We’ve all been to airports and seen the people who seem to breeze through security in two steps, dodge costly fees, receive a seat upgrade, or enjoy a free drink on the flight. These are the pro travelers of the world, and they get these things because they understand how the game is played.
There’s an apparent air of mysticism around these individuals, but I promise you anyone can be a pro traveler. It’s not something that will just happen to you—you have to actively work for it. But it raises two important questions: what makes someone a pro traveler and how do I become one?
Here at Luxpitality, we’re 100% pro travelers and we can help you answer those questions. To that end, we’ve rounded up 17 travel tips to help you learn how to play the game. Are you ready? It’s time to go pro.
1. Take Time to Book Affordable Flights
International flights are more affordable than ever. That, in turn, is forcing domestic American flights to similarly decrease the prices for their flights. In other words, there’s really no excuse if you can’t find an affordable option for your next trip. The key is to find these options.
Make use of Scott’s Cheap Flights, Hopper, Kayak, Google Flights, or any of the countless platforms out there. However, it’s a common misconception that you’ll find your dream trip right away—you’ve got to bring a big cup of patience with you on your search.
And you should never wait until the last minute to book. That’s almost a guarantee that you’ll end up shelling out big bucks for a seat. This process takes time. What separates the pro from the amateur is the patience to wait for the best deal, and then strike while the iron is hot.
2. Get the Mobile Passport App
Is there anything worse than getting off a grueling, long international flight and running into a wall of people at customs? No, there isn’t. Thankfully, our longtime friend and partner Joe Mastrangelo, a man who’s literally been around the world a few times, has a solution to avoid this:
“When you’re traveling into the U.S., download the Mobile Passport App. If you have a U.S. or Canadian passport, you can avoid long lines at customs.”
This app lets you submit your passport and declaration information to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection directly from your phone. This way you don’t need to fill out the old fashioned paper form (it’s about damn time).
No background check, interview, or pre-approval required. All you have to do is buy the app and you’re set. They even have a membership tier that allows you to scan and store your passport profiles in advance of your next trip. This one’s a no-brainer.
3. Use the Footpath App
Joe also recommends another helpful app, Footpath. It’s a route planner that lets you map different routes on your phone and automatically fits your path to roads and trails, measuring distance and elevation in seconds.
“This app helps with jet-lag by giving you an easy way to get out and see the city you’ve just arrived in. You can build a custom route around the sites you want to see, or you can simply start walking. My favorite thing is to get up early and see how the city wakes up.”
This can be an incredibly powerful tool on your first day in a new international city after an overnight flight, or for those first few days while you acclimate to the new time. Keep moving, it’s how you combat the dreaded jet lag!
4. Make a Stopover
Layovers suck. You’re stuck in the airport at the mercy of whatever is on this side of security and you likely don’t have enough time to head out to explore the city. Or do you?
Airline companies are beginning to re-imagine the extended layover into a stopover, which is like a layover but longer. In some cases, it could last for up to five days on the same ticket. If you’re traveling to Montreal, through Vancouver, you could land in Vancouver on a stopover, spend a few nights enjoying the city, and then fly out to Montreal.
You get to explore a new city for the same cost. In fact, some of the airlines with stopover programs will even pick up the tab for your hotel. We think this is going to be a major trend you should pay attention to in the travel industry as it rolls out over the next few years.
5. Bring Your Own Snacks on the Plane
Personally, I don’t touch airport food. In fact, the only time I buy food in the airport is if it’s sealed, in a bag, and is somewhat healthy (looking at you Duke’s Smoked Sausages, you’ve saved my life on countless occasions).
Don’t settle for a burger that was made five hours ago, or a soggy to-go salad that’s one day from it’s “sell by” date. Bring your own food! The Luxpitality favorite is to bring a baguette, salami, and butter: it won’t go bad and there will be multiple times on your trip that you’re happy to have these provisions with you.
As long as there are no liquids, the TSA will let you pass with as much Tupperware as you can shove into your carry on. Fun story, I passed through security recently with pizza, coffee cake, and bags of candy.
I froze in horror as a TSA agent told me the food had to pass the E-A-T test. All the agents laughed their asses off when they saw the look on my face before I put two and two together.
Double Pro Tip: Bring hydration packets with you as well. Flights are incredibly dehydrating and these will bring you right back to life. We like Liquid I.V. best.
6. Breeze Through Security
Speaking of security checkpoints, Global Entry and TSA Pre are solid options to help expedite your journey from drop off to terminal. However, you’ll still need to go through security screening before you get there.
In order to make this quick and painless, put everything in your bag except boarding pass and ID before you even get close to the checkpoint. Don’t wait. Just do it. You won’t have to scramble, you’ll keep the line moving, and you’ll look like a total pro. Also, for the love of God, take your shoes, belt, and jacket off ASAP.
7. Go Pro with Your Credit Card
Certain credit cards out there, like American Express Platinum or Citi One World Elite to name a few, come with so much more than a slick metal finish. Some come with TSA Precheck while others get you exclusive access to executive lounges and admirals clubs.
There’s no better feeling than rolling up to the lounge, where booze and food are typically free, to relax in a cool, quiet, calm environment before takeoff. No more paying top dollar for mediocre beer and gross airport food. You’re a pro now.
8. Present Your Best Self
Humans make flash judgements and form first impressions within seconds of meeting each other. Your clothes and outward appearance say a lot about your character, attention to detail, and personality. And when it comes to travel, especially airline travel, it pays to dress up a bit.
I’m not saying you have to wear white tie and tails, but you absolutely should take a pre-flight shower, brush your teeth, and wear freshly laundered clothes. We’ve all had the experience where we sit next to Mr. or Mrs. Stinky. Don’t be that person.
