The 10 Worst Travel Mistakes You Can Make
Travel can be complicated. While we love to explore new cultures and places, the hassles of finding the best price, planning an itinerary and dealing with airport security and regulations can be overwhelming.
If you can avoid these ten travel mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to a fun, enjoyable trip.
- Failing to triple check your flight’s date, time and departure airport. This can lead to all sorts of disasters, including missing flights, long layovers and even trying to leave from the wrong airport. Many cities have two or more airports, and your airline may book your departure from a different airport than your arrival.
- Overpacking. These days, most airlines charge close to $50 for each checked bag and some even charge for carry on luggage. If you go over the weight limit, you’ll pay a big penalty. Cost aside, schlepping heavy, overstuffed bags through crowded airports and airport security is a nightmare. You’re traveling to be carefree and get away from everyday life, right? They why would you carry all of it with you on vacation?
- Not getting travel medical insurance. Accidents or a sudden illness can happen any time, to anyone, even if you’re young and healthy. Travel insurance is especially important if you’re traveling to a country like the United States where a routine medical emergency, like a broken leg, could set you back over $15,000. We like SafetyWing Nomad travel insurance, as they offer good prices and good coverage to travelers from over 140 countries. Get a quote and more info on SafetyWing here.
- Overscheduling. You may be excited about your next trip, but there’s no surer way to spoil getting away from it all than trying to cram in every possible activity and sight. Most of us are crunched for time in our daily lives. Why would you want to do that to yourself on vacation?
- Forgetting to check visa requirements. Many countries require your passport to be valid for six months before they’ll issue a tourist or visitor’s visa. You’ll need the six month validity on your passport even if you only plan to stay a week. Other countries require an outbound ticket before you’re allowed in the country.
- Traveling during peak season. Peak season costs more, and attractions are more crowded. If you can reschedule your trip, consider traveling during shoulder season, when prices drop, there are fewer people around, and you’ll have a better choice of accommodation.
- Getting frustrated because the language and customs are different. I’ve lost count of the travelers I’ve seen in restaurants and hotels who are irritated because the staff doesn’t speak perfect English. Imagine how you’d feel if a tourist came to your country and demanded that you speak their language perfectly. Travel can be a way to grow by learning another language and getting a feel for the differences in culture.
- Not taking local holidays or major events like conventions into account. We’ve done this more often than I’d care to admit. We’ve had trouble booking trains in Thailand during the Songkran Festival and Chinese New Year because they were full, and have overpaid for hotels in Canada because we forgot to check for major conventions. Look into local holidays at your destination before you go, as attractions and even restaurants can close during major holidays.
- Not reviewing the rules for what is allowed in your carry on luggage. This is especially important for liquids and gels. Rules can change often, and it’s a real bother to have to have to throw away something not allowed on your flight or pay to mail it back home (that is, if you have time).
- Allowing your phone to roam. Cellular roaming fees can be astronomical. You can avoid them by buying a SIM and phone credit in your destination country (this only works with unlocked phones). If your phone isn’t unlocked, try calling your provider to set up a temporary international plan with reduced fees. Better yet, use WhatsApp, Skype, Google Hangouts (our current favorite) or something similar if you can find free/cheap WiFi. You could even just turn off your phone and really escape from your everyday life.
Can’t seem to avoid making mistakes? Don’t worry, mistakes can be some of the best parts of travel. Check out one of our favorite blogs, A Backpacker’s Tale, for some fun tales of misadventure.
What were your biggest travel mistakes? We’d love to know!
This is a great list. We’ve been guilty of nearly all of these except for number one! I get so freaked about airline info that I check it over and over and always make sure we allow loads of time before flights Even then sometimes we come close!!
Hi Tracey, We’ve come within inches of missing our flights, too. Going to the wrong airport is just such an easy mistake to make, especially when there are multiple airports in the same city.
This is a great post, I agree with you on all those points. We are all guilty of overlooking some of those and pay the price.
Have a nice Sunday 🙂
Hi Arti, I have to admit, we learned about these the hard way. We’ve come close to making almost every mistake on this list. I have to admit I’ve even been that irritating tourist who starts speaking louder when noone understands my terrible Spanish. 🙂
Mine is shoes! I used to pack too many and now I pack too few and they’re usually wrong. One day I’ll get it right but I wish I could afford to pack none at all and just buy what I need at my destination. One day!
Francoise, that’s hilarious. I have to admit to a shoe weakness myself. Though we’re probably more guilty of overpacking electronics.
totally true! i’ve heard so many horror stories about flying across the world without a visa, arriving at the airport a day late, obscene fees for an extra suitcase, no insurance disasters, roaming charges nightmares, peak season circuses and so on. Thanks for spreading the wisdom for the less-initiated and experienced!
ps. asides from the friend who flew to India with no visa and was put on the next plane back to the US (poor guy!) my favorite nightmare travel story is a different friend who went to the airport only to be told he was at the wrong airport: he’d booked his trip (both outgoing and return flight) in the wrong direction! eeek!
