When was the last time you took a vacation? Most of us get limited vacation time, so it’s critical to know how to make the best use of that time. When it comes to travel, there are numerous ways to help you save time and enjoy it more, stress about it less!

First and foremost, when you think about your vacation pricing, PLEASE consider your own time. In other words, don’t save $100 on a flight to spend 4 hours sitting in some random airport waiting for your connection. If you can get a direct flight, that’s usually a huge time saver, so don’t just look at the cost.

Think about the timing of your flights and what works best for you. Most flights to Europe are overnight, which is a great time saver UNLESS you don’t sleep on planes. Then it might be worth it for you to spend a day flying across the pond, get a good night’s sleep and start your vacation fresh the next day without jetlag.

Consider flying early in the morning to the Caribbean and being on the beach by 1pm with an umbrella in your drink. Yes, waking up at 4am to make that 7am flight is rough, but what are you going to do once you get there, a marathon? NO! You’re going to relax and recoup, much better accomplished on that beach than in an airport.

OK, let’s talk about on the ground. If you haven’t been to the destination you’re traveling to, strategy is the key to a stress free vacation. It’s all in the planning, whether you do this yourself ahead of time or leave it to a Travel Professional to help you plan, you should know the lay of the land before you get there.

I know that a trip to Disneyworld with the family needs a well thought out plan by someone who is familiar with all the parks. You can save time by knowing which parks open early on what days and avoid the crowds.

It’s always easier to go into a foreign city knowing where your hotel is, the public transportation stops are and what you plan to see while there. Knowing where to head when you walk out of the hotel will keep you moving and not spending time figuring out where you are and where you want to go.

If you’re planning a multi-city or country vacation, know your geography. It’s a huge time saver to work your trip in a straight line (or as close as possible). No point in going north then south then back north. Mapping out your itinerary so that you’re not wasting travel time is priceless.

Our last tip is about packing. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s taken me YEARS to be able to travel on the “lighter side”, and I’m still not going anywhere for more than 3 days with just a carry on! If you spend a little time thinking about your clothes and your personal item needs and packing them in an organized manner, you won’t be wasting time shuffling through your suitcase every morning to decide what you need.

If you’re staying in the same hotel (cruise cabin) for your entire trip, bring along a laundry bag to put your dirty clothes in until it’s time to pack up to go home. Saves time trying to figure out where to put them. If you’re on a tour that leaves every other day, keep one side for dirty, one for clean so you don’t have to repack every day. Layer your outfits together so you’re only taking out what’s necessary. And a good toiletry bag with multiple see through pockets is worth its weight in gold!!

I hope these tips will help you with your future travel plans! Remember, you can also rely on your Travel Professional to help you with all of these items and more.