Reddit is a wonderful place to be. You can find literally any niche, any sub-niche and possibly any sub-sub-niche your heart desires across their thousands of subreddits. Each subreddit is a vibrant community of users that are willing to share their life experiences, advice or dank memes for the sake of those sweet, sweet internet points known as "the upvote."
Well today, I took my talents to Reddit to find some travel hacks for the everyday traveler. Maybe you're a seasoned traveler who has their own Bottega passport holder and you dream about the time you'll save with Global Entry. Maybe you're just starting out, traveling on your own for the first time and eager to sit in 32D with your inherited Samsonite suitcase (no judgement, those things are tanks) ready to see the world.
Regardless of your travel past, here are some small-but-mighty travel hacks I dug up on Reddit that can apply to any traveler.
Reusable Bottles on Planes
According to one Redditor who has trouble staying hydrated, their latest travel hack has to do with air travel. They discovered that on their unnamed airline of choice, flight attendants will fill your reusable bottle for you (assuming you brought one) in the galley so you don't have to deal with getting a plastic cup every time they come down the aisle, or bother with trying to fill your own water bottle by getting four of those little Deer Park bottles they hand out, defeating the purpose of a reusable bottle in the first place. This one is neat, and I'm going to try this one out!
Download Google Maps for Offline Use
Here's one I never thought about! With both Google and Apple Maps, you are able to section off areas and download them ahead of time in case you don't have internet access. If you're headed to a remote area, or you're going to a country where you may not have cell phone service, this can be a game-changer (and a life saver!).
An offshoot of this tip from another member of Reddit involves using Apple Maps for a little research. By looking into the area you're staying in ahead of time, Apple or Google Maps can help you identify nearby restaurants, things to do and points of interest, helping to remove a lot of the stress you might have in planning a trip. I just did this for our upcoming babymoon to Cape Cod, and boy did that relieve some anxiety! Since these tools pull in Google My Business listings data, we could see what was open and what was closed for the season, allowing us to make reservations and plan our trip appropriately for a trip to Massachusetts in March.
Get the Mobile Passport Control App for U.S Customs
Shoutout to my buddy Cat (and this Redditor) for this next tip. Three years ago, my wife and I were returning from a trip to Tulum with some friends, and we found ourselves sitting on the runway in Atlanta for an extended period of time. Rather than do the standard routine of sitting and complaining with exasperated looks on our faces, Cat mentioned to us that Homeland Security had rolled out a new app to get through American Customs called Mobile Passport Control.
It's a free mobile app that allows you to upload your relevant documentation (U.S ID, passport number, dates of travel, location, etc) ahead of time, so when you get to the Customs desk it's a quick stamp and go. Now, most airports even have their own dedicated MPC lines that are much shorter than the standard Customs lines, saving us about 45 minutes of queuing. I highly recommend downloading this app if you're an American citizen.
Put an AirTag in Your Checked Bag
This is a tip I've put into practice myself, but I'm seeing it more and more on Reddit. Last year, I traveled with my wife's family to the Outer Banks, first by flying into Virginia. Once we landed in Norfolk, wouldn't you know it that everyone's bags showed up on the carousel except mine. Well, my bag also happened to be the only one with an AirTag in it, so I was able to easily locate exactly where my bag was.
By showing the Delta baggage office my AirTag location, they were able to send a courier down to the underbelly of the Norfolk airport to find that my bag had dropped off the luggage cart on its way to the carousel. After the whole ordeal, the baggage office told me that this is their number one recommendation to every traveler they speak to, so I immediately ordered a set for my family.
Carry Duplicates of Everything
For those of you traveling to off-the-beaten-path locations, this one is critical: carry duplicates of everything. This Redditor gets prescriptive, noting that he carries a spare wallet with a few dollars in it just in case you're in a situation where it's your wallet or your life.
However, this also extends out to other documentation. Keep a copy of your passport (photo, scan, whatever) in a secure location, like a hotel safe or even in your email/the cloud. This will help immensely in case your passport is stolen or misplaced. And it's the same with your ID card: carry an expired one, just in case. If you're in a situation to get something stolen, or if you find yourself being shaken down by a rental car company like this unlucky Redditor, an expired ID can be the difference between you and several hundred dollars.
Bonus: Clean Your House Before You Leave
Look, is this a key travel hack? No, but it is one I really liked so I wanted to shoehorn it in and it's my website so I'll do what I want.
This Redditor said it best: Coming back to a disheveled house undoes your vacation joy. I couldn't agree more. Coming home to a dish in the sink, an unmade bed or unwashed towels hanging over the shower rod are recipes for taking you right out of your vacation mood. Get all that cleaning and organizing done as a part of your pre-trip checklist, and come home to a greater sense of post-vacation bliss.
Do you have small travel hacks you've uncovered during your adventures? Drop them in the comments below to help other travelers along the way!
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