If you have the luxury of time, here are seven questions to answer when planning an itinerary.
Countries are opening up. Airlines and hotels are advertising deals for this fall and next spring. Thinking about booking international travel? Take advantage of the lull between now and your departure by taking time to plan your next trip. Start by answering these seven questions.
1. What are the country entry requirements?
Most countries require a passport to be valid for six months after arrival, so check your expiration date. Check travel.state.gov for the latest entry and visa requirements (and great country-specific information). Planning your trip far in advance means you have plenty of time to get your passport renewed or obtain visas.
2. When are national holidays?
It can be disappointing to arrive at a destination only to find museums and attractions closed, roads crowded, and hotel prices triple the usual rate. Use this Wikipedia page to make sure your destination won’t be shut down, crowded, or extra expensive on your intended travel dates.
3. Do you need vaccinations?
Lack of the right ones can prevent you from being allowed into a country. For example, you must have proof you received the yellow fever vaccine when visiting many parts of Africa and the Indian Ocean. Check this WHO site for requirements and recommendations.
4. What are the minimum connection times?
You can prevent either missing a connection or having your luggage lost by allowing for plenty of time between connecting flights. And count on schedule changes if you’re planning far in advance!
5. Are the seasons the same?
Some friends arrived in New Zealand planning to ski over Christmas break, forgetting it’s summer then in the Southern Hemisphere. It happens more than you think! Be sure to check rainy seasons, too. Holiday-weather.com is my go-to site for monthly averages (sunshine, temperatures, rain- and snowfall) around the globe.
6. Will your hotel be undergoing renovation or construction?
I attended a destination wedding in Aruba where the hotel and wedding venue were under heavy construction (empty pool, plywood sidewalks). If a hotel announces a construction completion date, I usually add a month to the end of it to make sure I’ll miss the chaos/ugliness.
7. How are the labor relations for your airline?
Last year’s pilot and ground crew strikes proved the importance of asking this question. A search of Google news should reveal when the next contract negotiations will happen for the airlines you are considering. Financial solvency is another concern. I booked flights on two carriers in India because there was some question whether one was going to receive a much-needed infusion of cash to keep operating. (It did, but I didn’t mind having a back-up ticket!)
Twist’s Take: Taking time to answer these seven questions when trip planning can pay off big.
