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What should you do first while looking for a travel buddy?

Many people who desire to travel around the world and see breathtaking places don’t have a suitable travel companion. And not everyone can make an announcement “travel buddy wanted” via social networks.

Most likely your perfect travel buddy and even destiny are not among your old internet friends. And this is the main reason to start looking for a travel buddy on the special project. At first pick and post your best photos, decide where you want to go and what do you plan to visit, write all hobbies, interests and plans in your personal profile and start an exciting race of making new friends all around our planet.

There are several secrets that help while choosing a travel buddy

Pay attention to people’s plans and habits. For example, if a person writes in a profile that he prefers energetic lifestyle with tons of activities and you enjoy calm and quite sightseeing – probably you won’t make a good match even if other interests are similar. If you two are early birds – that’s great, if not it could do you wrong. Imagine the situation when your buddy is a night owl and doesn’t give you a chance to rest.

So try to write a list of what you prefer while traveling. Do you like organized or spontaneous trips? Riding a car or hiking miles? Dining at home or tasting foreign cuisine? And you can also mention on what side of the bed you sleep. Make a funny note - travel buddy with left bedside preference wanted. Fortunately, your perfect travel buddy will appreciate this tiny joke. And don’t forget that sense of humor is one of the most important things in any relationship.

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So amazing guys, you can find the best place for travel on weekend. Beside, you can invite your friend to go together to that place. The interface also cute. Thank.

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Flexible Dates

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How FlightsFinder Works

1. enter your travel requirements.

Select 'everywhere' or check our flexible calendar to see the cheapest day, month or best time in the year to fly

2. Compare the best search engines

Save up to 20% by comparing multiple flight comparison sites using our intuitive dashboard

3. Book your airline ticket

Find your flexible flight and book with a provider of your choice at the cheapest price possible

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How FlightsFinder finds you the cheapest flexible flights with the world's best comparison sites

We have developed one of the world's most powerful flexible flight search engines here at FlightsFinder. Search 'Everywhere' from your local departure airport or search for particular destinations and view flexible date prices via our calendar. You can select the cheapest flights three days before or after your chosen dates, the whole month or the entire year. You can filter results on our calendar to show direct only flights if you wish. We also have your back if you are looking for flights with no cancellation fees. Select the filter which says 'no change fees' on our primary search engine, and we will show you flexible flights that you can alter without any charge. We also allow you to quickly compare the world's best comparison engines from one dashboard, including KAYAK, Skyscanner, momondo, Kiwi.com, Jetradar, etc.

How to find cheap flexible flights: Questions & Answers

What are the top 5 flexible flight search engines.

The top 5 flexible flight search engines, if you are searching for flexible flight dates, are Skyscanner, KAYAK, momondo, Kiwi.com and Google flights. These are powerful search engines with some form of calendar view showing the cheapest days to book your flight. Here at FlightsFinder, we use data from multiple aggregators to populate our flight calendar, making it one of the most complete you can see online. The difference with our search engine is that once you have identified the cheapest days to fly, you can then go on and compare all of the world's leading search engines from one dashboard, potentially saving you up to 20% off your next airline ticket.

How much can I save with flexible flights?

The number one factor affecting flight prices are the days you choose to fly. The savings can be truly remarkable if you look a month or two either side of your flight times or even check a few days. For example, if you wanted to fly to London from New York in May, It could set you back by about $442. However, our flexible search will tell you that the price will be around $300 in March. If you want to check a few days before or after your travel dates, select our check box in the flexible dates field that says +/- 3 days. To find the cheapest flight in the entire month, select 'whole month' and select' whole year' to find the best possible return flight price across the entire year.

How to find flexible flights that have no cancellation fees?

In a post covid world, it has become necessary to find tickets that you can amend quickly if unexpected events occur. Common issues that may mean you need to change your booking are the travel policies shifting of a country you intend on visiting by requiring you to quarantine on arrival or on your return, which may not be feasible. Or you may become ill, requiring you to change your travel plans. Whatever the case may be, many airlines charge a premium for you to change or amend your booking once made. To get around these exorbitant change fees, it is sometimes wise to look for flexible flights that have no change fees. You can find these 'no change fees' tickets on our site via our first flight search engine results. Select the filter that says 'no change fees', and we will show you the flights via KAYAK with flexible rebooking options for no extra charge. Just check the change fees for a regular booking to see if the price is lower than booking a flexible 'no change fee' flight.

How to use Skyscanner flexible dates?

Skyscanner has one of the world's most comprehensive flexible date flight engines. They offer users the ability to search from entire countries to 'everywhere' - for example, the United States to anywhere in the world. This search shows you the cheapest airports to fly to from your departing country. Moreover, Skyscanner lets you select on their calendar which month you would like to travel in (for a monthly overview) or select the 'cheapest month', which will tell you the cheapest month to fly in the whole year. They have flexible calendars for both one way and return flights. The downside to the Skyscanner flexible dates calendar is that it only shows flights found by users in the last four days, which sometimes mean the results can be outdated. Moreover, less travelled routes contain fewer historical prices and sometimes none. We use Skyscanner data to populate our calendars; the only difference is that we let you compare numerous flight comparison site results alongside Skyscanner results which often lead to savings, sometimes up to 20%.

How to use KAYAK flexible dates?

KAYAK has a handy 'explore' feature which shows you the best flexible flight deals plotted on an interactive global map. All you need is to enter your departure airport, and the map will show you the best domestic and international flight deals found by other KAYAK users in the last 48 hours. You can also refine your results by searching for a particular country, a specific month, direct flights or flights with stops, budget, duration and type of trip. Once again, because it relies on other users' historical usage, you may find that less searched for routes have little data about them. You can play around with their flexible calendar here: KAYAK/explore . Once you have found a deal on KAYAK, we encourage you to use our site to price check against multiple other aggregators on our website as, on occasion, they can beat the prices found on KAYAK.

How to use Google flights flexible dates?

Google flights have the fastest search engine on the planet, results load in seconds, and they have very comprehensive calendars which show you the cheapest days to travel in the entire month. You can see their flexible flight price calendars by selecting the 'date grid' or the 'price graph' buttons. The date grid presents data in a calendar view whilst the price graph shows you flights in bar graph form. The ITA matrix provides the data and is not dependent on previous searchers to populate it, making it some of the most comprehensive flexible flight data on the web. However, it is a fact that Google flights don't always get you the best possible deal due to the limited number of OTA's Google searches. To get the best possible benefit from them, we recommend you get the best dates to fly from their flexible calendars, then come to FlightsFinder.com and compare multiple aggregators on those dates and see if you can save even more. You can often save up to 20% more simply by checking numerous flight aggregators via our easy to use dashboard.

How to use Kiwi.com flexible dates?

Kiwi.com is the Czech Republic's biggest metasearch engine famous for finding cheap flights by virtual interlining, stitching together fares from airlines that traditionally do not work together. You can find their flexible flight calendars on their search results page by selecting the 'pricing table' or to view a bar graph of the lowest priced flights instead, pick 'price trends'. Their flexible flight results are very comprehensive, and you can find data on even the most obscure routes. Once again, we suggest finding the best days to fly by using our Flexi calendars then price checking their live results with our multi aggregator tab based flight dashboard to see if you can pinch a bit more off your ticket.

How to find the cheapest flexible flight 3 days before or after your flight

Sometimes you can find cheaper flights if you look a few days on either side of your travel dates if your schedule permits. Please enter your departure and arrival airports, then select your preferred dates of flying; after that, choose our flexible dates tab and check the box which says +/- 3 days. We will then take you to our flexible dates calendar to quickly look at prices on surrounding dates. Please note that the display prices were found in the last 15 days and may no longer be available - the only way to check live availability is to select a date and click 'show flights' - then compare multiple live prices.

How to find the cheapest flexible flight in the entire month

Our flight finder also allows you to find the cheapest return flight in any particular month. For example, say you wanted to see the most inexpensive return flight from Miami to Toronto or Los Angeles to Mexico City in June. First, enter your departure airport to one of those arrival cities. After that, select some dates in June in our calendar; select the flexible dates tab, and check the box that says 'whole month'. We will then show you the cheapest combination of departure and arrival dates for your search on our calendar in that particular month. Our results are colour coded so that the lowest price will be in blue, whilst lower prices will be in green while the more expensive days will be in red. Once again, prices are rough guides only found by other users in the last 15 days.

How to find the cheapest flexible flight in the entire year?

If you are highly flexible with your travel dates, you may want to know the cheapest flights possible in the entire year between two city destinations. For example - what's the cheapest flight from New York to Las Vegas in the whole year?. Our flight finder allows you to do this in seconds. First of all, enter your departure and arrival cities, then select our flexible dates tab, after that check the box which say 'whole year.' We will then pinpoint the cheapest date combinations to fly in seconds on our calendar in the entire year. This option is also particularly useful in uncovering potential error fares and is the quickest way to find unbelievable flight deals.

How to find the cheapest flexible flights to anywhere?

If you don't have a fixed destination in mind and are looking for inspiration on where to fly next, we recommend using our 'flexible - search everywhere' option. First, enter your departure airport, select 'search everywhere', then enter the dates you are looking to travel or look for the cheapest flights in the entire month or the entire year by checking the relevant box. Once you click search, we will list the most affordable destinations fitting your search parameters leaving from your chosen departure airport. You can also refine flights to see direct options by selecting the 'direct only' check box on our destinations list.

How to find the cheapest flight to a particular country?

To find the cheapest flight to a particular country, we recommend using the search everywhere option in our search engine. You can then select the country you are interested in visiting in the destinations list, and we will show you the cheapest cities in that country to fly to. Another alternate way of seeing the best deals to any country is by using our recent deals carousel engine. You can find this below our main search engine form. To use the recent deals engine, enter your departure airport and enter the country you are interested in visiting; you can refine flights by month or select 'anytime' to show you the cheapest deals we have ever found.

How to find the cheapest flight to a particular city?

To find the cheapest flights to any city, enter your desired destination in our search engine. After that, you choose to see the best deal in the entire year by selecting the year on our flexible dates checklist; this will give you the lowest prices ever found. Select the 'whole month' for costs in a particular month and +/- 3 days to see a few days on different sides of your chosen travel dates.

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Travel site looks for errors that produce ultra-cheap air fares

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Use our new airport stress calculator to determine how much stress your going to experience on your particular flight.

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The Best Tools for Flexible Date Searches

See recent posts by Peter Thornton

If you have flexible travel dates, you’ll have a much easier time finding a cheap flight. Searching for flights only on specific travel dates leaves little wiggle room to find that amazing deal you’re looking for on your next trip. You can often save hundreds of dollars by simply flying when it’s cheap and sometimes it only requires shuffling your travel dates by a few days.

How to Find Cheap Flights with Flexible Travel Dates

While there is no magic day to buy a fare, there are certain times of the year and days of the week when it’s usually cheaper to fly . This varies by market but it is usually cheapest to fly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and in the shoulder seasons—late January to early March; May to early June; September to mid-November; and early December.

Flight Search Engines with the Best Flexible Date Tools

However, this is not an exact science and cheap flights can pop-up at any time. Luckily, there are some excellent tools out there that will search multiple travel dates at once so you can always find out when (and where) it’s cheapest to fly. Here are some of our favorite tools for finding the cheapest flights.

How to Use Google Flights to Find Cheap Flights  

Pros: Fast, comprehensive filters integrated into the flex search, explore map.

Cons: Occasional price lag, limited OTA pricing, missing prices on some airlines.

Ever since Google acquired ITA Software, it has added more search features that make it the best overall flexible date search tool. To initiate a flexible date search with a calendar view, just enter a departure city, arrival city, and any desired travel dates. It will then show you a list of flights for those travel dates along with many other search filters where you can fine-tune your search by the number of stops, airlines, price range, flight times, connecting airports, flight duration, and even add any potential bag fees.

Pro Tip: You can enter up to 7 airports in both the departure or arrival fields to search for flights from or to multiple different cities at once. Just use the plus icon to the right of the "Where from?" field.

Adjust the filters as you wish and then click on the calendar icon in the “departure date” field to see two months of pricing at once. You can easily scroll through the months to find the cheapest flights by clicking on the arrows on either side of the calendar. Adjust the trip length it searches for at the bottom left of the calendar box. Unfortunately, you can’t choose a range for the trip length and Google will only search for a specific trip length at one time. It may help to search one-way flights in each direction first and then combine cheap dates in a roundtrip search since not all airlines sell one-way tickets for half the roundtrip price.  

If your dates are set in stone, but you’re flexible on where you want to travel, Google’s explore feature is an excellent tool to just browse where there are cheap flights on the map. Just enter your departure city and travel dates—leave the arrival city blank or just type in a general region such as “Europe” or “South America”. It will then give you a map view with prices all over the globe. You can zoom in/out and scroll around the world to find where it is cheap to fly on those dates.

And for the holy grail of flexibility, just enter a departure city and choose the “flexible dates” radio button when choosing dates. It will give you the option to choose any month in the next six months or all months. And you can choose to search for a weekend, 1 week, or 2-week trip. The map will then show the best pricing from your city to destinations all over the world with those parameters.

Although I consider Google the best overall flexible date search tool, it’s not perfect. It does not show pricing on all airlines—most notably Southwest and often misses other airlines such as Aeromexico and Turkish Airlines. Occasionally, the pricing is off and will jump during the final step. Sometimes you can find lower prices on other search engines that link to smaller online travel agencies (OTAs) or airline sites that save the best fares for direct bookings.

If you want to get into an even more detailed search, you can try ITA’s matrix , but for a simpler and faster search tool with most of the same filters, I would recommend starting any flexible date search with Google Flights. But don’t forget about the others or you may miss out on a cheaper flight.

Related: The 8 Cheapest Places to Fly This Fall

How to Use Kayak to Find Cheap Flights

Pros: Combines airlines, a thorough search of OTAs, holiday travel search.

Cons: Slow, filters don’t always adjust results, lag on updating prices.

Kayak is a good search tool for those who want to search for a cheap flight with a range of trip lengths. You may be willing to stay an extra day or two or leave a day earlier in order to find the best deal. To start a flexible date search, enter your departure and arrival cities (you can insert up to 3 in each). When choosing your dates, you’ll see color-coded approximate pricing on the calendar, but for a better flex search choose either “Weekend” or “Month” from the left-hand column.

The weekend search allows you search for cheap flights departing Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, returning Sunday or Monday, over a 4-week period. The month search allows you to choose a start date for the search and your desired trip duration. You can make this a set number or a range of up to 7 nights. For example, you can choose a trip length of 7 nights, 6-8 nights, 4-11 nights, or 26-33 nights, but not 10-20 nights. It will then search flights for 4 weeks from the start date and give you the results in a calendar view.

You can then adjust a number of filters on the side to refine your search, but be warned that these filters may not always adjust the prices in the calendar correctly. If you’ve done a roundtrip search, you’ll choose a departure date first and then it will give you a range of dates to choose for your return flight. Once you’ve chosen dates at the price you want, it will give you a specific flight. It’s always a good idea to click on the “find more options for the same dates” link in the bottom left of this pop-up. This will show you more flight options—some of which may even be a lower price.

