Travel Hacks For Flyers That Actually Work

Is travelling a joy for you? Or do you dread the day you lock your door, leave your home and set off to the airport? You’re not alone. Thousands of people go through ridiculous levels of stress, every time they try to enjoy themselves. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Now, you’ve probably already imbibed all the usual advice and “hacks” to make travel easier. So I won’t bore you with things like “take a bottle of water” here. Instead, we’re going to look at some of the actionable ways that you can make flying more bearable. Because let’s face it, right now it’s pretty dire.

Here are some lesser known hacks for the frequent flyer.

Hate Queues? Get A TSA PreCheck Or Use Global Entry

The government knows that its flight rules are extremely annoying for the frequent flyer. Trying to get from one place to another involves a daily frisk and the inconvenience or airport queues. That’s why they’ve started offering the TSA PreCheck.

The TSA PreCheck is a kind of badge of approval you can get from the US customs office. It tells border officials that you’re a low-risk passenger. And this means that you get to keep your shoes and belts on, and you get to skip through security lines. You’ll have to pay an $85 fee, of course. And you’ll have to show up to an in-person interview. But once it’s been decided you’re not a terrorist, your travelling experience will become much, much easier.

The other option is to take Global Entry. This is a little more expensive. But it makes returning from international trips much easier. There’s less paperwork and fewer queues.

Hate Paying More For Returns? Check To See If Two One-Ways Flights Is Cheaper

Now that we’ve got the internet, there are very few information gatekeepers anymore. This means that anybody can log onto a flight booking site, like Kayak, and look for the very best deals. Sometimes, returns aren’t the best option. Look to see whether companies are offering singles and find out whether they work out as cheaper. Sometimes two singles on two different airlines can work out as cheaper than a return on one airline.

Volunteer To Get Bumped Off Flights

If you fly regularly, you’ll know that flights are often overbooked. Airline companies know that there will always be a few people who won’t show up or will cancel. And so they try to make sure that as many seats are filled as possible. Sometimes, however, the statistics don’t work out for them, and there just aren’t enough seats.

If you’re not pressed for time, offer to give up your seat. No, it might not be convenient. But doing so could net you a bucket of compensation. Make sure that you ask for cash. Or if you do get flight vouchers, make sure that they don’t have a bunch of rules and regulations. If you volunteer to give up your seat, you should be made considerably better off as a result.

Get Somebody Else To Park Your Car

The combination of luggage and finding a parking space can be a nightmare, especially if you’re a regular traveler. Sensible travelers don’t bother with finding their own spaces. Instead, they hire somebody, like SFO airport parking, to do it for them. When you choose a parking service, make sure that they have 24/7 security monitoring your car. And pick a company that has things like frequent flyer rewards or monthly specials.

Make Use Of Your Credit Card Perks

Most people don’t think about their credit card when they go on holiday. But your credit card could cover you for a whole bunch of travel-related expenses. What about insurance? Your credit card could already pay for that. Or how about hotel room upgrades? Many credit card companies entice new customers by offering this sort of thing too. Look into your credit card deal and find out if there are any freebies. If there are, now’s the time to use them.

Save On Space By Putting Clothes In Air-Compression Bags

Bulky luggage is a pain, especially when you just want to go from A to B. Here’s an idea: compress clothing with air-compression bags. Clothes contain a lot of air pockets which take up a significant amount of space. To save space, roll your clothes up. Then use compressible plastic bags to remove the excess air. This should help your clothes stay crease-free while also saving on space.

Use Airline Apps For Better Travel

Apps are big business today, especially for airlines. Airlines use apps to communicate vital information to customers. Download your airline’s app and use it to keep track of things like departures. Make sure that you can enjoy yourself at the spa, without worrying about whether your plane is about to depart.

Some apps also allow you to ditch annoying paper tickets. Use apps to check-in and check-out and avoid the ever-present risk of losing your boarding card.

Clear Your Cookies For Lower Prices

When you book a flight, some companies will use what they call a “dynamic pricing model.” It’s code for they’ll put the prices up, the more you visit the page. Here’s a tip. Make sure that the site doesn’t know about your interest in the flight. Use incognito mode. Or better still, clear your cookies every time you leave the site.

Change Your Virtual Location For Cheaper Ticket Prices

Prices for airfares don’t just vary according to demand. They also vary according to location. The price of a ticket on a Japanese site can be lower than the price for the same ticket on an American website.

To get the best deals, make sure that you check a range of different sites and locations. You may find that the exact same ticket is much cheaper, depending on where you look. Expedia.com might be your first port of call. But you could try expedia.co.jp to see whether the prices are any different over on that site.