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You can easily avoid common travel mistakes when you book your next trip. By taking a little extra time, you can quickly understand how to navigate around major travel pitfalls and problems. Savvy travelers know their rights and how to use a company’s cancellation policies to save money. Let me help you become a savvy traveler too!
How to Avoid These Top 10 Travel Mistakes
1. Rebooking a flight instead of asking for a refund is a common travel mistake
Airline passengers have rights thanks to the United States Department of Transportation. Did you know that passengers may be entitled to a full refund when an airline carrier unilaterally cancels their flight or a significant change in a passenger’s itinerary occurs? Did you also know that you could be entitled to a full refund, even if you booked a non-refundable ticket?
BUT you have to ask for a refund. You can avoid this common travel mistake and potentially save yourself time and money by asking for a refund instead of rebooking a ticket.
Over the last couple of years, I had two instances where I had to ask (aka push) to get a refund.
Flight cancellation
I had an airline ticket to Fiji (yay). However, Fiji was still closed to U.S. residents a month before my flight. The airline sent me an email canceling my flight and asked if I wanted to reschedule my flight.
My answer was NO! I knew that I would not get a refund if I said yes. Instead, I avoided a common travel mistake by requesting a refund. It took three weeks and multiple emails, but I did get a full refund.
Flight delay
On a trip to Banff National Park, a couple of weeks before my flight, I was notified that my departing and returning flights were each changed by more than four hours. The change reeked chaos on my itinerary and would cost me significantly more money because I needed to extend my stay.
I called the airline to change my return flight and push it back one day. Fortunately, my return flight (now a day later) was a little cheaper. However, the airline did not want to refund the difference because I was told I rebooked my ticket instead of canceling and booking a new ticket.
Lesson learned
Avoid this common travel mistake and ask for a refund for the significantly delayed flight. Then pay for a new ticket. If you don’t ask for a refund, you won’t get it. In my case, it took multiple emails to get a refund.
Resource
If you are having an issue getting a refund, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
2. Booking non-refundable hotel rooms is travel mistake
When travelers book hotel rooms these days, they often get an option to book a refundable versus a non-refundable room. Hotels offer enticing rates to get travelers to book a non-refundable room. Don’t do it! You can avoid another common travel mistake by forgoing a non-refundable hotel room.
With the way the world is these days, you never know what will happen. Booking a non-refundable room, in my opinion, is akin to gambling. Ask yourself, are you 100% sure you will be able to go on the trip? What if you get COVID or the border is closed to international travelers? What if, what if, what if?
Lesson learned
Paying a little extra for a refundable room is a form of self-insuring your hotel stay. It would be so upsetting to spend a significant amount of money on a hotel room only to find out you cannot use it. So, I recommend skipping the extra discount and book a refundable hotel room.
3. Skipping travel insurance can be travel mistake in the making
A common travel mistake occurs when you don’t evaluate whether you need travel insurance. I get it. Travel insurance can be expensive. So, travelers often wonder if it is worth it. For me, the answer depends on the circumstances.
When do I buy trip insurance?
For major trips, I am a proponent of trip insurance. I went on a trip to India, where I was required to pay a large portion of the cost upfront. In that case, I bought “cancel for any reason” trip insurance in the event I was not able to go on the trip. I went on the trip, and all was fine. But I was happy to have the insurance, just in case.
When do I skip trip insurance?
I generally skip trip insurance if I am going on a road trip and my hotel room is fully refundable up to two or three days before my trip. However, you have to decide what works best for you.
How do I decide if I should buy trip insurance?
I go through the following analysis when deciding whether to purchase trip insurance:
Step 1: Total the cost of the trip.
Step 2: Check my credit cards to see what trip insurance might be included if I use that card to book my travel.
Step 3: Evaluate the hotel, airline, and tour operator’s cancellation policies. I ask myself whether these policies are favorable for my needs.
Step 4: Based on all the information, I evaluate whether I am comfortable taking the risk of losing any portion of the cost of my trip that is not fully refundable or insured by my credit card.
Step 5: If not, I look to see how much trip insurance may cost and if it makes financial sense to purchase trip insurance.
How do I decide if I need medical trip insurance?
Another big mistake travelers make is forgetting stand-alone medical trip insurance is available. Medical trip insurance generally covers an illness or injury (unless it occurred during an excluded activity) and sometimes even covers trip delays, trip interruption, medical evacuation, and lost luggage.
I decided to forgo trip insurance on a trip to Rivera Nayarit, Mexico. However, even though I have health insurance, I wanted to ensure that I had extra coverage in case something went wrong. Remember, we often buy trip insurance for random accidents. For instance, what if you need to be medically evacuated or test positive for COVID-19. Will your health insurance cover these extra costs? I hope I never have to use medical insurance, but it brings me peace of mind.
- Pro Tip
When purchasing medical insurance, check to ensure the policy has COVID-19 protections before buying your policy. Not all policies provide COVID-19 protections.
4. Failing to compare hotel rates is a travel mistake
A common travel mistake is forgetting to check for the lowest rate. Travelers get so excited about booking travel that they forget to see if the hotel or flight is cheaper on another booking platform. To ensure you get the best deal and avoid this travel mistake, always compare prices.
