Unfortunately, organizing travel is no longer as simple as selecting a place on the map and picking out the cheapest airfare. With the continuing effects of the Covid pandemic, traveling across borders is challenging. Considering how you’ll reduce your risk of contracting Covid-19 while traveling is also essential.
However, you shouldn’t let the pandemic scare you away from traveling. By utilizing one of the best free organization apps, carefully comparing fares, and choosing flexible bookings, you can achieve your travel goals, even when you’re booking at the last minute.
Planning a trip soon but aren’t sure how to organize your travel plans? Here are a few tips for selecting the right destination, finding a plane ticket, and getting all set to jet.
Check Where You Can and Can’t Go
If you’re planning a trip within the United States, there are very few restrictions that will impact your travel plans unless you’re going to Hawaii. However, if you’re looking to travel outside of the United States, the first step is reviewing where you can and cannot fly. Covid-19 entry requirements vary greatly depending on your nationality, the purpose for traveling, and your current vaccination status.
If you have a standard vaccination plus a booster from Pfizer or Moderna, you’ll have many additional opportunities compared to someone who isn’t vaccinated yet. To check the current entry restrictions for a variety of destinations at once, use Icelandair’s Covid-19 entry restrictions map, even if you aren’t flying Icelandair. As of March 2022, there are considerably more travel destinations available in Europe compared to Asia and Australia.
Compare Airfares
Once you have a destination selected for your trip, you’ll need to purchase airfare. If you’re booking travel at the last minute, you may need to have a flexible set of dates and times, or you’ll end up paying considerably more for your tickets than you would otherwise. Skyscanner, Expedia, and Google Flights are all valuable platforms for finding the lowest fares, though it’s important to note that not every airline will appear in these lists. For example, to book Southwest Airlines, you’ll need to visit the airline’s website directly.
As you’re searching for tickets, you’ll also need to consider how much baggage you need to bring. While a low-cost carrier might seem like the cheapest ticket upfront, the additional fees for bringing a carry-on might surprise you. Certain airlines may have discounts or priority boarding depending on your military service. If you are a student, you are likely entitled to additional airfare discounts through travel agencies such as Student Universe.
Make the Most of Your Airline Miles
Once you have a flight in mind, you’ll want to either add your mileage number to your booking or sign up for a mileage account. If you’re planning a trip outside the US where you’ll fly with an internationally-based airline, check the airline’s codeshare policy. In many cases, you can earn miles for popular US-based airlines for your flight.
In some cases, you may also be able to book international travel with miles through airlines like United or American Airlines, even when that airline isn’t the one operating your flight. Traveling with a mileage account attached to your booking also means it’s significantly more likely that you’ll get an upgrade to business or first-class.
Find a place to stay
After booking your flight, paying baggage fees, and signing up to receive travel miles, you’ll need to find a comfortable place to stay. Booking platforms such as Hotels.com and Booking.com can be handy for finding a traditional stay, but there are plenty of alternatives like Sonesta. They are a great extended stay hotel option that you can find online. Airbnb can be particularly helpful for finding a last-minute accommodation because the flexible policies attached to most bookings through the platform means there will be a handful of cancellations that might open up a reasonably priced property or home for your trip.
If you’re set on booking a hotel, don’t book through a third-party travel agency right away. Instead, contact the hotel directly and ask if they can price-match the rate you found through the other platform. Booking through the hotel directly means it’s less likely you’ll have an issue with your booking, and in many cases, it will also be less expensive.
Booking a Rental Car
If you need to book a car for your trip, it’s usually a good idea to avoid the cheapest agency and price, as these companies typically carry significantly lower satisfaction rates and may add extra fees to your booking after the fact. When selecting a car, make sure the company you book from is well-known and reliable.
If you’re traveling in Europe, you’ll also want to be careful when selecting a car because the default transmission for the vehicle will likely be manual rather than automatic. In many countries, you’ll need to pay extra for automatic. If the price of the car seems too high, investigate other forms of transit. Train and bus tickets are often considerably more budget-friendly for travelers organizing an itinerary at the last minute.
Consider Cancellation Policies
Before you purchase anything, including your flights, accommodations, or rental car, check the cancellation, refund, or rebooking policy of the booking in question. With the continuing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s relatively normal for travel plans to get derailed at the last second. The entry restrictions of the location you’re traveling to might change. If you get Covid, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to travel. If something goes wrong anywhere along the line, it’s important that you can get your money back so you can rebook at a later time.
Use an Organization App
An organization app for your phone or laptop can be a valuable aid to your trip planning process. The right app for organizing your travel allows you to store and find booking confirmations, boarding passes, and check-in details. With these apps, you can keep a visual folder of the specific sites and attractions you want to visit and store your photos from the trip in the cloud. In addition, your itinerary will be accessible from anywhere in the world, on any device.
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