Anytime I make a trip overseas, I insist on visiting more than one place.  This summer, I went to Spain and the Netherlands and here are 5 reminders before you book your trip.  Give this a quick read before making your travel plans!

(1) Don’t get nickled and dimed by airlines

If you opt for the lower budget airlines (Ryan Air, Vueling, and Iberia in Europe; Spirit Airlines and Sun Country in the U.S.), consider what that ticket price includes.  If you plan on using these airlines, be considerate that they typically charge for every single amenity outside of your ticket price. For instance, if you want to pick your seat ahead of time, board early, check a bag, you have to pay extra. That’s usually the case with every airline, but I’ve noticed while traveling in Europe, they can be pretty strict about the carry-on bags.

Depending on how the wind blows that minute, airlines can be super strict and strongly adhere to their carry-on restrictions (weight and size limits) or not even blink twice at your carry-on. If you really pay attention, what passes for carry-on size in the US is significantly different than Europe. I’ve seen people in the States in the security line carrying almost two large suitcases, and a purse! In Europe, everyone has those tiny roller bags that look like what I used to take with me to pre-school.

When traveling this summer to my three destination (Barcelona, Ibiza and Amsterdam), I packed a full size suitcase and one carry-on.  My trip started and end in Barcelona, so when I decided to take a plane to Ibiza and Amsterdam,  I left my suitcase in Barcelona at the hotel I started off in (and would later check into).  Since I wanted to save some money, I stuffed my carry-on with only what I needed for Ibiza and Amsterdam.  This is such a great tip that you shouldn’t overlook- we booked at the Hilton Barcelona at the beginning of our trip, and had a reservation for two nights at the end of our trip.   The front desk was totally fine with us leaving our bags (for free) since we had that second reservation.   Not all hotels are that gracious, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

When my boyfriend and I were flying within the country of Spain, we didn’t need to check into the desk and therefore, no one weighed our bags (that DEFINITELY exceeded the 10kg weight limit) and we got onto the plane with our huge carry-ons without any issues. If the airline is a real stickler, they will ask you to try and fit your carry-on into the “Carry-on Checkers” located near the airline counters or by the departure gate.

However, when traveling from Ibiza to Amsterdam, we had to check into the counter because it was an international flight and the airline was more aware of our carry-ons and made us weigh them both. They were both clearly overweight, and cost a pretty penny (35 euros EACH) to check. If you’re that worried about your carry-on, just pay the checked bag fee in advance online, and it’s usually half that price. Or just make sure no one sees/weighs your carry-on at the counter…

(2) ***Check multiple websites before finally booking your flights***

I feel like we’re all programmed into thinking that checking out favorite third-party travel websites such as Expedia or Kayak is all we need to do to find the best prices on tickets.  I find this never to be the case with domestic or international travel, and almost 100% of the time, booking the best flight takes me a couple searches before I settle.

So in addition to checking third-party websites like kayak.com, also check the actual airline for the same flight to compare prices. There may be price differences, and maybe even those that favor booking directly from the airline. Also, if your desired flight is operated by another carrier, check that airline’s website for any price differences too. Here’s an example of what I mean. We wanted to book a flight from Barcelona to Ibiza, then Ibiza to Amsterdam. We first checked Kayak, Expedia, and Cheaptickets and found that this Iberia flight was the best option (non-stop, right time, and reasonable price for $550). We noticed the flight said “Vueling operated by Iberia”, so we checked both Vueling and Iberia websites for the exact same flight and noticed the Vueling flight was less expensive. Note that both searches were done at the same time. We ended up saving about $150 because of this!

(3) Renting Cars

Depending on where you are traveling, renting a car is a viable option for day trips. I’ve rented a car in Costa Rica to travel from San Jose to Arenal, and have rented scooters to travel throughout islands in Greece, India, and Thailand.   They are relatively inexpensive and super fun. Check your credit cards to see if you have any sort of insurance on there for renting cars, and also check your car insurance. Make sure you have these things printed out, and bring them with you before you book. Some rental companies may require insurance unless you can prove you already have it. And you think you only need your passport for identification purposes overseas, don’t forget that you’ll actually need your driver’s license in this case!

(4) Trains

I’ve traveled via train through Italy, the UK (Chunnel), and Vietnam. Some things to consider.

1. A lot of the considerations you have while traveling by plane are the same when traveling by train – certain trains make you go through security checkpoints and limit certain liquids and other things you can bring on the train with you.  Please read the guidelines before hopping on, you don’t want to have to throw away anything.
2. Other trains just require you to buy a ticket and hop on your respective ticket class’s car. In Vietnam, they just check your ticket and make sure you’re getting on the right car.
3. Understand what your ticket will buy you – depending on seat class, you may be sitting fairly close to other people (like an airplane or bus), or you may have your own bed, shared car, etc. This is especially important when traveling overnight and alone because comfort and safety are my top priorities.
4. Depending on type of train, you can buy more seats than people that are traveling. Three of us were traveling through Sapa (Vietnam) to Hanoi (Vietnam) and bought three tickets for the premium car with beds (it was an overnight ride). Each car holds four people and luckily, no one bought that fourth ticket, but buyer beware. Consider buying the fourth ticket for peace of mind.
5. Bring snacks – there is food for purchase, but think…airline food…train food?   Avoid this!

(5) Rickshaws, Pedi cabs, and tuk tuks are expensive

Think about it- this mode of transportation is being operated by a guy (or girl) pedaling his heart out to get you from Point A to Point B.  There are going to be situations which you cannot avoid taking a rickshaw (or tuk tuk), but avoid these if you can! I’m speaking from negative experiences in both Vietnam and Thailand. Read this blog post for more information.

Other Random Wanderlust Travel Tips

>  Bring your empty water bottle through the airport security checkpoint and then refill your bottle when you’re through.  I hate paying $5 for a bottle of water.

> When you’re searching online for airline tickets, try using private browsing, so your browser doesn’t keep track of your history, download history, etc.  If your visits to delta.com flying from LAX to JFK can’t be tracked, travel sites can’t vary your ticket prices (usually UP) based on your searches.

> Don’t forget to e-mail yourself copies of your license, passport, insurance (car, travel, health) before you leave.

> Sign up for GLOBAL ENTRY to make your life through airport security a breeze.  Check out my post here on why I love Global Entry (no pun intended).

> Bring a portable charger for your cell phone and tablets.  Sometimes finding an outlet at the airport can seem impossible, and your plane might not be equipped with outlets (check out my favorite).

> Be aware of your boarding zone and how full your flight is- if you’re in a later boarding zone and you have a large carry-on, you may be susceptible to gate checking your carry-on…and then having to wait at the baggage claim. 🙁  Might be a good thing to pay for early boarding if you have no time to spare at the baggage claim.

> Pack those lysol wipes – speaking to my fellow germaphobes out there!

Hope you enjoyed the read, let me know your thoughts!  Thanks and happy travels!