Traveling is one of life's great joys: whether it's discovering new places or meeting people from another culture, seeing the world at large is something to be cherished. But even the most experienced travelers can find some moments stressful.
May 8, travel journalist Marc Elwood joined TODAY to talk about some of her best advice after a lifetime of living out of her own suitcase.
He came up with five things he would never do if you want your trip to go smoothly.
1. Traveling without insurance
Ellwood says travel insurance is often very inexpensive and can save you time.
“It's the same price as a cup of coffee a day, pretty much, and it gives you peace of mind when something goes wrong,” he said.
Ellwood notes that many credit cards offer built-in insurance for any travel purchased with that card, but he's also a fan of travelinsurance.com or insuremytrip.com. Both are marketplaces you can shop around for the best deal.
2. Forget all airports
While it may not be the most convenient, Ellwood suggests checking the broader metro area for flights at nearby airports.
“Look for nearby airports — you might get a better deal by looking at, perhaps, Stewart, New York, rather than Newark, (New Jersey),” he said. “Always check airports near your point of origin and destination.”
3. Exclude Lesser-Known Carriers
“Don’t forget the lesser-known carriers,” Ellwood says, adding that Breeze Airways is his preferred carrier. He notes that Breeze's home bases are in the Southeast and include the following:
“Don’t forget the lesser-known carriers,” Ellwood says, adding that Breeze Airways is his go-to carrier. He notes that Breeze's bases are in the southeast and include the following:
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Tampa, Florida
- Norfolk, Virginia
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Fort Myers, Florida
4. Neglecting baggage geolocation
There's no worse feeling when traveling than waiting for your luggage to appear on the baggage carousel, but it never materializes.
But geolocating your luggage can at least help you find it.
“Geolocate your luggage, whether AirTag or similar,” says Ellwood. “You'll always know where your luggage is…or not.”
If your baggage doesn't arrive at your final destination, you can always tell the airline where it is to help them find it.
5. Think There's a Magical Time to Book a Flight
Despite years of rumors, there really is no ideal day or time to book your trip.
“There’s no magic day to close a deal,” says Ellwood. “Instead, the best time is when you receive an alert that your route is on sale.”
The way to do this is to track your flights before you book them. Ellwood suggests using Google Flights: simply enter where and when you want to fly, then turn on the alert tab to be notified of any changes.
“It allows you to monitor how much it's going to cost and intervene at the moment when an airline reduces the price when you want to travel,” he says.
