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Concerned about potential problems when traveling? I'm here to provide insights into common travel mishaps and guide you on how to steer clear of them effortlessly!
You’ve got your dream vacation all planned out and you’re ready to go! Or so you thought.
Sometimes you get so wrapped up in the excitement of your trip that you overlook a small (& sometimes really important) detail.
Travel mistakes can put a damper on an entire vacation.
We all make them - at least, I know I do! I’ve been to over 40 countries, and many mistakes have been made along the way.
You live and you learn. And I’m here to guide you on how to do better.
I’m outlining 14 common travel mistakes. Keep reading to find out how to avoid them at all costs!
Some of the Biggest Travel Problems:
Forgotten or Lost Travel Documents
- Solution: Always double-check your passport and visa to ensure they are not expired.
Poor Money Exchange Rates
- Solution: Opt for a debit card with no ATM fees, securing better rates directly through the bank.
Incorrect Electrical Plugs
- Solution: Solve this by bringing a universal power adapter.
This might be the biggest travel mishap you’ll want to avoid. Read it carefully. You probably know better than to bring an expired passport.
But even if your passport is not expired yet, you may not be permitted into your travel destination.
Many places require you to have at least three to six months remaining on your passport.
Bringing an expiring passport is a huge travel mistake! This is exactly how our group trip to Ecuador turned into a baecation.
We planned to go to Ecuador as a group of four, but the rest of our group had passports that were expiring within the next five months.
Their flights were booked, bags were packed, and they made it all the way to the boarding gate. That’s when we all realized.
They were not permitted to board the plane to Ecuador with a passport that expired within six months.
Our passports weren’t expiring anytime soon, so we didn’t even think twice about checking the passport requirements.
Since they had a whole five months before their passports expired, they didn’t think there would be any problems either.
Afterall, they were able to book their flight with ease. There were no alerts telling them that their passport would not be considered valid.
They made it through the check-in desk and security at the airport without being alerted.
We all waited near our gate, excited to board our flight, and have an amazing trip to Ecuador!
All without a clue that half of us would not be going on this trip.
Don’t be the person who makes it all the way to the boarding gate with an expiring passport. You won’t be going anywhere.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Before booking your travel plans, check the expiration date on your passport. Then check the passport requirements of the foreign country you are planning to travel to. Determine if there will be enough time remaining before your passport expires by the time of your trip.
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2. Not Checking the Visa Requirements
Okay, this is probably just as big of a travel mistake as bringing an expiring passport. If you don’t have the appropriate visa for certain countries, you will not be going anywhere either. Take it from us!
This is a travel mistake that we made during our honeymoon. The Youtube videos are linked below on exactly what happened.
But long story short, we did not properly apply for our Vietnam visas. And this bucket-list destination is still on our bucket-list.
Having a US passport comes with its privileges. It’s ranked the 7th most powerful passport in the world on the Henley Passport Index.
The 199 passports listed in the Henley Passport Index are ranked based on the number of destinations you can travel to without a prior visa.
If you are an American citizen, you have access to 187 destinations without a prior visa. But this shouldn’t be taken for granted.
You should always check the visa requirements of your destination. Having both a valid passport and valid visa are important documents that you do not want to be without!
Most of the places we’ve traveled to have not required a visa. But a few notable places that did require a visa as a US citizen were as follows:
- Bali requires obtaining a visa on arrival for ~$35 USD at the Denpasar International airport.
- Galapágos also requires a visa on arrival for ~$100 USD (cash only) at the Seymour Galapágos Ecological Airport.
- Egypt requires a visa on arrival at the Cairo International airport costing ~$25 USD.
- Zimbabwe requires a visa, but there are options. You can get a kaza univisa (rather than a sole Zimbabwe visa) online in advance for ~$50 USD which allows entry into Zambia and Botswana, as well.
- Cuba requires a visa that costs ~$100 USD. You can order a visa online and have it mailed to you, or you can do it at the airport right before boarding your flight to Cuba.
- Jordan requires a visa that you can get online and show a digital copy. If you purchase a Jordan pass, it includes the visa and attractions (Petra, Wadi Rum, and other sites) all for ~$100 USD.
