How to avoid a travel nightmare.

Jul 9

Jul 9 How to avoid a travel nightmare.

Traveling in 2022 is a new frontier! Where the rules are made up and your status doesn’t matter. Flights are getting canceled left and right, hotels are deciding a $10 breakfast coupon is a suitable alternative to three closed restaurants, and your checked bags just sort of end up… wherever….

Well I am a strong believer in controlling what I can control, and not stressing about the rest (if I can help it). Here are a list of things we can control to hopefully not get into that kind of mess.

Team #NoCheck

Don’t check bags if you can help it. I mean it. Packing carryons is the simplest way to never lose your checked bag. The airline can’t lose something they never had in the first place! I know it is tough, especially outside of North America where carryon baggage limits are much smaller. Get a nice small carryon (I love AWAY and Monos) that equals less than 45inches total (Height, Width and Length combined) and you should be good to go on any airline. Keep in mind in many European countries they weigh your roller bag, so you have to keep it around 17 pounds or less, depending on the airline. READ the rules, and please don’t be that person that tries to break them because it holds up the line to board (Plus it’ll cost you $$$).

IF you have to check a bag, buy an Airtag.

Apple Airtags are around $25 each and you can put them on anything! (except people, that is highly frowned upon). You can then track your Airtag in the “find my” app on your apple device. If you don’t have an apple device to track it, Samsung makes smart tags and they are basically the same thing. Knowing where your bag is is half the battle if the airline loses it. You can also adjust your settings to notify you when you leave an item behind. I highly recommend setting this up for your computers, Airpods, wallet etc.

Make reservations directly with Airlines, Hotels and Car rental companies. Avoid portals.

Portals can earn you a bunch of points in certain situations, I get it. However, I also put a hefty price tag on peace of mind and convenience. I want to be dealing directly with an Airline if something goes wrong. Typically in the Airline’s app you can adjust your flight if yours gets cancelled, within seconds and just a few clicks. (It’s even easier if you don’t have a checked bag!) If you have to book a hotel on a portal in order to get a deal, you can email the hotel in advance to confirm they got your reservation.

Portals include: Expedia, Orbitz, Chase travel, Southwest Hotels, Amex travel, Travelocity, Cap1 travel.

Buy Trip insurance and read everything that it covers.

If you are using credit card trip insurance (like the policy that comes with your Sapphire card) read the fine print on what is covered.

Here are some more quick and easy solutions for avoiding a travel disaster:

Book direct flights if you can.
TSApre, Clear and Global Entry are way worth the cost, and some credit cards come with a credit for them.
Early morning flights have a higher on time percentage.
Book longer layovers (think 3 hours or more, especially if going through customs)
Download the Airline’s app, load your flight on there and turn on notifications.
Don’t rely on people’s stories of poor airline experiences. You can google on time rates for any airline and get an idea of what to expect.
Lounge access is worth it. Several credit cards come with lounge access or you can buy a Priority Pass membership.
Fly a full day before any special event that you can’t miss. (Weddings, funerals, Cruises etc)
If your connecting flights are not on the same ticket, or same airline, allow a full day or 8 hours in between.
It may be worth it to pay extra for refundable hotels and rental cars in case your airline can’t get you there on time.
If you plan on making a trip insurance claim, call them first and ask what paperwork they require so you know exactly what receipts you will need.
Be nice! You will be surprised how much this helps.