Kayak is great at finding prices from many different OTAs, which means it may unearth cheaper flights than Google. It has some excellent search filters, but the pricing on the flexible date calendar doesn’t always line up when these are adjusted. Its major downfall is that it does not include all airlines and routings. Plus, it’s a little slow and clunky to use.

Kayak also has an explore tool similar to Google. Just enter a departure city and leave the arrival blank by clicking on the “Can’t decide where to go?” text. This gives you some great flexibility by being able to choose any month up to a year out or “anytime” to search for cheap flights to anywhere throughout the year. It also has a holiday search tool where you can search for cheap flights during specific holiday periods.

Related: The 6 Best Flight Search Sites

How to Use Skyscanner to Find Cheap Flights  

Pros: Simple flex search in list form, includes most airlines, wide range of OTAs.

Cons: Lack of filters before search, pricing on the calendar is not always correct.  

Skyscanner is one of the most popular search engines worldwide. It was one of the first to adopt low-cost carriers in its search results and it continues to provide a very clean and straightforward search for travelers with flexible travel plans.

For flexible search results, click on the “whole month” tab when choosing dates. This will allow you to choose any specific month or just choose the cheapest month. A calendar will then appear allowing you to see the best prices for both the outbound and inbound flight at the same time. These results may not be entirely accurate since the price for the return date may depend on the departure date, but it’s a great way to get an idea of when cheap flights may be offered. You can also choose to see the results in a bar graph format if you wish.

Once you’ve chosen dates, it will bring you to the list of flights where you can filter your search further to weed out any airlines, trip durations, or the number of stops as you wish. One nice filter on Skyscanner is the ability to choose “only show airlines with flexible tickets”. With the recent uncertainty surrounding travel plans and restrictions, having flexible tickets can give you some much-needed peace of mind when booking a future flight.

Like Google and Kayak, Skyscanner also allows you to be flexible in where you want to travel. You can search for flights from your city to specific countries or to everywhere in the world. Just like with set destination searches, you can choose specific travel dates, certain months, or just choose the “cheapest month”. It will then give you results in list form, giving you the cheapest prices by country. After clicking on the country, it will drop down a list of prices to individual cities.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to filter out airlines or certain schedules before doing a flex search. The only filter possible before you conduct your search is to choose nonstop flights only. This means you can’t weed out any low-cost airlines until you are on the specific dates landing page.

Skyscanner is great for its simplicity and it includes different OTAs that sometimes have lower fares than what you’ll find on Kayak. The lack of filters available before you conduct a search, however, means it’s often easier to find exactly what you’re looking for with a flex search on Google or Kayak first, and then checking Skyscanner to see if there is better pricing.

Related: What is Travel Hacking—and Should You Be Doing It?

How to Use Momondo to Find Cheap Flights

Pros: Searches the most OTAs, often has lowest prices.

Cons: Slow to show all results, lacks a true flex search, requires researching policies on smaller OTAs.

To be honest, Momondo is not the best at flexible date searches, but I decided to include it in this list simply because it is the best meta search out there for finding the absolute lowest prices available. This is because Momondo sources the most OTAs—some of which you may need to research more on your own to know any caveats when booking. It’s safe to book with any of these OTAs, but there may be different change/cancelation policies and additional fees. Also, there may be a delay in ticketing on some of the smaller OTAs and prices are not guaranteed until your flight actually gets ticketed.

Momondo, managed by Kayak, has a similar flex search function in which you can opt to search for and compare cheap flights by selecting "weekend" or "month". Additionally, you can enter specific dates and select the option to show flights for anywhere within a range of up to three days from those selected dates. Once you conduct a date search, flexible or exact, you’ll get a bar graph showing pricing over a three-week period around your chosen travel dates. This graph is not completely accurate most of the time, but it can be a good indicator to check other dates if you see a big swing surrounding your dates.

My best suggestion is to first use another search engine, such as Google or Kayak, to find dates with the best price. Then, double check those exact dates on Momondo to see if you can find a lower price. Sometimes, the exact same flights are hundreds less on Momondo than other sites—especially on Star Alliance carriers. Other times the price difference may be minimal and you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it for the potential drawbacks. Just make sure you read the fine print about any extra change, cancelation, or foreign transaction fees on the actual booking site before you purchase.  

Related: I Have to Cancel a Non-Refundable Trip. Can I Get Any Money Back?

Airline Sites with the Best Flexible Date Search Tools

In addition to meta search engines and OTAs, there are plenty of airlines that have great flexible search tools on their own websites. Although you won’t be able to compare other airlines with these searches, you can sometimes find lower fares on an airline’s site than anywhere else. And in some cases—like Southwest—it’s the only place you’ll find those airlines’ fares. These flexible date searches can sometimes be hidden or hard to find, so I’ll give links and/or explain how to find the most popular airline-specific flexible date search tools below.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Southwest

You won’t be able to book Southwest fares anywhere else so it’s always a good idea to check its low fare calendar in addition to other search engines. There is a link right below the arrival box on the home page or just go here .

How to Find Cheap Flights on JetBlue

JetBlue has a somewhat hidden flex search tool. You can find a link by clicking on the “Book” header and then choosing “ Best Fare Finder ” or just go here . It will first display just the current month, but if you scroll you can see other month options. It’s somewhat annoying that you can’t just jump to a specific month, but you can eventually see JetBlue’s entire booking calendar on one page.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Delta

Delta’s flex search is also hidden from its homepage. Use this link to start a search in calendar view by clicking on the “my dates are flexible” check box. Delta’s flex search has a unique feature that allows you to filter out Basic Economy fares if you wish.

How to Find Cheap Flights on United

From United’s home page, click on the “Calendar Shop” checkbox before searching. Then, just choose a month and desired trip length and you’ll be brought to a flexible date calendar. Another option is to start your search from the advanced search page and click on the “My dates are flexible” checkbox.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Alaska Airlines

On Alaska’s homepage, click on the “ all search options ” box just below the “adults” dropdown field. From there, you can click on a “Flexible dates” checkbox to start a search with a calendar view. You can also switch to a calendar view after doing an exact date search by choosing the “calendar” radio button in the “view by” section on the left-hand side of the page when choosing flights.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Hawaiian Airlines

At the bottom of the search box on Hawaiianairlines.com , you’ll see a link for a “Price Calendar”. Click this link to see fares in a calendar view. You can also toggle to a bar graph chart if you prefer.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Spirit

To find a monthly calendar on Spirit.com , you’ll first have to conduct an exact date search. This will default to a one-week flex search. You can toggle to a month view search by clicking “month” at the top of weekly view of fares. Toggle between the months using the arrows on either side of the calendar.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Frontier

Frontier also requires you to first search for exact dates and then shows you comparative prices for surrounding dates on a slider at the top of the following page. Unfortunately, you can’t exclude Discount Den fares from the calendar view, but you’ll notice that the standard fares are usually only slightly higher than the Discount Den fares you see on the calendar view.

How to Find Cheap Flights on Allegiant

Like the other ultra-low-cost carriers, Allegiant requires you to search for exact dates first. On the following page, you’ll see a “calendar view” button on the top right of both the departing and returning flight sections. Click these buttons to see fares on a flexible date calendar. Booking a roundtrip flight on Allegiant often gives you a small discount.

I’ve only listed the major U.S. airline sites that allow you to see fares on a monthly calendar, but there are many international carriers that have this feature on their websites as well. Since there are many airlines around the world that only sell tickets on the company’s website, it’s always a good idea to do a Wikipedia search for the airport you are flying from to find out if there are any specific airlines you should check separately.

At Airfarewatchdog, we strive to check all avenues for cheap flights and the best way to find out when prices drop is to sign up for airfare alerts . Once you are alerted to a price you like, use these methods to search for cheap airfare with flexible travel dates and you’ll be enjoying your next vacation in no time.

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• Trip Planner

Trip Planner | Travel Itinerary Planner | Plan a Trip

Are you looking for an itinerary planner to plan your next trip? We know creating a customized travel itinerary manually is an overwhelming task. You have to put a lot of time into selecting destinations, booking hotels, flights, and comparing prices. On top of that calculating budgets & booking hotels and flights is another challenge that makes itinerary planning tough.

But what if all of this is done within a few minutes for you? Yes with TripHobo trip planner you can do this smartly. We have observed that many travelers end up spending more time in researching information than enjoying the actual trip. Not only first-time travelers but also experienced travelers struggle in creating perfect travel plans.

Even though it is a tedious task to create a customized itinerary, everyone agrees on the importance of itinerary for an enjoyable holiday. So Triphobo came up with this easy to use automatic itinerary planner.

How Trip Planner Works / Steps to Plan a Trip

Do you want to create your travel itinerary quickly & easily? Are you ready to use this tool now? TripHobo's trip planner plays a major role to ease the itinerary creation process and helps you overcome the pain in the trip planning .  Follow these 4 simple steps to plan a trip & let us know your experience.

1) Choose Your Destination & Dates when you want to travel

Visual algorithmic trip planner lets you choose destinations you want to travel to. You have the freedom to choose the real dates from the calendar. After selecting travel dates, planner runs algorithms to optimize a trip. It starts suggesting activities, sightseeing spots, tours and transport options with the details. For every attraction, it suggests open/close timings, time to spend, and nearby restaurants.

You can drag & drop activities and complete your itinerary within a matter of minutes. You can book yourself a nice vacation once you are sure of all the details, making you plan your trip very easily.

2) Refer to User Created Itineraries

If you have a lot of travel ideas but confused about where to start? Don't worry. Thousands of other people have visited the same destination before and created itineraries with us. Choose from a pool of more than 1 million user-generated itineraries around the globe. You can view other travelers’ itineraries for any location and duration to inspire yourself and then customize them to suit your own preferences.

3) Book Hotels and Flights

TripHobo always tries to offer the best from the travel industry to our valued planners. It has formed alliances with Expedia , Skyscanner, Zomato and Booking.com. Its ratings and reviews come courtesy of TripAdvisor whereas Google (as well as other partners) powers its location data.

TripHobo aims to cater to travelers at every stage of the travel planning process. It provides one platform to create personalized itineraries and hassle-free bookings .

4) Get Ready with a Perfect Itinerary

Once you’ve created your customized itinerary, you can print it. Save your plan for future reference or share it with your friends. When you’re ready, you can finalize and have a perfect travel itinerary ready.

Why Is TripHobo a Smart Trip planner?

There are few things included in the Triphobo planner algorithm & app which builds itinerary within minutes.

• A free virtual map-based trip planner with a smart algorithm
• International trip planner with about 1,50,000 popular destinations
• The largest repository of user-generated itineraries
• Hassle-free booking options for hotels, tours & flights
• Provides local transit options like metro, rail, bus, and car
• Calculates an estimated budget
• Provides options to save, print and share itinerary
• Strategic Partnerships with leading travel companies

TripHobo: Around the Web

• Trip of Your Own
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• Making The Southeast Asian Travel Connection
• Ex-HCL employee’s led ‘TripHobo’ is on a mission to become a global brand – a goto place for travel planning!
• Interview: Praveen Kumar, Founder & CEO of TripHobo
• TripHobo inks partnership with Zomato
• How a trip planning startup can succeed
• Karthik Ramachandram Co-Founder COO, TripHobo - Phocuswright Conference

Here's what travelers have to say about our travel planner

• Excellent 238

Great and genuinely wonderful website that makes a proper vacation plan simple, like it should. All reviews are 5 stars. The only suggestion I have to enhance this fantastic website is to include a mobile application. Even paying for a version without ads wouldn't bother me.

Every traveller should use this!

So much easier & more helpful than a travel agency, given lots of fantastic ideas, and was extremely helpful for planning the trip. Would strongly advise my family and friends to use this!

Great tool for trip planning. Impportantly it's free and automatically tailors travel plans to your preferences and is completely customisable. The integration with skyscanner and booking.com, and other OTA like priceline and expedia makes it very easy to plan the whole trip along with the bookings in one place.

I Went On A Travel Date With A Total Stranger & Here Are 7 Important Things I Learned

“This sounds like a scam… or prostitution" is what pretty much everyone told me when I first decided to give travel dating a go . And truth be told, I thought the same thing. But I’d made it a personal goal to be more adventurous in my dating life this year… and when a PR firm offers to send you on an all-expenses paid getaway with a cute guy (separate hotel rooms included), you say yes.

Which is how I ended up embarking on not one, but two destination dates last month: the first with a complete stranger named Josh* (who — spoiler alert! — did not murder me), and the second with a guy named Peter*, whom I’d met in Paris and serendipitously found on travel dating site MissTravel a few weeks later (he didn’t murder me, either!).

For those who may not know, travel dating is kind of like Tinder, but instead of swiping right and left, you scroll through profiles — which also include photos and quick bios — and search by trip. In the case of MissTravel, users can create and list trips with a few key details: destination, specific dates, and whether you’ve got an “extra ticket” (i.e. you’re willing to cover your travel buddy’s expenses), have your “own ticket” (i.e. you’re taking this trip and would like for a date to tag along and cover their own expenses), or, most ambitiously, would like someone to “take you along” (i.e. you’d like to head out on this vacation and have someone else pay for the trip).

From there, you can match with and message other users based on how interested you are in jetting off with that person. Conversations are a bit more loaded than those you’d have on other dating sites or apps, with fewer games of “Would You Rather” and more “So, what’s your travel style?” But for the most part, it’s not crazy different.

Naturally, I now consider myself a low-key expert in travel dating. So here’s everything you need to know about foregoing first-date drinks to fly across the ocean with someone you barely know: highs, lows, and jet-lag-induced drooling included.

1. You've Got Options

For starters, you’ve got to decide which destination dating site or app to try. I’ve only ever used MissTravel, which basically invented travel dating, but there are tons of other sites and apps in this space now, including TravelHostDate , TourBar , and YourTravelMates .

Some are designed to help you connect with locals while exploring a new city; others are good for finding fellow vagabonds to sync up with on your next adventure. Your call.

2. Yes, It's Safe

Yes, heading off on a vacation with someone is a way bigger commitment than dinner and drinks. And no, unfortunately many of these apps do not verify users. But think of it in these terms: How often do you get to watch your date stroll through a metal detector or get a pat-down from the TSA? If you’re meeting a person at a far-away destination, be sure to touch base with the hotel staff in advance to ensure they’ve got your information (and I’d strongly recommend getting separate rooms). Many of these travel dating sites and apps also suggest Skyping, FaceTiming, or even grabbing coffee with your potential travel date (location permitting) to ensure you’re completely comfortable with each other before clicking “book.”

Other than that, I’d say follow standard Tinder protocol and you’ll be fine. Just trust your gut, stick to hanging out in public areas, and ask a friend to track your location from their phone (maybe spring for a temporary Wi-Fi pass or roaming cell phone plan as well).

