So, you’re planning a trip and you don’t know where to start? I can help you with that! With about 10 or so years of experience planning my own trips, I know how difficult it can be at first. I want to help make it a more seamless process so that you spend less time worrying and more time enjoying your travel experience.
Note: I will continue to update this post as the “one stop shop” for initial traveling considerations, flight booking tips, and airport expectations.
Initial Considerations
Planning where you go, when you go, and how long you stay is absolutely the most important part of a trip! Keep in mind that traveling during holidays and summer are generally going to be more expensive. Keep it simple:
When am I going and for how long? How long you stay may be determined by the amount of vacation time you have which may in-turn determine the best option for a travel destination. If you know the exact dates of your vacation (and the dates aren’t flexible), you should next consider how much you want to spend on this trip. Keep in mind, if you have a few destination options already in mind, but no set dates – you are in the best scenario for finding better deals because now you only have to focus on cost!
What's my budget? Think about how much you are wanting to spend on this entire trip factoring in flight, stay, rental car, food, beverage, and any activities you plan. It's always good to have a set amount you're willing to spend so that when you start looking into destinations, you are less prone to spend too much.
What type of trip is it going to be and where am I going? You can choose from multiple options such as outdoors, beach getaway, gambling trip, party destination, cruise, foodie, skiing, etc. Once you have determined what type of trip you want, you can start researching destinations that match that category and come out with the top 3 places. Start researching each destination or trip to determine what you would do there and what the average cost is (I generally quickly spot-check flight costs at Google Flights, lodging at AirBnB and Priceline, and cruise prices on Kayak). From here, I generally choose the cheapest or whichever destination I’m more thrilled about (staying within my budget) - which for me, is generally somewhere I have not been.
Booking Flights
Now that we are on the subject, let’s talk flights! Regardless if you have set dates or not, I would HIGHLY recommend using Google Flights or Hopper as a starting place when booking air travel. Both Google Flights and Hopper have a “track price” option that will help you book at the best time. They will generally tell you if you should book now or if they predict the prices will go down in the future (all based on predictive algorithms and past trends). “They” say that it is generally better to book flights on Tuesdays because if an airline has a fare sale, they post it Monday night. “They” also say that the prime time to book a flight is about 1.5 months in advance. I probably book 10 flights a year and I have yet to see an actual trend of this being the truth, I’d just recommend using Google Flights or Hopper to do the work for you and they’ll alert you when the price is ripe for the picking. As much as I love using both of these to check prices of flights, I will still generally go straight to the airline to book the flight because it is usually a few dollars cheaper on their direct website (but I would check before booking). The only time I don’t use this system is with Southwest Airlines (which I love) because they do not put their prices on either Google Flights or Hopper – you will need to go straight to their website to check prices, but they often have cheap fare deals as well (enroll in their program and create an account for email updates).
In addition to these “do it yourself” tips, there are also some great social media sites out there that track cheap flights to various locations from your home airport. For example, the Cheap DFW (Instagram: @Cheap_dfw & Twitter: @Cheapdfw) always posts random flight deals from DFW Airport. Do a bit of research and find similar travel alerts for your city – if you cannot find one where you live, Airfare Watchdog is a good alternative.
Now let’s break down some of the top airlines and what you can expect with them:
Southwest – The best part of Southwest is that they are very comparable on price and they do not charge you for your checked bags (up to 2 free checked bags per person). They do not, however, allow you to choose seats as they are all first-come, first-serve. When you check-in for your flight, you receive a boarding group (A, B, or C) and a boarding position (1-60+) which determines the order to which you can board the plane. For example, A21 will board well before B54. In order to get on the plane early (and get a better seat), you will need to check-in to your flight online EXACTLY 24 hours before departure (which is the earliest you can check-in). The earlier you check-in, the earlier you board. In addition, Southwest's employees are friendly, the service is great, and there is free in-flight entertainment when you connect your phone to the wifi.
American – American has been around for a really long time and a lot of people use them primarily to travel. I have used them multiple times (both domestic and international flights) with no issues whatsoever. Their checked baggage fee is $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second bag (each way). The biggest positive is that they fly EVERYWHERE, so if you book with them, make sure to join their loyalty program (AAdvantage) to accumulate miles.
