Even though travel is one of the greatest experiences in life, travel is often stressful. We find ourselves away from home, away from our normal routines, and away from familiar surroundings. Travelers are subject to all sorts of potential problems with transportation, lodging, meals, changing money, unexpected illnesses, and sightseeing. While there is no way to eliminate the possibility of problems, careful planning can avoid many of the predictable pitfalls that stress us out and detract from the pleasure of travel.
Over the next few weeks, I want to share with you some strategies for managing travel stress. Remember that different folks stress out over different things, so adapt what is useful for your travels. Today's blog: stress in the air.Tip # 1: Book nonstop or direct flights. Travelers with connecting flights sometimes misconnect. Example: you found the best price for a ticket from San Francisco (SFO) to London (LHR) on an itinerary that connects in Chicago (ORD). Your 1:50 p.m. United flight from San Francisco is scheduled to land in Chicago at 7:51 p.m., giving you 83 minutes to catch the 9:14 p.m. United to London. [These are actual flight times, by the way.] You got a great deal. What can go wrong?
Well, plenty! For starters, let's think about those 83 minutes. What if the plane you're going to catch in San Francisco is delayed getting to SFO? When the fog rolls in, one and two hour delays for incoming flights at SFO are quite common. Or what if your plane is delayed on the ground after landing in Chicago because another plane stuck on the taxiway is holding up all the planes behind it? Best case scenario: you have to run to catch your flight to London, and you barely make it. But there goes the stress-free, pleasant journey you had hoped to have. Or ... what if you make your flight but your luggage doesn't? When you arrive in London, jet-lagged but excited to begin your vacation, you have to begin with by contending with your missing luggage problem. Or, worst case scenario, what if you miss your 9:15 p.m. to London. It's the last flight out that day. Now you've lost the first day of your London vacation, and you're still going to have to pay for that night in your London hotel room.
Maybe booking the absolutely cheapest fare saved you a few dollars, but if you end up missing out on a whole day of your vacation, does that make any sense at all?
Tip # 2: If you must connect, plan around the possibility of misconnecting. Two specific bits of advice: (1) Fly from your home airport as early in the day as possible; the aircraft used for early morning departures are already at the airport and should depart on schedule. (2) Beware if your connecting flight is the last-flight-out of the day; if you miss that connection, you're stuck overnight in a place you don't want to be.
Tip # 3: Allow plenty of time to get to the airport. Some people know how to do this, and some people don't. At the risk of boring the first group ... imagine all the "pinch points" in the journey from your front door to the jetway. How long will the drive take at the time of day you're travelling to the airport? How long will it take if there's a bad accident on the freeway, backing up traffic? How long will it take to find parking, catch a shuttle, and make it to the terminal? How long will it take to check your bags (have you seen how long those lines sometimes are)? How long will it take to make it through security? What is the deadline for showing up at the gate before the airline will give away your seat? Build in enough time for things to go wrong. Then, even if things do go wrong, you can relax!
Tip # 4: Treat yourself to a door-to-door limo. This is a great way to manage stress. You just have to get yourself and your bags to your front door on time. Pay somebody else to fight the traffic. You'll arrive at the airport much more relaxed. And on your return, treat yourself to a limo ride home again.
Tip # 5: If you are a frequent flyer, consider a membership in your airline's VIP lounge. If you observe my strategy for building time into your schedule, you'll often have some free time on your hands. Would you rather spend that time in a hard chair bolted to the floor of your gate ... or sit in a soft sofa with a complimentary beverage in an airline lounge, often using complimentary WiFi? If you have an American Express Platinum card, you can get free admission to Continental, Delta, and Northwest lounges on the day of your flight on those airlines. A World Elite MasterCard (which you can get with no annual fee) gives you a complimentary membership in Priority Pass with the benefit of using an airline lounge for $25 ... quite a bargain if you have a long layover.
Tip # 6: Consider flying business class. Coach used to be perfectly comfortable, but now the seats are narrower and the leg room more cramped than ever. The "cattle car" experience can be very stressful. Business or First Class gives you elbow room, leg room, complimentary drinks and entertainment, personal attention, and the sense of being treated as a valued customer rather than ... well, that's why it's called a "cattle car."
"But," you object, "it's too expensive up front." True; if you buy a first class ticket a few days before your flight, it is very expensive. But there are other alternatives: Excursion fares that must be booked 50 days out. Airline vacation packages that combine business class travel with hotels in your destination at surprisingly affordable prices. Using miles to upgrade (best done months before your flight). Special negotiated fares with a number of international airlines that your travel consultant may have access to through their preferred supplier relationships. Fares from airline consolidators. Special two-for-one fares from World Elite MasterCard, American Express Platinum, Diners Club, or Ameniti.
"But," you object again, "how can I possibly know about all that?" Which leads to...
Tip # 7: Allow yourself the luxury of working with a knowledgeable travel consultant. A good travel consultant is working for you to make every aspect of your trip go as smoothly as possible. She or he is there for you when problems come up. Your travel consultant can not only help you save money, but just as importantly, will help you get the best value for your dollar. The trip planning fee you might pay could be the best investment you can make in the vacation of your dreams.
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