Matt Langford's Blog

Travel Tips: Odds and Ends

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This is a short series of posts with my tips for traveling. I’ll explore things from booking to packing to flying and many things in between.

In the previous posts of this series, I walked through a lot of the products and processes I use when traveling. This post; however, is a simple list of few random travel tips to wrap it all up.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, invest in some good socks. They can be just as important for comfort as quality shoes.
Charge all of your electronics before you leave. All of them.
Check the booking rates for your hotel once more. If you find it cheaper, most hotel chains will match (and even beat) the new price.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, try to be the first to call or approach customer service. Seats on other flights are first come, first served.
Understand your credit card benefits. Many of them offer travel insurance, rental car insurance, extended warranties, and much more.
Stash some cash somewhere besides your wallet. You don’t want to be completely stranded if you lose your wallet.
If flying internationally, have a copy of your passport somewhere safe in case you lose your passport. This can expedite the process of getting a new one and save headaches.
Get a quality backpack for a carryon. Your shoulders will thank you.
Ask locals where to eat.
Download the area you’ll be in to Google Maps in case you lose signal.
Pack a car phone charger if you’ll have a rental car.
A small notepad can be extremely handy for writing confirmation numbers, customer support numbers, and more.
If flying during the day, try to stay awake. If flying at night, try to sleep. Base this on your destination’s time zone.
Don’t book every activity before you leave. Once you arrive at your destination, talk to the people there. They’ll know of better things to do.
Bring a packable duffel for souvenirs.
Get this adapter to plug your iPhone or iPad into the hotel TV for Netflix or any other entertainment.

Travel Tips: Flying with a Baby

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This is a short series of posts with my tips for traveling. I’ll explore things from booking to packing to flying and many things in between.

Flying with a baby can be stressful, even before you get on the plane. For me, the preparation and worry did more negative to my mental state than actually flying with a baby. You can’t fully prepare for sickness, tears, discomfort, or baby diarrhea on a plane, but there are things you can do to make the entire process easier.

Booking and Flight

It’s a common misperception that a baby under 2 years old does not need a ticket to fly. While it’s true your baby can fly for free in your lap, he¹ still must have a ticket to get through security and board. I recommend notifying the airline when you book that you plan to travel with an infant, but you can also add the ticket when you checkin². Remember, he will have to sit in your lap for the duration of the flight.

If you’re able to choose your own seats, I recommend picking the very back row. It’s close to the restroom, flight attendants, and infant life vests. It also limits the amount of people your baby might distract throughout the flight. When you get to the gate, let the gate agent know you’re flying with a baby. They’ll often double check your seats and may move other passengers away from you if possible. You’ll also get to board first!

Takeoff and landing can be rough on babies’ ears. My wife managed this by breastfeeding during both takeoff and landing without issue. If you’re worried about modesty, there are plenty of breastfeeding covers that can double as a blanket on the flight.

For the flight itself, make sure you have plenty of noiseless entertainment for the baby. Pacifiers, books, favorite toys, etc. Download some shows from Netflix on your iPad before you leave in case you need to break out the big guns. If possible, travel with a spouse or friend. They can help in so many different ways.

Some airplanes have changing tables, some don’t. We have been fortunate enough to not have need for a messy diaper change en route. We have; however, made good use of family restrooms in different airports.

Supplies

Obviously you’ll need diapers, wipes, clothes, toys, food, and other baby necessities, but there are few things you may not think about taking with you that can be helpful.

Unless you’re walking everywhere at your destination, you’ll need a carseat. If you’re renting a car, most agencies will also rent you a carseat. I do NOT recommend this. Instead, pick up this car seat from Amazon. It’s ridiculously light weight and durable. At less than $50 it’ll most likely be cheaper than renting one, and you get to keep it. This is one of the smartest decisions we’ve made.

When flying with a car seat, you have two options. Airlines will allow you to bring one of a stroller or carseat as a gate check carryon for free. If you’re not bring a stroller, consider carrying your carseat (it really is that light). If you are taking a stroller or just don’t want to carry anything extra around, you can check it for free on all airlines. You’ll need to put it in a bag of some sort³ either way. A lot of people that go this route will donate the carseat to Goodwill before heading home to lighten the load.

We decided to pass on taking a stroller through the airport. Instead, my wife used her Solly Baby Wrap. As our baby has gotten bigger, our next flight will require a structured carrier instead.

