The Traveller's Magazine
When travelling to new destinations – even familiar ones – it’s easy to make mistakes and while some of these errors may lead to the adventure of a lifetime, others are better avoided. Check out these 5 common travel mistakes we’re probably all guilty of.
1. Not Paying Attention to Extra Mobile Charges*
These days it seems impossible to travel or enjoy a holiday without being connected. Whether it’s sharing our holiday photos on Instagram, keeping up to date with friends on Facebook, or Snapchatting the beautiful view from the top of that great viewpoint, staying online is a holiday essential. All of this uses up precious data which can come at a high cost. Check your tariff before you travel. Know what you can use and how much it’s going to cost.
*But Not in the EU!
Great news: from June 15 2017, roaming charges are a thing of the past in the European Union! In short, that means that you can use your UK tariff in all other EU countries, as if you were back at home.
Check out the T&Cs to be sure of what’s included, but in general this is pretty great news for travellers who want to stay connected without paying the world to do so.
2. Forgetting Travel Documents
Setting off on that trip to the airport without the correct travel documents is a very common travel mistake. and one we’ve probably all made at some point! Whether it’s a forgotten passport or one which is simply out of date, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning a holiday and forget about the practicalities. Aside from always double checking you’ve got your passport on you before you head to the airport, you’ll also want to make sure it’s in date: many countries require you to have a minimum amount of time left on it in order to visit. We’ve run through everything you need to know if your passport has expired right here.
Tip: remember that when travelling within the EU, you’ll still need to carry your passport on you.
On top of that, photocopy all your documents (passport, driving licence, ticket confirmations, etc.). Keep one copy in your luggage, separate from the originals, and leave one copy at home with someone who knows your itinerary and can be contacted in case of emergency.
3. Making Mistakes When Booking Travel
After you’ve searched for your cheap flights on liligo.com you are re-directed to the suppliers site, where the actual purchase goes down. The biggest mistake you can make at this point (besides getting your travel dates wrong…) is pressing the “buy” button twice. Even if it looks like the booking failed or the screen froze. Don’t press it again. If you haven’t received a confirmation e-mail after half an hour, call the customer service of the supplier. Your booking may have actually gone through and when so many trips are non-refundable, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
4. Forgetting To Check Your Itinerary
It may sound simple, but we all know someone who’s been there, done that. Check the time and date of your flight, train or bus before heading to the station or airport to avoid turning up on the wrong day! Even more important, check your travel details before you click ‘pay’ to be sure you’ve entered the right dates of travel (can you tell we’ve made this mistake before?!).
It’s good advice to double-check all the passenger details three times over (making sure that all names are spelled correctly and your passport details have been entered as they appear in the passport) before booking – but check them again afterwards. One week before the trip, pull out your itinerary and re-check the details and times.
5. Money Transfers
On holiday, just like at home, all online payments should be made through secure payment methods (PayPal, credit card, etc.). If at any time a travel company, hotelier or holiday home owner asks for money to be transferred directly into their personal account, a red flag should go up. We’d always recommend doing a few extra safety checks, reading reviews and generally checking whether the company or rental is legit.
What’s the biggest travel mistake you have ever made? Were you able to fix it?
I was also doing all these mistakes sure i will not repeat it later..
I will keep it in mind..Thanks..