#Minimalist travelers know that when you pack light, you can skip the check-in and baggage-claim lines and be ready to roll as soon as the jetway doors open. To get everything you’ll need into a single, regulation-size carry-on bag, pack clothing that you can mix and match for multiple wears and limit your shoes to the ones you have on, TravelHackit says. Use vacuum-seal compression bags to make the most of the space you have. And finally, don’t pack toiletries and other items that you’ll be able to buy at your final destination — or at least pack only one or two days’ supply. #SummerTravel
Tag: travel
Keep Copies of Travel Documents on File
To be on the safe side when #traveling, photocopy, scan or take a cell phone picture of any important documents you don’t want to lose such as a #passport, credit cards and driver’s license, says BestLife. Email the pictures to yourself so that if any of them so go missing on your trip, they’ll be easier to replace. Another hack? To ensure that checked luggage deplanes almost as quickly as you do, tag it “fragile.” Airlines usually put fragile bags on the top of the heap in the cargo hold, so they’re “the first to be unloaded. You’ll be hailing a cab while your fellow passengers are still looking for luggage carts.” #SummerTravel
Look for Summer Flights Sooner Than Later
With prices going up and most people eager to get out of town after two years of delays and lockdowns, the sooner you plan a trip, the better. But even procrastinators can find good deals if they keep their plans flexible. To find #cheap flights, for example, use a site such as Kayak or Google Flights to find the best options by using “+/– 3 days” or grid option when searching. Once you find a flight you want, double-check the airline’s site to see if you can’t save a few more bucks. And if you’re ultraflexible about your destination, many sites offer a map that shows current airfares to cities worldwide. #SummerTravel
Start Planning Your Summer Travel Now
With spring in the air and #COVID at least temporarily on the retreat, many people are looking forward to a #summer vacation. Most haven’t traveled as far as often over the last two years, and the urge to get away is widespread.
In fact, summer 2022 is predicted to be “the busiest summer travel season ever,” Expedia CEO Peter Kern recently told Fortune magazine. And while prices are likely to go up, “I think people are willing to pay whatever the hell it takes to get away,” he says.
But there will still be ways to keep costs down whether you’re jetting off to far-flung, exotic locale or visiting family and friends in familiar location. And with everyone eager for a change of scenery, the first strategy is to start planning now if you haven’t already.
“In terms of summer travel, it’s essential to book now as the demand for travel is high and availability is tightening,” travel consultant Jill Fischbarg told Fodor’s last week.
To economize on airfares, visit sites like Google Flights or Kayak to find out where and when you might be able to go without spending a lot. Or maybe you have a stockpile of frequent-flyer miles that you’ve been hoarding for the last 24 months.
Two years in, rental cars are still scarce, and gasoline prices are going up fast due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If you want to keep things cheap, pick a destination where walking, biking or public transit will be your main conveyance — a big city, for example, or an all-inclusive resort.
As for lodging, book now to get the best variety of options. Inexpensive hotel rooms and vacation rentals are already getting scarce in many popular locations; target off-peak and midweek nights to save money — or find an excuse to visit those friends with the beach house and boat.
The good news? Most providers relaxed or eliminated their change and cancellation fees during the pandemic, so if you do book now, the odds are excellent that you can get your money back if something disrupts your summer plans.
With a little forethought, the odds are even better that you’ll finally be able to take that trip you’ve been putting off since 2020. Keep your passport and proof of vaccination at the ready, and bon voyage!
Super Bowl Ad Touts Experiences Over Stuff
Super Bowl advertising celebrates #consumerism, or at least the urge to watch the big game over a buffet of chips and guacamole. But Expedia went for a higher concept with its high-ticket “Stuff” ad this year, parodying classic Super Bowl spots of the past while urging people to spend their hard-earned money on travel #experiences instead of material goods. “I doubt that any of us will look back at our lives and think ‘I wish I’d gotten a slightly sportier SUV, or an even thinner TV. Or found a lighter light beer or had an even smarter smartphone,’” narrator Ewan McGregor says.