Travelling is an experience. Travelling well is an art.
The popularity and time-honoured importance of “travel hacks” are well-documented in the age of social media. Just about everyone is scrambling for ways to make their holiday feel more like a holiday and less like a task. Just open TikTok or Instagram and you’ll meet a thousand talking heads telling you how you can be more organised on the road.
Most of the time, you should listen. Being able to hold the travelling process taut and smooth out any kinks means that you’ll have a more enjoyable journey as you ferry yourself from Point A to Point B and back, hoping to collect hundreds of new memories that’ll help you power through the rest of the working year.
There are a million videos on what to pack to make your in-flight experience less stressful, how to maximise your points and get your travel habits working for you, and the first things you should do when you get to hotel rooms. But when we’re talking end-to-end travel solutions, we shouldn’t be starting from the second you step on board.
You should be thinking about how to make the travel experience more convenient the minute you actually leave for the airport. Take this, for example: you’re flying out of Melbourne and have driven to the airport. Parking can be the first bugbear of the entire experience if you don’t get it right, so make sure you pre-book your parking spot.
It also pays to check your local airport’s website for parking options as well. Some, like Melbourne Airport Parking, offer a wide range of parking packages including valet options. You also have the valuable insight to plan ahead based on which parking lot is located next to which check-in gate and terminal. This is the first of several lesser-known travel tips that’ll save you a great deal of time.
And we all know that even a minute can make all the difference at the airport.
Okay, so you’ve got your parking sorted. Now here are a few other ways you can make the start of your journey run that much smoother, setting the tone for the rest of your holiday. Because there really is nothing worse than starting a trip tired, rushed and stressed.
1. Put your belongings in your bag at security
Scooping your belongings out of the security check point bins is a needless exercise. Try to put as much as possible in your bag before you head on through. Put your phone in an easy-to-reach pocket because we all know that’s the first thing you’re going to reach for once you’re through the scanner. But you’ll also want to bag your jacket, jewelry and anything else you’d otherwise be placing in the bins.
This is also a good way to just keep track of all your possessions. If you’re travelling with kids, your mind is going to be on keeping them safe and on track as well. This means you’re more likely to forget lost items in the inevitable airport rush. Making sure they’re all in the same bag is an easy fix for what could be a devastating loss.
2. Wear easy-to-remove pieces
You want to be comfortable and practical on a flight. And that almost always means minimal as well. Forget anything that requires a belt, try getting by with slip-on shoes and maybe keep the bling until after you’ve landed. You don’t need to look glamorous on the flight.
3. Think about your movement
Navigating the airport like a boss is a matter of constant movement. The airport crowd demands it. You’re either waiting in line, or walking confidently like you know exactly where to go. There’s no time to waste. And so you should dress accordingly. We suggest wearing trainers. Maybe even activewear or your gym clothes. Moving through the airport is a workout both for the body and the mind.
Think light wherever possible. That means you’ll want to keep your carry-on bag light and easy to wheel around. Some of the more expensive brands have better, smoother wheels that are easier to glide across different surfaces. As such, consider investing in a good carry-on. You want to be able to glide through the airport like an unbothered, unhurried, unfettered adventurer striding confidently in the midst of all the excitement.
Once you’ve reached the gate, you’ll be glad you started timing the trip from the moment you parked your car.
