Expert Travel Tips

We have put together 5 of our top tips for making your travel experience as smooth as possible. From saving you money to saving your sanity - here are what we think are often overlooked pieces of travel advice.

Pick your dates wisely! Airline tickets are usually cheapest on weekdays, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, so consider moving your vacation dates to take advantage of some (possibly big) savings.if you are booking domestic tickets, recent studies have found the ideal time to buy is 1-2 months before travel and 3-5 months for international travel.

Loyalty counts! Sign up for your preferred airlines or hotels rewards programs and choose them when you can. It is often best to choose an airline that has a hub at your home airport - that means my fellow Washingtonians should opt for United, since Dulles is a hub. Likewise, my friends in Atlanta are probably busy racking up Delta miles. All those miles and nights stayed can add up quickly!

Pack like a Pro! And always pack your flexibility and patience - they are almost as important as your passport. Life can happen, storms can crop up, and lines can get long. When you find yourself in these situations a little patience and a good attitude go a long way in keeping you calm, centered and creating good will.

Give 'em a heads up! Before you travel, let your credit card company and your cell phone provider know if you will be abroad. The first makes sure that your card doesn't get flagged as stolen when you swipe at the bar in the Bahamas. The second makes sure your not getting slammed with roaming charges when you are in Rome.

Inst-reality! Looking for those drool-worthy, trending Insta-moments that fill your social media feed? The striking pink beach in Bermuda, the azure seas of the Amalfi Coast with the painted hills of Positano in the foreground, a deserted beach to practice your sunrise yoga in Bali - what they all have in common is that they made it onto your feed thanks to an influencer. And if you are seeking to recreate the same moment, you have been influenced. That is not to say that these places are not amazing, but bear in mind that the images you see are often over-filtered, over-saturated, and one in 500 photos taken at ungodly hours to find the single perfect shot. So relish those pink sands, sip an Aperol spritz in Positano, practice yoga in Bali - but relish in the sights, smells, and sounds of the actual experience without comparing it to an edited version of beautiful reality.

Return to Previous Page