RELATED ARTICLE: Luxury and Budget-Friendly Options for Where to Stay in Bali
All information regarding obtaining your visa must be officially checked before finalizing your travel plans.
Prices may vary, and you should set aside time for approval and receipt of the visa.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Before booking your trip, check what type of visa and travel documents you may need well in advance. Apply with plenty of time to gain approval.
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3. Not Getting Travel Insurance
I’ve worked as a pharmacist in the emergency department for years. Nobody expects an emergency to happen, but they can and do. Even on vacation.
It’s all too common for travelers to incur unexpected emergencies and occurrences during their travels.
Medical expenses, medical evacuation, loss of luggage, change of plans, flight delays, canceled flights. The list can go on and on.
You’ll want to be prepared to handle these scenarios with ease. Your best bet is to have travel insurance.
Personally, we choose SafetyWing for their user-friendly platform that is easy to navigate.
Their flexible policies are affordable and provide coverage in 185 countries.
Once you purchase travel insurance, you should also keep all documentation of your trip organized. This will make the process much simpler if you need to file any claims.
How to avoid this travel mistake: If you have an upcoming trip, you can find more information about SafetyWing at this link. Read the fine print on the policies, and select the plan that is best for your travels. Have peace of mind and be prepared for the unexpected on your next trip with travel insurance.
4. Exchanging All Money at the Airport
This is a big no-no. The money exchange rate at the airport is usually much higher than it should be. This goes for pretty much everywhere in the world.
You’re not getting the most bang for your buck at the airport. But you likely need some of the local cash to get from the airport to your next spot. Exchange the bare minimum.
Find out ahead of time how much the public transportation will be from the airport into town, and exchange a little more than that amount.
Once you can find a local currency exchange or bank in the town, exchange your money there. There will be much better exchange rates. And your money will go further.
But you should certainly avoid exchanging every last cent you brought at the airport at all costs.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Exchange only small amounts of money at the airport. Wait to exchange more money until you get to a local bank with the best rates.
We typically use our Charles Schwab debit card to withdraw cash directly from ATMs in foreign countries. This card refunds all ATM fees.
RELATED ARTICLE: 20 Key Airport Tips to Make Travel Easier
5. Carrying Money in Just One Place
This is an expensive mistake to make on vacation. It’s risky to carry all of your money in only one place. If the money were to get lost or stolen, then it’s just all gone.
Foreigners are the main ones being targeted for pick-pocketing. If all the money you just exchanged is in that one spot, what can you do about it now?
Think ahead and keep your money in more than one place.
Some great places to keep your money:
- Anti-theft day bag
- Carry-on bag
- Socks
- Hotel room
- Zipped pockets
- Fanny pack
Pretty much, disperse your extra money in all different areas. Let’s say your money gets lost or was stolen.
It’s not the worst case scenario anymore because you’ve got back-up cash. And lots of it in different places.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Spread out where you store your money so you never really run out. This includes spreading between you and your trusted travel partners.
6. Eating at Tourist Restaurants
You should avoid eating at restaurants that are nearby a major attraction.
In most cases this is a trap. The prices will be exorbitant, and the food won’t even taste good.
There are some exceptions. But generally speaking, avoid eating at the touristy restaurants.
The more authentic, local experience also comes with local prices.
And oftentimes, much better food. Some of the best restaurants are off the beaten path.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Keep an open mind and support small, local businesses. Many times they taste better, and cost much less than the tourist-trap restaurants.
RELATED ARTICLE: Food in Aruba: 6 Must-Try Restaurants
7. Underestimating Jet Lag
It’s not a huge deal when you fly somewhere and the time difference is only one hour.
But what about when the time difference is drastic? 13 hours drastic.
That’s the time difference between New York and Singapore. The flight is 18.5 hours long if you fly on a nonstop flight.
Between the long flight and being more than half a day ahead of time, your internal clock will really be out of whack.
You don’t want to overplan your first day with unrealistic expectations after this.
