Best Tips for Stress-Free Air Travel

Since I have been working in the travel industry for quite some time, I have come to learn many things that could help passengers to have stress-free air travel. Here are my top ten tips that will save you time and money.

1) Have the right travel documents.

Before booking your trip, verify what travel documents you need to enter the country that you will visit.This includes such as having a valid passport for at least six months upon your return and respecting visa requirements. Layovers in a different country from your final destination will also need attention regarding visas. I had cases where passengers were not allowed to enter a country even if it was for a connecting flight. As a consequence, they were sent back to their original destination. To see if you require a visa for your next trip, visit visahq or your government website.

You don’t want to be refused to travel by the airline when checking in because you don’t have the right documents!

In some countries, you will also need to buy a tourist card at arrival (ex: Dominican Republic)

Lastly, make sure your name's on reservation match with the ones on your passport as it is for security purposes. I recommend then to verify your passports names before making your booking so you won't need to make any changes which could be an additional fee in that case.If names correction are not made before departure date, you will probably not be able to board your plane!

2) Buy a round trip ticket.

If you are a tourist and not a citizen of the country you visit, you will want to get a round trip ticket. Otherwise, you might have some issues with customs arriving at your destination! Most customs may request to see a flight ticket return from the passengers to know the duration of their trip in the country.

3) Choose a direct flight.

When it is possible, get a direct flight to your destination. It will save you lots of trouble from layovers. To get a cheaper direct flight, don't wait last minute to book your trip unless there are some great deals! I suggest you book your flight a few months before your departure date and to compare prices on the airlines sites with other sites like cheapoair, flighthub...You will have a peace of mind knowing you only have one flight to take and that you save money by booking in advance. :)

4) Have at least two hours layover.

If you end up booking a flight with a layover, make sure you have a minimum of two hours connection in case of flight delays and cancellation. Even better, get a three hours layover! You will have some time to have a meal at the airport, get some rest, walk around, etc. Having only an hour will not be enough, especially if there is a long walk to go to your gate that is located in another concourse/terminal. There is a great chance that you will misconnect or that you will make it but without your bags in the plane.

5) Check in 24 hours prior.

24 hours prior to your departure time, you can go on your airline website to assign your seats and to print your boarding passes. This will save you lots of time at the airport. Also, you would be more likely seated all together if you travel with people than reserving them at the counter. The only thing that you will have to do at the counter is check you bags.

6) Arrive at airport three hours prior.

When going on an international flight, I would suggest to arrive at the airport three hours prior departure time. The check-in procedure will be faster and you will have time for a meal before heading to security or after passing this area if you like. Also, this prevents you from being late at the gate and missing your flight. You will not feel stressed since you arrived early at the counter. Keep in mind as well that the counter will close an hour before departure time so technically you would have two hours to check in when arriving three hours before. As for domestic flights, arriving two hours prior is more than enough.

7) Extra Time for Security and US Customs

When you are flying or connecting to the US, the procedure in getting to your gate will normally take longer, as there is the customs to pass after security. To ensure a faster service at the security, wear shoes that are easy to remove and to put back on, and avoid wearing jewelry or anything that is metal. Moreover, do not have more than 100ml in your liquids, creams, placing in your carry-on. As for the US customs, have your custom form already filled out when presenting it to a custom agent. In extreme cases, passengers could miss their flight because they were stuck in customs due to check-in bag verification or being questioned into more details about the purpose of their trip to USA. Some situations can be controlled and some not, so be more careful with what you put inside your bags, for example. In case of a missing flight due to customs, the airline will be able to book you on the next flight available.

8) Weight your bags.

When it comes to luggage, weight it before going to the airport so you can see if you respect or not the baggage weight policy of the airline. This way, you could balance your check-in and carry-on bags in case there is overweight in one of them. Thus, you will avoid paying extra fees which can turn out to be pretty expensive, even for an extra kilo/two pounds more. Unless you are willing to pay and you really need to put lots of things in your bags, the maximum that you can reach is 32 kg/70 lbs per bag according to airport regulations. Furthermore, be aware of other circumstances that you will need to pay extra fees such as oversize items (bicycles, strollers... ). Therefore, read about the baggage policy!

9) Have all your valuable items with you.

Losing your luggage at your final destination is not impossible. It will happen to everyone at least once in their life. It does occur more often when you have a short connection. I would advise to have your valuable items with you in your carry-on and not in your checked bags! I had cases when passengers had their house or car keys, winter coat in their missing bag, so you don't want to put yourself in that situation! Think about what is valuable to you and keep it with you. Put some clothes and a pair of shoes in your carry-on so you have something in case your bag arrives later than you.

Generally, missing bags arrive on the next available flight and bag delivery can take a few days depending on how fast it comes to the airport. Most cases, we will find your bags, so do not worry! It is very rare that bags are completely lost! When filling out your claim, ensure that you have your bag tags, as it is the way agents can track down the bag location and to open a file. Also, make sure you have the right contact information and bag description in case the tag on your bag was removed.

10) Get travel insurance.

Travel insurance is a great option to have for many reasons. Cancellations, flight delays, lost bag, and damaged bag are all examples of scenarios that you may want to be insured during your trip. Nights spent at the hotel due to a flight cancellation because of natural disaster will not be covered by the airline. Also, any change with flight itinerary may cost an extra fee depending the airline policy. Before booking, take a look at their cancellation policy so you know what kind of penalties you could be facing. If you do not already have insurance, check with your credit card company to see what they can offer you or any other insurance companies that offer that type of coverage, such as Manulife.