Lesson learned
Avoid the travel mistake of overpaying for your hotel by taking these steps:
Step 1: Visit the hotel’s website to see how much it will cost to book directly through the hotel.
Step 2: Visit a booking platform like Booking.com and check the cost of the same room. During this process, I recommend checking the cancellation policies to ensure they are equally favorable.
Step 3: Take a screenshot or print screen to record the lower price. The screenshot should show the date you ran the search.
Step 4: Contact the hotel if the hotel is cheaper on the booking platform. Advise a customer service agent that you found the EXACT same hotel room for the EXACT same dates at a lower price. Many of the larger hotel brands will match the price PLUS, give you a discount on your room or offer you award points. Taking this extra step is worth the effort to get a much better deal!
I go through this process all the time. In my experience, hotels honor their price match guarantee.
5. Forgetting to make reservations is a surprising travel mistake
Another rookie travel mistake to avoid is traveling without any plans. If you are backpacking and have months to explore, more power to you. But most of us don’t have that luxury.
Lesson learned
I learned the hard way that when you decide to forgo a little planning, your trip can be disastrous. Many years ago, my husband and I drove down Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Our goal was to take it day by day and see where the wind would take us. Well, to make a long story short, the wind took us from San Francisco to Cambria on the first day. Because we opted to skip making any hotel reservations, we could not stay in some of the prettiest places in California. We were forced to skip Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey, etc. So, the next time we drove Highway 1, I made our hotel reservations in advance. And wouldn’t you know it, our trip was terrific.
Booking reservations ahead of time for activities, spa treatments, and dinner reservations are a good idea too. I am not saying you should book every activity you plan to do. However, I suggest booking the things you have your heart set on. So, if you are going to the Bahamas and want to swim with the pigs, you should book that excursion in advance.
6. Not knowing your budget is another travel mistake
Taking a vacation can be expensive, and sometimes we forget to budget for the little, or in many cases, not so little things. Most of us remember to think about the airfare, hotel, and rental car cost but not the price of travel extras. For example, when staying at an isolated hotel, your choices for meals and excursions are significantly limited and often expensive.
Lesson learned
You can avoid this travel mistake by following a few tips.
Tip 1: Budget for a few expensive dinners. Dinner often costs more at a resort than at a local restaurant.
Tip 2: Consider your budget for excursions. In advance of your trip, email the Concierge and ask for a list of tours and the price list. This way you can see what type of excursions you may want to do and the corresponding cost. You can also check sites like Viator, which tend to be a little less expensive than booking directly through the hotel.
Tip 3: Think about how many wellness activities are available and the corresponding price.
These travel extras can add thousands of dollars to the overall cost of your trip.
7. Failing to sign up for cloud storage and backing up your pictures is a travel mistake
Please don’t repeat my travel mistake. On my 10th wedding anniversary, Gary and I went to Central and South America for an incredible vacation. We saw Iguazu Falls, hiked the Pietro Moreno Glacier, explored Buenos Aires, and spent time in two beach destinations in Central America. The trip was fantastic. Well, that was until we got to the airport, and I realized my camera was stolen. I saw it at the hotel just a couple of hours earlier when packing my bags. Looking back, I should not have left my camera with the checked luggage department at the hotel. Even at a very fancy hotel, I was not immune to theft.
Sadly, we never backed up our pictures and never saw our camera again. Two and half weeks of once in lifetime photos were gone. I was devastated and still cringe at the thought.
Lesson learned
I don’t want you to make the same travel mistake. Please sign up for cloud storage services like Dropbox or iCloud before you leave for your vacation to avoid my horrendous travel mistake. And once you are on your vacation, back up your pictures every night! Cloud storage services are inexpensive and worth the investment.
8. A jammed packed itinerary is a travel mistake
It is extremely common for travelers to make the mistake of trying to see everything when visiting a destination. When you try to see everything, you end up seeing very little. Instead of relaxing and enjoying what you are seeing or doing, you are running from one place to the next.
I recently had to dial back my itinerary. We were visiting the Banff and the Lake Louise areas. I also wanted to visit Jasper National Park. However, based on all the things I wanted to do in Banff National Park, I realized that my itinerary did not give me enough time to visit Jasper National Park. And that is OKAY. We had a fantastic time in Banff and Lake Louise. You don’t have to twist my arm to find another opportunity to go back to Alberta and visit Jasper National Park.
Lesson learned
Slow down and be reasonable when planning your trip. Consider staying in each destination for a minimum of 2 nights to avoid feeling rushed. Also, when you make your itinerary, look at the distance and the time required to travel between destinations. Sometimes, it is better to go back to the same destination to see what you missed instead of driving yourself crazy trying to see it all in a short amount of time.
9. Forgetting to check your travel documents is a travel mistake
After receiving your travel documents, it’s important to check them for your travel dates, room type and rate, and the items in your room package. I also suggest you read the fine print, so you don’t have any surprises.