3. And Yes, You Really Can Find A Handsome Stranger

A lot of travel dating sites were initially created for sugar daddy types to find young, hot business trip companions, which has given the whole concept a bit of a bad rap. But fret not — more and more millennials are joining these sites and apps; according to MissTravel, more than 400,000 18- to 35-year-olds have joined its site in the last two years alone.

Sure, you might have to scroll through a few pages of the aforementioned businessmen, but you’ll also find plenty of charming, adventurous gems; I can personally vouch for that. Josh (travel date one) was 28, with two master's degrees and Zayn Malik vibes; Peter (travel date two) was a hot 23-year-old I’d already met and clicked with at a bar in Paris (think Troy Bolton turned New York finance bro).

4. Don't Worry About Being Awkward

The (very) socially awkward side of me was panicking before my trips. Like, breaking-out-in-a-stress-rash level panicking. But both were surprisingly easy, and honestly, way less awkward than most Tinder dates I’ve been on. Because you’ve got so much time together, conversation lulling here and there is not only totally fine, it’s expected. And knowing you have 48 hours to fill gives you a steady stream of topics to cover as you plan your next move — i.e., would you rather have In ‘n Out for dinner, or head to The Mission for tacos? Should we spend the next few hours strolling through markets, or checking out a few museums? Socializing becomes way easier when you’re actually doing things, not just staring at each other’s faces over a charcuterie plate.

That said, Josh and Peter might tell you a different story here. I mean, I sensed virtually no awkwardness, but I’m also happy to chat about my appreciation for Voldemort in surprisingly intricate detail, so…

5. But Worry A Little About Jet Lag

I’ve been flying back and forth across the Atlantic pretty regularly for the past two decades (mostly for school), but jet lag still gets me every. Damn. Time.

Both of my dates involved adjusting my internal clock (the first was Boston to San Francisco; the second Boston to London), and I did a terrible job. As in, I fell asleep and drooled on Peter a few times and aggressively insisted on taking naps. Thankfully, both dates saw the merits of this (especially after the drooling). Keep that in mind when choosing a destination. If you’ve only got a couple of days to spare, maybe don’t travel across too many time zones (and if you do, well, remember that nap time is the best time).

6. You Can Try Out Different Travel Styles

Turning a trip into a first date (or visa versa) also gives you the chance to experience different travel styles. I typically travel solo, end up getting lost down random side streets, and spend an inordinate amount of time filling notebooks with my thoughts on a city. Josh, on the other hand, was all about seeing the top attractions: ensuring we didn’t miss a photo opp in front of the Golden Gate Bridge or hanging from the side of a trolley. And Peter — well, Peter and I were pretty much drunk for two days straight and somehow ended up on a boat. Or, as I affectionately dubbed it, “A magical island pub floating on the River Thames… LET’S GO TO THERE!”

Personally, I didn’t ask either date about their own travel styles before meeting up, as I’m generally pretty happy to go with the flow (especially the flow of the pub boat). But if you’re a more structured traveler, definitely chat through the details with your date to make sure they’re on the same page.

7. It's A Great Escape From Modern Dating

Modern dating is so focused on strategy and scheming, balancing "hard to get" with "I'm definitely interested in you." But the cool thing about travel dating is that it strips all of that away. In most cases (mine included), your dates exist in a vacuum: You live in different cities and have zero mutual connections, so why let the fear of coming on too strong, too weird, too excited about late-night Big Macs keep you from having a great time and enjoying each other’s company? Hold hands and mess with his hair! Knock back tequila shots and check out a burlesque club! Get lost in Shoreditch, London, at two in the morning! Who knows, you might hit things off and find a new lover.

Or maybe, like me, you’ll end up with some new friends, a phone full of photos, and little bit less of your liver.

*Names have been changed.

Here's the Best Time to Book a Flight for Any Holiday

If you're planning your next vacation, you know how expensive it can be to book airfare — particularly if you're traveling with the whole family or around a major holiday. But don't let the price of flights scare you off, because there are a lot of ways to save.

We go over tips for getting good deals on airfare , along with the best dates to buy flights for holiday travel.

How to Get the Best Airfare Prices

To show you how to get the best deal, we'll do some fictional trip planning. Imagine you want to get away for a weekend to enjoy sunshine on the beach, so you're checking prices for a trip from Chicago to Miami. You're eager for that beach vacation, so you're looking at flights just two weeks from now.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways to Save on Your Next Flight

Airfare prices vary depending on when and where you're flying, so this example won't tell you exactly what kind of savings you'll see — but it should give you an idea of how much you can cut your flight costs. We started our search for flights with Delta because it's a major airline with reasonable prices. But for our last-minute trip to Miami, the price tag wasn't so reasonable: a trip with a departure on Friday and a return on Sunday would cost $490 round trip. Ouch. That price is sure to put you off the idea of a beach vacation, but there are lots of ways to save some cash.

Pick Cheaper Days to Travel

The days you choose to travel have a big impact on your total flight price. According to CheapAir.com, Tuesday and Wednesday are the most budget-friendly days to fly , while Sunday is the priciest. On average, a Sunday flight will cost you $76 more than a Wednesday flight. If you're flying with the whole family, the price difference can really add up.

Our sample trip left on Friday and returned on Sunday, which is perfect for a quick weekend getaway but bad for the budget. To save, you need to be flexible with your travel days, which means skipping weekend getaways and shopping for midweek flights. Let's take another look at our trip from Chicago to Miami, this time leaving on Thursday and returning on Saturday. Just shifting our trip back a day would cut the price to $285 round trip. That's some significant savings.

When you're shopping, always check alternate travel dates. Most travel search sites let you specify you have flexible dates so you can easily find the cheapest days to travel — all you have to do is remember to check. When you're searching travel dates, look for an option to set a flexible date range or a button directing you to a fare calendar.

Be Aware of Fees

Americans pay billions of dollars in airline fees every year — so if you're looking for the lowest possible price, you need to pay attention to the fees. For example, most airlines charge you anywhere from $30 to $60 each way for checked bags, and some charge for carry-on bags , as well. There are also fees for seats with more legroom and sometimes fees for selecting seats at all.

SEE ALSO: 9 Expensive Travel Mistakes You're Making

Fees can mean bargain fare isn't actually much of a bargain. Some of these you can avoid just by not using them — say, carrying a bag instead of checking a bag — but for others, you'll have to look around for deals. With some airlines, you can get discounts by paying your fees in advance or upgrading to a fare class that includes them. You need to do your homework before snapping up a ticket, even if it looks like a great deal.

For our fictional trip on Delta, a checked bag would cost $30 each way, adding $60 to our round-trip fare. For a 2-night getaway, you could probably make do with a carry-on bag — but if you do need a checked bag, Delta's bag fees are actually pretty reasonable. On some airlines you could find a single bag pushing your round-trip fare up by $120.

Don't Forget to Shop Around

You may be tempted to shop directly on your favorite airline's website — pricing for our Delta flight came from Delta.com — but you won't get a lower price just by looking at the airline itself. In fact, shopping on an airline's site only makes it harder for you to do price comparisons.

SEE ALSO: Delta Is Giving Us Wider Seats, and That's a Nice Change

Instead, use a travel search site to check multiple airlines all at once. Both Google Flights and Kayak let you search multiple airlines at the same time, point out cheaper dates to fly, and even calculate baggage fees. And beyond searching flights, these sites offer good advice on how to score a deal.

Searching Google Flights and Kayak for our trip to Miami, both found a flight from American Airlines for $268 round trip — a nice discount off the Delta fare we were looking at. But both also suggest alternate trip dates to save even more: if we took a few vacation days and did a Monday-to-Wednesday trip, the flight would only cost $120 round trip. Being flexible with our travel dates and shopping around has gotten us a huge deal.

Book at Least a Month in Advance

Though our fictional trip was a last-minute affair, usually it makes more sense to book well well ahead of time. Airline prices fluctuate — sometimes a lot — but for most trips you want to book four to eight weeks in advance, especially if you're flying around a holiday. Booking very early or very late typically means you're spending more.

According to airfare booking app Hopper , which monitors flight prices to tell you the best time to buy, holiday prices are at their lowest from four to eight weeks before your travel date . If you buy earlier or later, you may be spending more than you need to — CheapAir.com calculates that you'll spend an average of $208 more if you shop at the last minute instead of booking further in advance.

The perfect time to book varies depending on when you travel. Busier times of year — around major holidays and popular vacation times — are usually pricier and need to be booked earlier to save. So with the ideal time to buy always moving around, exactly when should you book in order to get the best prices?

When to Book Flights Around Major Holidays

Instead of guessing at the best time to buy, we looked to Hopper for advice. The app checks billions of airfare prices every day, which lets it predict the best time to buy year-round. If you're traveling for a specific holiday, here are the best times to buy your flights — and what you can expect to pay.

St. Patrick's Day

Date in 2019: Sunday, March 17

Book by: Sunday, February 10

Good round-trip price: $299

Date in 2019: Sunday, April 21

Book by: Sunday, March 10

Good round-trip price: $326

Memorial Day

Date in 2019: Monday, May 27

Book by: Monday, April 29

Good round-trip price: $318

Fourth of July

Date in 2019: Thursday, July 4

Book by: Thursday, June 6

Good round-trip price: $327

Date in 2019: Monday, September 2

Book by: Monday, July 29

Good round-trip price: $270

Columbus Day

Date in 2019: Monday, October 14

Book by: Monday, September 16

Good round-trip price: $269

Thanksgiving

Date in 2019: Thursday, November 28

Book by: Thursday, October 31

Good round-trip price: $321

Date in 2019: Wednesday, December 25

Book by: Wednesday, October 30

Good round-trip price: $323

New Year's Eve

Date in 2019: Tuesday, December 31

Book by: Tuesday, November 5

Good round-trip price: $350

Readers, how far in advance do you book your holiday travel? Let us know in the comments below!

• 5 Ways to Save on Your Next Flight
• 8 Things That Will Be MORE Expensive in 2019
• Delta Is Giving Us Wider Seats, and That's a Nice Change

Flexible Dates And Destination Flight Search

At Kiwi.com, we know our customers love to travel on their terms. We recognize there’s a hunger out there for people to be able to explore the world at their own pace, and that’s why we have introduced our flexible flight ticket, Flexi Ticket.

Why lock yourself into concrete plans when you can book a ticket that allows you to change the dates and only pay the difference in the flight price? Well, we’re about to open your mind up to a whole new way of traveling.

Keep reading to find out about flexible international flight tickets and how they can transform the way you discover new destinations in the future.

• What Is Flexible Travel?

Flexible travel is becoming more and more popular as time goes on. It’s a style of travel that permits someone to adapt their plans according to changing circumstances, whether changing flight dates or flying with a different airline to arrive in a city faster.

Kiwi’s Flexible Flight Search – How It Works And Why It Makes Us The Best Flights Search Engine For Flexible Dates

Kiwi.com’s goal is to make travel as simple and affordable for everyone through flexible flight destination/location search and ticket types.

Have you ever been in a situation where you want to go on vacation but don’t know where or when? Well, that’s where our flexible flight destination and location search comes in handy. Instead of you choosing a fixed departure date and location, let us find you the best deal.

If our flexible date flight search option isn’t enough for you, make your trip even more amendable with one of our three ticket types, Saver, Standard, and Flexi. All offer different kinds of features if you need to change or cancel your trip, which we will get into further through the article.

How To Search For Flights With Flexible Travel Dates And Locations on Kiwi.com

Get your hands on some unbeatable flexible travel deals with just a few clicks. See how you can do this below.

• Step 1 – Log on to our homepage .
• Step 2 – Type in the airport you want to fly from.
• Step 3 – Instead of choosing a city you want to fly to, choose the ‘anywhere’ option.
• Step 4 – For the departure date section, click ‘anytime.’
• Step 5 – Wait for the page to load with all your travel options.

A low-fare tip: you don’t have to leave yourself wide open with the ‘anytime’ option for travel dates. You can also choose +1, +3, and +5 days to give yourself some level of flexibility. For example, say you had the whole month of June off for your summer holidays but only want to go away for two weeks; this would benefit you.

@kiwi.com Flexibility pays off… #wehacktravel #wehackthesystem #kiwicomtravel #traveltips #travelhacks #anytimetravel #traveltok ♬ Healing Solfeggio Frequency 528Hz(817269) – Ikumi Tanuma

• What You Need To Know About Flexible Tickets

Flexible tickets authorize passengers to change the terms of the ticket after they have purchased it. Once someone has purchased one of these airfares, they can cancel it whenever they want with 80% of the refund returned or change the departure to a later date, depending on which one they’ve bought. While these tickets have huge benefits, it’s important to know that they come with a strict set of rules you should know before booking.

• The Types Of Flexible Flight Tickets

Kiwi provides three different flexible tickets that come with their own set of rules. Before booking a flight with us, you’ll be asked which one you want to purchase. Let’s break down each ticket.

Saver Tickets

Saver tickets are the most affordable of the three. They’re usually booked by anyone who has concrete plans and doesn’t plan on making any changes.

Saver Ticket Rules

• If you need to make any changes to your trip, you must pay the full price for a new fare.
• If you have to cancel your flight altogether, you will receive a €10 credit that can be used with Kiwi.com. This is only for bookings over €20.
• Any changes or cancellations you want can be made up to 48 hours before the departure time.
• Anyone who has booked the flight within a week of the departure date can make changes up to 4 hours before take off.

Standard Tickets

Standard tickets give travelers some flexibility, but not as much as the flexi ticket. They’re for those who think they might have to change their flight date but have no plans to cancel it totally.

Standard Ticket Rules

• If you need to change your flight dates, you’ll only have to pay whatever the difference is in price. Say the price is lower or the same; you won’t have to pay anything, it’s absolutely free.
• If you have to cancel your trip, unfortunately, you won’t get a refund; you’ll only receive the €10 credit, like the saver ticket.
• Any fare changes must be made at the latest 48 hours before departure, unless you booked your ticket within a week of the departure date. In that case, you can apply changes 4 hours before take off.

Changes to a standard ticket can only be made once. If you have to make another change, you must follow the same rules for saver tickets.

Flexi Tickets

Flexi Tickets guarantee travelers the freedom to book airfares without worrying about not getting their money back if they change their mind last minute. Backpackers, in particular, love our Flexi Ticket option.

Flexi Ticket Rules

• If you want to change the dates of your departure, you can do so freely. All you have to do is pay the difference between flight tickets, or if it’s less, you don’t have to pay anything.
• If you need to take advantage of the free flight cancellation option for your booking, you can do so up to 48 hours before departure, and you’ll receive 80% of the fee you paid to the carrier, including bags and seats. You’ll have a choice of how you want to be paid, either through money or Kiwi Credit.
• Like the other options, if you booked the fare within a week of departure, you can amend it up to 4 hours before.

