It’s travel Tuesday, where we check in with travel expert Claire Newell from Travel Best Bets for tips to make your next vacation a breeze.
Even the most carefully planned trip can have problems.
But with a little planning and some insider know-how anyone can avoid the common pitfalls.
Here are some of the most common travel mistakes not to make.
Renewing your passport
Not applying for your passport early enough is a common mistake.
Routine passport processing takes about four to six weeks, so if you need one, make sure you apply for a passport as soon as you start planning your trip.
If you’ve left it for too long, you can pay a premium to have the passport office rush it, but it will cost you about $110.
Also, don’t forget that certain countries won’t let you enter unless you have three to six months’ worth of validity remaining on your passport.
Connecting flights
Speaking of not allowing enough time, another common mistake is not booking enough connection time between flights.
Leaving a window of at least an hour and a half between connecting flights will significantly drop your chances of missing your flight or having your luggage lost.
Know before you go
Know exactly where your hotel is located.
Booking in the wrong area can cost you in unnecessary transfer costs, or even leave you on the hook for a car rental if attractions are just too far.
Even if the hotel is cheaper, you need to weigh in the hassle and added costs of having to travel back and forth to get where you want to go.
Don’t overdo it
Another travel mistake is trying to do too much on one trip.
This can cause a lot of stress and defeats the purpose of a holiday.
Make a list of “musts” and “maybes” and go from there.
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