Delta – I’ve only had the opportunity to fly Delta once (internationally) and it was one of the most comfortable flights I’ve ever had, but generally international flights are a bit more roomy. I would say that they are very comparable to United and American regarding price and destination. They also charge $30 for the first checked bag and $40 for the second bag (each way).
United – Like I mentioned, I would put Delta, American, and United in a very similar bucket. Their experience is similar, they are all huge airlines that fly worldwide, and all have the same checked baggage charges. Delta also charges $30 for the first checked bag and $40 for the second bag (each way).
Frontier – Frontier is generally going to be your cheapest option if you’re flying around the western half of the United States, but keep in mind that food, drinks, seats, carry on, and checked baggage will all cost you extra. If you’re taking a short trip to Denver and only have a backpack (personal items are free), then it’s a great option. Carry on and checked baggage prices change and depend on when you purchase (during booking, at check-in, at airport), so check into prices before you book. You can join the Discount Den ($59.99) for cheaper flights and better overall prices, so if you plan on traveling with Frontier two or more times in a year, it’ll probably be in your best interest to join. I’ll be honest, I was stuck in the airport one time for 16 hours because Frontier cancelled our flight (probably not totally their fault), but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Spirit – Spirit is in the same category as Frontier as they are generally cheap, but the additional costs could ‘getcha’. Their carry on and checked luggage prices change depending on when you purchase, too so be aware of that. At one point (when low-cost was my biggest priority), I joined the $9 Fare Club ($59.95) that gives you cheaper flight costs and better perks. If you plan on flying 2 or more times in a year, I would recommend joining the club as you’ll probably end up saving a decent amount of money. I've flown with Spirit multiple times and have not had many issues, but you have to understand that you get what you pay for.
All of these airlines have a similar loyalty program if you end up flying with them often and all have a credit card that you can sign up for that will also help accumulate points/miles. I personally use the Southwest Rapid Rewards card which has great perks and I accumulate points for free flights pretty quickly (generally 4-6 flights per year). I’ll leave my referral code link here as it will help us both earn additional points.
At the Airport
Now that you’ve booked your flight, let’s talk about what you can expect at the airport. First, how do you get to the airport and where do you park? The best and cheapest option would be to get a friend or family member to drive you to and from the airport (just buy their lunch or get them a souvenir and you should be even). If you don’t want to put them out, most cities now have public transportation to the airport (train or subway) - this may be your next best and cheapest option. Another alternative would be to get an Uber or Lyft to the airport, but this may cost anywhere from $25-$60 each way. Your last choice would be to drive and park at the airport. All airports have parking on premises with some sort of shuttle or transportation that will take you to your terminal. I also like using The Parking Spot when available because they are decently priced, have a great app, and really good customer service. Their shuttle will drive around their parking lot to pick you up from where you end up parking (covered or uncovered) and take you straight to your terminal.
Most airports are broken into terminals and each terminal has multiple gates. Generally, specific airlines are at specified terminals and if it’s an international airport, they’ll have a separate international terminal as well. If you’re getting dropped off, you’ll need to know your terminal (which is generally listed on your flight booking or you can google your flight number and it’ll display your gate). If you’re parking and taking a shuttle, the driver will know which terminal your airline uses.
You want to be at your terminal at least an hour and a half before your flight departs (a minimum of 2 hours for international flights). If you are parking, keep in mind that you will need to arrive at the airport before so to give time for shuttle pick-up to your terminal. When you get to the terminal, you will need to find your airline's signage, and go to the counter to obtain a boarding pass and to check-in your luggage. Next, you will go to security - which can initially be stressful, but it’s really not that bad. You will need your boarding pass and ID in your hand for the initial check (passport if you’re traveling internationally), then you will proceed through the scanning area. For your belongings - ensure toiletries are in a clear plastic bag removed from your luggage (no single item to exceed 3 fl oz) and placed in the bin; laptops need to be taken out and placed in their own bin. For you – shoes, belts, and jackets are to be removed and placed in a bin along with ANY items in your pockets. Follow direction from the TSA agents and you’ll be through security in no-time! Here’s a quick Youtube video from the TSA to get you prepared for your security screening.
On the next “Starter Pack”, we will discuss booking a car, public transportation, lodging, and how to pack for various trips. I hope this first installment has helped you when planning your future trips. If you have additional questions, requests, or suggestions – please leave me a comment!
