Is airline travel in your future? Travel hacks can make your travel easier, quicker and more convenient. Travel hacks aren’t just for frequent flyers, they can and do help the occasional traveler as well.

Travel Hack #1

Hotels

Hotels aren’t the only option for travel lodging. There are other options, such as reserving a home or apartment if traveling with a group or a single room if you’re flying alone. Websites such as Homeaway, Vacationrentaldesk and AirBnB are great alternatives and the places they connect you with may even offer better accommodations than hotels.

Travel Hack #2

Clothes and Shoes

Roll your clothes to save space it will allow you to fit more things in your luggage. Rolling socks and underwear inside your clothes is another great space-saving technique.

Place your shoes and boots heel to toe in the bottom, mates together and on their sides whenever possible. This will save space and you can place rolled up socks, hose and underwear inside each shoe to make more room for other things.

Travel Hack #3

Travel Documents

To keep your ID card, passport, itinerary and other important documents safe scan them into your phone or your computer and email them to yourself. Then save them to your phone’s eBook reader to provide yourself with an offline record in case of loss or theft.

Travel Hack #4

Credit and Debit Cards

Credit and debit cards are handy, but it’s important to call cardholder services before you leave to make sure your card is authorized for your vacation destination. This prevents your card being frozen due to suspicious activity.

Travel Hack #5

Luggage

Mark your luggage fragile. It will help ensure that it is kept at the top and handled with care, making it one of the first bags to be released. To avoid bag checking fees consider putting as much as you can into a carry on, not only will it save money but the time and hassle of baggage claim.

Travel Hack #6

Fanny Pack

There are many sizes and styles of fanny packs to choose from. Yours doesn’t need to be a throwback from the 1980’s. Not only are they a portable way to carry things, but they keep your valuables like wallets, keys, ID, etc. safe and help expedite security checks.

Travel Hack #7

Book Direct

Travel websites like Kayak, Trivago and Expedia are great to help you plan your vacation, but may not have the best price on flights. Sometimes, it’s cheaper to go directly to the airline. Price out and compare the airline charges vs what the travel site is offering, it could save you a lot of money.

Saving time and money on travel doesn’t have to be difficult. A few travel hacks could be all you need to ensure that your next vacation doesn’t drain your wallet and try your patience. So plan ahead and enjoy your trip!