I spent many years working as a flight attendant, and if there’s one thing that job taught me, it’s that travel rarely goes exactly according to plan.
Flights get delayed. Bags get lost. Weather happens. Someone forgets something important. And sometimes the trip you planned perfectly on paper turns into something completely different once you actually get there.
But I also learned that those little hiccups don't have to ruin a vacation.
After years of airports, airplanes, hotels, different cities, early mornings, late nights and more cups of airport coffee than I could ever count, there are a few travel lessons that have stuck with me.
1. Give yourself more time than you think you need
This is probably one of the least exciting travel tips, but it's also one of the most important.
Rushing through an airport is not the way I want to start a vacation.
Give yourself time. Get to the airport early. Grab your coffee. Find your gate. Let the kids use the bathroom for the 47th time. 😂
Starting your trip without feeling stressed makes such a difference.
2. Pack like your suitcase might not make it
I will always recommend keeping the things you absolutely cannot live without in your carry-on.
Medication, important documents, chargers, a change of clothes, toiletries and anything you'll desperately need during your first day should stay with you.
Because your suitcase will probably arrive with you.
But I've spent enough time around airports to know that probably isn't the same thing as definitely.
3. Be nice to the people trying to help you
This one is huge.
The person standing at the gate didn't create the thunderstorm. Your flight attendant didn't break the airplane. And the hotel employee probably isn't responsible for whatever went wrong with your reservation.
Travel can be stressful, but kindness gets you a lot farther than losing your cool.
And yes—I learned this one from the other side of the counter. 😉
4. Don't schedule every minute
Some of my favorite travel memories happened when there wasn't anything scheduled.
Leave room to wander.
Take the scenic route. Stop when you see something interesting. Try the little restaurant someone local tells you about. Stay at the beach longer than you planned.
An itinerary should help you enjoy your vacation—not make you feel like you're racing against a clock.
5. The "perfect" trip doesn't exist
And that's okay.
Sometimes it rains on your beach day. Sometimes the restaurant you wanted is closed. Sometimes your kids are over the museum approximately twelve minutes after you paid for everyone's tickets.
That's travel.
The trips we remember most aren't always the ones where everything went perfectly. They're usually the ones where something unexpected happened and became part of the story.
6. Where you stay matters
I've become pretty picky about this one.
Your hotel isn't always just somewhere to sleep. Location can completely change the experience of a trip.
Being able to walk to dinner, wake up to an incredible view, get to the stadium easily, or have the beach right outside your door can be worth far more than simply choosing the cheapest room you can find online.
It's one of the reasons I care so much about researching properties and understanding where I'm sending my clients.
7. Take the trip
This might be the biggest lesson of all.
There will always be another reason to wait.
Work is busy. Life is busy. The timing isn't perfect. Maybe next year sounds easier.
But some of my favorite memories in life have happened because I went.
So take the weekend trip. Take your kids to the baseball game. Book the beach getaway. Go hiking. Explore somewhere you've never been. Eat the good food. Watch the sunset.
You don't have to travel across the world for a trip to mean something.
Sometimes you just need to go.
From Flight Attendant to The Salty Navigator 🌊🧭
My years in the skies gave me a love for travel that never really went away.
Now I get to experience it differently—helping other people plan the vacations, adventures and little escapes they'll hopefully be talking about for years.
And after everything travel has taught me, there's one piece of advice I keep coming back to:
Go somewhere worth talking about.