HOW SMART TRAVELERS REALLY GET THE BEST PRICES ON TRAVEL

One of the most common questions I’m asked is how to get the best price on travel. The short answer is that great deals absolutely exist, but they reward strategy rather than guesswork.

The biggest misconception is that there is one secret trick that works for every trip. In reality, saving money comes down to understanding how pricing works and choosing the approach that fits how you travel.

Pickpocketing techniques have been refined to the point that, in modern times, people often assume they’ve misplaced something—without ever realizing they were targeted. These incidents aren’t typically about danger; they’re about distraction and brief lapses in awareness.

THE LOCALS WHO REFUSE TO LOOK AWAY

In many cities, locals have grown tired of watching visitors become victims in places they love—and they’ve decided not to stay silent anymore.

If you’re returning to the U.S. from an international trip and want to get through Customs faster—without interviews, fees, or fingerprints—Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is a tool you should know about.

Mobile Passport Control is a free, secure app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that allows eligible travelers to submit passport and customs declaration information electronically. By replacing paper forms with a digital submission, MPC often results in shorter wait times at Customs.

Savoy Palace is a lens through which to experience Madeira at its most elegant and effortless. It is a place that understands drama but practices restraint.

By building a thoughtful, 12-month travel blueprint, you aren’t simply “booking trips.” You’re protecting your choices before they’re made for you by seasonal price increases, sold-out itineraries, and the quiet finality of no availability. Planning ahead creates flow, ease, and confidence—so when it’s time to travel, everything feels exactly as it should.

Passport: check

Foreign currency: check

Itinerary: check

Hydration levels: “What?”

It might surprise you that, right after packing your passport and arriving to the airport early, in-flight hydration is at the very top of the list when it comes to preparing yourself for a smooth journey. Humidity levels during flight are significantly lower than on the ground. Add a cocktail or a glass of wine without a companion cup of water, and you are really stressing your body.

As long as you have your passport, necessary medications, your wallet, your phone, one seasonally appropriate outfit, a raincoat or umbrella, a light jacket and a comfortable pair of walking shoes, anything else you forget can likely be purchased at your destination.

I’ve come to realize that, if fortune favors us, I may only have 7 guaranteed summers left to travel with my eldest son. While optimism typically guides my perspective, it would be remiss not to contemplate the finite nature of time spent with our loved ones.

After all the meticulous planning that goes into a journey, it’s completely natural to have the highest of expectations. You likely scheduled the trip during historically ideal weather, you thought through the finest of details, and spent many nights pouring over your itinerary to root out any weak links…