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Obviously I love travel but it’s not always stress-free. Sometimes I come to book my airline ticket, only to find the flight has gone up in price, or I struggle to cram all my belongings into just one bag of hand luggage. Then there are all those foreign transaction fees that have me staring in shock at my bank statement each month. There are those times where I’ve slept in airports because my next flight isn’t till the morning, or I’ve ended up eating in a restaurant that screams ‘tourist menu’.
Fortunately icount have created this handy infographic outlining ten tips to help make your travels hassle-free. I see a lot of travel hacks on the Internet but below are some you might not have thought of:
Booking Your Trip
Did you know that when booking your trip, it’s best to delete your cookies if you want to get the cheapest flights? If you’ve been looking at flights online over and over again, airlines will keep track of your cookies and increase the prices of flights to panic you into buying before they get too expensive. Clever. So delete your cookies, and you’ll be sure to get the best price.
Apparently a Tuesday is also the best day of the week to get the best prices on flights, hotels and travel, so it’s worth keeping in mind for next time you book.
I often sign up for price alerts with Skyscanner and other websitess so I’ll be notified if there’s a drop in price, but here’s another little tip: negotiate. If a fare drops at the last minute, icount recommends calling up to negotiate for the lower price, or at least ask for a credit towards future travel.
Luggage
Unless I’m going away for a couple of weeks, these days I try to cram all of my belongings into my hand luggage allowance. It’s always worth checking the airline’s luggage rules and purchasing a bag that exactly fits their dimension limits. I have one wheeled carry-on that fits most of the European airlines, like Ryanair and Easyjet.
Lots of travel bloggers swear by packing cubes, although I myself haven’t used them. Packing cubes are a great way to make the most of the space in your bag, as well as organising your stuff so it’s easily accessible. Don’t buy a top loading backpack either because your possessions will slip to the bottom; instead opt for one that opens all the way. I don’t travel with a backpack but I do have a roller bag that splits in half and lets me organise things into compartments.
Flying
Sometimes when I’m at the airport all I want is a place to sit back, relax and take advantage of some WiFi without the crowds. Even if I’m not travelling Business Class, I’ve still found it possible to gain lounge access at some airports. Often you can buy day passes, or access lounges worldwide with a Priority Pass membership, frequent flyer scheme or special credit card.
Don’t want to get ripped off?
Banks tend to swallow 100s of pounds in foreign transaction fees every time I go abroad. It’s frustrating to think I just threw money down the drain, which is why a prepaid card can be really useful for when you come to make purchases.
Explore like a local
Number 10 I would agree with – always trust locals. Well, unless they seem really weird and scary. Restaurants that are buzzing with locals inside usually serve the tastiest food. These establishments may not look special from the outside but it’s not about looks, it’s about the food.
Source: pommietravels.com