My wife also ordered a pretty ingenious breast pump that eliminated the need to lug around a massive power consuming version. Even though you can freely travel with a breast pump, it still makes sense to go sleek when possible.

Every baby and every parent is different. On top of that, every trip will present different obstacles. The key is being open minded and as prepared as possible. Some travelers will be more understanding and interactive than you can imagine. Others will stare you down when your baby makes any noise at all. Enjoy your family and your trip regardless of the distractions and worries.

Travel Tips: The Destination

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This is a short series of posts with my tips for traveling. I’ll explore things from booking to packing to flying and many things in between.

You’ve officially arrived at your destination and it’s time for adventure! Sorta. First, you have to figure out your ground transportation, check in to your hotel/AirBnb/VRBO, and unwind from the day of travel. Here are a few times that may help you once you arrive.

Ground Transportation

Depending on your destination and plans, you’ll have to navigate the world of rental cars, shuttles, taxis, Ubers, Lyfts, busses, subways, and more. Every airport is different. There are potential headaches around every corner. There is so much to include here, I’ve decided to go with a simple list of ground transportation tips.

No matter where you’re going, download and setup accounts with Uber and Lyft. You might not be planning on using them, but they can be lifesavers if you’re unable to find a taxi or public transportation is having issues.
If renting a car, make sure you have your driver’s license, the credit card you used to make the reservation, and the confirmation number¹
If renting a car, make sure you understand the insurance coverage options available on your personal insurance and your credit card. Understanding this can save you a load of money.
If renting a car, always turn down their prepaid gas option. Return the car full² and save money.
If renting a car, pack a car charger for your phone.
If you are planning on a taxi or ride sharing, have some small bills on hand for tips.
Always check the vehicle for your phone, wallet, passport, sunglasses, bags, etc when you’re exiting.
Many public transportation systems offer phone apps for times and directions. Download them before your trip.
Preload your destinations in Google Maps or Apple Maps before you leave. Get a general idea of the area.
Be courteous. You’re the stranger in their land.

Accommodations

Before you arrive at your place-of-stay, make sure you’re aware of the parking situation, the check in times, and luggage storage policies. If you have an early arriving flight, call and ask for an early check in time. If they can’t accommodate you, prepare to store your luggage and change clothes in a public restroom.

Once you have access to your room, ask for extra pillows or blankets if that’s your preference. Set the thermostat. Set the temperature of the refrigerator³ Take a few minutes to relax and recover. How about a shower before your trip really begins?

Travel Tips: The Airport and Flight

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This is a short series of posts with my tips for traveling. I’ll explore things from booking to packing to flying and many things in between.

You’ve planned your trip from start to finish. You’ve made lists, packed, loaded the car, and arrived at the airport. Now it’s time to deal with airline representatives, TSA agents, uncomfortable seats, delays, cancellations, crying babies, and turbulence.

Check-in, Check Luggage

Even when I’m checking luggage, I like to check-in online beforehand. While I’m not sure it matters, it at least signals to the airline that I intend to show up for the flight. It also gives me another chance to verify seats, times, and gates.

When you get to the airport, I highly suggest asking the ticket agent for better seats (if your pre-selected ones aren’t to your liking) and verifying your connections. Make sure you’re not carrying anything that TSA will frown upon.¹.

Security

Dealing with security in the USA can be a nightmare. It seems every TSA agent was trained in a different way and enforces the rules differently. One thing I highly suggest is getting TSA PreCheck. It costs $85 for a 5 year period and allows you many conveniences². Many credit cards³ offer free or discounted Precheck applications. The $85 covers one adult and any young children flying along.

If you’re the type that likes to be prepared for certain situations, Gerber makes a multi-tool specifically for carrying through airports. The Gerber Dime Travel has TSA approved scissors, screw drivers, and much more. Don’t try to sneak it past them, just put it in the little bin with your keys and coins.

The Gate

If everything went smoothly, you probably have some downtime at the gate before it’s time to board. Check your flight status on your phone⁴ in case their is a delay or cancellation. By staying ahead of others, you’ll be able to easily change flights if necessary.

Get our your Kindle and start that new book you downloaded.

The Plane

If you have a carryon that won’t fit under the seat in front of you, board as early as you can and keep an eye out for overhead storage space. The more I fly, the harder it seems to find. Even if you’re keeping your bag under the seat in front of you, go ahead and get out anything you have to distract you from the long flight ahead.

