It may seem obvious, but when you’re traveling, you want to get there on time. So why do we need to discuss this? Because so many people don’t! When you’re planing your flights for your trip, there are several things to keep in mind so this doesn’t happen to you.

The tendency is to book flights to get you to the ship, or the tour, or the wedding just exactly when you need to be there. That’s really not the best option. In order to be sure you get there, it’s a better idea to plan on flights that will get you there early.

Why? Because if you plan it that way, you won’t have to worry if problems arise…. you’ll still get there on time.

What if your flight is delayed or cancelled? With fewer flights, it’ll be harder to get on the next plane out if this happens to you. Delays and cancellations are risks in snow-and-sleet season, but there can be problems in summer too… think thunderstorms on the East Coast of the U.S. or Europe. They delay flights every summer. You can check on-time performance records of flights you’re considering, but this won’t help with weather problems.

If you’re traveling abroad, you have to worry about monsoons, transiting foreign airports, or customs delays if you need to exit to connect to another airline for a longer trip.

The first flight of the day is generally your best bet for avoiding delays. Those delays have a domino effect and get worse throughout the day.

If you have a choice of connecting cities, pick the one with the warmest climate. Try to avoid airports with lots of delayed flights… though many times these will be hubs, and you won’t be able to avoid them. It’s because they are hubs that they have more delayed flights than other airports. It’s sort of the nature of hubs.

Delays may also be because of frequent weather problems as in the case of Chicago - ORD, or because of runway alignment as in the case of San Francisco - SFO.

Prepare for reality… This gets back to the “get there early” idea. Fly at least 24 hours before you need to be there (or back home). If you’re connecting, be sure your layover is at least two hours. Sure layovers are a drag, but if you have a tight connection, and that first flight is delayed an hour… your connection is BUSTED!!! Now what?

If you can’t avoid a tight connection, have a “plan B” ahead of time. If you’re delayed, knowing the alternatives will be valuable when you’re trying to rebook.

To avoid missing your flight in the first place, be sure you get to the airport in plenty of time. Most airlines now cut off check in for domestic flights 30 minutes to flight time. Show up 29 minutes to flight time… with bags to check… and you won’t be going when you thought you would. Even getting there 30 minutes ahead is dicey if there is any possibility of long lines at security. And face it, that’s always a possibility.

So to get there on time, get to the airport early… for an early morning flight… Avoid tight connections, and get there a day ahead. You can get over your jet lag, get a good nights sleep, and be ready for the start of your trip.

A delayed flight can be a problem. The airlines get bad publicity because so many flights do not depart and arrive on time. In the U.S., the Department of Transportation keeps statistics and publishes them regularly. In Europe, there are strict new rules for compensation. This is making the problem better.

The vast majority of the time you won’t experience flight problems. For all of the publicity that airlines get, most of their flights get you where you want to go with very little delay. But problems can occur. You should be prepared and have a good idea what to expect when something does happen.

It won’t win you any sympathy with a frazzled airline agent if you yell and scream for compensation that is not due to you. On the other hand, you can and should be persistent in getting what you do deserve. Remember that those airlines agents really are trying to do their best to help you and everyone else who is in line with you. Let’s go over a few scenarios.

What will the airlines do for you if you have a delayed flight? It really depends on why it is delayed. If the flight problem is because of air-traffic delays due to congestion, most airlines won’t do much for you because they aren’t responsible for air traffic control delays (ATC delays).

If the delayed flight is because of weather… well, you’re all pretty much at the mercy of the weather including the airline. These situations are out of their control. They will try to get you on your way as best they can, but you won’t be compensated for these types of delays.

If your delayed flight is due to a problem that is in their control, the airline may be more accommodating. For instance, is there is a mechanical problem, or crew rest problems, or computer problems with check-in?

Mechanical problems are a safety issue, so you are in a grey area there. It pays to find out what your airline says it will do. Read its “contract of carriage” before you travel. This lists your rights for when you encounter a delayed flight.

The airline may get you on your way with only an hour or so delay, but what if you have a connecting flight… and you can’t make your connection? If you might miss your connections because of a delay at your initial airport, alert the gate agent. If there are a lot of passengers missing a connection, the airline may briefly hold a connecting flight for you…. but don’t count on this.

With airlines getting dinged for flight delays, they’d often rather leave a few passengers behind than report a late flight. If they can’t hold the connecting flight, ask the agent to rebook you for a new connecting flight. You can call the reservations number for your airline, and you may get re booked faster than you can at the airport with all those other passengers waiting for help.

If your flight problem was a delay of the initial flight, and if the weather isn’t the issue, ask whether you can go on another flight or through a different hub. Should none of that work, and you miss the plane, alert an agent.

If a delayed flight made you miss your connection, the airline must put you on another flight, but it could be a while.

Choosing your destination…. that’s the very first step in trip planning. It’s obvious, and it may seem simple, but let’s take a look at the things you need to think about as you do your trip planning and make your decision.

Some of these things will be running in the background of your head when you’re choosing your destination, but just so you don’t make any mistakes, let’s list some of the major concerns.

You have some vacation time. Is that a set time of year that you can’t change? The time of year will play a role in choosing your destination. Do you want to go some place where it’s hot so you can sit on the beach? ….Or cold so you can ski? Are you planning it around a festival or trying to avoid crowds? Do you want to take a cruise?

Do you want to be active… skiing or hiking? …Or do you just want to sit and relax? Go sightseeing, explore museums or shop? Or do you want to have the options to go either way. Do you have kids or other family members to consider? It’s always good to make this a family decision.

