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7 Travel Disasters You Will Want To Avoid

Many of us will prepare to travel as we head into the holiday week. We want to make sure that your travel plans are smooth and magical. To help with that, we have seven travel disasters you won’t want to make as you head out on your vacations.

These are often small mistakes that can have significant impacts on your vacation. Take time to make sure you can either avoid these mistakes or have a plan on what to do if they come up.

None of us want to think about disasters impacting our travel plans, but by doing so, we can be more proactive and, therefore, more prepared overall.

Airplane
Photo Credit: Travelocity

7. Not Getting To the Airport Early

The days of breezing through the airports are long gone. We are seeing extremely long lines not only in TSA areas but also in the luggage areas of the airports. Because of limited workers, wait times for checking luggage and security have increased.

Don’t mistake showing up at the airport at the last minute. It is guaranteed to add stress to your vacation plans. TSA recommends 2-3 hours, and even though you will know your airport the best, this is a suggestion you probably should follow.

There are a few ways that you can navigate these crowds. First, consider doing carry-on only when it comes to luggage. If you can carry on your luggage, you won’t have to navigate the checked bag lines.

If you travel a lot, consider looking into TSA Pre-Check. This can save you a lot of time in line, as can the new Clear option. We have seen these work wonders for people at Orlando International Airport.

Don’t make the disastrous mistake of showing up at MCO and thinking you only need a quick hour to get to your gate. Plan so you are there in plenty of time.

canceled flight
Credit: Canva

6. Not Booking Enough Time Between Flights

We always recommend booking those nonstop flights’ if you can from your home airport. These leave less room for stress and issues.

For those who don’t have direct flights, ensure you leave enough time between your connecting flights. Doing this will set you up for success and keep you from having to run through the airport.

Give yourself enough layover time, making you less likely to miss your connecting flight. Although no one enjoys hanging out in the airport, we also don’t like missing flights.

Disney Suitcase
Credit: Amazon

5. Not Having Essentials in Your Carry-On

Flying isn’t easy, with lots of cancellations and delays. This makes having essential items with you even more critical than before. If your luggage gets lost or if your flight gets delayed, you don’t want to be without some of those most critical items.

We highly recommend making sure you have the following items in your carry-on:

  • Medicine
  • Extra clothes
  • Layers (airports are always cold)
  • Phone chargers and cords
  • Money
  • ID

By having these items with you, if something were to happen to your luggage or your flight, you won’t be without them. We recommend this flying home as well. It can be easy to think you won’t need items because you are flying home. Doing this could leave you stuck in an airport without essential items.

Shopping Emporium

4. Let Your Bank Know

For those traveling, you want to make sure that you notify your bank and credit card companies of your plans. With the increase in security, many of these companies will block purchases when they are outside your typical area.

Although this is excellent security, it can cause a big headache when you pay for something. We also recommend having more than one method of payment. This can help if a card is rejected or has issues.

Being proactive here helps eliminate some unneeded stress while on vacation.

overpacking
Credit: priority pass

3. Overpacking Can Cost You

I am terrible at overpacking, and I have been that person at the airline check-in desk trying to reorganize all of my stuff. Don’t be that person. Purchase a luggage scale and save yourself the stress of the situation.

Having a scale at home can help you determine how to separate all the packing, so the suitcases are even. Doing this at home is much less stressful than at the desk, as everyone behind you is waiting.

snacks
Food-and-Snacks

2. Not Having Food or Water

It can be a disaster if you are stuck on an airplane or in an airport without water or a snack. Make sure you throw in some small snacks for the plane. Small snacks can keep everyone from going hungry in the middle of a flight.

Also, once you get through security, refill that water bottle. You can bring drinks (nonalcohol) onto the airplane. Even though you can get drinks on most plane rides, sometimes flight attendants can’t provide refreshments.

Make sure you have some refreshments for your plane ride and while in the airport. These will help keep everyone happy.

Amazon Headphones
Credit: Amazon

1. Forgetting Headphones and Chargers

The great thing about traveling now is that you can download some shows and be in your happy show bubble the whole flight. It can be a major meltdown if you forget headphones or chargers for those electronics.

Ensure you have headphones for everyone’s devise and chargers to keep those devices working throughout the trip. Even on short flights, it is nice to have these items. They make traveling so much more pleasant for everyone.

These seven travel disasters can have a big impact on your vacation. We hope that by bringing them to your attention, you will be able to avoid them this holiday season.

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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