If you are traveling internationally, it’s crucial to check to see if your passport is valid for at least six months and a day after you are supposed to return home and give yourself enough time to get a visa, if necessary.
Should I double-check the airport’s name and the three-letter abbreviation before and after booking?
Yes! It’s easy to confuse Birmingham in the United Kingdom with Birmingham, Alabama or Granada, Spain, and Grenada in the Caribbean. You will find countless stories of even the most experienced travelers booking a flight in a hurry and not realizing they booked a departing flight from the wrong airport. My advice is to double-check your departure airport and code.
When booking a connecting flight, make sure you arrive and depart from the same airport. Otherwise, you could be stuck trying to get across town to make your connecting flight, or even worse, your connecting airport could be in another country.
10. Traveling without local currency is a common travel mistake
Another travel mistake you can avoid is traveling without local currency. When you land at your destination, you will quickly use local currency. You might want a snack, need to tip your bellman, or pay for a taxi.
Lesson learned
You can exchange money at the airport, but you’ll pay for it. The fees are generally higher than exchanging money at home, and you may have to wait in line. Instead, get $20 – $50 in small local bills from your bank or money exchange office before your trip. That way, you will be prepared and won’t have to think about local currency when you land.
FAQs for How to Avoid the Biggest Travel Mistakes When Booking a Trip
How can I avoid the biggest travel mistakes and problems?
You can avoid some of the most common travel mistakes and problems (like those discussed above) by doing your research, staying organized, and knowing your rights.
Should I create an itinerary when traveling?
Yes! It is a good idea to create an itinerary and schedule some of your travel activities and hotel reservations in advance. However, you should also leave free time to explore and be spontaneous!
Should I take a flight with a short layover?
In general, the answer is no. A short layover can lead to significant travel problems. What happens if your flight is slightly delayed? Or can you imagine trying to get from one terminal to another in a half-hour? Even if you make it, will your luggage? Avoid this travel mistake and give yourself plenty of time to make your connection.
What reservations should I book in advance of my trip?
I suggest booking your hotel reservations before you set out on your trip. You may also want to book a spa appointment, dinner reservations, and any must-do activities at least two weeks in advance. I don’t recommend booking everything in advance. But I have found over the years that booking a few crucial activities and your hotel at least a few weeks in advance makes your trip that much smoother.
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I’m guilty of a few of these! I’ve made the mistake of not backing up my photos, and sadly had my phone stolen while on vacation. It’s so important to back them up! Great tips here.
Thanks for your feedback. I am sorry to hear you lost your pictures too.
These are all such good tips! I especially appreciate #8 and have learned the hard way. Always schedule time to rest and give yourself breaks. Naps and/or coffee breaks are so key to fueling your fun!
Thanks and I totally agree!
I was definitely glad I backed up my photos to the iCloud in Italy when my phone decided to take a swim in the Tiber. Luckily I only lost pictures from that day and not our entire time in Italy.
Bummer you lost a day of photos but thank goodness it was only one day of photos.
I have pretty much done all of these at one time or another, and can testify that they definitely cost me long term! Losing all those pictures because of a stolen camera, I’m sad for you too? Definitely always back up along the way.
Thanks for your support.
So many helpful tips and hints! I think the point, particularly about non-refundable hotel rooms, is so important, especially after the past 2 years. You just never know what can come up or happen. Likewise for travel insurance, especially when travelling overseas. I’ve heard a lot of horror stories of people who didn’t have it, especially when visiting countries like the US which has some of the highest hospital bills in the world. An absolute must!
Thanks for your input Missy!
Such a helpful post! I’ve made so many of these mistakes!!
I think many of us have made these mistakes. Hopefully, we won’t make them again.
These are great lessons especially the very first point of reschedule/refund flight and backing up pictures, thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Thanks for your feedback!
Some very good advice here! Travel mistakes can be very disappointing & costly. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
Thanks, Linda!
Great travel tips! I always make sure that I book refundable hotels just in case I find a better deal somewhere else.
Thanks for sharing your experience Krista!
What a great list of travel mistakes to avoid! The section on trip insurance is so important! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Alex!
Super tips. My husband and I are planners so we are good about most of these tips. We haven’t purchased travel insurance YET… I would be so sad to lose my camera and all of my travel pics.
It was a sad day for sure. I try to use my travel mistake to help others avoid my errors. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Some great tips here to avoid travel mistakes. These days we are only booking refundable rooms. Every trip we have planned has had changes and we have not lost money on hotels booked but not used. We still don’t always get our reservations done in advance for activities and spas. And we have lost because of that. And leaving room in our schedule has provided us with some great treats.
So great to hear that by booking refundable rooms you have not lost money when you had to change your vacation plans.
Really helpful post! We’ve made a few of these in the past and have many regrets! Thank you
Thanks, Leah. I appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback!
Checking and rechecking (and then triple-checking!) all travel details and documents is key. Make sure you’re booking the right day, time, location, time zone, even city. Once my host family in Argentina flew up all the way to visit me… but they accidentally bought a flight to Portland MAINE instead of Portland OREGON. It was a very expensive mistake.
Oh no! This mistake can happen to the best of us. Thanks for sharing your experience.