International Travel Tips To Know Before You Go And More Good Things
Here are some good international travel tips to know. These are from Howard (my husband who was in the travel destination business for 30 years) and The Wall Street Journal.
There is also book I can’t put down and what to have on the dining table when you just want it to look pretty as you pass by it. It’s Five Faves time with Annie and Cindy!
International Travel Tips I’ve Appreciated While Traveling With Howard
Howard devours all travel industry news and knows his way around an airport even if he’s only been there once. He loves it. He’s good at organizing so I let him do everything. But occasionally its good for me to travel by myself so I appreciate him! He gives me control over our home and I let him plan the travel (and I get out of the way when he’s in the kitchen).
You may like Howard’s advice here: Steps To Plan An Unforgettable Large Group Vacation.
Car Service
If you are taking a car service to the airport (ours picked us up at our son’s place in Orlando at 4 am for an early flight), schedule your driver on the Uber app the day before. We also have good luck with Uber in Europe.
Don’t forget your passports! And check if the country you are going to requires visas.
Airport lounge
Howard likes a good airport lounge (me too). We’ve visited some duds but also some beautiful ones (like the one I’m writing this from). If you travel often, you might want to spring for a Platinum American Express. The Centurion Lounges are great (especially the one in San Francisco). This is not a sponsored post!
But the card’s benefits also get you access to Delta Sky Clubs, like this one (above) in the international terminal in Boston. This one is huge and has very nice bathrooms with showers. And you receive a membership to Priority Pass which has access to airport lounges around the word.
Of course, if you travel in business or first class, as we do occasionally now, but more often when Howard was traveling for business, you are entitled to stay in the airline’s lounge. I remember being blown away by United Emirates enormous lounge and service in Dubai.
You may also like My Perfect Packing Tips And List For Autumn in Europe. Remember if you are checking luggage, to bring any prescription medication or medical devices, and possibly a change of clothes in your carry-on bag.
We have both TSA PreCheck and Clear…and usually get in whichever line looks fastest (although many airports do not have Clear).
TSA Pre Check
Enjoy a smoother security screening process with no need to remove shoes, laptops, belts or light jackets. Find out more here.
CLEAR
“Clear Secure, Inc. is an American technology company that operates biometric travel document verification systems at some major airports and stadiums.” American Express Platinum Card Members are eligible to receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year for CLEAR® Plus Membership. (This is how we got ours).
Global Entry You will want this coming home.
Apply for: “Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States by accessing the Global Entry processing technology at selected airports.”
Six Rules For Traveling In Retirement by The Wall Street Journal
As we are in this stage of our lives, I found this article interesting. I read it in our Apple News feed. You may also have a subscription to the WSJ. But here are the very abbreviated highlights:
- Travel offseason
- Choose ‘secondary’ destinations She talks about going to Bath instead of London, for example.
- Don’t be shy with strangers “One of the joys of traveling in retirement is unstructured time to enjoy casual, spontaneous conversations with people we happen to meet. Indeed, I find that impromptu connections with guides, drivers and even guards are often as memorable as the settings in which they occur.”
- Focus on just a few things “Before we visited the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, for instance, we identified five paintings we wanted to see, then made use of the benches strategically placed in front of or near them.”
- Stay at least three nights in each location “Packing and unpacking is a waste of energy. “
- Be prepared to improvise “Start the day whenever you want, and be open to impulsive detours to areas that aren’t on tourist bureau maps.”
Those are international travel tips you may find handy!
You may also like: 9 Adjusting To Retirement Tips “No More Mondays”.
Your Dining Table Ideas For Everyday
Have you read this popular post 8 Décor Tips For Your Dining Table Everyday? It’s nice to have something on it rather than an empty table everyday…even when you aren’t using it.
In fact, this recent Architectural Digest article gave me some ideas, like… I might stack books on display since soon, as it cools off, we will be dining on the back porch more.
What To Read: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Mercedes gave me this book to borrow and I’ve brought it on this trip. I’m trying not to blow through it since it is so enjoyable! In fact, I sent it to a friend, Laura as part of her birthday present.
What To Watch “Only Murders In The Building”
Howard and I watched Season One and forgot about the subsequent seasons until this showed up on my Instagram feed for Season Four. We breezed through Season Two and are hooked on Season Three.
