Your Number One Piece of Travel Advice: Swift Edition

No matter if you enjoy traveling occasionally or are someone who likes to take multiple trips per year, we’ve found that there’s always something new to learn when it comes to travel. For example, our team is full of avid travelers, and we like to say that we know a thing or two when it comes to planning trips and exploring the world. But it took a lot of learning and mistakes along the way for us to get to this point, and we now want to pass along some of our knowledge to you. So buckle up and get ready to hear about some crazy stories from the members of our Swift team, and the lessons they taught us along the way.

My Top Travel Advice: Rob

1. Book flights and hotels directly through the airline or hotel. The amount of money you save is minimal to begin with, and if there’s ever an issue with the reservation or flight you’ve booked through them directly, they will solve your needs over third party needs.
2. If you don’t have an airline you use regularly, choose one and stick with their loyalty program. Someone gave me that piece of advice over 15 years ago and it has paid off over and over again. You’ll get upgrades, preferred seating, boarding priority, and so many other perks.
3. If you are not a member of a hotel or airline loyalty program and you are staying or flying with them, be sure to create a loyalty account with them. You’ll get so many small perks just for being a member of their program. 
4. Don’t book a flight on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, unless absolutely necessary and make sure it is non-stop.
5. Try to book flights for Thanksgiving week as far in advance as possible, prices are insane and availability becomes slim to none.
6. BE KIND. Good practice in and of itself, AND pays extremely large dividends when traveling.

My Top 5 Pieces of Travel Advice: Laurie Lee

1. Get Global Entry! It’s $100 and lasts 5 years! It’s the most inexpensive and useful travel hack ever. Why wait in long immigration lines if you don’t have to? Sometimes it’s so effective we get through security in an instant and we beat our luggage.
2. We all love fresh smells: If you plan to get comfy and sleep on a long trip, bring some comfy clothes to sleep in on the plane, and some clean socks if you are prone to stinky feet! I am all for a smell neutral environment, wouldn’t it be nice if we all did our part by having fresh clothes and a breath mint?
3. Hygiene – we have all been on the flight where the guy next to us is coughing the entire time. If you aren’t well, and still plan to thrive, it’s really nice if you can do what you can not to make your sickness someone else’s! Cough suppressants, hand sanitizer, and covering your mouth when you cough is a must, and you can always wear a mask.
4. Carry some supplies in your carry-on bag. Especially if you are headed on a beach vacation – don’t forget your bathing suit, sunglasses and a change of clothes! This way, if your suitcase does not show up with you, you will be glad you have what you need to start your vacation in comfort!
5. When deplaning, follow the social order of letting people into the aisle that were seated in front of you… unless of course you are delayed in making a connection.

My Number One Piece of Travel Advice: Amber

My top travel tip, whether you’re going near or far, is to embrace an adaptable mindset. Travel often involves elements beyond our control—like flight delays or challenging fellow passengers. Stressing over these can easily ruin your experience. Instead, adopting a “go with the flow” attitude can lead to unexpected joys. 

I’ve especially leaned into this while traveling with my husband and two children, teaching them patience and reminding them that most people are doing their best. Complaining doesn’t solve anything, but staying calm and flexible makes the journey far more enjoyable. Less stress truly is priceless.

My Best Piece of Travel Advice: Alexa

If I had to give one piece of travel advice, it would be to not plan out your entire trip, and simply see where the wind takes you.

I am definitely the planner in my family, and always take the lead when it comes to organizing our trips. I do hours of research, look up every possible hotel we can stay at, do a deep dive into all of the restaurants nearby, see what activities are available, and make sure that the area is walkable. But something I’ve learned over the years is that sometimes, not everything is always going to go according to plan… and that’s okay!

I can make an entire itinerary that fills up every hour of every day, and I can almost guarantee you that not everything will work out the way I thought it would. But some of the best things come from the unexpected. Maybe you planned an activity that was outdoors, but it rained that day and you ended up visiting an incredible museum instead. Or maybe you forgot to make reservations at the most sought after restaurant in town, but got to eat at an incredible hole in the wall cafe that had the absolute best chocolate cake. At the end of the day, everything works out the way it’s supposed to.

What is one piece of travel advice that you would give someone who is new to traveling? Additionally, what is the best piece of travel advice you’ve ever received?