Please note that when a customer cancels a Standard or Flexi Ticket with us, we usually refund them even if the carrier has a different refund policy. If, in the future, they decide to reimburse you with the money, we will keep that as a service fee for refunding you already.

Standard Ticket VS. Flexible Tickets – Which One Should You Choose

Standard and Flexible Tickets both come with their perks, but they’re also for two different kinds of travelers. Standard tickets are for someone who will travel to the destination, regardless of whether their plans change; it just might be later. In comparison, flexible tickets fall into the category of people who may or may not actually go on the trip but want to have something booked just in case.

Before choosing the right ticket for you, ask yourself the following questions.

• Is there a chance your dates of travel will change?
• Could there be a possibility that you don’t go at all?
• What Is The Difference Between Flexi And Saver Flights?

Flexi and saver Tickets are completely different from each other.

Flexi Tickets come with a variety of advantages, such as an 80% refund and simple flight changes, with you only having to pay the difference. Whereas with a saver ticket, you don’t get any of these perks. If you run into any trouble and need to adapt your itinerary, you’ll be forced to pay for the change, or if you cancel, you won’t get a refund.

Want more interesting tips and information on traveling? Read more Kiwi.com articles!

• Introduction
• Kiwi's Flexible Flight Search
• How To Search For Flights
• Standard Ticket VS. Flexible Tickets

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10 Tips for Changing Your Tickets (or Postponing Your Trip)

Need to switch your travel plans? Here's your guide for maximizing savings.

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Changed plans don't have to mean a hefty fee.

Forget paying steep Wi-Fi or baggage fees . These days, beyond getting charged for an ever-expanding list of extras – from seat upgrades to priority boarding to airport lounge access – we're also paying for severe weather-related disruptions and cancelations. And when our plans suddenly change, we're often hit with unexpected out-of-pocket change fees, or worse, the entire cost of nonrefundable tickets. To add fuel to the fire, with the threat of terrorism and the Zika virus, today travelers face uncertain travel conditions that can change quickly.

Still, regardless of the reason you need to modify your trip, there are strategic, pain-free ways to pivot your plans without paying a hefty fee. We caught up with industry experts to bring you 10 simple and smart ways to avoid spending a small fortune when you need to rearrange your plans on the fly.

[See: 10 Things Every Traveler Must Know Before Going to Brazil This Summer .]

Choose a Flexible Carrier

If you're concerned that you'll need to change your flight down the road, pick an airline that waives change fees should you need to modify your departure date. George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, highlights Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines as ideal carrier choices to dodge sky-high change fees , which can cost $200 for domestic flights and $500 for international routes, depending on the carrier, route and fare purchased. Interestingly, Frontier Airlines' "The Works" bundled fare option gives travelers free checked baggage, complimentary seat selection and the opportunity to fully refund their ticket (as long as travelers do so 24 hours in advance) for purchasing a $49 package, Hobica explains. And if you compare that cost against a steep change fee, you may be better off investing in the more flexible fare option.

Alex Matjanec, CEO of MyBankTracker.com, echoes similar sentiments, pointing out that "Southwest Airlines is known for not charging any change fees" and "Alaska Airlines will waive change fees as long as changes are made at least 60 days before the flight." That said, when you fly with Alaska, you can incur a $25 fee for same-day flight changes or a $125 change fee if you change your flight under 60 days prior to departure, so make sure to read the fine print. Delta, United and American, for example, charge $50 to $75 same-day change fees, depending on the carrier, and much higher service fees for other changes, depending on the class of the ticket, the departure date and other individual fare rules.

Make Your Reservations Early and Adjust Accordingly

To increase your odds of changing or canceling your itinerary without a penalty, tweak your plans within 24 hours of making your reservation to avoid incurring a charge, says Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com. "After that, the airlines all have fees for changes. Check with your airline on what their individual policies and fees are. Some allow lower fees if you make changes more than 60 days out from travel and bump you to a higher change fee when you are within 60 days of your departure date," Klee says.

Matjanec also suggests securing your reservations early to account for unforeseen events. "Booking several months in advance means that the flight schedule can change as the departure date comes closer. You can reject the schedule change and insist on a different date that fits your own schedule," he adds.

Invest in the Right Travel Insurance

Whether you opt to invest in insurance will likely depend on a wide range of factors, including the length, cost and risk associated with your trip. But if you want to minimize your chances of paying more should you be affected by unforeseen circumstances, make sure you're covered. Though traditional travel insurance policies do not cover canceling a trip regardless of whether the traveler is in danger of visiting a country at risk of an outbreak (think: the Zika virus, for example), more extensive packages typically allow you to cancel your trip for any reason, so make sure to read the fine print before making your selection. "This list of reasons may vary by the travel insurance policy," Matjanec says. Policies that include "any reason" coverage will likely cost more, he adds, though they can be worthwhile.

Keep in mind the cost of coverage can vary widely depending on the plan you select and the place that you're visiting. A basic plan from Allianz Global Assistance listed on InsureMyTrip.com starts at $20 for a trip to France, while basic coverage for a trip to Nepal starts at $27 from Travel Guard and goes up depending on the plan type and coverage selected.

Klee recommends considering the "cancel for any reason" option, particularly if you're purchasing a nonrefundable ticket and you're planning to travel to an international destination with an unstable political climate. In this scenario, you might want to ensure you're covered by a more comprehensive travel insurance policy.

To compare options available, check out reputable websites like InsureMyTrip.com and travel insurance providers like World Nomads. And when it comes to picking the coverage that's best for you, consider criteria such as health factors and the cost of a medical evacuation if you're traveling somewhere remote, plus the extra protections you might need if you paid for expensive flight seats, hotels or a cruise vacation.

Use a Credit Card That's Protected

"Always book your travel reservations with a credit card , preferably one with a comprehensive suite of travel perks," Matjanec says. "Many credit cards, such as those with Visa Signature and World MasterCard logos, come with various travel protections such as trip interruption and trip cancelation coverage," he adds, emphasizing that by using these credit cards, you can receive reimbursement in the event a cruise, train, airline or car rental company denies a reservation change or full refund.

Remember the 24-Hour Rule and Other Cases for Reimbursement

When it comes to seeking reimbursement, the key is understanding what consumers are entitled to receive. First and foremost, the U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that carriers allow free changes and refunds within 24 hours of booking a reservation. Beyond this rule, if your flight schedule has changed and your flight is severely delayed (say, from a morning to evening departure time), you can ask for a refund if the new time no longer works for your schedule, Hobica explains.

Another important consideration is whether you have access to an involuntary refund. "If the airline makes a change to their schedule that affects your ticket more than three hours earlier or later than you were scheduled to depart, this is considered an 'involuntary' schedule change and means that the airline has to allow refunds and changes to your ticket without penalty," Klee explains.

Another way to get a refund: if you purchase your ticket and then find a significantly lower fare with the same carrier, Klee says. Though this isn't a frequent occurrence, oftentimes the airline will let you adjust your ticket and you will receive credit for the difference in the fare cost, which can be applied to a future ticket, he explains, emphasizing that going through this process is "only worth pursuing if the fare is quite hefty, as you’ll still be required to absorb the change fee."

[See: 10 Common Pieces of Travel Advice You Should Never Follow .]

Know Your Rights in an Emergency Situation

"Legitimate emergencies such as a serious illness or other situation might qualify you for a waiver," Klee explains, though he cautions that there are no guarantees, and these scenarios qualify you on a case-by-case basis. "Sometimes the airlines will extend a waiver if you can provide documentation for the cancelation (a doctor's note, for example)," he explains.

Know When It's Cheaper Not to Travel

"Sometimes, it is cheaper to not board the flight than to deal with change or cancelation fees," Matjanec says. If changing your flight will cost you $200, and your flight was initially priced at $200, you'll end up paying $400, he explains. "If you can look again and find the flight for less than $200, you're losing less money by skipping the initial flight," he adds. "Because airlines may cancel the rest of your flights when you do this, it's best to use this strategy on one-way flights or the last leg of your round-trip flights."

Klee echoes similar sentiments, pointing out that in some situations, your best bet is "to cut your losses and forfeit your ticket altogether." With a standard change fee with legacy airlines priced at $200, "if you can find a ticket for under $200 on your own and roll the value of your existing ticket (minus any penalties) into a credit for future travel, that's a savvier strategy," he says. Whether you can receive credit for a future flight depends on the carrier you select and your fare purchased, but typically airlines will provide you with with a credit or refund when you cancel your reservation online or call a reservations customer service representative for assistance.

Understand the Associated Risks With the Places on Your Itinerary

"Airlines are not unreasonable," Klee says. "When there are forces at work outside the control of travelers, they will usually make efforts to accommodate changes and cancellations," he explains, pointing to the Zika virus as an example. "Because the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and World Health Organization have indicated Zika is an international health concern, the airline industry has been generous with cancellations and ticket changes for any high-risk travelers," he says. Travelers who are in the "high-risk" category because of pre-existing medical conditions have been able to cancel their Delta, United and American flights to Zika-impacted areas, though many companies and hotels are offering fee-free cancelations on an ad hoc basis.

Pick the Right Train Tickets and Car Rental Policy

"With train tickets, there is generally no fee for changing your reservation. However, refund fees may apply for certain train tickets," Matjanec says. And there are certain tickets that cannot be refunded, he adds. For example, if you purchase a coach or business-class ticket on Acela Express, you may receive a refund 24 hours ahead of your departure time or pay a 10 percent fee for refunding your ticket fewer than 24 hours in advance of your scheduled departure time. Meanwhile, if you book an Acela Express first-class seat or a non-Acela business-class seat, you'll incur no refund fee for canceling your ticket before the scheduled departure date.

When it comes to changing your car rental reservations, policies vary by company, Matjanec explains. "Some car rental agencies will allow changes to your reservation without any fees (you may be refunded or charged for returning the car early or late, respectively), including Dollar, Alamo and Enterprise," he says, noting cancellations tend to be free when made with a 24- to 48-hour notice, otherwise fees can apply. He suggests making a reservation for longer than you need the car and returning the vehicle early to maximize savings. "You’ll probably avoid any late fees and be refunded for the difference," he says.

Remember, Policies Change According to Airline and Fare Purchased

"People are not always aware that changes (and even cancellations) to airline tickets can be made with most airlines within 24 hours of booking a ticket," Klee says. "This is a very narrow window, but it's a handy option when you need it." And while most airlines (including legacy airlines United, Delta and American) allow you to pay a much lower price for same-day flight changes, others offer different policies, so it's important to read the fine print.

"JetBlue has an interesting fare structure: a sliding scale that allows change fees ranging from zero up to $150, depending on which fare category you buy into, the price of the original ticket and when you make the change (more than 60 days from travel is a lower fee, closer to travel dates is higher)," Klee explains, noting that the only carrier that doesn't impose any change fee is Southwest. Unlike other carriers, should you need to change your plans, you'll pay the difference in fare, he explains, emphasizing the caveat: If you book a new flight close to your departure date, you could end up paying a significant cost difference when demand is high and only pricey tickets are available.

[See: 9 Ways to Travel Better .]

Keep in mind that many airlines with premium-priced tickets do offer free changes or full refunds, Matjanec says. "If you don’t know the exact date that you need to fly, it may be worthwhile to pay a little more for the higher fare class because the price difference may be less than the cost of a change/cancellation fee," he adds.

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49 Things You Need to Do to Plan Your Best Trip (Free Travel Research & Planning Checklist)

• Updated: 01/02/2024

Before you jet off on your next adventure, ensure you have all your travel research and planning in order. To help, use this ultimate travel research checklist  to guide you through the necessary steps for more enjoyable planning and a stress-minimized trip.

I love to travel, though I do not necessarily enjoy all the tedious steps required to get out the door and start having fun. So, I rely heavily on checklists like this planning list , a packing list , and a prep and close-the-house list  to streamline my departure. Leaning on these saves me time and money and helps to avoid unexpected situations, making for worry-free trips. I hope they can do the same for you.

So, whether you are a seasoned traveler or a first-time adventurer, I have designed this travel research and planning guide to cover the things you must cross off your to-do list before leaving for a trip. 

From the fun stuff like flights, accommodation, and local attractions—to the necessary details, especially for more complicated international travel, like getting visas , knowing about local customs, and purchasing travel insurance , use this list to explore the world confident you have things covered. 

Table Of Contents

Download your free travel planning checklist here.

Prefer not to print? Jump to my explanation of the 14 stages of trip planning  with 49 separate things you should do below. Otherwise, click the image beneath to access and print my free Travel Planning Checklist .

The Importance of Travel Research

Before setting off on any adventure, it is crucial to do your research. Travel research helps you gather information about your destination, allowing you to make informed decision s and avoid unnecessary stress. By taking the time to research and plan, you can uncover hidden gems, know about local events, find the best deals, and arrange your itinerary to maximize your trip enjoyment. 

Plus, conducting research helps travelers be more thoughtful and respectful visitors by being aware of local customs.

Sign up for my monthly Discovery Newsletter & get a free Trip Budget Calculator !

Learn how to further simplify your trip research, planning, and organization for every stage of your trip in “ 5 Proven Ways to Simplify and Organize Your Travel Research .”

When to Start Planning a Trip

When is the ideal time to start planning a trip? Whenever you decide to go! Though—several months, or at least six months in advance , is generally best.

However, some destinations, like high-demand national parks with limited visitor and lodging capacity, may require planning up to 12 months or more in advance. 

Plus, it depends who is traveling . Solo or couple travelers can more easily plan last-minute trips as they tend to have more schedule flexibility (i.e., not following family school break schedules) and can choose from more affordable double or single-room lodging options, which tend to be more abundant.

Because families usually require more of everything , from plane tickets to more spacious lodging and even bigger rental cars, planning further in advance becomes more necessary, especially as it allows them to secure the best of these resources at the best pricing. If you are a family traveler or part of a big multi-generational group, you will want to begin planning further in advance—six months to a year is ideal.

14 Stages of Trip Planning & 49 Tips

How you follow these 14 stages of travel planning depends on how long you have before you depart for your trip and your comfort level with leaving things to the last minute. 

Because I do not enjoy the feeling of big to-dos being undone or last-minute scrambles, I aim to complete all 14 stages of travel planning anywhere from one to several months in advance. Alternatively, you may feel more comfortable playing your timeframes looser. 

Step 1: Decide on Your Destination (7 Questions)

Step 2: International Travel: Understand Visa & Vaccination Requirements & Travel Restrictions/Warnings (4 Tips)

Step 3: On Budgeting, Know What You Can Spend (Budget Template)

Step 4: Set a High-Level Itinerary (Get Shortcuts)

Step 5: getting there, find the best deals on airfare (3 resources).