Ease into the time change. Prepare before your trip by adjusting your sleep habits.
Do the same thing before you leave. Re-adjust your sleep habits during your final days abroad and keep up that schedule on the long flight.
We actually opted for a layover in Germany before heading to Singapore to break up the flight time and different time zones.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Account for the time change and adjust your sleep schedule to prevent extreme jet lag.
8. Bringing Credit Cards with Foreign Transaction Fees
While making purchases or cashing out at an ATM abroad, many international travelers are hit with foreign transaction fees.
International fees vary, but can be around 3% of your purchase. This adds up.
If you plan to use your credit cards overseas, make sure they have no foreign transaction fees! Think Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Some credit cards also come with rental car insurance coverage. You will need to read the fine print and confirm with the rental car company regarding this. But this can end up saving you money, as well.
There are so many travel credit card options. They come with so many benefits. But understanding which card will benefit you the most can be overwhelming.
We are creating something that will simplify it all and help you take your journey to “See the World, Save a Dollar” a step further.
Want to be the first to know when it drops? Join our newsletter!
How to avoid this travel mistake: When abroad, only use credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.
9. Not Bringing a Universal Power Adapter
When traveling abroad you’re bound to come across differences. Even the power outlets may be different.
It’s a sorry mistake to need to charge your phone and not have a compatible plug.
This is a small detail that is commonly overlooked by travelers.
You should look into what kinds of power outlets exist in the country you are heading to.
For reference, we use Type A and Type B plugs in the United States.
If your destination uses different plug types, definitely pack your universal power adapter.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Pack a universal power adapter!
10. Not Protecting Your Connection With a VPN
First off, what is a VPN? It’s a “virtual private network.” It protects your internet connection and privacy online.
If you join public wifi, your bank information and other sensitive information can get stolen.
Also, some websites that you may need to connect to are blocked abroad, one of the most inconvenient travel difficulties.
ExpressVPN is the #1 trusted leader in VPN. It comes with a fast setup. And you can have a private and secure connection in minutes.
You can protect your privacy, change your location, and unblock websites with ExpressVPN.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Download ExpressVPN before your trip to protect your privacy online. Get three months free by clicking here!
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11. Overpacking
When you overpack, you’re setting yourself up to be overcharged. There’s checked bag fees, overweight bag fees, and oversized bag fees.
RELATED ARTICLE: 10 Easy Ways to Avoid Baggage Fees
It’s best to keep it simple by packing light in the perfect carry-on bag (GOT Bag to be exact) and avoiding all of the above fees.
Using the right packing cubes can help mitigate these issues when traveling.
Does packing light still sound like an impossible task? But you don’t want to pay any of those baggage fees?
Let me introduce you to your saving grace: The Neck and Bag pillow from Cosy Collection.
You can pack more of your clothes in the NAB pillow and it doesn’t count as a carry-on or personal item.
It’s a free way to get more clothes through if you end up *needing* to pack more outfits.
RELATED ARTICLE: What to Pack: Essential Items Every Traveler Should Own
How to avoid this travel mistake: Pack what you absolutely need in the perfect carry-on bag! The NAB pillow will help make this possible✨
12. Packing the Wrong Clothes
If you go to a country without anticipating the climate or different cultures, you’ll run into some problems.
Packing the wrong clothes is a major travel mistake that is commonly made.
Sometimes you’ll get an amazingly cheap flight to a destination. But think about why the flight is so cheap.
It could be that you’re flying during the rainy season. This isn’t always the most ideal time of year to visit.
But it’s especially not ideal if you don’t at least pack a poncho.
If you're in Peru traveling from Cusco to Sacred Valley, you'll quickly realize how different the climate is in Cusco compared to Machu Picchu.
If you will be visiting temples or other religious sites on vacation, be mindful of their rules.
You don’t want to end up disrespecting anyone’s culture and local customs because you packed the wrong attire.
Many times you will need to skip out on showing shoulders, tummies, and legs.
Bring clothing that will allow you to properly and respectfully cover up.
Also, it can be easy to forget certain travel essentials, like packing a swimsuit when visiting Iceland.
