Top-10 Tips for Travelers

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy pxhere

Summer travel season is upon us.  While for some that means interesting trips to exotic destinations, for others it will amount to missed flights, lost reservations, and unforeseen expenses.  If you don't want to waste part of your vacation languishing in endless TSA security lines, getting bumped from flights, or paying exorbitant impact fees for accommodations, transportation, or hospitalization, there are ten travel tips you need to heed before you book your flight.

#1: How economical is economy airfare? - Due to high travel demand this summer, finding discounted airfare is quite hard to come by.  What's even worse is the fact that even if you do manage to book an economy ticket, you're more likely to get bumped if a flight is overbooked.  That means you need to weigh the savings between paying a lower fee for a ticket with no designated seat, or paying a higher fare to book an advanced seat selection, for which many airlines charge a premium. 

#2: Try to avoid booking your trip during the holiday if you want to avoid long delays. - Everything from extra long lines at security screening to packed concourses and sky high fares can be expected if you book a trip on or around July 4. If you're looking to save yourself a lot of expense and aggravation, book your vacation later in the summer.  You can save as much as 25% if you book a trip to Europe or Asia in September as opposed to July or August.

#3: Download an airline app if you want to get notified of flight delays or cancellations. - While most travel pundits are predicting that this summer won't be as chaotic as last summer's travel season, you need to understand that summer weather can play havoc with flight schedules.  Unless you enjoy hanging around the airport for hours on end, downloading your airline's app can help reduce your travel stress by providing you with up to date information on your flight.  It can also provide you with alternative flights should something go awry with the one you already booked.

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#4: Pack light if you want to travel right. - Not only is it galling to have to wait at baggage claim for an hour or more to reclaim your bags on busy flight days, what's even worse is when your bags don't arrive at all because they were placed on the wrong flight or were lost in transit.  To avoid this, learn to pack light in order to carry on all your luggage.  This will save you a lot of hassle after your flight lands, not to mention some money if you don't want to be hit with a luggage surcharge.  The current regulations are that a carry-on bag must not exceed 10-inches deep, 16-inches wide, and 24-inches tall.  It also must weigh less than 35-pounds.  (Bags weighing more than 40-pounds could cost you an extra $50 on some carriers.) Check with the airline of your choice about the size and weight of allowable personal items designed to fit beneath an airline seat.  Also check with the TSA website to learn what you can and can't take with you on a flight.

#5: Know what your rights are as an airline passenger. - Just as there are many choices when it comes to airlines, you need to know what rights you have on any airline you book with should your flight be cancelled or delayed.  While all major airlines operating in the US are required to rebook passengers on the same airline at no additional cost, do you know if the airline you chose will rebook your flight on another airline at no extra cost?  Will they pick up the cost of overnight accommodations if you're forced to wait overnight to catch the next flight?  Will they provide you with credit or a travel voucher if you're forced to wait more than 3-hours or more from the scheduled departure time?  Fortunately, the US Department of Transportation provides an Airline Customer Service Dashboard designed to answer these and other questions you may have about your rights as an airline customer.

#6: What do you need to know about security at airports here and abroad? - Depending on how far you wish to travel, you'll need to know what's expected of you to clear all the security checkpoints you'll encounter during your trip.  Do you know how soon you'll need to get to the airport to clear TSA security before you board your flight?  What items will get you detained should you bring them on your person or in your carry-on bag?  What kind of electronic screening technology will you be subjected to?  Before you wind up missing your flight because you were detained by security either here or abroad, it would behoove you to scan the TSA Security Screening web page to learn the do's and don'ts of travel in 2023.

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#7: Register with TSA PreCheck to qualify for expedited security. - Did you know you can apply online with TSA to receive access to expedited security lines at most US airports?  Even better is the fact some credit cards will let you book PreCheck for free. (If not, the fee only comes to $14-$16 per year per passenger.) Once registered, you won't have to be subjected to the indignity of a full-body scanner, only a metal detector.  You also won't have to remove your shoes, belt or jacket. Last but not least, you won't have to arrive hours ahead of schedule, only 30-60 minutes before your departure.

#8: Consider booking an airport concierge service - Whether you're travelling on business or with children, an airport concierge can make your trip more pleasurable.  The same goes for elderly passengers, un-escorted children, and those passengers who routinely make it to the boarding ramp just as the doors are about to close.  An airport concierge works much like a hotel concierge.  They're there to improve your travel experience.  Want to know the best hotel in Paris or the best restaurant in New York City?  Your concierge will know.  More importantly, your concierge will also negotiate on your behalf for upgrades, priority reservations, and complimentary services that you may miss out on otherwise.  While such services start at about $100 per person, if you really want to enjoy your trip, this is one service you might like to look into before you book your reservations.

#9: Make sure you check the expiration date on your passport if you intend to travel abroad. - Many countries require at least 6-months of validity on a passport before they'll allow a traveler entry.  Some also require at least 2 blank pages on a passport before they issue a visa.  If your passport is about to expire or is nearly full, you should know that it can take up to 11 weeks for you to get your passport renewed.

#10: Is travel insurance a good idea? - Since it's inevitable that everything about a trip won't necessarily go perfectly, doesn't it make sense to make sure you have a fallback should something go awry?  That's what travel insurance can provide.  This way if you need to cancel or rebook a flight, you're covered.  Or, should you get sick the day before your hotel reservation is due to kick in, you won't be stuck with the bill for a suite you didn't use.  Travel insurance can also come to your rescue literally if you get sick while on vacation in a foreign land.  Depending on how frequently you travel, you can opt to either pay per trip or per year for travel insurance.  Just make sure you read the fine print so you'll know what's covered and what's not before you sign on the dotted line.  

Catherine Powell is the owner of A Plus All Florida, Insurance in Orange Park, Florida.  To find out more about saving money on all your insurance needs, check out her website at http://aplusallfloridainsuranceinc.com/