So funny!
If you would like to receive this series every week, please sign up HERE.
Let’s see what my friends have discovered this week:
Love all of Howards tips. Bill, my husband is a 2.5 million miler with Delta. He handles our airline plans, and Lounge plans and I handle all of the other fun things about the trip. I love the Centurion Lounges, the one in Buenos Aires is great. Sadly we often find ourselves traveling through Atlanta and the lounges are way too crowded.
I loved the Rosie project! It is a great book. That is my tip fro travel, load up your Kindle with books to read on the plane, at night before bed or when you need a break.
Have a fabulous trip to Paris.
Great idea about the Kindle, Elizabeth!!
I LOVED The Rosie Project. There is a sequel! Not quite as satisfying as the original but it does a great job scratching the itch that comes from missing the characters.
Yes! Mercedes said I could borrow that book too!
Maybe you don’t realize it, Mary Ann, but I don’t think I’m your ONLY reader that envies you having Howard as your personal travel planner!
Like Juliet, we’ve had a high-level Chase United Visa for a long time, and it benefits my husband to have United lounge access when traveling for work internationally, and me, when traveling together. All our spending goes on it, so it does amass a good # of United miles. BUT, it only benefits him for independent travel in use of lounges, so I have long been thinking of a second card like your platinum Amex (which would unfortunately decrease mileage accrual on United…). Sorting out the pros and cons is difficult. I THINK that several businesses did not want to accept Amex on our Europe trip this summer — see if you experience this.
As my husband is European and we visit family annually, we have had Global Entry since the program started; it gives you TSA precheck domestically, as well. It is a great relief when re-entering the country to do the automated kiosk instead of stand in a potentially hot, long line before gathering your luggage to re-check it (particularly if your flight was late or you have an hour for a connection)!
We have the United Chase card, too, Joan…yes and I have to be with Howard to use it. And yes, some places here don’t accept Amex. So we are dividing our spending points…but oh well, it seems to be working.
Every Sunday morning I look forward to reading your “5 Favorites” which is always the most interesting email in my inbox! Enjoy your special trip with your son and his fiancé! So fun to get to know them as a couple while traveling…(We did the same with our daughter and fiancé when we traveled to London) Your family is growing with your babies and new family members!
Good morning from California! We are lounge people too … nothing makes me happier than ensconsing myself in a good airport lounge particularly before international travel. Jim and I argue over whose credit card to give up when he retires (the fees are so high) … his platinum Amex or my fancy Visa that gets us into the United lounges. It’s quite a dilemma and we may have to forgo few dinners out and keep both. The Polaris lounges are nice too. Love these WSJ tips … I’m on board with the three night minimum. It’s so fun to follow your travels from afar … happy anniversary! xo
Thanks, Juliet…YOU take the best trips!!
Same dilemma in our family!
Good info on international travel. A couple of other tips…
Would recommend that aside from Global Entry (which I love), there is a Mobile Passport Control app for smart phones that can help streamline the immigration process back into the U.S. for those who don’t fly frequently to international destinations. More info is available on the US Customs and Immigration site under “Travel for US Citizens and Permanent Residents.” The app is available on apple and google app sites.
Also, it is helpful to enroll in the State Department Smart Traveller program (also an app for that). It provides, among other things, helpful updates about an situations that might develop in places on your itinerary. This past spring I received emails about things I might want to avoid or that might impact my trip. This included notifications about demonstrations in London and one about a significant, unforeseen event in Copenhagen. Helpful if one wants to avoid potential problems. And, should you need to reach out to the nearest US Embassy on your trip (e.g. lost passport, etc.), the info is available in the app.
Thanks, Mary…I am telling Howard to read your comment right now. Very kind!
Fantastic comments thank you both! My daughter travels a lot for work and swears by TSA and Global and it is funny and slightly annoying to see her swan ahead in security while the rest of us and her husband are left behind!! Have a fantastic time !
We were just talking about that last night as our son has global entry but his fiancee does not…but I imagine that he will stick with her in line!
This was a fabulous read! So many great tips from the “world traveler.” I am glad you reminded me about Only Murders in the Building…I have been meaning to watch that! So fun following along on your and Annie’s travels! Hopefully we can go together sometime when it works out for all of us!!