30 Travel Hacks Everyone Should Know

1. Time the bookings of your flights just right for the best price

imagesource/dailystar@kingcredit a travel hacker on TikTok, suggests that the best time to book your flights is 5 weeks before departure for domestic travel and 2.5 months before departure for international travel. There is no guarantee for the best prices but generally these are the best times to get a good deal.

2. Use a pillow as an extra carry on bag

imagesource/theindependentAnother tiktoker with great travel tips is @mylifesatravelmovie. She uses compression bags as a way to reduce the volume in you luggage, this frees up a lot of space for more items. Its a great way to save space if you're wanting to pack light or fit more things into your carry on case.

3. Sign up to house sit and save on accommodation costs

imagesource/triphackrWhile travelling is never completely free, its possible to secure much cheaper accommodation. Websites like Trusted House Sitters, which connects homeowners with house sitters in exchange for free accommodation, is the perfect site for anyone looking for bargain travel.

4. Make use of Google translates camera feature

imagesource/thurrotNot many people know about this hacks, but if you open Google translate and point the camera towards let's say a sign, it will translate the text on that sign using augmented reality. It'll automatically translate the targeted text and overlay the translation on the screen.

5. Travelling overnight can be better

imagesource/interrailTravelling overnight with can actually be easier when you're travelling with kids if you get the timing right. Your kids will hopefully sleep through most of the journey, giving you the chance to sit back and relax during the flight and same goes for if you're driving late night.

6. Get cash back on every travel booking

imagesource/rakutenRatuken (formerly Ebates) is a free cashback site that allows you to earn money back from most of your online purchases, almost like a mini refund. It's partnered with popular online retailers like Expedia and Agoda, so when you click through there retailer sites via Rakuten, Rakuten earns some affiliate commission - a portion will then be given back to you as cashback.

7. A pacifier can help with sore ears during flights

imagesource/goodhousekeepingOne of the main reasons why babies cry on flights is because of the cabin pressure affecting their ears. Consider using a pacifier to relieve the pain during take off and landing could help your babies feel more relaxed on airplanes.

8. Use Honey to find coupon codes automatically

imagesource/shopifyThis app is a bloody life saver and the easiest way to save on all of your travel bookings and any online shopping too! Add this as a Google Chrome extension and it automatically searches through the web to locate relevant coupon codes and the applies them for you when you're online shopping.

9. Make sure you have an offline version of Google maps

imagesource/howtogeekOne of the best travel hacks out there to avoid getting lost, especially if you're in a city that you've never been in before. Download the offline version of google maps for the area you're visiting so you can access without data. Perfect for getting around places.

10. Avoid travelling on bottleneck days

imagesource/APnewsIf you're travelling over Christmas or New Year, to avoid the worst crowds, try to avoid travelling on the known "bottleneck days". This means avoiding between December 23rd and 26th and for Thanksgiving. Avoid travelling on the weekend directly after too.

11. Travel early in the morning

imagesource/christineWhen we say early we mean mega early. Evening and early morning flights are often a lot cheaper and the airport tends to be less busy at this time too. You can get some sleep on your late flight and wake up in the morning at your destination to make the most of your trip!

12. Travel during the shoulder season

imagesource/sevencornersThe shoulder season is the period between high season and low season, when tourism is at a bit of a lull. Points in Spring and Autumn can often fall under this category and if you're after going on a yoga retreat, this time could be a great time to book.

13. Travel with a portable charger

imagesource/newyorkmagazineIf you're on a long travelling trip, especially one where you're sat on a coach for a long period of time, a portable charger could come in very handy. You'll never be stranded anywhere without a working phone again - it may be slow charging your phone, but it's better than having nothing.

14. Sign up for flight alerts

imagesource/brytonIf you're looking for cheap flights, the first thing you need to do is sign up for flight alerts on a flight aggregator. Flight alert services will send you notifications when the flights drop to your chosen destination so you can book them at the best price possible. But one thing you need to do, is be fast!

15. Use packing cubes

imagesource/thepointsguyPacking cubes can be one of the best luggage hacks if you're wanting to pack more efficiently. It makes it a lot easier for you when you can just pull out the cube containing exactly what you need, prevent you from launching everything all over the place.

16. Download all of your boarding passes offline

imagesource/jet2To make sure you don't end up in a mad rush at the security or boarding gates, make sure that your boarding passes are all downloaded offline. If you find yourself in an awkward part of the airport with no signal then you might find yourself stuck without your boarding passes.

17. When entering the security queue, head to the left

imagesource/manchestereveningnewsWhy's this you ask? Well, studies show that people naturally gravitate toward the right lane, so do the opposite and go left.

18. Keep a collection of hotel toiletries

imagesource/ecofriendlymamaInstead of paying for travel sized toiletries every time you go for a city break, or a weekend away, why not take home what you essentially pay for anyway. Bring the hotel toiletries with you on your next trip take save yourself a little money.

19. Check in 24 hours before your flight

imagesource/smartertravelAirlines often overbook flights and over sell seats and go to great lengths to estimate how many sold seats with actually show up for the flight. Checking in 24hours before the flight will allow you to get the best seat, if you haven't already booked one.

20. Bring extra ziploc bags

imagesource/WIREDZiploc bags can come in extremely handy for when you're travelling. Store your ziploc bags so they're easy to access, they can be good to store your electronics cords in so they don't get tangled up and they're very easy to access when you need to take them out of your bag for security.

21. Book an early morning flight to avoid turbulence

imagesource/DMARGEThunderstorms and winds usually happen during the day, especially throughout the afternoon, so try to book an early morning flight if you get scared when theres turbulence. Seats in the middle of the plane (near the wing) tend to experience the least amount of movement.

22. Download TV and movies for your flights

imagesource/businessinsiderMost streaming apps allow you to download videos, so you can watch them even if you're on a long haul journey that could lead to you spending a prolonged period of time offline. Prepare yourself for a long haul journey with kids by downloading all of their favourite TV shows and movies.

23. Always bring a change of clothes in your carry on when flying long haul

imagesource/stasherLong haul flights can be extremely uncomfortable, especially when you're sat in the same place for ten hours straight. So if you find yourself on a long haul flight where you have to change over, then try to take a change of clothes, you'll get on the next flight feeling a lot fresher and ready to sit down for another few hours.

24. Earn money while doing trip research

imagesource/businessinsiderSwagbucks, is a free online community that rewards its members with gift cards for basically doing simple things online. Things that they do anyway, each and every day, like Googling, watching videos, going on Youtube etc. You name it, it can be a really easy way to reward you.

25. Use incognito/private browsing to potentially save money on flights

imagesource/businessinsiderIncognito browsing, is extremely helpful when booking flights because many sites use dynamic pricing systems that will increase prices when they know you've been looking at them. While experts claim this is false, it's better to just do it, incase the 'experts' are talking shhhhhh.

26. Calling the hotel directly can sometimes get you a better rate

imagesource/thetelegraphMost websites do not give this tip because they rely on affiliate income from your hotel bookings. 99% of the time, you can get a discount by booking with a hotel directly rather than through an aggregator like Booking.com. This is one of the best travel hacks about.

27. Freeze an sponge as a DIY ice pack

imagesource/hellowonderfulA frozen sponge will be your best friend when you're travelling to very hot countries. but you can also use frozen sponges to keep your snacks cool on the plane.

28. Mark your stuff as fragile

imagesource/dailyexpressA sneaky way to make sure that your luggage comes through first and airline workers will be extra careful with your goods, is to attach a 'fragile' sticker on your luggage. Sneaky, but if you're in a rush do it!

29. Find WiFi passwords on FourSquare

imagesource/UIsourceRather than annoying the staff in a cafe, download the foursquare app, where people share tips, ratings and reviews on places to go near you. The "tips" section, people leave helpful recommendations for others and often you'll find the WiFi password for places.

30. Use a TV to charge your electronics

imagesource/premiumUSBYou'll find a USB port in the back of TVs nowadays, so if you've forgotten your little USB adapter that comes with your phone, you can charge it at the back of the TV in your hotel room. You're welcome!