Instead of making yourself uncomfortable by using small hacks like an empty bottle or packing light in your bags, here we provide you with imaginative and result oriented tips that can help even a regular traveler to overcome the unexpected miseries of flying.
1. Use the global entry line
What if I tell you that as long as you are not on a criminal list and your track record is good, you can possibly use a global entry line at an airport. What you need to do is to fill out few important information regarding your credentials and give an interview. It may only cost a 100$.You are good to go now free and fast.
2. Use one-way flights
You can use 2 one way flights instead of connected flights for your tour. It will surely cost you less than a round trip, making you intermix the schedule. Check the airlines providing this facility to enjoy an easy ride.
3. Give preference to Non-US flights
The reason is that the foreign flights come with an additive advantage of higher amenities that you may not find in US flights. They may include beverages, blankets, pillows and most commonly used food items.
4. Flight partnerships
Understand the working mechanism of flight partnerships. There mileage may be different depending upon the cost of ticket. So go for one which gives you extra travel in less cost.
5. Y or B booking codes
Now this is one nice trick. Book a ticket in economy class but make it sure it is marked with Y or B booking code. These codes simply imply that you hope for an upgrade while flying. Now if any seat is free in higher class, you will immediately receive an upgrade. It Works fine when you are a frequent flier.
6. Use dramatizing for lower fair
Do you know that the price of same tickets is different at different places. You can check Expedia.com and Expedia.co.jp to have an idea about this difference. So you can pretend that you are living in a region where the price of ticket is low or just change the residence to the airline home country. This way you can save some extra cash.
7. Download the App
The installation of an airline app is important and that is because you can have a convenient and up to date knowledge of delays, departure and unexpected issues. So better install one in your mobile.
Some Free apps to track your flights:
– Radarbox24 (Free – iOS & Android)
– FlightView (Free – iOS & Android)
– iFly Airport Guide (Free – iOS & Android)
– FlightAware Flight Tracker (Free – iOS & Android)
– GateGuru (Free – iOS & Android)
Some Free app for finding cheap flights:
– Hopper (Free – iOS & Android)
– Kayak (Free – iOS & Android)
– Hipmunk (Free – iOS & Android)
– Skyscanner (Free – iOS & iOS)
8. Clear search history
“Dynamic pricing” as you may know mostly results in price increase than decrease, so better have your history and cookies cleared before checking price on the internet.
9. Refunding technique
Keep an eye on changing prices of fair once you buy a ticket. If they get lowered, just cancel your previous commitment and go for the least one. Different flights like American airlines, Southwest Airlines and several other have different rules regarding the refunding time period. So better check each before buying ticket or canceling the one to avoid cancellation fees.
10. Boeing 767
Find an Airplane with comfortable seat. Or one with desired traits of seating arrangement. You can check seatguru.com for having a check on which one is free and can possibly be taken up.
11. Keep Your Go-bag with you
Keep a bag full of necessities of traveling experience with you all times. This is because in time of emergency, you would then have no need to check for the items of use. You already have a prepared one.
12. Electronic bag
Keeping a bag full of necessary electronic equipment’s like charges, battery, cables can save you of tense situation of pulling out cables from sockets. You may also save your time doing this.
13. Keep a squishy bag
The bag usually checked at the security stop are the ones huge and driven by hand. While the one you keep with you in hand or carry on your shoulders are the less potential threat to be checked. Thus use one duffel or squishy bag, put your stuff in it and fix it in above seat apartment.
14. Roll clothes and squeeze out air
Rolling our clothes within the bag is better than folding clothes in order to reduce wrinkles. Then you can use the air compression plastic bags in order to remove the excess air present within folding’s.
15. Use color scheme
Pack the clothes in one color scheme. So that you may not need to find them for matching purpose. Most commonly dark color is used for such purposes because it can also hide stains.
16. Using shoes for space
Put your commonly used socks in respective shoes. This will also save space. But mind it, you need to wash them before doing that!
17. Ensuring stability
You may find less Zig Zag movement of bag if you keep heavy load like shoes at the bottom of trolley. This will ensure extra stability.
18. Extra fun travel
What if I tell you that you can possibly visit an extra site or two on previously paid ticket? Yes, there are some of the flights who offer such stopovers without making you pay for an extra ticket. But you need to check one before buying ticket of a particular airline.
19. Volunteer yourself
If you don’t have any special need or plan to go in a hurry while the flight is getting heavily overbooked, you may find volunteering your seat profitable. Adjust this in negotiation such that you get maximum out of that desperate situation.
20. Freebies with credit card
You may be in custody of several credit cards and you still may not know that they can possibly have extra benefits on various occasions like access to airport lounges, hotel room upgrades etc. So better check first of these unknown luxuries associated with your credit cards.
21. Access to lounges
Most of people do not know that the discount can be attained on airport passes if purchased online. For example a priority pass at 99$ or 399$ can have you access to 700 different airport lounges in all over the world.
22. Go with elite status
If you are frequent traveler and your airline still doesn’t issue you an elite status then you probably need to check other airlines. They may provide you elite status at less miles travel like Aegean airlines or star alliance member.
23. Wi-Fi hotspot
We know you are tensed with high paying on Wi-Fi and roaming services while you are on an airline. We present to you “Boingo” a Wifi hotspot. It can be bought at a reasonable price of 4.98$ a month in America and also 59$ a month for use in all over the world.
24. Flexibility
Keep your travel dates flexible. Tickets are more expensive around the weekends and holidays. So plan your trip in advance and choose travel dates which fall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays. The best hack for this is when searching for flights, select the option “My dates are Flexible”. Most websites have this option. And check for early morning or late evening flights for a better price!
25. Photocopies of Important Document
Make a few extra copies of important documents such as your flight tickets, your passport or any other travel document (which comes in handy when you loss your passport), purchase receipts of your travel activities when you reach your destination, etc.
26. Pack Important Things in you Carry on
I always have a habit of carrying my most important things like my electronics, phone charges, all the photocopies of my documents, toothbrush, medications and extra pair of clothes including undergarments in case if my main luggage bags is lost at the airport for some reason.
27. Keep Your Camera Batteries charged
When you are traveling you tent to take a lot of pictures, and who doesn’t love to create memories. But you definitely do not want to carry your camera all the way to your destination knowing that your battery is about to die (and so are the memories that you could have captured). You will have to wait until you came back to your hotel room, until you get chance to charge it. Also make sure to carry extra batteries with you in case the one you are using is dead after taking some beautiful shots during the day!
28. Swim clothes and Sunscreen
This is important when you are going to a beach location. But it is equally important, when you are not going to a beach location. You might want to use the pool area or the jacuzzi after a long day or may early in the morning, swim clothes and sunscreen come to your help then!
29. Let your bank/credit card company know
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When traveling internationally, let you bank or your credit card company know about your travel plans. You don’t want it locked for some fraudulent activities (which your bank might think), so if they are informed about this they can monitor your activities accordingly. And also inform your family members about your plans, in case of emergency.
30. Learn few local phrases
If you are traveling to a country where English is not the main language, learn the most common everyday phrases like “Good Morning”, “Thank You”, “Sorry”, “Please”, etc in their native languages.
Hope these basic travel hacks make your trips easy and happy. Share some of your tips, that you have learned from your own experience, in comments below.