That almost happened to us!
We were packing all of our wintery outfits, without remembering that we'd need a bathing suit for visiting some of the best hot springs in Iceland.
Thankfully it dawned on us at the last-minute while we were packing for our trip to pack swimsuits.
But that could've been awkward showing up to the world-famous Blue Lagoon Iceland without a swimsuit!
How to avoid this travel mistake: Pack weather-appropriate clothes, and activity-appropriate clothes. If you plan to visit religious sites, pack layers to cover up with.
13. Not Getting an eSim
Using international roaming data comes with extra fees that quickly add up.
That phone bill is going to go crazy. You don’t want to make this mistake.
You can keep your phone on airplane mode for your entire trip to avoid this. But what if you actually need to use your phone abroad?
Some phone companies offer an international cell phone plan, but coverage may not be available in all areas.
Many times we’d simply purchase a local SIM card abroad. They’re really affordable.
But we’d also have to find a pin to open the SIM slot and safely store our actual SIM card for the duration of our trip. That’s a bit risky.
Instead, you can use an eSim. This is a newer technology by Airalo.
The virtual sim card is stored in the phone’s memory.
Airalo is extremely convenient to use and even easier to set up.
- You simply download the Airalo app.
- Select your destination and package.
- Install and activate your eSim.
It's literally as easy as 1,2,3.
Airalo is the first-ever store for eSIMs, helping you avoid expensive roaming charges.
It offers access to over 200 eSIMs (digital SIM cards) worldwide, all at affordable prices.
How to avoid this travel mistake: Download an eSim from Airalo. It’s available in over 200 countries and regions.
14. Not Booking the Flight Deal
When you’re searching for flights, and see a deal you might be hesitant to book it.
You might be thinking the price will go down even further, so you want to wait… And then the price goes up.
This is one of the most common mistakes that you should avoid. Your flight search should go more like this:
- Have a price in mind that you do not want to go above.
- Search for cheap flights using one of the top 9 apps and websites included here.
- Once you find a flight for a price that is anywhere below the price you had in mind, book it directly through the airline!
- If the price drops further within 24 hours, you can get a full refund on any flight that departs or arrives in the US. Then book the lowest-priced flight ticket.
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You should read the airline’s cancellation and change policies. Depending on the type of ticket you purchase, change fees may be waived even beyond the first 24 hours.
If you see a flight deal that looks good for your budget, don’t sleep on it. That’s a mistake.
The price could steadily increase. And even if the price drops lower, you can secure the cheaper flight and the best deal by abiding by the airline’s policies.
In some cases, you can get a price match if you find the same flight listed for a cheaper price on another website.
You’ll need to know how to be eligible for a price match.
And you’ll also need to know how to successfully use the flight search engines to find the cheap flight of your dreams.
We’re creating something special regarding everything you need to know to successfully book cheap flights.
Join our newsletter to be the first to hear about it!
How to avoid this travel mistake: When the price is right, book the cheap flight deal. How do you find these deals? And how do you know the price is right? Learn all the ways to be travel savvy in our upcoming course!
RELATED ARTICLE: Is Spirit Airlines Safe to Fly in 2024?
Final Thoughts on Problems When Traveling
These were 14 of some of the most common travel mishaps. I gave you some easy ways to avoid them at all costs, and I hope you use them!
You don’t want to find out you’re making one of these travel mistakes the hard way. You want to have the best travel experiences possible.
Was this article helpful? Share it with others!
I completely agree about travel insurance! I understand why some people don’t feel the need for it, but better to be safe than sorry.
Absolutely! Travel insurance is great to cover any unexpected misfortunes on your trip!
I’ve made a few of these mistakes before. Nothing like changing a load of money at the airport and seeing a wayyy better rate when you reach your accommodation area!
It happens to the best of us! It’s never good to feel like you got got. But, you live and you learn!
These are spot on mistakes and we need to be careful not to have them. Thank you for such a wonderful reminder!
Thanks for taking the time to read the article! It’s so important to be aware of common mistakes since they are so easy to mistake, especially if you don’t know/think about them.