Every post on social media is making us fully aware of the summer travel anxiety that may soon ensue. Don’t worry, I’ve already been through it, I’ve felt that awful heart fluttering, feelings of panic. And made it out alive.
Well, by “alive”, I mean, without a panic attack or wishing bad things upon small screaming children or rude passengers.
Also, I have previously suffered extreme PTSD anxiety after a series of accidents a few years ago. I mostly have it under control now, but it flares up in situations like crowded chaotic airports and planes.
Here’s everything I do to avoid it, and keep calm.
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To Avoid Summer Travel Anxiety: Get to The Airport Early AF
This sounds obvious I’m sure, but it’s true. These days I get to the airport three hours ahead of my flight, even if it is just to take full advantage of the lounges.
I don’t care how many people say they get to the airport last minute; I used to be like that, and I also used to have a lot more anxiety!
Everyone knows the number one thing that will give you anxiety at the airport is the thought of missing your flight. So do yourself a favor and get there early AF. Worst case scenario, you have to wait in lines. Best case; you don’t get anxiety and you’re sipping bubbly in a lounge.
Don’t have a credit card with a lounge pass?! Why in the world not?! Check out my post about the credit cards I use that include them! You can also get a lounge pass without the credit card as well.
Be Obnoxiously Over-Prepared
Even after traveling the world full time for nine years, I STILL forget to be over-prepared for flights sometimes! And I feel like such an amateur when I’m not!
Here’s a mini check list of what you should be obnoxiously over-prepared for in order to avoid summer travel anxiety:
- Your passport expiration: make sure it’s not within 6 months of you trip departure
- Your passport has at least 6 blank pages
- Quadruple check if you need a visa for your destination! I’ve lost thousands of dollars by missing flights due to not checking if I can get a visa on arrival!
- Also check if your LAYOVER destination requires a Visa!!!
- Check vaccination requirements! Mostly Africa. Trust me you don’t want a Yellow Fever Vaccine at the airport.
- Make sure you have your flight ticket, time, number, etc. handy
- Make sure your hotel booking is confirmed and you have a screenshot of it
Check Luggage Restrictions & Pack Accordingly
One of the top anxiety-causing factors of traveling, especially summer travel, is when you go to check your back at the airport, and it’s overweight. Everyone has been there. The sudden twist in your stomach, the beads of sweat on your forehead, and the sheer panic that forms as everyone watches you trying to rush to repack your shit to get your luggage to the appropriate weight.
ALL of that can easily be avoided if you simply check the luggage restrictions BEFORE packing, and then pack accordingly! Don’t just assume you get 23 kgs (50 lbs). Or a second free bag. Because you will end paying hundreds of dollars more.
If you’re trying to save money by packing with a carry-on, here’s my top tip for that: How to Pack a Carry-on with Travel Compression Bags.
For the Love of (Travel) God, CHECK IN ONLINE!
Why on Earth people don’t check in online is beyond me. But also like…I forget to do it sometimes. And then I usually get summer travel anxiety.
A lot of people wonder why you need to check in online if you just have to go to the counter anyway. If that is you, please immediately stop thinking that way for the rest of your life.
In most airports these days, if you check in online, there’s a separate line for you that is much shorter and faster! Plus there’s other benefits of checking in online, which are all purposely meant to avoid causing you anxiety at the airport.
For example, when you check in online, you can add or verify;
- Your seat selection (this is how you ensure you don’t get trapped in a middle seat)
- That you paid for luggage and don’t get charged a shit ton extra at the airport
- That you have the correct documentation and visas
- That you have added your TSA precheck number
- That you actually have a flight.
Get TSA PreCheck or Clear and Global Entry
If you don’t have at least TSA pre-check and Global Entry, you are causing yourself a lot of unnecessary summer travel anxiety.
Do you enjoy waiting obscene amounts of time in lines? Do you prefer to take your laptop out and shoes off at security? If you answered yes, ignore this, if not, GET TSA PRECHECK AND GLOBAL ENTRY.
You can sign up for them online and at the airport, and they also are INCLUDED with most travel credit cards!
Pay Extra for Comfort and Ease on the Flight
I know I know, paying for extras on flights sounds like absolute blasphemy, and most of the time it is. These days airlines charge extra for literally everything, BUT, if you are able and willing to pay for comfort and ease, I say go ahead and splurge.
The things I end up paying extra for are window seats near the front of the plane, priority boarding IF I know I have a lot of carry-on stuff, and of course…my dog.
Also, if you have a long flight that charges for wifi, and you know flights give you anxiety, I’d say just pay for it. It will relax you to know you can contact friends and loved ones if needed!
Make Sure You’ll Have Cell Service in Your Next Destination
One way to instantly get summer travel anxiety, is arrive in your destination, and not have any cell service or Wifi!
Most people have some sort of pricey international roaming plan with their local carriers. But if you want to save some money, and your phone is unlocked, you can easily get an eSIM.
If you want to save even more money and have a little extra patience (and an unlocked phone with a SIM card slot), you can get a local SIM.
Here’s my easy to understand post about how to use eSIM and SIM cards!
Try Not to Pay Attention to Long Lines
Without a doubt, the thing that gives me the most anxiety during summer travel, is the long lines (AKA queues). They seem to move at 0.001 MPH and all I can think about is how it’s going to make me miss my flight. Or more realistically these days, how it’s cutting into my lounge time.
The only thing you can do is wait and not let it get to you. Entertain yourself by reading a book on your phone or endlessly scrolling on (preferably my) Instagram.
Don’t Forget Headphones or Earpods
Escape the chaotic buzz of hundreds of humans around you simply by tuning them out. This is something I actually only started doing recently, and it has worked wonders!
Make a playlist of your favorite songs, especially if they’re soothing, and listen to them at the airport or on the plane. Just be sure that if you keep earpods/headphones in, that you set an alarm on your phone for when you need to be at the gate.
For anyone who doesn’t use them, and listens to videos on their phone or makes video calls; PLEASE GET THEM! Doing that just adds to the chaotic noise and is super rude!
Use Your Calendar for Flight/Hotel Info and Alerts
Instead of constantly re-checking your flight confirmation email or boarding pass, just add your flight info to your iphone and/or Google calendar and set alerts up. This is especially helpful if you don’t have service or Wifi.
Things to include on the calendar description:
- Airports of departure and arrival (sometimes places have more than one and you don’t want to go to the wrong one!)
- Confirmation codes
- Times of departure and double check that they change automatically in new time zones
Make a “Travel Docs” Photo Album on Your Phone
Easily stay organized by making a photo album of your Travel Docs, and add screen shots of all of your important travel items. This should include your booking confirmations, visas, a photo of your passport page, photo of your license, any vaccines, and travel insurance.
Avoid Summer Travel Anxiety with TRAVEL INSURANCE
Yes I know, no one enjoys paying extra for any kind of insurance. But! As a frequent traveler, and also the host of group trips, I have seen travel insurance help a lot in a few situations. There haven’t been a ton, but enough for me to recommend getting it.
Plus if you have travel insurance, you can’t get anxiety about what happens if your flight gets canceled or delayed, or your bags are lost, or god forbid, something happens to you!
Here’s the travel insurance I recommend!
OH! And if you’re traveling long term like me, you might want to consider getting Nomad Insurance! It’s only $45 per month!
Don’t Pick Prime Travel Destinations, or Go During Shoulder Season!
I will never understand why 80% of people go to the most popular destinations during high season. And then complain that it’s crowded and stressful. This should be very, very obvious.
If you want to go to a popular destination, try to go in off or shoulder season (just before or after high season). Or if you only have high season dates off of work, pick a destination that the rest of the world doesn’t aim for as well!
Don’t Look at U.S. Gov or Media News About Your Destination
The U.S. government’s travel advisory website basically lists every other country as a level orange or higher “do not travel” or “travel with caution”. It’s not helpful at all, and all it does is instill fear. Similarly to mainstream media. They ONLY report bad things because that’s what gets people to watch.
Instead, please consider looking up local bloggers or content creators, or international ones who have actually been to the destination and know what’s going on there!
Please don’t forget! I work extremely hard to produce these free travel guides and posts! If it helped you, or you enjoyed it, PLEASE give it a share on social media, and follow me to keep up with more posts! You’re two minutes of effort truly helps keep my business running! Thank ya!
xx, Alyssa
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