Step 6: Getting Around, Rental Cars & Local Transportation Options (6 Tips)

Step 7: Choose Where to Stay (Shortcuts & Resources)

Step 8: Decide, Save & Book the Things You Want to Do (4 Tips)

Step 9: Focus on Food, Reserve Restaurants & Learn About Local Dishes (2 Recommendations)

Step 10: Create, Update & Finalize a Detailed Trip Itinerary (Resources)

Step 11: Plan for Emergencies & Unexpected Situations (3 Tips)

Step 12: Packing & Prepping Your Home Before Your Trip (Resources)

Step 13: Make Your Finances Accessible on Domestic & International Trips (13 Tips)

Step 14: Stay Connected While You Travel (Resources)

You may have several destinations in mind for an upcoming trip—or none at all. To get assistance narrowing down your options, consider your travel wants, needs, and limitations by answering the seven questions below to help you figure this out.

How long do you have to travel?

Your work and school schedules or family obligations may dictate the duration of your travel. Or perhaps budget  constraints cap the number of your away-from-home vacation days.

So, before you choose where to go, know how long you can spend there. If your holiday break is limited, you will want to minimize the time or expense of transportation, guiding you to pick closer destinations or places with direct flights.

What do you want to do?

Do you want a warm week lounging on the beach within reach of an easy and affordable nonstop flight? Or are you looking for a city trip with cultural activities? Perhaps the pull of nature is strong, and you want a hiking adventure? Or a bit of all of the above? Know what experiences you or your group would like to have during your time away and pick a place that meets it best.

This question is linked to the one above but digs deeper. Confirm your potential destination offers the right breadth and depth of activities and cultural or culinary highlights. Are there enough things to do and experience to last your trip and meet your wants and needs? Determine whether these options will make for an ideal visit. 

How to get there?

Explore how to get to your potential destination. Does getting there require a multi-day drive? Or a flight with a long layover? Gain a high-level idea of the time and cost involved with the “getting there” part of travel and confirm your time off can easily accommodate long transit times if required. Then, further dive into this step by learning your best options for getting around  once you arrive, here .

When is the best time to go?

To avoid destinations during their rainy seasons and less ideal temperature times, look up historical weather averages for your potential vacation spot before you commit. Use a helpful site like SunHeron  to look at month-by-month temperatures and rainfall for nearly any destination. Doing this will give you a better chance of having the weather be a helper for a great experience instead of a hindrance

What do you want to pay?

It is never fun to start digging into a trip to an incredible place only to realize a few steps in that you cannot afford it. This exact situation happened to us. Several summers ago, we did not plan far enough in advance for a family summer trip to pricey Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Limited availability and expensive lodging options forced us to backtrack and find a more budget-friendly alternative destination—surprisingly, Vail, Colorado.

So, before committing to a spot, set your budget , then do quick hit searches on the costs of available transportation, lodging, activities, and dining to confirm they fit what you can afford.

Is it safe?

Ensuring your health and safety during your trip should be a top priority, especially when visiting an international destination and you are unfamiliar with the customs and language. Before you go, look up travel warnings , read recent traveler accounts on blogs or social media channels, and even message the account owners with your safety questions. Then, check the local news sites.

Gathering information about recent on-the-ground experiences will help you decide if this destination is right for you.

Step 2: International Travel: Understand Visa & Vaccination Requirements & Travel Restrictions/Warnings (4 Tips)

This step is for international travel. Before buying your plane tickets, understand entry requirements related to passports and visas, if applicable. 

Ensure you have an up-to-date passport & learn about visa requirements.

For international travel, always ensure your passport will not expire soon and it will be valid for your dates of entry. A good rule of thumb is your passport should be valid for six months after entry . However, sometimes it is less. Confirm exact entry requirements by researching this with the official government customs and tourism organization for the country you plan to visit.

A quick online search should get you the answers you need. For US travelers, check and confirm destination requirements on the helpful “ Learn About Your Destination” page of the US State Department website.

If your passport is expired or set to expire within a validity window, like six months, take immediate steps to renew it. In the US, obtaining a new one can take weeks, if not several months. Get all the details you need about obtaining and renewing US Passports here .

Review travel advisories, security alerts, vaccination & other health requirements.

For US citizens planning to travel abroad, search for your destination on the US State Department website , look for travel advisories, security alerts, and detailed information about health matters, including links to vaccination requirements. Or go directly to the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Destinations page for extensive health recommendations.

Additionally, maintain your safety by booking lodging  in busier and well-known areas and following the tips I recommend here  to prepare for unexpected emergencies .

If traveling to Europe, know about EITAS, a coming-soon travel permit requirement.

Also, if you plan to travel to Europe, learn about the new electronic travel authorization (ETIAS) for visiting Europe. This coming-soon authorization is not a visa. It is a travel permit. As non-EU Schengen members, US travelers must eventually apply for this new travel authorization before entering Europe.

US travelers, enroll in STEP.

For US travelers for an extra measure of security and safety, consider enrolling your trip with the US State Department as part of their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP . Doing this will share your travel status with the US government which will allow you to receive important safety information about your destination country and help the US Embassy contact you in an emergency. Enroll here. 

Step 3: On Budgeting, Know What You Can Spend

Does your budget determine where you can go? Or does your destination determine your budget? 

An essential part of your travel planning is being realistic about what you can afford . There are few better ways to ruin the effect of a top-notch vacation than to return home after it, realizing you overspent, and then having to contend with the pain of outsize credit card debt and the regret that comes with it. 

Instead, book a trip to a place that meets you where your money is. Memorable travel experiences do not have to cost a fortune.

Use a budget calculator like the one I provide for free with signups to my monthly Discovery travel newsletter , shown above. Or create your own budget that includes the major expense items like transportation, lodging, activities, meals, and incidentals that cover anything from souvenirs to travel insurance to pet sitting.

Once you decide on your destination , determine if you will stay in one place or move around and make multiple stops. Will your path of travel be circular—where you end up in the original place you began so that you are flying into and out of the same airport? Or will it be linear? A linear path means you will fly to one destination and return home from another—requiring plane tickets commonly referred to in the travel industry as open jaw tickets. 

Your budget and available vacation time may dictate staying in one place. Or it will allow you to include several different stops in one trip.  Get shortcuts to quickly determine a high-level itinerary for any destination in this article .

Flights and related on-the-ground transportation costs can often be the most significant expenses of any trip. 

To find the best airfare deals, compare prices across multiple airlines. Consider flexible travel dates to take advantage of cheaper fares and rates. Additionally, look to redeem frequent flier miles or sign up for travel credit cards that give you miles bonuses.

Maximize your savings by learning to find the best fare deals using Google Flights Explore and Google Flights price tracker . Or read this overview of how to track down the best airfare deals .

Step 6: Getting Around, Rental Cars & Local Transportation Options (6 Tips)

Familiarize yourself with these six transportation tips for taxis, public transit, rental cars, and safe walking routes applicable to any new destination.

Plan for how to get around.

Knowing in advance how you plan to get around your vacation spot will impact where you decide to book your lodging . If you plan to rent a car and drive, you will want vacation accommodation that provides easy vehicle access—and ideally nearby and free parking. Or, if you plan to rely on ride shares and public transportation, you may want to ensure close lodging proximity to taxi stands or train or bus stops. 

Familiarize yourself with local transportation options.

Before you arrive at your destination, familiarize yourself with the local transportation . Research different options, such as public buses, trains, ride shares, and taxis, to determine the most convenient and cost-effective ways to get around. These alternatives can be very different in international destinations. 

For example, the most recommended rideshare in Malta, which we visited for a spring break trip , was Bolt, followed by a few others I was unfamiliar with, like eCabs and Ryde.

If you learn about these things in advance, you can pre-download the apps , set up an account, and link payment methods before you arrive. Additionally, consider purchasing local transportation cards or passes, as these often offer discounted rates for multiple journeys.

Get rental car tips & gather resources.

If you plan to rent a car, review these 15 rental car tips which will save you money, reduce potential hassles, and explain how to get complimentary upgrades. Then, understand whether you need to buy rental car insurance —something that even the most experienced travelers get confused by—with this thorough overview .

When traveling internationally, research to find out if you need an international driving permit for your destination. If you do, get this permit in advance, as sometimes the paperwork may take a few weeks. Check to see if you need an international driving permit via this helpful article . 

Learn the (local) rules of the road.

For any international travelers, you will want to familiarize yourself with the local driving rules in the country you plan to drive in advance. Doing so can help you avoid unintentional penalties and minimize the chance of on-the-road incidents. 

US travelers can understand driver safety abroad by referencing this State Department page . This page provides helpful country links and outlines local driving rules—from default speed limits to signaling requirements to where to park.

Consider pre-booking an airport pickup.

Especially for international trips, if you do not feel confident about your understanding of local transportation options, make things easy for yourself upon arrival. Consider requesting your lodging to arrange a pickup for you . This reserved ride will likely be more expensive, though it will give you peace of mind that you will not get things “wrong” when you arrive.

Then, when at your destination, ask for assistance from your accommodation manager or concierge to help better explain your on-the-ground transportation options .

After an international overnight flight, our family sometimes pre-books airport taxis, as we did on a visit to Rome . When exhausted and running on empty from a long and likely sleepless flight, it is a relief to know our in-town transportation is reliably taken care of. 

Know safe walking routes.

If you plan to explore a new destination on foot, familiarize yourself with safe walking paths . Research this ahead of time. Or ask once at your accommodation. The front desk staff and management, who generally live locally, are a valuable resource for sharing the best routes, areas, and times for moving around safely.

Step 7: Choose Where to Stay (Shortcuts & Resources)

Pinpointing the right location for lodging is never easy. To figure it out fast—my first stop is to use the “ Where to stay ” button on Google Hotels , which will show neighborhood-by-neighborhood descriptions and ratings for all major destinations, allowing you to quickly zero in on the right neighborhood for you to stay in. See where to find it in the quick clip below.

Alternatively, run an AI or online search on “ best places to stay in [your destination] ” and review the results. Or, reference up-to-date travel guidebooks , which generally provide a helpful point of view on the best areas to stay. 

Additionally, since I find great lodging in top locations has an outsize positive impact on our travel experiences, I put a lot of effort into finding the best places to stay. 

Get tips on how to do this for your lodging searches in this article .

Step 8: Decide, Save & Book the Things You Want to Do (4 Tips)

Now that you have the framework of your trip set, it is time for the most fun part—figuring out things you want to do once you get there.

Search for things to do online.

If your best trip experience includes seeing top attractions and activities, you will want to research the top things to do in a destination that best fits your interests. Run AI searches or look online for “things to do in [your destination].”

Travel blogs, social media, and sites like Pinterest or Reddit are helpful for this. Or read a guidebook  or visit Google Travel , searching your destination to get an idea about the top attractions and get recommendations for more things to see or do.

To determine what you want to do most, read reviews from fellow travelers to understand what to expect. Then, consider purchasing tickets or making reservations for the most popular attractions to avoid long queues and secure your spot.

Save your favorites.

My preferred way to keep track of things I want to do in a destination is to save them to a custom list in Google Maps . Doing this gives me quick access to my favorites on my mobile phone via my Google Maps app while traveling. I share why and how to create similar custom lists in this article . 

Check out the guided activity and tour options.

Another good way to round out your research for what to do in any area is by checking out tour booking sites like Viator , Get Your Guide or Airbnb Experiences . Use them to look at the top-rated experiences for your destination. You might discover a cooking class, photo tour, guided hike, history walk, and so much more—activities that could be one of the more memorable parts of your vacation.

Ask for recommendations.

Before your trip, ask your friends, family, and acquaintances for suggestions for what to do in your planned destination if they have already been there. 

And then, when your trip is here, and you finally and excitingly arrive— connect and chat with your lodging managers, taxi drivers, tour guides, servers, and any other locals you can befriend to ask for their recommendations. 

By doing this, we have learned about many things we would have missed if we did not connect with locals, like off-the-radar restaurants, event-related parades, holiday processionals, or the best spots to catch sunsets. While traveling, we value these local recommendations so highly that we often will reshape our entire plan for how we spend a day to accommodate them. 

Step 9: Focus on Food - Reserve Restaurants & Learn About Local Dishes (2 Recommendations)

Does your culinary experience matter to you on vacation? I have a food blogger and cookbook author friend who makes researching places to eat and reserving restaurants her immediate third activity after booking airfare and lodging for any trip. So, if incorporating an epicurean experience into your travel is important, include the two steps below in your pre-trip planning.

Make restaurant reservations.

Search online to get a list of top eateries in your destination. Reference Google Maps, articles, blog posts, or run AI inquiries. Or ask other travelers who have been to the area recently, as they are always happy to share their favorites.

Prioritize the places you want to eat and make reservations. If you cannot do this in advance online, do not sweat it. Do it in person when you arrive. Or ask your lodging for dining recommendations and assistance with booking reservations.

Learn about the food before you go.

Although international trips provide ample opportunities for new food experiences, you do not have to go far from home to indulge in regional food specialties while on vacation. For example, on a fall getaway to Door County, Wisconsin , near our hometown of Chicago, we were sure to order cheese curds, a Badger State specialty, paired with local brews. 

Before your trip, search online for “best food to eat in [your destination]” to see what tops the list. On a spring trip to Rome , it was Jerusalem artichokes. When in Malta , it was a rabbit dish and many other unfamiliar foods.

Eating at different places and trying new dishes, drinks, and snacks can be one of the most memorable aspects of your travel. To get a head start, take a global tour from these food guide and cookbook recommendations .

Step 10: Create, Update & Finalize a Detailed Trip Itinerary (Resources)

Now that you have your transportation, lodging, activities, and possibly even your dining planned or loosely set, it is time to put it all down to paper. 

Use an online app like TripIt to keep track of your bookings and day-to-day plans. Or go semi-old school like I do and put it in an Excel document . Since I have yet to find an app that functions exactly how I want, I created my own itinerary framework that includes all the elements I prefer.

I share this free framework  downloadable in four file types in this article . In it, I also link to more places to find free or affordable trip itinerary templates. 

Then, for safety purposes , share your itinerary with family and friends so they know where you will be when you are away from home.

Step 11: Plan for Emergencies & Unexpected Situations (3 Tips)

Follow these three recommendations to help you avoid or quickly recover from emergencies and unexpected situations while traveling.

Conduct practical safety prep.

Before each trip, familiarize yourself with local emergency service numbers and healthcare facilities in your planned destination. When traveling internationally—particularly to an area at risk for conflict, know where to find your local embassy or consulate. 

Additionally, ensure your family and friends know where you are going and how to reach you. If you created a detailed itinerary  share it with them. Then, continue to check in throughout the trip.

Buy travel insurance.

It is an extra expense every traveler would love to skip. However, given the cost of your vacation and what is at risk—your trip budget, your health, and your property—the cost of travel insurance should be considered an essential and non-negotiable expense, especially for international trips.

Read about why to get travel insurance and where to find it in this article .

My preferred resource for buying travel insurance is InsureMyTrip , an online travel insurance agent and search engine that I use to shop policies from different insurers, buying from the ones with the highest user ratings.

Know what to do in case of theft.

Do you have a plan for what to do in case your wallet, phone, computer, or passport is taken or goes missing? Do you know how to protect your sensitive data? Or how to quickly replace credit cards or a phone? Or get a replacement passport so you can get home?

