday. Here are 25 tips which will make you get the most out of your holiday this summer!
Planning the trip
1. Pick flights leaving on a Tuesday or Wednesday as there is usually a 15-25% drop in price compared to other days of the week and choose unsociable hours as an early or late flight could save you a significant amount.
2. When parking at the airport always pre-book as you can potentially save up to 70% compared to paying on arrival.
3. Don’t buy travel money at the airport, the exchange rate is always much lower than you would get from currency specialist. Try not to get it from the bank or post office for the same reason.
4. Book your trip with Paying Too Much Holidays and travel insurance with payingtoomuch.com
Packing your case
5. Save space by rolling clothes instead of folding them. It also acts as good protection if you have souvenirs to pack
6. Use belts to line collars to keep them shaped correctly
7. Put underwear and socks in shoes to save space and keep them from mis-shaping.
8. Mark you case as fragile. It might deter the baggage handlers from launching it onto the plane.
9. Weigh your baggage before you leave the house/hotel – ideal if you overspent on souvenirs.
10. Photograph your bag, tie a ribbon or a keychain on it so you can identift it on a baggage carousel. It’s amazing how many people buy the same cases!
11. Make sure you take your own headphones as the ones on the plane either cost you a fee or are very uncomfortable.
Before you leave
12. Scan and email yourself a copy of your I.D and passport and bookings; save them so they can be accessed offline too in case of emergency.
13. Keep pen and paper on you for if you need to fill in forms or if you need to make a note of any directions etc.
14. Fully charge all phones/laptops/cameras/portable charger before you leave. You will be expected to prove that your items can switch on by airport security or they might tell you to leave them behind. It’s also good practice as you might have your check in details stored on an app.
At the airport
15. Arrive early to get free upgrades. You have a better chance by turning up first to get those premium seats so get to the airport before the earliest check-in time to ensure success. Ask politely and dress accordingly as you might even make it to business class.
16. When entering the security check, head to the left checkpoint as research shows people naturally gravitate toward the right lane, so chances are the left lane will be slightly quieter and less hectic.
17. If your carry-on bag is bulging and it’s difficult to find the things you need, buy something after airport security in duty free and use the bag to offload some of those items – beating the one item of carry-on rule
18. If you are an anxious flyer, visit one of the lounges which you can sign up for free or for a discounted price at many airport websites.
19. Although you might feel hungry at the airport, sitting with a full stomach for 8 hours on a flight isn’t very comfortable, so rather than a full English breakfast and a coffee, grab a light bite and wait for the airline food or buy food to take with you.
20. Buy a book/puzzle book, after all looking at a screen or a tablet for hours in a cramped space isn’t great for your back.
21. Planes can smell pretty bad, so at duty free, spray a little perfume or aftershave on your clothes/arms so you can whiff the fragrance at your time of need. Ideal if your seat is by the toilets.
On the plane
22. Be very nice to the flight attendants, they will remember the good passengers and you are more likely to get additional perks comparted to the grumpy couple in the row in front.
23. Try and go to the toilet ASAP before hundreds of people have visited it. And make sure you go before the beverage service otherwise you may get stuck behind it for 15 minutes.
24. Get up and walk around when possible to avoid DVT or dead legs.
25. Don’t wear your contact lenses and wear glasses instead as your eyes, not to mention your skin, dry out when you are on the plane.
