How To Make Travel Less Stressful Before Taking Off

Considering the attraction of travel is to relax and switch off from the mundane, hustle and bustle of daily life, some people get incredibly stressed when it comes to the preparation and the travel itself.

It’s easy to get stressed when travelling, whether that’s the responsibility of booking everything or ensuring everything is timed correctly.

Making travel less stressful is ensured by prepping in advance. Knowing how to manage anxiety and how to avoid any problems from arising is beneficial.

With that being said, here are a few tips to help make travel less stressful before taking off.

1. Organise ahead

Make sure that you’ve organised ahead and completed all your check-ins, as well as printed off and downloaded documents at least 24 hours in advance.

This just helps to keep things running smoothly without needing to panic so much about things not getting done.

By checking in early, you avoid the queues when you get to the airport, which can stress some people out due to the limited time available before the flight.

2. Pack smart

Not every airline is generous when it comes to its luggage allowance and sizing. Some are, in fact, very strict and make it hard to fit everything you need into the allocated luggage requirements set.

With that being said, you should pack smart, making use of packing cubes to help organise all of your belongings so that it’s easy to take them out and pack them back in.

Avoid checked baggage where possible and choose distinctive luggage so that it’s easy to identify and won’t be confused with anyone else’s luggage in the process.

3. Plan transportation

Transportation is something that, like most of the travel planning, should be done in advance. Pre-book any airport transfers you’re looking to take advantage of, as this helps in avoiding the last-minute decisions that stress people out.

Transport in general is a lot more expensive than it used to be, meaning your best bet is to try and organise this transport as early on and in advance as possible. The best and cheapest tickets will be the ones that have just been released.

4. Make use of technology for organisation and entertainment

Technology is important to utilise and thankfully we have a lot at our fingertips that is worth taking advantage of.

Making use of apps to track flight status is always handy, as well as airport maps in order to help you find your gate with ease. You should also make use of your technology for entertainment purposes.

By having access to technology so freely, you can provide yourself and your family or group with all of the entertainment they need to keep them occupied during the journey and while on vacation.

Look at downloading all your favourite television shows or movies that you want to watch so that the travel time goes by quickly.

5. Book airport car parking in advance

Airport car parking is definitely something you want to book in advance to avoid any disappointment.

Think about how much easier it would be to pay for airport parking, especially when you then have the flexibility of your car being available as and when you need it. No need to wait around for private transfers that are delayed or public transport that cancels when you’re desperately trying to get to the airport on time.

6. Arrive early and make use of the lounges

It’s definitely best to arrive as early as possible when travelling to the airport. Arriving late is only going to stress you out and risk missing your flight or connections further down the line where applicable.

You should give yourself extra time to navigate security without rushing. It’s better to be early or even too early than too late.

It’s worth considering access to the lounges, especially if you’re there for an afternoon flight. This is a great way of escaping crowded and noisy terminals.

7. Practice relaxation and use distractions

Relaxation and distractions are good to have when it comes to keeping calm and collected ahead of travelling.

First and foremost, you should look at practicing relaxation. Using deep breathing techniques, for example, as well as meditation can be helpful.

Try to limit your stimulants where you can and avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine, as these can often increase anxiety, especially before flying. Distractions like a good book, downloaded movies or noise-cancelling headphones are great to keep the mind occupied.

With these tips, you’ll be bound to make travel less stressful before take-off.

Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels