Have you ever been in this situation? You’ve just arrived at your destination and are eagerly waiting for your bag to appear at the carousel. After everyone has happily retrieved their bags, you’re still stuck with no luggage in sight. Lost and mishandled bags are...
Tips During Travel
Dreading your Long-Haul Flight? Stay Comfortable and Healthy with These Tips
As much as we look forward to our vacation, long flights take a mental and physical toll. Planes are usually full, and especially if you’re in the economy section, 8-10 hours in the air is daunting. This week we offer some tips to combat some of the side effects of a...
Questions about airport security rules? Now you can text the TSA
Preparing for your flight takes careful planning, and it’s easy to be caught off guard with all the rules on what you can and cannot bring on the flight, or what type of ID is accepted. Fortunately, TSA recently implemented a way to text your questions before you fly....
DOT Unveils New Refund Requirements for Airlines: Here’s What to Know
As of October 28, 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation has a new policy in effect that requires airlines to automatically issue refunds within 7 business days to travelers in certain situations. Previously, air travelers often had to request refunds through...
Summer flying tips for in-the-know travelers
Summertime is a busy travel period, especially with schools on break and folks wanting to take advantage of the long days and sunshine. Busy airports and hot weather can also cause travel headaches, though, especially this year with the early heat wave paired with...
A Successful Plan to Beat Jet Lag
As someone who loves to travel, I’ve experienced my fair share of jet lag. The fatigue, insomnia, and general feeling of being out of sync can really put a damper on a trip. So when my son and I planned a trip from Toronto to Perth, involving three different flights,...
It’s hot outside! How to travel safely during a heat wave
There has been a lot of news coverage recently about the extreme temperatures in much of the northern hemisphere. Traveling in the summer has its perks – generally it’s peak time for tourism so everything is open and running, but you do need to be weather-aware....
Unwritten rules for flying: Travel etiquette to make everyone’s experience better (Part 2)
With summer travel just around the corner and air travel demand expected to come back in a big way, a few small steps can make the experience better for everyone. We’ve all heard of folks making some really bad decisions while flying which can result in jail time and...
Unwritten rules for flying: Travel etiquette to make everyone’s experience better (Part 1)
Air travel is increasingly stressful, but being aware of some simple etiquette tips can avoid meltdowns and make everyone’s experience just a little bit better.
TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and Clear – Are they worth the time and money?
Airports are busier than ever and with that comes the potential for long wait times at security and U.S. customs. Fortunately, there are several programs that allow faster access through the lines - TSA PreCheck, Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck), and Clear,...
New DOT Dashboard Explains Air Passengers’ Rights
On 9/1/2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled a new dashboard that explains the services each airline provides to passengers in the event of a controllable cancellation or delay. This provides one location where travelers can quickly and easily...
Did the airline lose your luggage? What to do when it happens and how to reduce your risk
It’s a tough reality of travel that your luggage doesn’t always get to the same destination that you do. With the surge of folks getting back out there paired with employee shortages, lost luggage is becoming unfortunately more frequent. While still pretty unlikely,...
My flight was cancelled, help! Denise explains your passenger rights
The Christmas and New Year’s holidays were stressful for airline passengers, with thousands of flights cancelled or significantly delayed. It was the perfect combination of bad weather, strong customer demand, staffing shortages, and a lack of operating aircraft....
Long flight? Here are 5 stretches to help you through aches and pains
Reference: Cleveland Clinic If you’ve ever set off for a faraway destination, you probably know the feeling of “snap, crackle, pop!” as you get off the plane. Being confined to a small space can be difficult on the body, possibly causing pain and stress, both of which...
Best ways to help prevent identify theft on your next vacation
Getting your identity stolen while on vacation may not be on your top list of worries, but we’re here to place it on your radar. Nearly a half million items are pickpocketed every year, much of which includes valuable documents and IDs that can cause major headaches...
About Denise
My goal is to simplify travel-planning through an equal exchange process where I acquire your ideas and expectations for your trip relieving you of the worry, hassle, stress and time that accompanies Do-It-Yourself planning. Recent Posts
Lost and Mishandled Bags: How do the Airlines Stack Up?
Have you ever been in this situation? You’ve just arrived at your destination and are eagerly waiting for your bag to appear at the carousel. After everyone has happily retrieved their bags, you’re still stuck with no luggage in sight. Lost and mishandled bags are...
Airlines announce major expansion in direct flights to Europe – but would you fly on a smaller plane?
Flying to Europe just got easier in 2027, especially if you’re looking to visit under-the-radar destinations. Alaska, American, Delta, and United are all dramatically increasing their flight offerings, with new nonstop flights to cities that allow travelers to bypass...
Tipping in the U.S. and Abroad: The Latest Etiquette
Tipping while on vacation is a necessary but commonly overlooked expense. Whether we like it or not, tipping is just part of the culture here in the U.S. and is becoming more common abroad. We all know to tip at a restaurant in the U.S., but there are other situations...
Do you have SSSS on your boarding pass? Here’s what that means and how to prepare
It’s possible when flying you might see SSSS printed on your boarding pass. This stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection, and while it can add some time to the security process, it’s not something to be too concerned about. There are a lot of codes and other...
Alaska for all travel styles: Our top list of exhilarating activities
Is Alaska on your bucket list? Now is a great time to head to the Last Frontier, America’s vast 49th state. Alaska is like nowhere else, with stunning glaciers, mountains, wildlife, and even charming cities and towns. There is something for everyone at all times of...