Nobody likes making mistakes, especially travel mistakes. After dreaming of a destination for what feels like forever, you want everything to go smoothly.
But, in the excitement of researching new destinations, finding deals, and making reservations, it’s easy to overlook the small, yet very important, details that could lead to some serious problems when traveling.
I speak as someone who has made my fair share of mistakes while traveling. But the good news is that with the right planning, even my biggest travel mistakes were not as bad as they could have been because I thought ahead of time about how to handle that situation should it come up.
So, whether you’re a once-a-year traveler or have the travel bug, like me, preparing and planning are the best ways to (hopefully!) avoid the most common travel mistakes. In this guide, you’ll find my travel-tested tips for doing so!
The Most Common Travel Mistakes to Avoid
Travel Mistakes: Travel Planning and Reservations
Many problems when traveling can be avoided right from the start with the right trip planning.
If you’re like me, you’re excited to be booking a trip! But it’s here that some of the biggest travel mistakes can happen. So, take the time to think about how you can set your trip up for success right from the start.
Before Traveling:
Choose the right destination.
Seems basic enough but it’s important to really ask yourself (and your travel companion) what type of trip you want to take right now.
If you’re exhausted and in search of rest and relaxation, it’s probably not the time to plan a trip with a lot of sightseeing. Looking for a trip that’s quick and inexpensive, then it’s not the right time for your bucket list trip to Antarctica!
Your next travel destination should match what you’re up for right now so that you’re in the right mindset to enjoy it.
Plan a realistic itinerary.
Ideally, you want to balance enough time to see and do the things you want to do without feeling like you’re rushing.
For most trips, it’s not practical to change hotels each night or to expect to see 4 countries in a week. It’s typically best to plan at least 2-3 days in each place you want to visit.
For example, if you’re in Spain for a week, you could split the time between places like Madrid and Barcelona. This would give you time to do some city sightseeing and also potentially plan 1-2 day trips. If you have 10 days, 2 weeks, or more, you can add other places accordingly.
Above all resist the temptation to over-plan. You’ll never regret having an extra day somewhere but moving too quickly and missing things you wished to see and do is never a good feeling.
Be careful with your flight connections!
As you look at flights, pay attention to how much time you have to connect.
For international travel, I never book an itinerary with less than 2 hours to make a connection. Every airport and country is different but, in my experience, delays, large terminals, and potentially needing to rescreen carry-on bags at security and go through an immigration checkpoint, can make anything less than 2 hours fraught with panic. Not to mention, checked luggage is more likely to miss its connection, too, when time between flights is short.
When in doubt, it’s better to choose a flight itinerary with a longer connection rather than choosing an itinerary with stress built into it.
Use your travel rewards miles and points.
If you earn miles and points from a travel rewards credit card, figure out how you can use some of them to offset the cost of your trip.
Maybe you have enough points for your flight. Or perhaps you have a combination of hotel points and free night award certificates to cover some of your hotel nights. Either way, you’ll keep money in your pocket and avoid the worst points and miles mistake of them all!
Check all booking details before completing your purchase.
Especially for your flights but with all your trip bookings, make sure your dates, destination, and airports are correct. Check that you’ve spelled your name right and it’s as it appears on your travel documents. It’s harder to change these things afterwards and sometimes a change could come with added fees.
For flights, if you catch a mistake within 24 hours, it’s possible to cancel an airline ticket with no penalty. Keep in mind, even if you immediately rebook, you may not end up with the same deal. You can also call the airline, hotel, or booking agent and explain what happened. Sometimes, it’s a pleasant surprise that something was relatively easy to fix.
Book popular activities and experiences in advance
It’s true, not everything needs to be booked ahead of time, although I find it saves time and hassle later when you book as much as possible before your trip.
In particular, though, some things must be booked ahead of time because they’ll sell out and you’ll miss your chance. These include places like DaVinci’s Last Supper in Milan, The Vatican in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Alhambra in Spain.
As soon as you choose your destination and book your logistics, don’t delay in reserving entry tickets and experiences so you can see the sights you want and on the best days for your itinerary.
Make a plan for your airport transfer on arrival.
It doesn’t matter whether you choose to book a private transfer, take a taxi from the airport, or hop on a train or bus to reach your final destination. But, I recommend researching your options and choosing the one that suits your travel style and budget.
If you can, reserve your pickup or buy your train or bus ticket ahead of time. I find this is really helpful when you arrive and don’s want to deal with added stress in a new place. You’ll look like a travel pro and you’ll start your trip off right by arriving at your hotel much more settled than trying to figure out a spontaneous plan at the airport.
Don’t overpack.
You might think that not packing enough would be the most stressful. But actually, it’s when you pack too much and have to travel with all your bags through airports, onto trains, and up flights of stairs that it becomes a major stressor.
For some trips, there’s specific gear you might need. But for most sightseeing-type trips, you need much less than you imagine. Plus, in a pinch, you can likely find whatever it is that you need. When I pack, I put everything I want to take on the bed and then only take about half of those things.
It’s best to leave jewelry and other valuable items at home.
But if you do travel with them, use the safe in your hotel room to store your items. While you’re out, keep jewelry and electronics tucked away as much as possible to avoid opportunistic pickpockets.
Avoid eating at restaurants in prime tourist locations.
Not only are these the most overpriced, but they also typically serve food that caters to tourists. Whether it’s fast food or low-quality dishes, it likely doesn’t give you an idea of what the local cuisine is like.
Living in New York City, I’m always amazed at visitors who eat in Times Square when even walking just a few blocks away will land you on streets with much better restaurant choices. As a traveler, I always walk away from main tourist areas and look for places that are tucked away from the main flow of pedestrian traffic.
Be a respectful and responsible traveler.
When I was hiking in the Cinque Terre, there was a handwritten sign along the trail near a local farm reminding visitors that the land there was not a bathroom. The sad truth is that this sign was written for a reason. I always try to leave no trace that I was in a place and remind myself that it’s not just about me doing it this one time but that countless other visitors will also do the same.
Similarly, I’m very careful with animal experiences. There are a lot of unethical practices with animals being used for profit and enduring horrible treatment. My advice is not to take part in animal experiences without first knowing whether it’s ethical or not.
Do as the locals do.
Isn’t the essence of travel to experience new things and leave your daily life behind even if only for a few days?
In this spirit, keep an open mind. Try new foods, take part in hands-on activities, and respect local customs. By doing so, you get to experience life from someone else’s vantage point and learn new things. I find this to be the best part of traveling!
Travel Mistakes: Passports & Important Documents
For U.S. residents, in 2007, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative went into effect requiring a valid passport for international travel. This includes travel from the U.S. to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada. Adult passports are valid for 10 years while a child’s passport is valid for 5 years.
In 2025, the REAL ID law went into effect in the U.S. Everyone 18+ needs a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license for domestic flights. You can also use your passport or other accepted IDs like a U.S. Military Card or a Global Entry Card.
Before Traveling:
Apply for a passport if you don’t have one.
If you’re traveling outside your home country, you need a passport.
First-time passport applications in the U.S. must be done in person at a Passport Acceptance Facility. Allow at least 4-6 weeks to receive your new passport or be prepared to pay extra for expedited service.
Check your passport.
Many countries require that your passport is valid for at least 6Â months beyond your return date.Â
Passport renewals can be done online, by mail or, if need be, in person at a Passport Agency.
Be sure your passport also has at least 2 blank pages or else you may not be permitted to depart for and/or enter your destination. Even though fewer countries are stamping passports, there are still plenty that are so check that you have the pages.
If you notice any errors, like a misspelling of your name or incorrect date of birth, schedule an appointment right away at your state’s Passport Agency. Likewise, if your passport shows any signs of damage, you should have it replaced.
Take photos of your passport.
You should take a photo of your passport and save it to a cloud-based service, like Dropbox or Google Drive to access the photo of your passport from abroad should it get lost or stolen.
You can also make paper copies for yourself and a trusted friend or family member back home just in case you need to verify your residency.
Find out if you need a Visa.
Check the visa requirements for the countries you’re visiting. When required, some have a visa-on-arrival system at the airport while other countries require an advance application.
I almost missed one of my Patagonia flights because I didn’t have my Argentinian visa sorted out correctly. (No longer needed, by the way.) The bottom line is to do your homework so you don’t get stuck at the airport.
While Traveling:
Don’t carry your passport on you.
Lock your passport in the hotel safe with other valuables. Use a Pacsafe Travelsafe to secure your bag if you’re staying at hostels, guesthouses, or other accommodations with no safe.
If you need a form of identification, you can get a passport card. The card is separate from a passport and not suitable to use for international travel on its own, but it is an I.D. card and serves as proof of U.S. residency should your passport get lost or taken.