And speaking of others… do you want to travel on your own or join a tour group where everything is planned for you?

How long is the vacation time? If you only have a week, that will limit what you can do. If you have two or three weeks or even more, you have far more options when choosing your destination. You can go further, plan for more activities… or more relaxing time. Some people say it takes a week to unwind… so even if you just want to relax for a few days, you may need more than a week to get into that relaxed zone.

Choosing a destination that offers a relaxing venue will help… a beach, a spa, a cabin on a nice quiet lake. For some people, shopping is relaxing… it wouldn’t be for me.

Another factor we all have to take into account is money. If you’re rolling in it, the sky is the limit when choosing your destination… you can go to Europe and stay in castles; go to Africa and fly from safari camp to safari camp; go to Asia or Australia or Antarctica! You can go to all of those places on a budget too, but it takes more planning and legwork on your part.

You can economize and go camping… or even (if they’ll invite you) stay with friends or relatives. Do you want to go by car, train or plane? I have a friend that will not fly and will not float… that definitely limits your options.

So where will it be? I know I haven’t given you any destinations to choose from. That would take some of the fun out of it. Where would you like to go? What would you like to do?

Part of the fun of any vacation adventure is dreaming about your options, so give all these factors some thought, and get closer to choosing your destination. This is the dreaming part of trip planning… next we’ll get to how you find information to flesh out these dreams.

Who needs a passport? The short answer is if you’re going to travel internationally, you do. But of course, nothing is ever quite that simple.

We’ve covered that it’s a travel document issued by your home country that allows you to leave and return. Citizens of all countries need one to travel out of their country and into another, but there are exceptions.

For instance, citizens in the European Union do not need theirs to pass from one country in the EU into another. U.S. Citizens and others often do not need to show theirs to travel between countries in the EU either, but you need one to GET INTO one of the European Union counties in the first place.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need this travel document now more than ever. You’ve always needed one to fly to Europe or Asia or beyond…. now you need one to fly to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

It used to be that to get into Canada or Mexico or to most of the Islands of the Caribbean all you needed was your birth certificate and proof of identity like your driver’s license. September 11, 2001 changed all that.

To cross the borders into Canada and Mexico by land or by sea (that is driving or cruising) you currently need a passport, a passport card or a WHTI-compliant document. Or you need a government-issued Photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate.

Don’t you love “government speak”? WHTI stands for Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. There is a whole list of rules about what a WHTI-compliant document is. If you think you qualify for one of these, you’d better check the rules at the U.S. Department of State and be sure.

Starting in July of 2008, the U.S. government began issuing U.S. Passport Cards. These wallet-size cards are convenient and less expensive, but they can NOT be used for international AIR travel. Watch for a future article for full explanation of what this card is.

Children traveling with you need passports too. Even infants.

And no… they can not be expired. Each traveler’s documents must be current and valid. Depending on the rules of the country you’re traveling to, they might have to be valid for 3 to 6 months after you return from your trip. That means they can’t expire for several months after your return.

It is up to you to make sure you have the proper documentation. You should not take the word of the airline you’re traveling with or the TSA or a travel agent. They can all give you advice, but if any of them is misinformed, it’s your trip that will be delayed or ruined.

While I’m trying to give you the best advice I can, it’s confusing, and the best advice is to check with the U.S. Department of State or your local government agency. The very best advice I can give you is this… If you’re going to travel anywhere outside of the borders of the United States or your home country, just get a passport.

When is the best time to go on that trip you’re dreaming about? If you’re lucky, you can plan the time of year you travel and schedule your holiday ahead of time. Some people can’t get away when the company has deadlines.

You may have to plan your time around when the kids are out of school. If you’re an American, you might only have two weeks of vacation. No matter what limiting factors you might have to work with, it’s good to think about the best time to go to enjoy the activities or sites for your destination. If your vacation time is short, this is especially important!

Sometimes it’s pretty obvious when you should go. If you want a ski vacation, you want to schedule it in the winter… Of course you COULD schedule it in the northern hemisphere summer and head south to Argentina or Chile.

Beaches? Beach vacations can be almost anytime. Summer would be best on both east and west U.S. coasts, but you can be a beach bum in the winter by heading for Hawaii, Mexico or any of the Caribbean Islands. Shoulder seasons in the Caribbean can be nice, a little cheaper and sometimes less crowded, but you do take a chance with hurricanes.

Shoulder season in other areas can be a great time to go. Shoulder season in Europe gives you a pretty good chance for nice weather, and you can avoid the crowds that stream there in the summer.

If you’re planning a little more exotic vacation, you have to start taking into account different weather patterns around the world. In India, you might want to avoid the monsoon. In Africa, it’s best to plan your trip during the dry season… and Africa is a big continent, so dry season can vary from one coast to the other.

Rainy season can do more than make you uncomfortable. In many countries roads become impassible in the wet season. Hiking trails are slippery and treacherous. And leeches LOVE the wet season!

If you’re after wildlife, you want to make sure that they have migrated TO the National Park you’re planning to visit. If all the herds have moved to the other end of their migratory route, you won’t see them, and you may not see many predators either.

There’s a great website called, go figure, “Best Time To Go” that will tell you the best time of year to go, rainfall and temperature, approximately how much it will cost you per day, when the holidays are, and it even gives you some hotels.

So decide where you want to go, then before you start making your reservations, check the best time to go so you won’t be disappointed.