If not, familiarize yourself with these steps in case your phone goes missing , or read this account of a traveler who had to navigate getting her phone stolen out of her hand in Cartagena, Colombia.

Then, make front-and-back print and digital copies of all IDs, passports, credit cards, and travel insurance policies, keeping copies easily accessible in case of emergency, theft, or loss. Share copies of all items with a trusted friend or family member who can quickly send them back to you if needed.

Step 12: Packing & Prepping Your Home Before Your Trip (Resources)

Taking care to pack efficiently will make your trip a more comfortable one. Before you go, research weather conditions at your destination and plan accordingly. Make a checklist of essential items, such as toiletries, medication, electronics, and travel adapters. Pack versatile clothing items that can be mixed and matched for different occasions and temperatures. And remember a travel first aid kit with essential medical supplies.

Because I bring many repeat items every time we travel, I spent a year carefully crafting, updating, and tweaking a universal and printable packing list to reuse for every trip. Using this helps me avoid “recreating the (packing) wheel” every time I leave home, which helps save time and minimizes prep. 

Access, download, and print this universal packing list , which includes a comprehensive medical kit, here . 

Additionally, since I am a fan of checklists and streamlining tasks, I created a second checklist to close the house and prep for packing—that includes to-do items like buying trip-specific gear or picking up medical prescriptions in advance to avoid last-minute scrambles. Check out the list here. 

If you are new to traveling and packing, get 25 of my best packing tips that I follow for every trip.

Step 13: Make Your Finances Accessible on Domestic & International Trips (13 Tips)

Before you go on any trip, be sure to have a plan for how to pay for all expenses, access your cash, and use your credit cards.

On domestic trips: two tips on spending and cash.

If your getaway is domestic, this step should be relatively easy, as how you spend will be similar to what you do at home. However, there are two things you may want to consider before you leave. Getting extra cash from a local no-fee ATM and ensuring you have up-to-date logins with mobile pay apps like Zelle or Venmo. 

Even in this age of high connectivity, it is still relatively easy to encounter a market vendor, fair, or pop-up snack shop that does not accept credit cards. So, you will want a cash supply handy . Doing this will help you avoid unnecessary and out-of-the-way stops at high-fee and out-of-network ATMs. Sometimes, vendors will also accept mobile payments from apps like Venmo or Zelle. 

For example, during a recent domestic trip to New Orleans, our family enjoyed listening to musicians who accepted tips via Venmo, allowing us to scan their QR code and drop some cash—in appreciation of their talent and time. So, before you leave for your trip, if you use these apps, ensure you are actively logged in and can access your accounts.

On international trips: 11 tips for spending, credit cards, cash, and safety.

Prearranging and maintaining comprehensive and secure financial access requires a few more steps when traveling internationally. Here is a list of 10 things you will want to plan for: 

1. Determine which credit card(s) you plan to use . Ideally, choose the one(s) that offers the lowest, or zero, foreign transaction fees.

2. If you use a mobile hands-free payment like Apple Pay, ensure your default credit card linked to your mobile payment account is the card with the lowest foreign transaction fees. 

3. For travelers who do not already use a hands-free payment method like Apple Pay, consider setting it up, as it is a convenient wallet-free way to pay when traveling. Keeping your wallet tucked away may also make you less of a target for potential pickpockets who tend to mark international travelers.

4. If you plan to use a credit card while traveling internationally, process your transactions in the local currency . At the point-of-sale, avoid converting the transaction to your home currency since this often translates into a less advantageous exchange rate. 

5. Know the currency exchange rate between your home and destination country before you leave home—this will help you better manage your spending and budget. Download a currency converter app like XE , to easily translate local prices to your home currency.

6. Plan to take out the local country currency from an ATM when you arrive. Some travelers prefer to pre-buy foreign currency at their local hometown bank before they leave for their trip. However, we are always comfortable doing this at the airport upon arrival.

Know which local ATMs offer the lowest fees for international visitors for cash withdrawals and which charge the highest—and should be avoided. Visit traveler forums and social media groups , or read guidebooks  to learn this information.

7. Bring back up cash in your own currency , which you can exchange in an emergency. Include small bills if you can. You can often use these in a pinch for tips and when you run short on small denominations of local cash. However, local currency—depending on the country—is generally preferred.

8. Remove all unnecessary credit , identity, membership, and banking cards from your wallet that you do not plan to use while traveling and store them safely at home. Doing this is preventative in case of wallet loss or theft. Keeping so many cards at home means you will have fewer to cancel or replace.

9. Make copies of both sides of your banking and credit cards . Keep print or digital copies accessible. For a backup— share them with a friend or family member who will be staying home and can send them to you in the event of loss or theft. 

10. Have a plan for keeping your wallet and valuables safe while on your trip. Assume on an international trip, you may be a target for pickpockets. Make it difficult for would-be thieves by using secure carrying bags and backpacks with zippered pockets.

Practice never leaving your personal items unattended or on the back of chairs. If you need to set a bag down, wrap a strap securely around a leg or arm. Also, ensure all openings are fully zipped and face inward toward your body. Depending on your destination, consider sewing hidden interior pockets to pants or using money belts under clothes to keep cash and IDs secure.

Another helpful step you can take includes being aware of your surroundings and avoiding being distracted in public by your phone while traveling. It is relatively easy for a cyclist or motorcycle rider to whip by and grab an unlocked phone from unsuspecting hands.

11. Finally, before you go, move ample cash into your checking or ATM-linked account to fund your trip and to fully process automatic bill withdrawals to eliminate the possibility of overdrafts or other unpleasant financial surprises that could happen while you are away. If you do not have auto bill payments set up, pre-pay all upcoming bills before you leave.

Note: Many credit cards and banks no longer require you to alert them when you plan to leave the country as they track trip-related purchases like plane tickets, taxis, and hotel bookings. 

However, check with your banking and credit card companies before you go to understand their travel recommendations and to avoid possible suspicious-activity freezes on your accounts.

This step is easy for domestic journeys, as depending on your data plan, you can ideally use your mobile phone to text and call to stay in touch like you would at home. 

However, constant connectivity gets more complicated for international trips. When traveling abroad, you want to determine how you plan to use your mobile phone .

Will you stay off-network and use it only when connected to Wi-Fi? Or pay a daily network international roaming fee—up to a pricey $10 per day with networks like Verizon? Or, instead, buy a data plan from a local network using e-sim technology?

Does this feel complicated? Even to me, a regular international traveler, and others—it does also. Based on your budget and connectivity needs, you will want to figure out which way of staying connected is right for you. To decide, price out international plans from your mobile carrier and then learn more about going the eSIM route with info in this helpful article .

Once you know how you plan to stay in touch, download apps you anticipate you may need to use. When traveling internationally, this may include downloading What’sApp , a global messaging app and voice-over-IP service heavily used outside of the United States. 

When abroad, I frequently use this app to communicate with lodging contacts and tour guides and to confirm reservations.

Additionally, be sure to have all lodging or tour booking apps downloaded and updated on your phone. You will want to access the messaging functionality within apps like Airbnb, Booking.com, or other hotel apps, which you may need to use to send and receive communications. 

Hands-down, thorough travel research is the key to a stress-free adventure. By taking time to gather destination information so you can make informed planning decisions, you can ensure a smooth and memory-making journey. 

From researching your destination and finding the best deals to understanding local customs and preparing essential travel documents, each step plays a vital role in creating your best travel experience.

So, before you embark on your next adventure, check off the items on this ultimate travel research checklist. With research and planning complete, you can explore the world with confidence and peace of mind. The more you know, the better prepared you will be for any unexpected challenges or opportunities that come your way. Happy travels!

Related Reading

If you are searching for more travel planning assistance to help you save time and money and to stay organized, check out the related articles below.

• Google for Travel: Plan Better with These 8 Tools
• Why You Will Love Google Maps for Trip Planning
• Travel Better: How to Best Use Google Flights Explore
• How to Save Time & Money with Google Flights Price Tracker
• 5 Proven Ways to Simplify and Organize Your Travel Research
• Rental Car Insurance: When You Need It & When You Don’t
• Pack Faster & Better with This Universal Printable Packing List
• 25 Expert Packing Tips to Help You Travel Better
• Pre-Trip: A Practical Checklist to Close the House & Pack

Additional Trip Planning Resources

To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below. 

Google Flights. Save money and time by searching this free flight search engine for affordable and direct flight options. Learn more about why to use it here . 

Google Hotels . Use its “Where to stay” button to discover which neighborhood to stay in and which hotel to book. Learn more in this video clip . 

Booking.com. You will love its more flexible cancellation and payment options, user reviews, discounts, and easy-to-use interface for hotels and rentals.

Viator , Get Your Guide , & Airbnb Experiences . Search any of these tour and experience booking platforms to find and pre-purchase highly rated guided activities.

Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps . Discover more travel things to do on Google Travel, then record the places you want to visit on your own Google Maps lists. 

AllTrails . Use AllTrails to find top hiking and biking trails. Get up-to-date route info, like trail difficulty ratings, what to expect, user reviews, and access points. Sign up for   AllTrails+ to download offline maps.

Guide Along . For U.S. road trips and National Parks. Download these 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible and work offline. Hear stories, fascinating facts, and tips for visiting. We loved the  Glacier National Park tour .

Insure My Trip. Stay protected using this online travel insurance agent and search engine to shop policies from different insurers. Buy from the ones with the highest user ratings. Learn why to buy it here . 

Want to know the 15 travel apps I have downloaded and updated for every trip? Check them out here .

About the author:  Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog,  Gather and Go Travel . Check out  her bio , learn how she became  a blogger , and discover how to  work with her . Sign up for her monthly  Discovery Newsletter  to get her latest travel recommendations and  how-to’s .

Love to travel? Sign up for m y monthly Gather & Go Travel Discovery Newsletter and get a free trip budget calculator .

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.

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Welcome to Gather and Go Travel , a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, an experienced traveler to over 50 countries and a travel writer, book lover, and blogger. Learn more about me , read our story , and how to work with me .

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• Flight San Francisco - New Delhi (SFO - DEL) $597+
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• Flight San Francisco - Phoenix (SFO - PHX) $38+
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• Flight San Diego - Honolulu (SAN - HNL) $250+
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• Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $31+
• Flight Burbank - Las Vegas (BUR - LAS) $38+
• Flight San Francisco - Las Vegas (SFO - LAS) $58+
• Flight Santa Ana - Las Vegas (SNA - LAS) $64+
• Flight Denver - Las Vegas (DEN - LAS) $65+
• Flight Seattle - Las Vegas (SEA - LAS) $69+
• Flight Minneapolis - Las Vegas (MSP - LAS) $76+
• Flight Chicago - Las Vegas (ORD - LAS) $88+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Las Vegas (FLL - LAS) $91+
• Flight Houston - Las Vegas (HOU - LAS) $94+
• Flight Houston - Las Vegas (IAH - LAS) $94+
• Flight Atlanta - Las Vegas (ATL - LAS) $95+

Miami Flights

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• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $39+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $42+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $45+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (MDW - MIA) $50+
• Flight Charlotte - Miami (CLT - MIA) $55+
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• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $60+
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• Flight Denver - Miami (DEN - MIA) $99+
• Flight Minneapolis - Miami (MSP - MIA) $104+
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• Flight Washington, D.C. - Miami (DCA - MIA) $139+
• Flight Ontario - Miami (ONT - MIA) $146+
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San Francisco Flights

• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $38+
• Flight Portland - San Francisco (PDX - SFO) $38+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $58+
• Flight Phoenix - San Francisco (PHX - SFO) $58+
• Flight Dallas - San Francisco (DFW - SFO) $63+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $67+
• Flight Denver - San Francisco (DEN - SFO) $78+
• Flight Chicago - San Francisco (MDW - SFO) $83+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - San Francisco (DCA - SFO) $87+
• Flight Baltimore - San Francisco (BWI - SFO) $93+
• Flight Santa Ana - San Francisco (SNA - SFO) $95+
• Flight Atlanta - San Francisco (ATL - SFO) $97+
• Flight Austin - San Francisco (AUS - SFO) $106+
• Flight Minneapolis - San Francisco (MSP - SFO) $110+

Seattle Flights

• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $74+
• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $78+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $101+
• Flight Santa Ana - Seattle (SNA - SEA) $109+
• Flight Los Angeles - Seattle (LAX - SEA) $112+
• Flight Dallas - Seattle (DFW - SEA) $114+
• Flight Chicago - Seattle (ORD - SEA) $117+

Paris Flights

• Flight Washington, D.C. - Paris (IAD - CDG) $302+
• Flight New Windsor - Paris (SWF - CDG) $318+
• Flight Boston - Paris (BOS - CDG) $335+
• Flight Baltimore - Paris (BWI - CDG) $347+
• Flight Newark - Paris (EWR - ORY) $364+
• Flight New York - Paris (JFK - CDG) $391+
• Flight Newark - Paris (EWR - CDG) $409+

Europe Flights

• Flight New York - Athens (JFK - ATH) $401+

Florida Flights

• Flight Baltimore - Florida (BWI - USFL) $45+
• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $45+
• Flight Chicago - Florida (ORD - USFL) $50+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $55+
• Flight New York - Florida (LGA - USFL) $62+
• Flight Boston - Florida (BOS - USFL) $68+
• Flight Los Angeles - Florida (LAX - USFL) $118+

Dallas Flights

• Flight Denver - Dallas (DEN - DFW) $38+
• Flight Atlanta - Dallas (ATL - DFW) $45+
• Flight Chicago - Dallas (ORD - DFW) $45+
• Flight Minneapolis - Dallas (MSP - DFW) $48+
• Flight Miami - Dallas (MIA - DFW) $49+
• Flight Orlando - Dallas (MCO - DFW) $49+
• Flight San Diego - Dallas (SAN - DFW) $57+

San Diego Flights

• Flight San Francisco - San Diego (SFO - SAN) $38+
• Flight Denver - San Diego (DEN - SAN) $44+
• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $56+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $56+
• Flight Dallas - San Diego (DFW - SAN) $62+
• Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $62+
• Flight Salt Lake City - San Diego (SLC - SAN) $82+

Frequently asked questions

What do i need to know before booking a flight.

There are various factors to consider when booking a flight including cost, fare classes, baggage policies, the complications of flying long haul, and complying with airport regulations. To make your booking journey smoother KAYAK has developed a comprehensive flight guide including insights on finding affordable flights, packing efficiently, and utilizing the best travel tools.

Which month of the year are flight prices lowest?

It’s well established that flights in the low season are generally cheaper than ticket prices during the high season. That means that knowing which month to find the lowest priced plane tickets will depend heavily on seasonality and your destination. While avoiding peak travel times can help you keep costs down, our data shows that the month with the lowest priced plane tickets for domestic flights based on all searches made on KAYAK in the last 12 months was January, while the most expensive was March. If you’re booking an international flight, then January is the cheapest month to fly and June the most expensive.

Can flying international flights with a layover save money on airfare?

For many long-haul international flights, flying non-stop is not possible and you will have to fly with a layover. Some routes will offer both and you could consider flying with a layover for a number of reasons. Firstly, breaking up what would otherwise be a long-haul flight, taking a rest and then completing the journey might make the flight more manageable. Secondly, prices can also be lower than non-stop flights, so while it might take longer for you to reach your destination, you could save money. We’ve looked at prices over the last 12 months for the 100 most popular international destinations for KAYAK users and on average, prices for non-stop flights were cheaper than flights with a layover.

How do I find the best flight deals on KAYAK?

A simple flight search at https://www.kayak.com/flights scans for prices on hundreds of travel sites in seconds. We gather flight deals from across the web and put them in one place. Then on the search results page you can use various filters to compare options for the same flight and easily choose the best flight deal from all of the deals coming straight from the travel sites to your screen, with no extra fee from KAYAK.

Does KAYAK query more flight providers than competitors?

Yes, KAYAK has access to more data and information than online travel agencies and consistently outperforms the competition in accuracy, globally.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you flights up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. That way, you can see if leaving a day or two earlier will find you a better deal. You can also select the flexible "weekend" or "month" search options to widen your search range and find the cheapest price that works for you.

What is the cheapest day of the week to book a flight?

The best day to book your flight depends on a number of factors, but there are general trends that you can follow to increase your chances of cheaper plane tickets. Based on an analysis of KAYAK data for all flights departing from inside United States over the last 12 months, the cheapest day to fly for domestic flights is Tuesday. For international flights, Thursday had the cheapest tickets on average.

When is the best time to buy plane tickets - Last minute or in advance?

Last minute flight deals are definitely up for grabs but when exactly to purchase your plane tickets will depend on where you’re traveling to and from. Based on all data for flight searches made on KAYAK over the last 12 months, prices for domestic flights remained below the average price up to 1 weeks before departure. For international flights, deals could still be had up to 1 weeks prior to the departure date, with prices remaining below average. If you’re flexible, KAYAK brings you both advance and last minute one-way and round-trip flight deals.

How does KAYAK find such low flight prices?

KAYAK processes over 2 billion flight queries annually and displays results from hundreds of airlines and third party sites, allowing it to find a variety of flight prices and options. It also displays results from 2M+ properties along with rental cars, vacation packages, activities and millions of verified reviews so users can see as many available travel options as possible.

How can Hacker Fares save me money?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets on different airlines when it can save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

The Golden Rules of Retirement Travel

By Stacey Lastoe

This is part of a collection of stories celebrating the many shapes retirement travel can take. Read more here.

Bonni and Bob Gumport travel regularly in their retirement. Not beholden to one short vacation a year (they average seven big ones), their compounding experience has allowed them to develop a code of rules by which they abide— tips and tricks to use wherever they go. After one too many of the small rooms common in boutique hotels, for example, they’ve cut them out entirely. Also out of the question are walking tours within two days of arrival in a new destination, as they prefer to settle in. Their daughter Lauren describes them as “pros on retiree travel,” but they are not the only ones with advice to give.

There are former museum curators who have learned not to overbook themselves; solo travelers who always learn a little of the local language. Adherence to anyone’s rules will never ensure a vacation free of hiccups, where no flight is ever delayed , every tour is worth the hours put in, and every meal sublime . But learning from others may improve your chances of a good time—even when things inevitably go sideways. We’ve spoken to over 20 retired travelers to hear how their Golden Years have informed the way that they travel. Below, find some of their savviest secrets for better trips.

1. Take a ride on the hop-on, hop-off bus tour

If she’s traveling in a city that offers one of those double-decker hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours, Denver -based Heidi Burtoni, 65, who goes on multiple trips per year, is definitely stepping aboard. Burtoni says it’s a great way to figure out the rest of her itinerary, get tips from other travelers and the tour guide, and get a feel for the new city. “It’s the first thing I do to get the lay of the land,” says Burtoni. Her previous career in sales means the frequent solo traveler will “talk to anybody,” so these tours also open the door for socializing and making connections.

Know what to skip—“whether that means avoiding tourist traps, the most sweltering hours at fairs, or not putting yourself in danger by flagging a taxi when it's unsafe," says Lynn Zelevansky.

2. Figure out what to avoid

For Paul and Lynn Zelevansky (77 and 76, respectively), travel is less about hitting all the top spots and more about learning where not to go, “whether that means avoiding tourist traps, the most sweltering hours at fairs, or not putting yourself in danger by flagging a taxi when it’s unsafe.” They visit the Venice Biennale in fall, now, rather than at the opening, to avoid the worst of the crushes—it also helps them more effectively skirt the city's infamous pickpockets (Lynn's wallet was stolen on a crowded vaporetto ferry in 2022).

3. BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper)

“Toilet paper in Europe is very scratchy … not good for sensitive parts,” says Florida native Karen Butera, an avid pickleball player who often travels with the sport in mind. Whenever overseas, she always travels with her own toilet paper. Butera, 66, is taking her granddaughter to see Taylor Swift in Paris this summer, and, yes, she will be packing TP—creature comforts are even more crucial on the road than they are at home.

4. Don’t overschedule

Packed-to-the-brim itineraries used to be J. Patrice Marandel’s MO, but these days, the former chief curator at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is more keen on scheduling “plenty of time for the unexpected.” Gone are the nonstop days with planned breakfasts, lunches, and dinners; instead, Marandel, 79, leaves room for the possibility of something unexpected and “exciting.” It often pays off.

5. Pack light

Buffalo, New York-based Lisa LaLonde, 74, and her travel companion Antoinette Judelsohn, 70, whom she’s been traveling with for over a decade, are pros at packing light . The pals can manage for a month on very little, relying on the versatility of black leggings and black tops, says LaLonde. The trick? Develop a travel uniform, bring just a few versions, and wash undergarments as necessary, says Judelsohn. Big suitcases stuffed to the brim with a ton of different outfits are more of a hassle than a luxury. “They’re a pain in the neck if you’re getting on a train or off a train … or moving from one city to another,” says LaLonde.

“Anybody and their brother with an RV travels on Sunday,” warns Jenelle Jones.

6. Don't get (too) excited

Judelsohn, a former teacher who met LaLonde when they worked together at the same school in Buffalo, has another travel rule that’s served her well: Letting go of expectations. “I never get excited about a trip,” says Judelsohn. Instead, the savvy traveler lets the excitement emerge based on what's in front of her in the moment.

7. Avoid traveling on Sundays

RVer Jenelle Jones, 64, is against traveling on Sundays. As she puts it, “anybody and their brother with an RV travels on Sunday.” Long weekend RVers who have to get back for work on Monday use Sundays to head home, so retired Jones, 64, simply avoids the day altogether. It's also, according to her, the “biggest day to get in an RV wreck”— yet another reason to sit back and relax. You have nowhere you need to be, after all. Take advantage.

8. Learn a few words of the local language

Charlotte Simpson , whose blog Traveling Black Widow documents her travels (100 countries and counting so far), says her number one travel rule is to learn a few key phrases—hello, goodbye, please, thank you—in the dominant language of the places she visits. Simpson says her efforts are always well received. “I just find, inevitably, it sort of stuns people when I even just say good morning.” Simpson, who prefers not to reveal her age, says she gets a lot out of bridging the language gap with just a few words: “It just makes people so friendly and so happy that you took this moment to learn [their language].”

9. Travel slower

When you cram too much into a single trip, “the whole experience just kind of becomes a blur,” say Gillian Batt, 43, and Stephanie Myers, 51, whose blog Our Freedom Years documents their early retirement and subsequent travels. The couple, who hail from Ontario, Canada, say staying in one place for an extended period of time helps them avoid travel burnout, keep costs low, and enjoy the whole experience more. All that rushing around on limited PTO? Well behind them.

For RVers like Norm, keeping things flexible is key.

10. Go your own way

The pandemic crystallized things for Kim Kelly Stamp , 65, and her wife Liz Schick, 62, who left it all behind and decided to travel around the country in a red 21-foot teardrop trailer. They’ve since gotten really good at going with the flow. “We know where we’re going to stay along the way, but we hold that really loosely and give ourselves the opportunity to make something else happen,” explains Stamp. This approach led them to Laurel, Mississippi, where the HGTV show Hometown —of which Stamp and Schick are big fans of, is based. Instead of following a regimented schedule, they followed their passion when the road forked, literally.

11. Keep an open heart and mind

In spite of being seasoned travelers, John and Bev Martin, 60, who started the RetirementTravelers site to share their journey with others, admit they still need to remind themselves that they can’t control everything. “We have to be patient and receptive to the lessons the world is trying to teach,” says the couple. One that keeps coming up? “Retirement is not the time to stop dreaming about new and different routes in life.”

12. Do your research

The Gumports appreciate getting a taste of the local culture wherever they are traveling, and they’re not opposed to tours or experiences that deliver on this front. But Bonni has a few words of advice: “If you’re looking at purchasing something that uses words such as ‘bespoke, artisanal, farm-to-table’ and more fluffy adjectives, make sure these experiences are as authentic as they sound.” Read reviews thoroughly and take the time to research before you buy, advises Bonni. It's fun to be spontaneous, but it's easy to be misled by clever marketing and buzzwords.

13. It’s a marathon—not a sprint

It wasn’t long before Brenda Huyhn adopted—and adapted— a popular van-lifer rule: Don’t travel more than 3 hours, get in by 3 p.m., and stay at least 3 nights. Huyhn, who at 47 retired earlier than many, is adamant about not trying to do too much in one day to avoid burnout. She and her husband take their time, prioritizing “quality over quantity” with their stops and stays. It makes the entire experience all the richer.

14. You can always head home

Diana Petterson is on track to hit the 100-country mark just in time for her 70th birthday in 2026. But as much as the Black solo traveler loves seeing the world, she’s not afraid to ditch a trip if something isn’t working out. “Wherever I am in the world, if for whatever reason I am uncomfortable, or I don't feel well … I’m going to plop down that credit card , and get home.”

15. Start the day early to avoid the crowds

Artist Simma Liebman, 76, enjoys going to museums while visiting new cities and places. But since the retiree is immunocompromised, she plans these outings a little differently. Now Liebman hits the museums “as early in the day as possible” and masks up while taking in the art "unless there are very few people inside.” Whatever your motivation, rising early is something you can be sure the hordes of 20-something backpackers won't be doing. Beat them to all the best spots.

“I like a very good hotel, but not necessarily the best,” says Betty. Focus on getting the right location.

16. Base yourself strategically

Betty, 80, an art collector who declined to share her last name, has found that mid-sized hotels (meaning about 200 rooms) in central locations, with just enough of the services she wants and needs, do the job. “I like a very good hotel, but not necessarily the best,” says Betty. As long as you have the basics covered, it's really about location, location, location.

17. Don’t wait for tomorrow

Instead of putting off travel for a later date, Chicago -based Ruthie Maldonado-Delwiche advises those interested in exploring the world to get out there and “do it now.” Because “tomorrow isn’t promised,” Maldonado-Delwiche, who’s been traveling since she retired in 2017, says. Don't wait if there’s something you want to do or a place you want to visit.

Former psychiatrist Ann Heaslett, 60, who aims to run the six major world marathons in her retirement, feels exactly the same way. “There’s no time like the present.”

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I backpacked around Europe for 5 weeks with my 3 young kids. Here are my 8 best travel tips for families.

• My family of five is always on the go — if we're not on a trip, we're planning our next one. 
• We always pack light and never check bags, regardless of the trip length and destination.
• Preparation is key, and our three kids love to help craft the itinerary for each vacation. 

Travel is a priority for my family, but hopping on a plane isn't always easy with three young kids.

After backpacking through Europe for five weeks and challenging ourselves to take 22 trips in 2022 , we've come up with some ways to make traveling as a family a bit more manageable. 

Plan as much as possible in advance 

My No. 1 tip for families is to plan as much as possible before departing for a trip. I like to do extensive research on each destination.

First I look at the forecast for our travel dates so I can prepare for changing temperatures and inclement weather. I also learn about the landmarks and activities that we're considering adding to our itinerary. 

I'm always looking for ways to make the most of our time, save money , and optimize the experience.

Plus, this preliminary research helps me determine which items to pack . For example, I make sure to bring closed-toed shoes for hikes and water shoes for walks to a waterfall.

Make sure everyone's travel documents are prepared and up-to-date

I dig into the travel logistics before we leave to avoid any last-minute stress.

If we need passports to enter our destination, I make sure no one's documents are close to expiring . 

It's a good idea to withdraw cash in the local currency and handle any destination-specific paperwork ahead of time as well. 

We like to include our kids in the trip-planning process

One of our daughters doesn't like surprises. She wants to go into the trip prepared and know exactly what to expect, right down to the tiny details. Once she got involved in the trip-planning process, our other kids did, too.

When our children have a say in where we go and what we do, they seem to enjoy the on-the-ground experiences more. It also really helps them deal with moving on to the next destination .

Of course, plans can always change. When they do, we do our best to involve them in any last-minute decisions as well.

The bottom line is that you should include your kids in your planning process, even if they seem uninterested when you ask.

Prevent meltdowns by bringing snacks

We all get a little grumpy when we're hungry, and my kids' moods change very quickly when they need to eat.

Snacks are a huge hit in our house, and it's no different when we're on vacation. 

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I like to make sure that we have plenty of snacks packed on every journey we take, so we always carry a box full of small bites .

Schedule plenty of downtime in the itinerary

This tip is just as important for parents as it is for kids.

We all enjoy experiencing new things, especially when we're visiting a place for the first time. I like to keep our trips action-packed and fill our itineraries with fun activities. 

The problem is that everyone in my family eventually feels burnt out . And if we do high-energy activities shortly after arriving, energy can dip early on in the vacation.

To avoid tiring ourselves out, we schedule downtime for all five of us. We typically plan one big day full of exploration and activities and follow it with a rest day to balance out the excitement. 

Be prepared for plans to change

You can do all the preparation you want and make a meticulous schedule, but let's face it: Things don't always go as planned.

Maybe an activity will be canceled due to unpredictable weather , or perhaps someone has to sit out of a tour because they don't feel well. Nobody can predict or control these situations, but you can still prepare for them and react appropriately.

I like to be prepared, so I always pack a "just in case" bag , which I fill with over-the-counter medicine and travel-sized cleaning supplies, for these unforeseen circumstances.

Pack light to reduce stress and expenses

When I first traveled without a checked bag, I was scared. Like so many other travelers, I worried that I wouldn't have everything I needed for my trip .

Don't let fear about what could go wrong stop you from traveling with more freedom and lighter bags. Once I ditched my suitcase for a backpack , I absolutely loved the ways it improved my travel experience. 

Traveling with just a carry-on makes trips easier and oftentimes cheaper. When you don't have to check a bag at the airport, you avoid luggage fees and save a lot of time. 

