Things To Remember When Traveling

Filed in archive Travel , Travel Tips on May 27, 2010

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Here are some common mistakes people make when they travel and what you can learn from them:

Always have it in writing

When you go and rent a car, make sure you have the agreed upon rate written on a piece of paper provided to you by the car rental service. That way when a conflict comes up when you return the car, all you have to do is pull out that piece of paper given to you and the dispute is settled very quickly.

Assume nothing

Say you are about to travel and some of your miles are about to expire. Don't just assume you can't do anything about it anymore. Ask your airline how you can still rescue those miles you have logged on over the years. And make sure you understand correctly how the customer service rep's solution actually works.

Tony received a letter saying his United Airlines miles were about to expire, but was told he could preserve the miles by earning points by staying at a Starwood hotel. Sounds simple, right? Well, when he checked out, he was given the points in the Starwood program, but not with United. Why? Because as it turned out Starwood could only credit blocks of 1,000 points at a time.

Do some research about where you're going

If you're visiting a big city, call up the hotel you're staying in and ask about transportation. Do you really need to rent a car? How efficient is the public transportation system? If you have to use a rental car, how much will it cost you to park it? In some places like Sydney, Australia, parking rates can go up to about $30 a day, while public transport runs 24/7 anayway.

Make sure your name is written correctly

Pay attention about how your name is printed on the ticket. Does it include your middle name? Do you have an ID that bears your name in exactly the same way? After you have made your purchase, most travel agents and airlines may not be able to change your name on the ticket. And if they do, that will definitely cost you more.

The Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Homeland Security will begin phasing in Secure Flight, which requires that the name on your ID match your ticket, in over this year. If you don't have an ID that has your name exactly the way it appears on your ticket, you just might miss your next flight.

Pay attention to the details

The difference between booking a flight in the morning or in the afternoon can cost you up to $500. That's a change fee and a full cost of the ticket just because you did not check whether your ticket said "a.m." or "p.m."

Always expect delays -- and pack accordingly

If you're not fond of bringing too much carry-on luggage, the least you can do is pack some sundries like a toothbrush, a traveler's kits that includes small amounts of shampoo, maybe a bath soap, and toothpaste, and one day's change of clothes. Flight delays of up to 24 hours our not uncommon these days. You want to be able to look decent when you finally get on board your next flight.