This is especially true if you’re looking to score an upgrade. Show airline employees your best self and watch as they light up a bit more dealing with a clean, courteous, and charming individual (they’ve seen some shit and could use a break).
9. Be Kind to the Agents
The individuals who work at airports, whether they’re on curb-side check in or orchestrating the boarding process, see the worst of us. They have to deal with screaming people who blame them for all the travel world’s woes like canceled flights and lost bags.
Show them the best of us and spare a little kindness. Their job isn’t any easier than yours—they’ve got a frustrating boss and long hours as well. The only difference here is that they’re the gatekeepers in charge and you’re just another passenger.
With the click of a mouse they can let you squeak by with a 50.5 pound bag. Or, they can make you reshuffle and repack your bags if you’re being rude. Don’t be an ass. Be a pro.
10. Buy a Good Carry On
Did you know they make luggage specifically measured to fit in the overhead bins of an aircraft, even at their most full? Did you also know that there are tons of people who don’t know that and think any bag can fit in the overhead?
We’ve all seen it played out live: the passenger with the bag that “is stuck on something” or “totally fit on the last flight”. Sorry, pal, that dog don’t hunt.
Life would have been much simpler with a well-designed carry on bag that fit seamlessly into the bin. If you prefer to place a smaller bag under the seat in front of you, the right option can also double as a footrest. Now, that’s a total pro move.
11. Master the Art of Gate Checking
When you check a bag for your flight, you’re going to be stuck waiting at the carousel any way you spin it. If that’s the case, you might as well gate-check your carry on bag.
Take the essentials out of your bag like a battery pack, headphones, laptop, and book, and then send it off. Not only will this buy you considerably more room for your feet, it also allows for a stress-free boarding process since you only have to sit down.
Double Pro Tip: You can avoid bag check fees at the ticket counter if you gate check. This isn’t how all airlines operate, but some of them will gate check for free. Boom!
12. Ball Out In the Bulkhead
Bulkhead seats might seem a little frustrating since you have to put your carry on luggage in the overhead bin, but don’t underestimate how liberating they can be. First off, you’ll get a lot more leg room. Second, you can always get in and out of your carry on once the plane is moving.
If you’re feeling courageous, grab your bag out of the overhead and use it as an elevated footrest while you lounge with all your extra space. Remember, be nice to the flight attendants though (see tip number 9), because that move can sometimes be frowned upon.
13. Disinfect Your Seat Area
Airplanes are covered in germs. MRSA can live on a cloth seat pocket for 168 hours, and E.coli can withstand 96 hours on your armrest. Now, sorry, think about all those times you’ve put your phone, tablet, book, or water bottle in that area.
No matter where you sit, it’s smart to disinfect. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll obliterate every single germ in your area, but using portable Clorox wipes can tip the scales of balance in your favor.
Sit down and, before you do anything else, make generous use of your wipes to clean all that you will touch. For an added delight, get a scented product that makes you feel as if you’re walking through a lemon grove and not sitting next to the guy who lives in his mom’s basement.
14. Get the right gadgets
Pro travelers always have the perfect travel gadgets for every scenario. From expertly designed luggage to professional grade cameras, you’re set for all the adventures, twists, and turns your trip can throw at you.
Don’t overlook the necessary items that will get you through the airports efficiently though. More than anything, airports drain your batteries (pun intended). Our top recommendation is that you get a powerful Anker battery pack to keep your gear charged up. Or, get an AWAY suitcase with a built-in charger.
15. Prioritize Wellness
As a pro, you don’t look at a flight as lost time on your daily wellness routine. Sure, people will look at you funny if you start doing yoga mid-flight, but there are plenty of practices you can take advantage of that aren’t as in-your-face to other travelers.
Bring a soft blanket and high quality eye-mask to get some deep sleep and re-energize your body. Then, wake yourself up an hour before you land and put on a hydration mask. Once that’s over, smooth on some moisturizer and you’ll feel like a fresh, brand new person getting off the flight (and your skin will look great).
Double Pro Tip: Consider including some CBD products into your in-flight wellness rituals. They can be helpful to calm flight anxiety and sooth your body to sleep. Bring some small gummies or topical creams, which are fully legal in the U.S. now.
16. Stay In a Boutique Hotel
What’s the point of traveling to a new city if you stay in a formless, shapeless hotel with no character? Dump the big three for a boutique, and you won’t regret it. At these boutique, luxury properties you’re going to get the culture and vibe of whatever community you’re staying in.
There are the best hotel restaurants on-site, kickass bars, and sometimes a rooftop bar that will drop your jaw to the floor. Plus, the staff can provide you with local recommendations that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
Check Out Luxpitality’s Portfolio and Book Your Boutique Hotels Now
17. Splurge On a Big Meal Out
Almost every city in the world has amazing restaurants that will wow you. And when we say “splurge” here, we don’t mean go for popular or trendy spots, although those are certainly great options.
Instead, go big and look for the Michelin Star-rated places. It’s going to cost you a pretty penny, but you already know that. What you might not know is just how impressive the culinary experience can be at a restaurant of this caliber.
You’ll try foods you’ve never heard of, prepared in ways you never knew existed. And you’ll have an equally engrossing cocktail to sip as you eat. You travel like a pro, now it’s time to dine like one.
Some people like to look at travel as a tedious, difficult process. That perspective couldn’t be further from the reality: travel is an exciting adventure, even if you’re going somewhere on business.
True pro travelers know this fact and choose to make the most of their time en route. And if you put these 17 travel tips to use, you’ll be cruising like a total pro in no time while others admire you and wonder how they, too, can go pro.