Welcome to the final step in my travel prep process series! Now that you’ve chosen your destination, booked your flights and lodging, and planned your itinerary, you are ready to do some last-minute prep, pack up your things, and go!
These tips are not specific to any trip. I have covered preparation tips and packing lists specific to a destination before (as an example, see my Peru packing list here), but this is just a quick, general list of tips that can apply to any trip that involves taking a flight. So without further ado, here are my last-minute preparation and packing recommendations!
1. Pack for the trip you are taking.
Don’t over- or under-pack! Before this year, I had always been an over-packer, no matter what the trip. Thankfully, our backpacking trip in Europe forced me to learn how to pack light since we lived out of backpacks for nearly three months. Now I do know how to pack in a carry-on for a short trip or for a trip where we will be city-hopping, but I still enjoy checking a bag full of options for resort-style vacations or trips where we stay in one place and don’t need to worry about baggage tying us down.
2. Don’t forget the small travel essentials.
It is easy to forget to throw the little things in your suitcase that often are the most essential. Examples are:
- Laptop/cell phone/camera chargers
- Travel tripod – if you want to take pictures with you in it
- Batteries
- Dirty clothes bag (for those places that don’t have plastic laundry bags you can take)
- Sunscreen
- Jacket or scarf – I almost always have a scarf for the chilly plane, no matter the weather outside! It also makes for a great pillow for the plane.
- Itinerary and travel details – if digital, make sure they are downloaded on your phone
- Travel-sized toiletries (if packing in a carry on) – Many Airbnbs and some hotels don’t supply good shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
- Rain jacket – Check the weather at your destination to see if there is a chance you will need this!
- A good book and/or playlist downloaded on your phone or other device
3. Check in to your flight 24 hours ahead of time.
A not-so-well-known fact is that the airline can give your seat away on an overbooked flight if you check in late enough (whether or not that seems fair), so I always check in through the mobile app as soon as I can. If you’ve checked in already, you can often skip waiting in line at the front of the airport even if you have to check a bag (depending on the airport and how its bag check process works). Also,while going through the online check-in process, I look to see if any better seats have opened up for me to grab. Sometimes on the day of a flight, airlines will remove the added cost for an upgraded seat, or a seat closer to the front of the plane will open up due to another traveler’s change of plans.
4. Confirm your lodging, and if staying in an Airbnb, check in with owner.
Double-check your reservations. For Airbnb rentals requiring a key, make sure you have a time and place to meet the owner, or, at the very least, good contact information so that you can let them know when you arrive.
5. Plan your route for when you arrive.
Whether you are renting a car, catching the train, or taking a cab to your hotel or Airbnb when you land, it is a good idea to plan the details for your arrival. It is nice to already have a plan so that you aren’t trying to look things up on your phone while dodging other travelers and juggling luggage. Have the address for your lodging handy and make sure to know ahead of time how long it should take to get there from the airport. If you are taking public transportation, have an idea of how to purchase a ticket and which type of ticket you should get. You can often get great transportation deals if you purchase multi-day passes, and ticket stations and self-service kiosks do not always lay out the best options in a way that’s easy to look through for quick purchase.
Bonus Tip: Prepare to be flexible, and most importantly, have a great time!
If you are like me, you have planned out your trip details, and you need to remind yourself that some things will not go according to plan. Prepare yourself to be flexible and go with the flow! You might be too tired to cram in one more “must-see” museum visit in your already packed day, or you may find you haven’t allowed enough time to get all the way across town to your dinner reservation. That’s okay! You can be spontaneous and fill in your time with other things, and these things often end up being the most memorable. You will have a much better time on your vacation if you let the details go.
That’s the end of my Travel Prep Series! While I know the planning process can be very personal, I hope that you found a couple of tips that are helpful for planning your own dream vacation.
Do you have any last-minute trip prep tips? Share in the comments below!
To see the other posts in my Travel Prep Series, click here!
{Thanks for reading! Want to know a little more about me? I’m a CPA learning how to balance a career with frequent travel while planting roots at home in Austin, TX. When I’m not exploring my home city with my husband Daniel or cuddling with our chubby orange cat Banana, I’m probably planning, packing, traveling to, or daydreaming about our next adventure. After all, my travel mug collection is never complete. If you have wanderlust too, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat(emilya89), or subscribe to my blog!}
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