The best part is that you're free from all of the clutter and don't have to lug around items that you probably won't end up using during your vacation.

All five of us use backpacks and packing cubes to pack as strategically and efficiently as possible. I suggest checking out some of the travel backpacks we use — even our kids' bags can fit a surprising amount inside.  

If we ever do forget something, we just stop at a local store or ask for it at our hotel's front desk . 

Go with the flow and enjoy the present moment

Unexpected things are probably going to happen on your trip, but don't allow them to affect your experience. 

Staying present is easier said than done, but do your best to embrace the moment. You've done all the work to get to this point, so you deserve to enjoy it — even if everything doesn't go as planned. 

Rather than worrying about things you can't control, enjoy your surroundings and the memories you're making with your family.

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Morning Rundown: Alabama killer asks to be executed, Diddy’s son accused in sexual assault lawsuit, thousands of salmon swim to safety after accident

Your last-minute guide to Monday's total solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday , offering millions a rare opportunity to see afternoon skies temporarily darken as the moon blocks the face of the sun.

Tune into NBC News NOW as Lester Holt hosts a two-hour special at 2 p.m. ET Monday from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The eclipse's path fortuitously cuts across Mexico, 15 U.S. states and a small part of eastern Canada. In all other states in the continental U.S., viewers will be treated to a partial solar eclipse, with the moon appearing to take a bite out of the sun and obscuring part of its light.

Here’s everything you need to know about the rare celestial event.

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align. The moon passes between Earth and sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light and casting a shadow on Earth.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon fully obscures the sun, whereas a partial solar eclipse means it blocks just a portion of the sun’s face.

Solar eclipses occur only with the new moon. Because the moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted, the three bodies don’t always line up in a way that creates an eclipse.“Imagine if the moon’s orbit were in the plane of Earth’s orbit around the sun — if that were the case, then every new moon, you’d have a total solar eclipse and every full moon, you’d have a lunar eclipse,” Neil DeGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, told NBC News. “So, because things don’t always align, it lends to the rarity of the event and the specialness of the event.”

Where and when will the eclipse be visible?

This year’s eclipse will follow a slightly wider path over more populated areas of the continental U.S. than other total solar eclipses have in the recent past.

NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live within what’s known as the path of totality, where the total solar eclipse will be visible. An additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of the path, according to the agency.

The path travels through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Tiny parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also be able to witness totality if conditions are clear.After the eclipse crosses into Canada, it will pass over southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, at the eastern end of Nova Scotia.

Those outside the path of totality can still take part in the astronomical event by viewing a partial solar eclipse — visible throughout all 48 states of the contiguous U.S. — or a NASA livestream.

The timing, including how long totality lasts, depends on the location, but some spots will see the moon fully cover the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds.

Below is a list of timings for some cities along the path of totality, as  provided by NASA . A number of other resources, including NationalEclipse.com  and  TimeandDate.com , can also help people plan.

Dallas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:23 p.m. CT and totality at 1:40 p.m.

Little Rock, Arkansas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:33 p.m. CT and totality at 1:51 p.m.

Cleveland: Partial eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. ET and totality at 3:13 p.m.

Buffalo, New York: Partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. ET and totality at 3:18 p.m.

Lancaster, New Hampshire: Partial eclipse begins at 2:16 p.m. ET and totality at 3:27 p.m.

It is never safe to gaze directly at the sun, even when it is partly or mostly covered by the moon. Special eclipse glasses or  pinhole projectors  are required to safely view solar eclipses and prevent eye damage. Failing to take the proper precautions can result in severe eye injury,  according to NASA .

Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than normal sunglasses and specially made to enable wearers to look at the sun during these kinds of celestial events.

Sky-watchers should also never view any part of the sun through binoculars, telescopes or camera lenses unless they have specific solar filters attached. Eclipse glasses should not be used with these devices, as they will not provide adequate protection.

However, during the few minutes of totality, when the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to look with the naked eye.

Beware of fake eclipse glasses. On legitimate pairs, the lenses should have a silver appearance on the front and be black on the inside. The manufacturer’s name and address should be clearly labeled, and they should not be torn or punctured. Check, as well, for the ISO logo and the code “IS 12312-2” printed on the inside.If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make a homemade pinhole projector, which lets sunlight in through a small hole, focuses it and projects it onto a piece of paper, wall or other surface to create an image of the sun that is safe to look at. 

All you need is two pieces of white cardboard or plain white paper, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack. Cut a 1- to 2-inch square or rectangle out of the center of a piece of white paper or cardboard. Tape aluminum foil over that cut-out shape, then use a pin or thumbtack to poke a tiny hole in the foil.

During the eclipse, place a second piece of white paper or cardboard on the ground as a screen and hold the projector with the foil facing up and your back to the sun. Adjusting how far you hold the projector from the second piece of paper will alter the size of the image on the makeshift screen.

What to look for while viewing the total solar eclipse

For people along the path of totality, there are some fun milestones to keep track of as the total solar eclipse unfolds.

As the eclipse progresses and the sun gets thinner in the sky, it will start to get eerily dark, according to Tyson.

When the last beams of sunlight are about to become obscured, look out for the “diamond ring effect”: The sun’s atmosphere will appear as an illuminated halo, and the last light still visible will look like the diamond of a giant ring.As the sunlight decreases even further, an effect known as Baily’s beads will be created by the moon’s rugged terrain. Tiny “beads” of light will be visible for only a few seconds around the dark moon, as the last bits of sunlight peer through the moon’s mountains and valleys.

When the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to remove eclipse glasses and look at the total solar eclipse with the naked eye.

Some lucky sky-watchers may even catch a glimpse of a comet .Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks — nicknamed the “ devil comet ” because an eruption last year left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns — is currently visible from the Northern Hemisphere as it swings through the inner solar system.

The comet can be seen in the early evenings by gazing toward the west-northwest horizon. During the eclipse, when skies darken during totality, it may be possible to see the comet near Jupiter, but its visibility will depend on whether it’s in the middle of an outburst and thus brighter than normal.

Most likely, all eyes will be on the alignment of the moon and sun.

“Most people won’t even notice,” Tyson said. “But if you know to look, it’s there.”

When is the next solar eclipse?

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2026, but it will mostly pass over the Arctic Ocean, with some visibility in Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and northern Spain. In 2027, a total solar eclipse will be visible in Spain and a swath of northern Africa.

The next total solar eclipse visible from North America will be in 2033, but only over Alaska. Then in 2044, a total solar eclipse will cross Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, parts of Canada and Greenland.

The next total solar eclipse to cross the continental U.S. coast-to-coast in will occur in 2045. The path of totality for that eclipse will cut through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.

Lucas Thompson is a content producer for the NBC News Climate Unit.

There's an April Fools' Day prank about the 2024 solar eclipse — don't fall for it

D on't panic! It's April Fools' Day, which means the internet is rife with jokes, including some of the celestial sort. If you happened to stumble across the University of Vermont's (UVM) press release about the April 8 total solar eclipse , your heart might've skipped a beat: "Eclipse Path and Date Miscalculated," reads the headline.

Well, that certainly caught our attention. 

Diving into the press release, it states that "[b]y failing to account for the time it takes light to travel from the sun, a laser-based model led by the U.S. National Observatory’s Measurement Alignment and Astronomy Ministration [NO-MA'AM], has been shown to be off by seven days and 1,843 miles." And that means "it’s coming at us, like, now,” Sarah Phillips, part of UVM's Class of 2025, said in the statement.

Related:  Solar eclipse viewing through history: A roundup of some of the best photos  

NO-MA'AM, indeed. Fortunately, the release is all just one big April Fool's Day joke. Still, we wouldn't blame you for being concerned! 

Predicting eclipses is very much a precise science,  but, on the bright side, humans have pretty much perfected the math. "Current eclipse forecasts are accurate to less than a minute in time over a span of hundreds of years," explains NASA on an FAQ page about eclipses.

In a nutshell, scientists calculate the geometry and mechanics of the Earth , moon and sun to sort out their relative motion, then feed that information into a computer that crunches the numbers. The computer can then determine the timing of both past and future eclipses.

That said, we truly are on the edge of our seats about the eclipse , not because of its path or timing, but because of potential cloud cover . Though we're still a week out, and forecasts can (and very likely will) change, the current models suggest that much of the path of totality might be affected by cloud cover. But all we can do is wait and see!

Leo April 2024 Horoscope: Read Your Monthly Predictions

By Sophie Saint Thomas

Read your sign's 2024 horoscope to see what's in store for you this year, or check out the   Leo personality profile .

Welcome to April, Leo. Sure, this month comes with its share of astrological challenges—namely, a Mercury retrograde and a solar eclipse. While these events might seem daunting, April offers a stark contrast to last month's call for caution that came with an eclipse. Instead, it's your time to step into the spotlight, forging ahead despite any celestial hiccups with the kind of iconic forward momentum only a Leo knows how to build.

Monday, April 1,  marks the start of Mercury retrograde in Aries, casting a shadow over travel plans. Leos, more than any other sign, could find themselves ensnared in travel delays. Whether you're navigating a commute to a friend's house for a party or even Zoom meetings, it's wise to factor in additional time to mitigate the retrograde's disruptive effects. You're a diva, for sure, but that doesn't mean that you want the extra stress that comes along with always being the last one to arrive (especially in professional matters).

By  Thursday, April 4 , as pretty Venus dances into Aries, you're in the mood for a makeover. Your style is an extension of your regal essence, dear lion, and this transit encourages you to switch it up. Whether contemplating a new hair hue or opting for a cute piercing or trendy tattoo , how you define and express this aspect of yourself is entirely your prerogative. Around this date, some of you may decide to opt for injectables , while others will dismiss the idea entirely. Take some time to think about what kind of style evolution you're craving before you commit to anything.

The  Monday, April 8  new moon and solar eclipse in Aries illuminate your 9th House of Philosophy. Unlike the tumultuous lunar eclipse last month, this event doesn't spell endings, but it might still stir unease. As a sign ruled by the sun, Leos have a heightened sensitivity to solar eclipses; allow yourself to turn down party invites, minimize workloads, and embrace relaxation around this date. Reducing stress is crucial for maintaining your well-being. Majestic cats need lots of sleep , especially around solar eclipses.

Friday, April 19  ushers in Taurus season, spotlighting your 10th House of Social Status. Get excited, Leo, and revel in the anticipation of increased visibility and acclaim that comes with the sun stationed in the part of your chart that's all about becoming more well-known. The weeks ahead are ripe for elevating your profile, be it through professional achievements, creative endeavors, or gaining more social media followers (if you're into that sort of thing). Your natural penchant for drawing attention aligns perfectly with the cosmic energy at play, promising avenues for greater recognition.

There is a night that is best spent laying low: Tuesday, April 23,  which brings a full moon in intense Scorpio. Although full moons are generally less intense than eclipses, the dramatic flair of Scorpio can still provoke a sense of unease. Consider this another divine nudge to embrace leisure and chill out from the comfort of your own home. Shortly after, on Thursday, April 25 , you'll be happy to hear that Mercury goes direct, reducing delays and travel hiccups, although it's still wise to always plan for a little extra travel time as you don't like to be rushed through getting ready.

Your acclaim and opportunities continue in even stronger force now that Mercury is direct, especially around Monday, April 29 , which sees opulent Venus gracing Taurus and your 10th House of Social Status. The stars are aligning to bolster not just your professional life but also your personal brand. So whether you're aiming to expand your influence, increase your income, or transition into a new professional role, the cosmos fervently supports your ambitions around this time. Considering that on the following day, Tuesday, April 30 , the fighter Mars settles into its home sign of Aries, so your assertiveness and drive could reach peak levels. Leos, if there's something you've been yearning for, now's the moment to claim it. Your boldness, coupled with the fiery energy of Aries, makes nearly any goal within reach. Enjoy all the success, don't forget to rest, and we'll see you in May.

Monday, April 1: Mercury goes retrograde in Aries Thursday, April 4: Venus enters Aries Monday, April 8: New moon and solar eclipse in Aries Friday, April 19: Sun enters Taurus Sunday, April 21: Juno goes direct in Virgo Tuesday, April 23: Full moon in Scorpio Thursday, April 25: Mercury goes direct in Aries Monday, April 29: Venus enters Taurus Tuesday, April 30: Mars enters Aries

To see monthly predictions for another zodiac sign, check out our full list of April 2024 horoscopes .

Read up on astrological events:

What's in store for your sign this year? Read our 2024 horoscope predictions to find out.

What is a twin flame, and how is it different from a soul mate?

Discover the 12 zodiac signs & their personality traits

A guide to angel numbers and what they mean

The ultimate Mercury retrograde survival guide

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Universal's Halloween Horror Nights 2024 will be the longest ever. Here are the dates.

Halloween Horror Nights fans rejoice. The terror starts earlier than ever before this year, giving guests more adrenaline-fueled thrills.

Universal Orlando Resort’s iconic Halloween Horror Nights will kick off on Aug. 30 – one day earlier than last year – and run on select nights through Nov. 3 this year, the theme park announced Thursday. That’s a total of 48 nights of frightful fun.

This year’s HHN will also introduce several new attractions to keep the scares coming, including 10 new haunted houses with creepy storylines. 

People ready for the tricks and treats can now purchase their tickets to experience Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Orlando Resort, including special packages with V.I.P. and behind-the-scenes access. 

Details regarding HHN at Universal Studios Hollywood in California have not been released yet. 

Learn more: Best travel insurance

What’s new at HHN 2024?

Here’s what we know about Halloween Horror Nights 2024 so far:

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort will debut 10 “movie-quality haunted houses inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by the twisted minds of Universal’s Entertainment team,” the press release said. The themes of the haunted houses have not been revealed as of Thursday’s announcement. 

First-timer? 5 tips to get the most out of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

Last year’s haunted houses were themed around the classic murdering toy Chucky, the popular video game The Last of Us, "Stranger Things" Season 4, the film "The Exorcist: Believer" and Universal cinematic characters hunting down monsters. 

There will also be five new scare zones where “hundreds of menacing creatures” are just waiting to frighten guests.

Guests can also attend a live show and purchase food and drinks inspired by the themes of HNN. 

What are the dates for HHN 2024?

Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights will be on:

• Sept. 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29
• Oct. 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31

Is Halloween Horror Nights expensive?

A single-night ticket for HNN at Universal Orlando Resort starts at $82.99, a price hike from last year’s $73.99. The ticket is a separate event ticket from park admission.

There’ll also be an express pass allowing visitors to skip the line at haunted houses one time. The cost for the express pass is $129.99. 

Are children allowed at Halloween Horror Nights? 

Technically, yes. There is no official age minimum requirement for attending HHN, but the event isn’t recommended for children under the age of 13. Families with young children can always visit the park during the day as the frightful activities commence after 6:30 P.M. 

Are there rides at Halloween Horror Nights?

Halloween Horror Nights consists of immersive events, but select attractions open during the day will also be open at night. 

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .