We are an office filled with experienced travellers, planners and travel agents at LUXE. We took a poll amongst the team to find out some useful travel tips and here are some of our collective best practices when going away… Hope these are helpful!

Always bring a sweater or blanket, no matter how tropical the climate; as air conditioning or a breezy night will make you happy that you packed an extra layer.

Research the destination in advance so that you don’t spend the first day or two wasting time trying to figure out what the best restaurants and hotspots are (and missing out on reservation opportunities).

Try to pack a few essentials in your carry-on such as: toothbrush, deodorant, fresh under clothes in the event that your luggage is delayed in transport.

Avoid traveling with valuable items, particularly jewelry. If you must, either carry these items on you or in your carry-on and do not pack them in your checked baggage.

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing on your travel day. You may have to stand in long line-ups or change gates for a connecting flight and you will want to be comfortable.

Call your credit card company to let them know you will be traveling abroad. Many credit card companies have protection plans in place to ensure that travelers are safe from theft and fraud.

Make sure to leave your family and friends the contact information of where you are staying and an itinerary of your vacation. It is important that you are reachable in case of an emergency back home.

Don’t forget to book travel insurance. You never know when an unforeseen accident, sudden illness, or natural disaster could occur.

Call the hotel concierge a few weeks in advance and make dinner reservations at the local hot-spots. If you’re going to a big city (Chicago, New York) some restaurants book months in advance!

Similarly do your research and don’t get lured into tourist traps! The food isn’t usually very good, and they are expensive. Go where the locals go!

Talk to your travel agent about booking tours. Some locations it’s best to just walk around, shop and enjoy the local culture; whereas some are better when you hire an expert to show you the sites, give you the history, and get you to the front of the line!

Ensure you know what the local currency is wherever you’re going. And make sure to bring a variety of smaller bills for gratuities.

Bring your phone and camera chargers! Taking photos is important to so many travelers. Also, if you’re going on an extended trip, you may want to consider an extra memory card.

Going somewhere with excellent shopping opportunities? Pack light with room in your suitcase to fit the items you’re going to purchase along the way!

Scan your passports and email them to yourself so you have a digital copy. Can’t hurt to have this backed up somewhere.

Make sure you always pack a small first aid kit with Tylenol, antihistamines, sunscreen, bug spray and aloe vera.  Allergies, mosquitoes, sunburn can truly RUIN your vacation!

Always check to make sure your flight is on schedule and to see if there is possibility to check in online ahead of time.  This can really save time on the lines ups at the airport and if you are lucky secure great seats!

Don’t spend your time becoming annoyed and being impatient when your travel plans don’t always go as planned. Travelling with a good sense of humour and a calm demeanour will always make any experience that much smoother.