When to fly – Travel on off-peak days (Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday) and at off-peak times for lower fares, a less crowded cabin and a better chance of snagging an elusive mileage-award seat. Taking a long weekend? Fly Thursday – Sunday, Friday through Monday or best of all, Saturday – Tuesday.
Air-travel booking sites (Expedia and Travelocity) may seem all alike, but if your travel date is flexible, check out Google’s Flight Explorer feature, where you select a destination and receive all of your options for the next two months and beyond.
Check Routehappy.com for flights with roomier seats.
If traveling in Europe or Asia and you need to travel to another city, schedule transportion for midday. If you leave at dawn, you miss the sunrise and an ideal time to observe the locals. You also arrive at midday when light is at its worst for photos and it’s too early to check into your hotel. (You probably missed a free breakfast as well.)
Avoid peak seasons on islands where neighboring countries may be on vacation. For example, Bali hotels are filled with Japanese in May and Australians in January. The shoulder season is the best time when crowds are thinner and the weather is still good.
The best hotel and airfare sales are seldom announced except through email. Airline and hotel companies usually alert their loyalty program members and holders of certain credit cards. Get a dedicated email address for such alerts and check it when planning a trip. You might also sign up for alerts from flash-sale sites that sell hotel rooms at discounts of 40 percent or more such as Jetsetter and Tablet
At luxury hotels, a room could be $350 one week due to high occupancy and $250 the next week when occupancy is low. For a top-end hotel reservation, call the on-site reservations desk and ask the manager when the hotel will be emptiest and have the lower rates. Then you might ask, “If I come on that date, can you upgrade me to ocean-view?”
Be sure your documentation is current and your passport is valid beyond the duration of your trip. (China demands a six-month window before expiration as a recent traveler to mainland China discovered.) Check with the US Department of State to determine if you need a visa for any of the countries you plan to visit. If you plan to rent a car, make sure your driver’s license and auto insurance policy is up-to-date with contact information should an accident occur.
Don’t pack so heavily that your luggage is a nuisance. Tourist-friendly regions usually have all you might need if you forget something or have an emergency. Choose mix-and-match clothing you can vary and be sure to include both casual and more formal attire.
Leave your good jewelry at home, especially gold and silver items. A gold necklace is a mighty temptation for a thief who can snatch and run.
Credit cards are convenient and a good way to track your expenses, but take time to check the charges for purchases made abroad before departing. They could be astronomical although several credit cards nowadays charge a very nominal sum for overseas purchases.
Be sure the folks back home have your itinerary and know where you will be staying. Since you do not have cell phone service when traveling abroad, stay at a hotel with Internet access so you can stay in touch periodically by email. It could prove invaluable if something unexpected occurs.
Car Rentals – Unless you have a large family, book the least expensive economy model, and you could end up with a free upgrade. Economy models are the most popular so they sell out faster, forcing the company to offer a more expensive, roomier model at the economy price. Statistics show silver and metallic colored cars are the least likely to get in an accident, even 50 pecent less likely than a white car.
Cars by the Hour – Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing and car club service, is an alternative to traditional car rental. You pay by the hour, and gas and insurance are included in the price. It even offers trucks and SUVs. Zipcar is in Elon, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Chapel Hill and Durham. Membership costs $75 but you can get a $50 refund if you cancel within 30 days. www.zipcar.com