I’ve also shown the digital photo of my passport in a pinch with no problem when asked to show I.D.
Don’t delay if your passport is lost or stolen.
First, take a deep breath and be sure it is, in fact, missing. You don’t want to report a missing passport, only to find it shoved under your socks in your suitcase.
If your passport is truly missing or has been stolen, report it to the U.S. embassy as soon as you confirm it is gone.
Travel Mistakes: Money, Credit Cards, & Banks
From choosing the right credit cards to bring on an international trip to the best ways to convert currency, we all want to avoid as many common travel mistakes around money as possible! Who wants to discover they fell for a bad exchange rate or have paid unnecessary transaction fees while traveling abroad?
And if the unthinkable happens and your wallet is stolen or an ATM eats your debit card (true story!), you want to be prepared to handle these things so that you can continue to enjoy the rest of your trip.
Before Traveling:
Tell your bank(s) you’re traveling.
Some banks don’t require this anymore, but it’s still good to call to be sure your credit card will work outside of the country.
For debit cards, absolutely call the bank to set up a travel notification to make sure they’re not surprised to see activity at an international ATM.
Take the right credit cards.
Only take credit cards with no foreign exchange fees. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay a fee every time you use the card abroad. If you can, take different types of cards, like a Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. This way, if one of them isn’t accepted, stolen, or lost, you’ll have others to use.
Skip gift cards & traveler’s checks.
No one uses traveler’s checks anymore. I’ve traveled around the world and I’ve never used them, I haven’t seen anyone else using them, and have never been offered that as a payment type.
Similarly, if you have Visa gift cards, they typically don’t work outside of the country where they were bought. Also, don’t pre-load cards with the local currency of the country where you’re traveling. You’ll typically get a bad deal on the exchange rate.
In most cases, leave your home currency at home.
Unless you’re traveling somewhere that accepts your home currency, there’s no need to bring it. Your money won’t be accepted and now becomes something that can be stolen or lost.
If where you’re traveling to uses your home currency, bring new bills, if you can. Second best would be bills with no rips, folds, or marks and preferably with a newer issue date.
Countries like Cambodia and Ecuador use U.S. dollar notes. Even still, I had perfectly dollar bills refused because they weren’t deemed in new condition.
Set up your digital wallet.
If you haven’t yet, load at least 1 credit card into the digital wallet on your phone.
First, it’s harder to do once you’re already out of the country because you need to verify everything for security. Second, using a digital wallet, especially in city metro systems with contactless payment systems, makes it easy to pay without needing to take a card out of your bag or wallet.
It’s not only more convenient but it’s also safer because you keep your money and credit cards out of sight when paying for something.
Take photos of your debit and credit cards.
Save a front and back photo of each card you take on your trip. If something happens to one of them, you’ll easily have the card number and bank phone number to call to cancel the card.
Don’t get foreign currency at your home bank.
Besides sometimes being difficult to get in the first place, the exchange rate and fees your bank will charge are often among the worst. Skip this. Instead, use an ATM in the country where you’re traveling to get cash.
While Traveling:
Avoid exchanging cash at the airport.
These kiosks are just waiting for travelers who don’t realize the exchange rate is horrible. Don’t be one of them. To get cash in your destination’s currency, the best scenario is to use a bank location ATM near your hotel once you get settled.
Use your credit cards to pay for everything you can.
This won’t be a problem in many places since credit cards are widely accepted around the world. It’s convenient and saves you from needing to carry a lot of cash. Plus, if something goes wrong with a purchase like that bowl in Tuscany you bought never arrives, you have recourse by disputing the charge once you’re back home.
Always pay in the local currency.
When you use your credit card, you’ll likely be asked if you want to pay in the local currency or your home currency. Always pay in the local currency.
What you don’t realize by accepting this on-the-spot conversion is that there’s a baked-in convenience fee, not to mention the terrible exchange rates.
Decline the conversion offer at ATMs.
Similar to the above, you’ll likely notice ATMs asking if you’d like to proceed with the currency conversion during your cash withdrawal. You should 100% decline this and let your bank determine the exchange rate.
It’s sneaky because it looks like you can’t continue without accepting the conversion, but you absolutely can and should.
Travel Mistakes: Medical Emergencies
No one thinks they’ll be sick or need medical care while traveling abroad, but it can happen to anyone. And contrary to what you might imagine like a big medical event, it can be a simple accident like slipping in the hotel shower to twisting your ankle on some stairs, that derails your travel plans.
Even something as basic as keeping yourself hydrated can help avoid a visit to the local clinic or hospital. So, reduce the risks by planning ahead and being prepared should you need medical attention.
Before Traveling:
Get travel insurance.
You’ve taken the time to research and plan your trip, don’t overlook travel insurance.
By doing so, you give yourself peace of mind knowing that should you need to change your plans before your trip or need help during your trip, you have support and protection.
I was so grateful for travel insurance when my grandfather died just before a trip and I needed to change my plans only 2 days before departing.
Don’t forget recommended or required vaccinations.
Some countries require a Yellow Fever vaccine while many others require it if you’ve come from a country with Yellow Fever. And sometimes, it’s not easy to find a Yellow Fever vaccine because of shortages. A doctor might also recommend other vaccines depending on where you plan to travel.
For my first trip to Africa, I went to a clinic specializing in travel vaccines called Passport Health.
Save your travel insurance emergency contact in your phone.
Just in case! Do you really want to be searching for it or trying to connect to shoddy wifi in search of a phone number when you really need support?
Pack all prescription medicines.
Make sure you have what you need for the amount of time you’ll be traveling. Avoid security questions by carrying your medications in clearly labeled bottles.
I once had to beg a TSA agent to keep a cream prescribed by my dermatologist because the tube itself wasn’t labeled only the box it came in…which was long gone at that point.
Consider travel probiotics.
Probiotics are believed to help digestive health but also overall immunity. I take travel probiotics before and during travel to help my body fight everything from airport germs to an upset stomach from unfamiliar food.
While Traveling:
Have a credit card with “space” for emergencies.
Most insurance policies require you to pay for your emergency upfront. After filing, reviewing, and accepting your claim, you’ll be reimbursed after the fact. In the moment, you’ll need to pay medical bills and other costs on-site.
Call your travel insurance’s emergency hotline right away.
As soon as you know you need medical attention, make the call.
Agents can advise on the nearest medical facilities and advise you on what paperwork you’ll need for a potential reimbursement. Travel insurance might also be able to get a family member to you or assist with a minor child in your care depending on your coverage.
Keep all bills, receipts, and documents related to emergencies.
Hold on to all paper documents and save important emails and digital attachments. Take photos of any physical documents as well. Your travel insurance company is bound to ask you for some or all of these documents when you file your claim.
Travel Mistakes: Acts of Violence & Natural Disasters
Unfortunately, this makes the list, but only as something to be aware of and not something to stop you from traveling. Being the victim of a crime, getting caught in sudden unrest, and even natural disasters can wreak unexpected havoc on the most carefully developed plans.
And while you can’t prevent some of these problems from traveling altogether, you can prepare so you know what to do just in case.
Before Traveling:
Check for travel alerts.
The U.S. State Department details information on all the countries around the globe and, when necessary, issues travel alerts using a color-coded system. Think rationally about the information and cross-check it with any possible travel alerts issued by countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia.
When considering a country with a travel alert, I remind myself that things can look much worse in the media. You might be surprised that many countries urge their citizens NOT to visit the United States because of the risk of gun violence. Did you also know that the U.S. has an active travel alert for Italy and yet millions of Americans will visit Italy this year?
Still, these alerts are issued for a reason. It’s important to do your research. Also, in a lot of cases, if you visit a place with the highest alert level, understand that your travel insurance may be invalidated.
Bottom line, travel alerts should be looked at seriously, but then calibrated with everything else you know about the situation.
Enroll in STEP.
If you’re headed abroad, particularly to a place or a part of the world experiencing unrest, enroll in STEP.Â
The U.S. Government will keep you in the know with important information and alerts about your destination and can offer assistance while away from home.
While Traveling:
Speak up.
If you’ve been the victim of a crime, report it to local authorities and the local U.S. embassy immediately.
Be smart during an emergency.
In the event of unrest or natural disaster, contact your family as soon as possible to let them know your whereabouts. You should also contact the nearest U.S. embassy for advice and assistance on how to proceed safely.
Avoiding Common Travel Fails for a Successful Trip
The most common travel mishaps can be avoided with a bit of planning!
For those unexpected things that creep into your travel plans, being prepared eases your mind and can prevent anything further from derailing your trip. So take the precautions now to safeguard your travel experience from start to finish.
So, what are your questions about mistakes while traveling?
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See my full list of travel resources on my resource page. These are what I've used to book travel over the years.
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