Travel

8 Ways To Make Booking Your Next Trip Away Less Stressful

Arranging your next trip may be quite a daunting and stressful prospect. When it comes to planning travel, there are a whole host of different considerations that you will need to always have in the back of your mind. Getting the right ticket may appear to be somewhat of a fine art. 

When you weigh it all up, you will be no doubt thinking about how busy the route will be, whether you are taking a plane, train, or going on the road when lots of other people are making the same journey, it can cause problems. You’ll want to know whether there is much chance that you will get delayed, how much luggage you will be able to take with you, and then there are the environmental concerns. One of the major issues that you may have is when to book your ticket and then you may worry that you have paid too much for it. 

Here are are a few ways to reduce stress and get the best out of your next journey.

 

Don’t Rule Out Travelling In Style

Private jets may appear to be something that is only obtainable by rock stars and world leaders but chartering your own flight on a plane such as the embraer legacy 500  is probably more obtainable than you would imagine. Because you are paying for the plane and not the seat, it can be a useful way of flying several people in one group together. 

With the ability to land at local airfields rather than just major airports, you may be able to get much closer to your destination than you may imagine. And, with less time involved in checking in and going through baggage reclaim areas, you’ll enjoy a much smoother experience overall.

 

Shop Around And Compare Prices

Whichever mode of transport you are considering, shop around and compare the prices before you jump headfirst into buying your tickets. With tickets available from multiple third-party vendors as well as the airline, rail, or bus operator themselves, you may find that prices can be quite different depending on where you buy.

Allow plenty of time to search and compare prices. When you are looking, try a range of times or dates around when you want to go too. This may help you find a cheaper alternative. 

 

Use Private Browsing 

Anytime you visit a website, your device will store a cookie that tracks information relating to the visit. The next time you visit that site, it will recognise your device and know what you have looked at previously.

Many companies use this technology to slide their prices up when you return. This makes you think that prices are continuously rising so that rush to get your tickets. 

Before you start looking for tickets, use incognito or private browsing on your web browser so that you can prevent the use of cookies. This way, you won’t be pressured into rushing to buy your tickets. 

It is important to note that ticket prices can fluctuate for reasons outside of your control and without cookies playing a part, but as this is a parameter you can control, you should always ensure you take advantage of this fact. 

 

Book Well In Advance

The earlier you book, the better. Tickets will be at their lowest price when they first become available. By booking as far in advance as possible, you will be able to take advantage of the best offers possible. 

Knowing that your tickets are booked and paid for will also help to reduce your stress over a trip away too. 

 

Share Your Journey

If you need to take a car as part of your journey, then find a way of sharing this journey with as many people as possible. Whether it is your own car, a hire car, or a taxi, there are savings to be made in sharing the vehicle. Splitting the cost is common sense, but there are also carbon emissions savings to be made too. 

 

Travel During Off-peak Times 

The busiest times of the day or week to travel are always the most stressful. Having to deal with crowds of people can really take it out of you and can make for an uncomfortable journey. Travelling off-peak reduces these stresses, but it can also save you money. 

Think about when people will be travelling the same route as you and go during a different time. This may mean avoiding school holidays, weekends, or even Monday mornings and Friday afternoons.

During the middle of the week and during the night may be the quietest and possibly the cheapest times to travel. 

If you are using the roads to travel, driving through the night will lead to less congestion and better fuel efficiency. If you are paying for your fuel, fewer traffic jams will keep your costs down, and reduce your emissions. 

If you are travelling by rail, avoid popular commuter times such as mornings and early evenings. Being caught up with the work rush is no fun, it is generally more expensive to travel at this time of day too.

 

Use The Right Credit Card To Pay 

Paying for your tickets using a credit card is wise. You’ll get the protection that you need should anything go wrong with your transaction or if the company that you have bought from goes out of business. 

Using a credit card set up with the airline may give you access to discounts or loyalty schemes which could save you money on your flights. 

Remember, paying using a credit card will only save you money if you are able to clear the balance straight away.  

 

Travel Light 

Many airlines will charge you for any luggage that you put in the hold. If you can, travel light and get everything into your hand luggage. Wear your heavier or bulkier items on the journey, and think about only taking the most vital items in the lightest possible case. It may be a squeeze, but it will save you money. 

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