The main way travelers bring bedbugs home is when their bags get infested after touching bedspreads or mattresses. When packing or unpacking your bag, put it on an un-upholstered piece of furniture- a dresser or one of those folding luggage stands.
If you have to check a bag, take a photo of it (which will help you describe the bag if it gets lost) and a close-up of the airline’s baggage tag.
If you’re not sure whether to buy a ticket with miles or cash, here’s a quick equation to help. The value of a frequent flyer mile is about 1.2 cents. Most airlines charge 25,000 miles for a round-trip flight within the U.S. That adds up to $300 at 1.2-cent rate. You should pay with cash if your flight costs less than $300 and with miles if it costs more.
User-review sites are useful tools for evaluating hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, and more. But keep this in mind: read between the lines. Always check how recent the post was and always look at photos- they’re more telling than words.
Fly on a Boeing 767 when possible: these aircraft have fewer middle seats and have from 180 to 250 seats. They’re primarily used for long-haul domestic and sometimes international flights.
Traveling abroad? Prepaid money cards allow you to make purchases and ATM withdrawals without leaving a trail to your bank account. Get one!
Look carefully at the seating chart for your flight. Sometimes, even on a bigger aircraft, there are some rows with just two seats. This is good if it’s a solo parent with a child or a couple with a lap baby. No one else in their row, guaranteed!
Need a passport? The closer you get to the summer, the longer the return time. Plan ahead- give yourself 6-8 weeks.
Today’s travel tip straight from a hotel: Always check your hotel for fire exits. You never know when you will be on the 12th floor and have a fire alarm go off!
Travel insurance prices vary dramatically, with most costing between 5 and 12 percent of the total trip. Age is the biggest factor affecting the price. Rates go up dramatically for every decade over 50, while coverage is generally inexpensive or even free for children 17 and under.
AVOID THEFT when traveling. Stay vigilant in crowds and steer clear of commotions. Go on instant alert anytime there’s a commotion; it’s likely a smokescreen for theft.
When traveling abroad, download guidebooks to your phone to save weight and space. Then, you will not look like every other tourist carrying around the same guidebook.
Safety tip: Bring a doorstop with you to any hotel or hostel. Put it in under the door from the inside and it will stop someone from entering your room.
On an airplane, the general flow of air is from the front to the back. The freshest air is in the front and the back of the plane is the warmest part of the plane.
Bring an empty travel mug with you when flying and fill it up with water after you have passed through security. Save money on drinks in the airport!
Need to charge your phone in your hotel room and all the outlets are taken? Most TVs have a USB port. Plug your phone in and let the charging begin!
Traveling alone? When you are leaving your hotel room, leave a note with your name, cell number, where you have gone, and about when you will be back. Change it every time you leave. That way, if someone needs to find you, they will know where to look.
There IS a difference between a non-stop and a direct flight. Direct flights touch down on the way to your final destination. Fly non-stop when possible.
Traveling during the holidays? Leave PLENTY of extra time. Flights are always sold on peak travel dates. If you arrive later than the airlines required time, there is a REAL possibility you will be bumped from the flight.
Traveling internationally? Get yourself a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. Many credit card companies also offer a sign up bonus as well. Take advantage of the bonus and save money too!
The longer the flight, the more attention you should pay to getting a decent seat: some seat resources include seatguru.com, seatexpert.com, and flyertalk.com.
Use social media to help plan your trip: coolest spots for dessert and coffee in New York? The best place to get cowboy boots in San Antonio? You’ll be surprised at the number of suggestions you’ll get.
Worried about your big carry-on bag fitting in the overhead bin? Choose your seat and row carefully. Airlines board planes in blocks of 5 or 10 rows, so row 21 may board before 19. Boarding the plane earlier may get you the room in the overhead you need.
When you travel abroad, pack your wallet with one credit card and a small amount of your destination’s currency. Bring a list of phone numbers incase your credit or prepaid card gets stolen.
Absolutely never check a car seat as luggage! There are too many risk factors. If you are flying with a lap baby and can’t get an extra place on board to use your car seat in, then gate-check it.
Flying with an infant? Bring a pacifier or bottle to have them suck on during take off and landing to ease the pressure on their ears.
Want to eat at the best restaurants in town? Don’t ask the concierge- they get kickbacks. Ask the hotel staff. They know the best local places!
Traveling abroad? Download the Smart Traveler Smartphone app, the official State Department app for U.S. travelers. It gives access to updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.
Planning a trip abroad this summer? Check the baggage fees for your airlines while abroad. They are NOT the same as in the U.S.
Traveling this holiday week? ARRIVE EARLY!! TSA lines will be long and planes will be oversold. If you get to the gate late, you may be bumped.
To get the best exchange rate for your money, wait until you get to your destination. ATM's are available in airports should you need money immediately.
Avoid pressurized drinks and snacks on a plane. You risk your soda erupting all over you or your bag of chips making a ruckus when you try to open them.
Invest in a portable small water filter and take it with you wherever you travel. Your digestive system will thank you.
The smoothest place to sit on a place is over the wing. The bumpiest is in the back. A plane is like a seesaw- sit in the middle and you don’t move as much.
Scan your itinerary, ID, and passport and email them to yourself for safekeeping. That way, you have a copy if you need it.
Canceled flight or missed connection? Don’t stand in line to rebook. Use your cell phone to call the airline; you will usually speak to someone faster.
Learn your destination’s 3-letter airport code and make sure your luggage is tagged correctly.
Clothes wrinkled on arrival? Hang them in the bathroom with the door closed during a hot, steamy shower and wrinkles will fall out.
Traveling internationally during the holidays? Don’t forget to call your credit card company and put a travel alert on your credit card. While you’re at it, jot down their international customer service number.