Traveler Preparation Checklist: Tips for Easier Flights and Road Trips

More than half of all Americans plan to travel during the 2024 holidays. This is evident from a recent travel survey. Whether you’re driving or flying, you might get confused thinking about how to pack your suitcase or carry-on, how to navigate TSA, and how to prepare your home for a several-day stay.

I feel the stress too. I’m planning a 16-hour road trip to visit my family in Oklahoma, and while I’m excited to see my loved ones and explore a city I’ve never been to before, I’m already feeling the pressure to do something like this undertake a major journey that requires four days of driving. However, there’s nothing I can’t handle with a little preparation. I just have to take it step by step.

To start this preparation journey, I’ve put together tips to make the entire process go more smoothly, ranging from how and what to pack to ways to prepare your home for your absence.

Want more travel tips? Here are the best times to book flights for cheap airline tickets and how to avoid having your flight canceled or delayed.

Tips for easier flying

Airports can be scary even at the best of times. From researching flight cancellations to strategically packing to maximize space in your suitcase, here are some necessary tips for easier, stress-free flying.

Fold, roll and cube clothes

Maybe you have your own unique approach to packing clothes. Some people choose the folding method, others prefer rolling garments into tight blocks and some choose to flatten their clothes into packing cubes. My suggestion is to combine these three methods.

You can maximize space by folding your structured and bulkier clothes such as jeans, trousers, formal dresses, coats and jackets. Then roll up the rest of your clothes and fill the remaining spaces in your suitcase. To compress your belongings even further, place some of the rolled clothes into packing cubes for extra organization. It is also useful to put loose items such as socks and underwear in these compressed packing cubes.

Prepare for TSA

If you’re flying, consider purchasing TSA PreCheck or Global Entry to skip the long lines and simplify security screening. Whether you’re a frequent flyer with these benefits or show up for the standard TSA lines, keep your electronics in a convenient place where you can take them out and put them back in easily.

It’s best to keep your electronics in the top layer or outside pocket of your suitcase, or in your assigned personal item. Otherwise you have to search for your laptop, iPad, etc., leaving the line behind you.

Take essential items with you in your hand luggage

When you check your suitcase you run the risk of losing it. I haven’t experienced this often, but that one unfortunate time my checked suitcase got lost – and I had to spend three days exploring London without my luggage – I was thrilled that my essentials were still with me in my carry-on bags.

Your carry-on or personal item is the optimal place for the essentials that are most difficult to replace. This includes your wallet, contact lenses, glasses, prescription medications, chargers, electronics, or anything you might not want to have for a few days.

Follow your bags

To provide additional protection for your luggage against loss or theft, consider equipping both your carry-on and checked bags with tracking devices such as Apple AirTags or Chipolo One Point Trackers.

Leave room to move

It is very likely that wherever you travel, you will want to shop and take souvenirs with you. This means you will need to take into account any extra space you may need for the return journey to avoid excess baggage fees.

Tips for a stress-free road trip

Driving comes with its own concerns. From preparing for flat tires to planning your route, here are some necessary tips for easier, stress-free road trips.

Have your car serviced in advance

If you’re heading out this holiday season, make sure you get your car inspected to ensure you don’t encounter any problems along the way. Ask the mechanic to check the tires, car battery, brakes, fluids and wiper blades, or anything else you may be concerned about.

It is best to do this several weeks in advance so that you have enough time to resolve any problems or order parts.

Prepare for an emergency

Roadside emergency kits are a must-have if you are traveling a significant distance. Every year, approximately 30 million requests for assistance are made in the event of a breakdown. according to AAAso it’s best to be prepared for any emergencies.

Plan your route

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it is imperative to know which roads you take during your drive. Not only does this give you confidence while driving, but you can also note any road closures or bad weather conditions that could affect your route and adjust your plan accordingly. For example, portions of I-40 in North Carolina and Tennessee will be closed for the next few weeks, and knowing this will help me choose a new route for my Thanksgiving road trip and not have to be rerouted for miles. , postpone my trip.

As an extra safety measure, I recommend taking a screenshot or printing directions if you’re traveling in areas where cell service can be spotty.

Also consider hotels, gas stations, and rest stops along the route, in case you get tired or need a quick stop.

How to prepare your home for your trip

To ensure that you find your home exactly as you left it, follow these safety and home preparation tips.

Unplug your electronics

Not only can unplugging electronics lower your energy bills, but it also reduces the risk of electrical fires. Before you leave, unplug your appliances, lights, chargers, routers, computers and TVs for maximum safety.

Close your windows

Triple check all your doors and lock all windows before leaving town. Consider purchasing a smart lock that can alert you when a window is unlocked and allow you to lock it remotely, or a home security system to secure your home while you are away.

Time your lights

By leaving the lights on to make it look like you’re home, you can deter potential burglars. Instead of leaving the lights on day and night, you can connect light timers to your electrical outlets or install a remote-controlled smart bulb. You can then set your indoor lights to turn on and off as normal, and your outdoor lights to turn on at night.

Safety is a priority for most families when they travel. To keep your home safe while you’re away, follow this home safety checklist before you go on vacation.

Keep your plants alive

You don’t have to leave your houseplants to die when you travel. You can make a drip system from a plastic water bottle by filling it with water, drilling some holes towards the top and placing it in the plant soil. Read this guide for a complete tutorial on how to keep plants alive while traveling.

For more, check out CNET’s picks for the best travel credit cards in 2024. You can also explore the 12 travel essentials you should always pack and the worst airlines for flight delays and cancellations.