Never pass up an opportunity to get a beverage from the flight attendant. You might not drink it all, but you never know when the next opportunity will present itself, if ever. Same goes for any snacks offered. Stash them if you don’t want that immediately. I’ve been on flights where taxiing delays after landing were just as long as the flight.

I’m a huge fan of listening to podcasts on flights. If you’re in search of one that’ll help you pass the time, there are none better than Hello Internet.

Baggage Claim

Baggage claim feels like a leftover relic from the middle ages. Everyone fights for a spot next to an endless carousel of other people’s belongings. When you finally see your luggage birthed from some unknown mechanical beast, you feel a sense of calm come over you. It didn’t get lost!

Check your awesome luggage tags and head out to your taxi, Uber, rental, bus, subway, or shared bike.

Vacation begins!

Travel Tips: Before Leaving

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This is a short series of posts with my tips for traveling. I’ll explore things from booking to packing to flying and many things in between.

Planning and preparation can be the hardest part of a trip. Everyone has their methods, but I’ve found a few things that have been very helpful to me. Hopefully I can contribute to your efforts in some way.

Booking

If you travel frequently, I highly suggest taking advantage of membership offerings. Almost every hotel and airline has some sort of points system that you can benefit from. Over the years, my wife and I have used points/benefits for free first class flights to Hawaii, countless free hotel rooms, airline club access, free beverages and snacks, discounted rates, priority boarding, free checked luggage, free TSA pre check and more. As you can imagine, we’ve saved thousands of dollars by doing this.

For a great hotel rewards program, I suggest Hilton Honors. Their family of hotels includes Hilton (obviously), Doubletree, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites, and many others¹. No matter where you travel, you’ll probably have access to multiple Hilton options. The more you stay at these properties, the more benefits and points you’ll receive. Free nights, free water bottles, free snacks, and reserved parking are some of the tremendous benefits. My biggest suggestion here is to get the American Express Hilton Honors card to use when booking a hotel. There are no annual fees and you’ll get 7x the points when you use it.

If you use the link above for the AmEx Hilton card, we both benefit. You’ll get a huge amount of bonus points for signing up and I’ll get a smaller (but nice) chunk.

For flying, choose an airline and stick with it. We use United Airlines because our small hometown airport has limited options. We’ve been very happy with their MileagePlus program and have reaped many rewards from it. We use a United MileagePlus Explorer card for booking flights. This card has some very nice benefits (miles don’t expire², free priority boarding, free checked bags for 2 people, bonus miles, club access).

If you use the link above for the MileagePlus Explorer Card, we both benefit. You’ll get a huge amount of bonus miles for signing up and I’ll get a smaller (but nice) chunk.

I prefer to book hotel first because hotel reservations can be cancelled without a fee or hassle. I’d rather deal with hotel changes/cancellations than doing the same with airlines.

For renting a car, I don’t suggest getting a credit card solely for that purpose. Instead book with one of the above cards, get the extra points, and use the included insurance instead of paying extra with the rental car agency. I typically use National because I can skip lines and walk straight to my car thanks to my membership level. I try to avoid Thrifty and Dollar at all costs. They’re cheaper for sure, but are not worth the hassle in my opinion. Another good option is Silvercar, although they have limited locations.

Packing

The last headache before you leave the house! Over the years, I’ve gone through countless amounts of luggage. Finally, my wife and I decided to invest in a proper set of quality luggage. We chose the TravelPro Magna 2 line for our needs. It has an excellent lifetime warranty that should enable us to use this luggage for years to come. While it was hard to bite the bullet and spend this amount of money, we calculated that we’d spent much more than that buying cheap luggage over time. We coupled that with some cheap packing cubes that streamline the whole process.

Try not to wait until the last minute to pack! You’ll surely forget something and create more stress than necessary. Make a list of what you need a few days out and start gathering the items a couple days beforehand. Don’t forget travel bottles for your carryon, a great USB power adapter for your hotel room, and a sweet pocket knife to put in your checked luggage.

Download a couple of games on your phone, add a great book to your Kindle, put some podcasts on your phone. Pack an empty water bottle in your carryon to fill up once you’re past security. Check the airline app for last minute offers on better seats. Wear a hat. Use a flight tracker³ for delay/cancellation notifications. Get some sleep.

Trip to the airport

If possible, get a ride to and from the airport from a friend. This could save you some major parking bucks and you’re not forced to leave your vehicle unattended for days at a time. If you can’t, request an Uber or look into prepaid parking options at your airport.

Enjoy your trip!