Packing Tips:

• Make a list of everything you’ll need for your trip, from clothes to toiletries. Lay it all out on your bed and check items off so you don’t forget anything. This is also a great record in case your luggage is lost or stolen.
• To minimize leaks, put a layer of plastic wrap between the cap and the opening of your shampoo and conditioner bottles.
• Keep your jewelry in a small fly-fishing box with little storage compartments in your makeup bag. This prevents the necklaces and earrings from getting tangled.
• Put together as many complete outfits as you need (including underwear and socks), place each outfit in a plastic grocery bag, and then put it in your suitcase. Each morning you can take out one bag, and your outfit is ready to go! No deciding what to wear or digging to the bottom of the bag to find something. At the end of the day, put the worn clothes in the bag and tie it closed so you know which clothes are dirty.
• Pack your electronics in a single layer. When things are tossed in randomly or jumbled together, it’s more difficult to determine what they are in the X-ray. This will increase the odds that your bag will be manually checked and your items disheveled.
• Bring your own blanket and disinfecting wipes. Always wipe down airplane tray tables before using them; who knows when they were last cleaned! And a former flight attendant confirms that blankets and pillows are only washed when they look dirty, so you’re definitely better off with your own.

Before You Leave:

• Sign up for a frequent flyer miles program, even if you don’t think you travel often enough to earn any rewards. There is no cost, and these programs offer many of great perks and bargains.
• Check online to see if you can get free information and coupons for the city you’re visiting. Typically you can be mailed a packet of visitor information that includes free maps of the city, brochures, discount tickets and passes, as well as general information about the city itself. If you’re a member of AAA, make sure to always check with them for discounts too!
• Leave copies of your itinerary, passport information and visas with family or friends, so they can find you in case of an emergency.

When Stuck in the Airport:

• Spring for an afternoon in the lounge. For a fee – usually about $50 a day, which you can pay on the spot – you can take advantage of the snacks, uncrowded bathrooms, and comfy chairs at most airline club lounges, plus you can get help from the club’s dedicated ticket agents. “Several times when it’s looked like I would be stuck somewhere for another day, a club agent has pulled a rabbit out of his hat,” says Bill Coffield, an attorney who flies between 50,000 and 100,000 miles a year.
• If you miss a connection, don’t stand in line to rebook with a gate agent. Use your cell phone to call the airline’s customer-service number, and you may speak to someone faster, giving you a better shot at a seat on the next flight.

Your Digital Camera – The Perfect Travel Companion:

• Before you leave, snap a few pictures of the bags you’re traveling with, and if they wind up in Peru when you land in Paris, it’ll be much easier to show the airline clerk a photo rather than trying to explain how “It’s big, rectangular and black with zippers.”
• Once you arrive, find a large, complete map of the local subway system and snap a picture of it with your digital camera. If you get lost, find a local bystander, zoom in on your destination station and point it out to them on the screen. This can be extremely helpful in countries where a language barrier applies!
• Before heading out for a day of sightseeing, take pictures of your hotel, the nearest street signs, and any nearby landmarks. When it’s time to head back, show those pictures to your taxi driver or anyone you ask for directions. This is especially helpful in countries where the language may be difficult to pronounce or read.
• When traveling with children, take their photo everyday. If they get lost, you’ll have an instant visual of exactly what they were wearing to show local law enforcement.