Hi JPM,
Your poor friend! I can’t imagine how he felt having to turn around and fly right back to India.
Honestly, my biggest travel stress is when I hit the send button when purchasing my tickets. I must reread the dates, times, connections, and travel information 10 times (no exaggeration!). I’m very fond of airlines that have low change and cancellation fees – it’s saved our bacon a few times.
A big mistake my husband and I made was not bringing enough cash with us when we ran away to Costa Rica to get married. We were getting married on a beach in a tiny little village, and just before the wedding, realized that between the two of us, we didn’t have enough cash to pay both the JP AND the photographer (only one or the other). There was only one ATM in the village, and it didn’t work! It was Saturday, so the bank was closed. We took them out for lunch and groveled, and then paid them on Monday when the banks finally opened. OOPS! Felt like total losers!
Oh no! Glad all turned out well. 🙂 Wedding days are always a complete blur. I swear the reason most people have groomsmen and bridesmaids is to keep track of things like that on the wedding day! I bet you have some wonderful photos! Costa Rica’s such a beautiful country.
10 travel mistakes that are just the tip of the iceberg! Forgetting your passport would be my number one fear – but fortunately I haven’t yet made that mistake. Haha
Simon, we’ve been lucky with the passports so far, too. Knock on wood. I’m so worried about it that I check my purse every 15 minutes for them until we’re on the plane.
Yeah I’ve definitely screwed up a visa or two. Be careful with those online applications for visas – not all of them are legit. I spent a few very awkward hours in the office of some Cambodian border patrols discovering that fact.
Britany, that’s a great tip. I haven’t used on online visa service yet. Hope your Cambodian experience ended well!
So useful! I discovered the hard way how expensive roaming is. Your tips are so practical, perfect to make a checklist before any trip
Paulo, roaming is one of those things that really sneaks up on you – I know so many people who’ve been dinged with them.
Roaming charges! I hate those. Luckily I checked before my trip to Jordan otherwise there would have been some hefty fees to pay. I used only local and hotel wifi. Nice list!
Charu, roaming charges are a killer. Since we have an unlocked iPhone, we usually just by a SIM, a data plan, and some minutes wherever we go. Not really great for a lot of calls, but perfect for emergencies and data.
Over-scheduling? Guilty!
Abby, you and me both! I’m always so excited to travel that I have grand plans of seeing way too much. The kids usually rein me in though. 🙂
This is a great list, I think you’ve thought of everything here! We’re guilty of plenty of these!
I’m threading on thin water with number 3…still need to sort my travel insurance and I’ve been 8 months on the road already! eek! Maybe this will give me the kick I need! haha
Glad I found your site, will be back again! 🙂
Steph, I have to admit I’m a travel insurance nerd. Maybe it’s because I’ve ended up in the hospital on the road before :). I get insurance to make sure we’re covered for major medical emergencies, or if one of us needs to be airlifted home. Thanks so much for stopping by!
This is a great list. Not taking into account public transport running times and public holiday closures is an expensive mistake I’m made (e.g,, in student days, I spent night at Heathrow airport on Christmas Eve because tube wasn’t running on Christmas Day and had a Christmas Day flight).
Also, forgetting you have a piece of fruit in your bag is an instant $400, no excuses fine when entering New Zealand.
Yep, we’ve made similar to mistakes, though I’m not sure I’d want to spend Christmas Eve in Heathrow 🙁
Wow – $400 for an orange? Remind me not to mess with the Kiwis 🙂
I think that overpacking and checking visa requirements are the two biggest mistakes friends and I have made when going on long trips, wish I’d read this before 😛
Great tips, those are good advise. I usually travel just with my hand carries so I’m forced to bring as little as possible and just buy what I need when I’m traveling.
Somehow a tweet caught my eye and landed me here. Good list. In addition to visas, you may want to add having enough blank pages on the passport. If you are down to one blank square on your passport, the odds are pretty good you are out of luck here. A good friend of mine was denied entry because he forgot to add new pages to his passport and did not realize it until he arrived. Naturally, they put him to the next plane back and his travel insurance wouldn’t cover the cancellations.
Mark, that’s a great tip. I’ve heard of quite a few people who have been burned by not having enough room on their passports for stamps.
Excellent tips on travel! I personally know the overscheduling one! It’s easy to do that when you have a limited amount of time in a place and want to do all that you can while there, but you need some balance.