Top Tips For a Worry-Free Flight

Top Tips For a Worry-Free Flight

A friend of mine Alex just received an e-mail message confirming his admission to one of one of the universities in Japan for a master's degree in public policy. To his credit, Alex was granted a full scholarship sponsored by the Japanese government. The screening process and selection procedure was a bit hectic and successfully he was lucky enough to have been chosen as one of the grantees.

Alex has traveled but on domestic and interisland voyages. He has not  experienced being out of the country. It was his first time to have an international flight and is a bit fidgety on how to make his flight hassle-free.

One day he dropped by at home for a bottle of drink with me. In two weeks, he would be leaving the country to start his journey to the Land of the Rising Sun. Having experienced traveling abroad, Alex asked me some pieces of advice which he can used for his first international travel. I decided to post these bits of tips to share it not only to Alex but also to our fellow trippers.

On Purchasing Your Flight Ticket

Provided you have all with you the needed valid travel documents such as passport and visa to your country of destination, the next important thing to do is purchase a flight ticket. On my experience, purchasing a flight ticket is as easy as booking online, but if you want to save a few bucks for flight ticket, you may consider airline promo which usually appears in their site from time to time. More often than not, airlines offer some attractive promos for travellers around the world.

Apart from this you may also play out on the dates of your travel. In a number of instances, flight ticket can be cheaper in specific dates. Personally I tried playing out on the dates of my trip and I noted great differences in terms of price. So the schedule of your trip really matters a lot in order to save some dollars in your pocket.

I usually book my tickets well ahead of time before my planned scheduled trip. The reason behind this is that it is typically cheaper to book tickets in advance than when you book ticket a day or two before your trip. I have tested this several times already in my flight going to Jakarta, Indonesia, my flight from Budapest to Clark in Angeles, Pampanga, Philippines on my first vacation during the winter break.

In my trip going to Budapest, I booked my ticket to Emirates and personally I felt comfortable all throughout the duration of my trip. I usually enjoy listening to music and watching movies when I find myself in a long-haul trip.

On Getting Fit Before Your Trip

I know this sounds like a bit ridiculous but it is normal for every first-time traveller to feel some forms of anxiety and excitement at the same time. There are some young people who could not even sleep well at night before the day of their trip. If you have scheduled international trip the day after, you should get enough sleep and rest well. You may not find it comfortable to sleep in the plane. Do not stress yourself that much. Think positively of your trip. Enjoy it and savour the moment. 

I have been to several international travels before and I consider each trip memorable to me. I regard every trip as a way to enjoy the comfort of travel, meeting people along the way and immersing myself to a whole new experience.

On Packing Your Luggage

If this is your first international trip, it would be wise ( if you are to ask me) to pack light. You do not need to put into your baggage or luggage everything you have at home. Some people are inclined to place in their luggage everything they can find in their wardrobe. Bear in mind that airports and airlines have baggage policies and be sure to be aware of the limitations imposed by each airport or airlines. Furthermore, you do not wish to play additional charges for excess baggage.

It is really hard to travel in another country with tons of clothings and personal belongings in your luggage. Pack only those things which you can practically use during your sojourn in the place. You will find it easier to carry them upon your disembarkation from the plane and you will find it far more comfortable to be transiting from one place to another once you get into your point of destination.

Personally, unless I intend to stay in my target destination for more than a month, I am not used to bringing with me a full-size checked-in luggage. I only bring with me a carry-on bag that complies with the usual weight and size limits of most airlines. I would say that I had become more of a minimalist in the last few years. I tend to bring only those I really needed for my trip; I leave out the non-necessaries. Only the essentials remain.

On Airport Tips

Cliche as it may sound, getting early to the airport is a wise advice. You would not mind getting into the airport three or four hours before your trip more particularly that this is your first international trip. You do not want to stress yourself out familiarizing yourself on the airport's direction and location. Getting into the airport earlier has a number of advantages. It enables you to check-in early just in case you have not checked in online. Second it allows you to have a brief rest or even take a nap before your plane departs. Finally, getting earlier in the airport enables you to relax and gives you a feeling of having passed through all the airport formalities without having to beat the time which is a usual feeling when you get the airport late. Checking online enables you to dodge the long queu in the check-in desk as you will most of the time drop your checked-in baggage in the baggae or luggage counter. the security screening, be able to follow the instructions of security officers of the airport.

The photo above was taken by this writer at the Clark International Airport situated at Clark, Angeles City, Pampanga.

On Money Matters

Be sure to have with you sufficient amount of money for your expenditures. Not having enough will cause you tremendous worry. Bring with you enough cash in the currency of your target country. If you are unable to do so, do not forget to exchange your dollar to the local currency. You may do so for a few bucks in the airport upon arrival or before your trip in some money changer outlets. If you are to ask me, it is sometimes better to exchange money just before your trip rather than do it in the airport upon arrival because the latter may charge larger commission from the exchange rate.

Another helpful tip is to bring with you an international credit or debit card which you can use any part of the world. Unless your credit card provider charges hefty fees for international cash ATM withdrawal, using a credit card is far better than exchanging a few hundred bucks to money changer. But of course, bringing with you a credit card will always save your day in case you are cash-strapped during the day.

When I went to Jakarta, Indonesia, I exchanged a hundred dollar bucks in the money changer outlet in the airport for my expenses for the day and used my visa card in the remaining days of my stay.

There you have it! After having two bottles of beer, Alex left my place feeling more relax, more confident and more excited towards his new journey and adventures in Japan. He bid me farewell as he would be leaving for Manila to fix other important personal things that he need to personally attend to. I am confident that Alex will surely enjoy his trip and be productive to his new endeavour in the Land of the Rising Sun.The next time he returns to the country for a brief vacation, he would be sharing plates of sushi with me. 

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