Top 10 Travel Tips from a Seasoned Flight Attendant
Traveling is like an art form. For it to be smooth preparations, planning, organizing, and prioritizing are key things to do to ensure smooth sailings.
As a flight attendant who’s been living out of a suitcase for five years and having plans changed in a matter of minutes, I have some tips that I think you’ll find useful.
1. Check the weather. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination with clothes that you cannot use because the weather is not what you expect
2. Don’t overpack, no matter what! At a minimum, I stay one month away from my closet, and as you can imagine, I cannot pack more than 23kg on average in my bags (counting cosmetics and skincare). After years of taking unnecessary things in my bag that I would never wear, I make myself pack the equivalent of a week away anywhere! BONUS TIP: I keep in my carry-on always one basic white t-shirt, one black leggings, one jean jacket, one sweatshirt, and one pair of white Converse. This has saved me from lost luggage and unpredictable weather
3. Keep your skincare with you. Like the tales of lost luggage and no clothes to wear, the same goes for your skincare. And for me, there is nothing worse than being stuck somewhere without my makeup remover and my face creams. Save your cash as well on buying travel containers with TSA-approved sizing, as most of our skincare items are under 100ml or 3.4 ounces.
4. Charge away. Always have an extra set of chargers on you all the time. USB-C, USB-A, phone, watch, iPad, Airpods, you name it. Not all airports and aircraft are fitted yet with USB-C chargers, so it’s always useful to have backups to save you. Also, always have a power bank with you for when you’re out and about, and no charging point is available.
5. Mark your locations. I’m a firm believer in planning, especially when it comes to day trips and locations we want to visit. When we’re in a new place, it can be overwhelming the number of places we want to tick off our map. But oftentimes, not all locations are close by, and transportation and time can slip by quickly. Plan based on the location and proximity of your day trips and avoid extra costs and unexpected bumps on the road.
6. Withdraw cash at a minimum. Most countries now and most locations have cashless payments. Do yourself a favor and avoid the extra conversion fees of converting your money. Better than this only to have a bank account or virtual banking system that has zero or very low fees to withdraw money abroad like Wise and Revolut.
7. Carry with you a small first aid kit. Not every destination may have medication readily available, or you may just need a quick bandaid at hand. I always have some paracetamol, ibuprofen, bandaids, Neosporin, small scissors, you name it!
8. Have a budget. It’s so easy to overspend on food, shopping, transportation, and so on. Budgeting how much you want and can afford to spend a day is key to keeping your finances in check.
9. Google will be your best friend. Maps, reviews, and translators. Google is my number one source for help abroad. having the apps ready to use on your phone will help you at any given time.
10. Choose adventure or control. When you only plan, overly commit, and want to control all aspects of your trip, you miss out on the beauty and the mythical part of traveling.
