International travel is our specialty especially when it comes to making travel as seamless and thoughtful as possible. It’s how we prefer to travel personally and it’s how we help our travelers explore new destinations. With these quick and easy five essential tips for international travel, we’ll provide you with a compass to navigate the potential hiccups of airports, the best ways to navigate Customs and luggage, and ensure a thoughtful and confident expedition.

Here are the five tips for international travel from a team of experienced international travelers.

1. Passport holders might look stylish but they can end up being more cumbersome than anything else.

Everyone you hand your passport to at the airport will want you to remove it from the holder, so you’ll end up getting your passport in and out of it over and over again or your passport holder will sit empty next to your passport in your bag. I used to have a passport holder and stopped using it for this very reason. Now I just carry my passport as is and it makes travel a little more seamless. - Emme, Marketing Manager

2. If you’re checking a bag for international travel, make sure you know what to do to make sure your bag gets to your final destination.

When you enter a new country, sometimes you have to pick up your bag and recheck it in between flights. This varies from destination to destination so do some research and figure out what’s expected for your destination. Also if you’re checking a bag, make sure to pack extra clothes, toiletries, and anything that you can’t live without in a carry-on in case your checked bag gets lost or delayed. The more transfers you have, the more likely your bag will miss a flight, so be prepared! - Christiana, Administrative Assistant

3. Know the Customs requirements of your destination!

For example, each destination has different rules about what food you’re able to bring and not bring into the country. Also, most Asian countries have Customs forms that you can fill out online so you don’t have to worry about filling it out on the plane or once you arrive. - Carly, Operations Manager

4. Get Mobile Passport Control (if you don’t have Global Entry).

It’s a free and easy app to use for U.S. Citizens. Another great option is Global Entry, and if you live in a Canadian-border state like Washington or Michigan, Nexus is an even better option which is less expensive and includes Global Entry and TSA Precheck. Both of these options make getting through customs and the airport significantly easier. - Annie, CEO

5. If I have more than two flights to catch I break up my flying day so I’m not taking three straight flights with over 24 hours of travel.

I usually do this on the way back home to Hawaii. I find a destination in the middle of the trip, often on the mainland, so I can leave the airport and spend a bit of time there or see friends or family. Then I finish the last leg of the trip to get to my final destination. - Carly, Operations Manager

6. Bonus Baby Tips!

Always have a baby carrier for navigating the airport. On international flights, I’ve found that each airline and airport have varying knowledge of what happens when you gate-check a stroller or car seat. We’ve had three car seats lost based on bad information communicated from our departing airport. As such, on international flights we no longer gate check; instead, we check our stroller like a normal bag and use carriers in the airports. - Annie, CEO

These six tips for international travel will help make your time navigating the airport, customs, and flights smoother and more efficient. If you want more help understanding the best ways to navigate the airport, which airports to fly in and out of, and how to plan your trip we can help you figure out your entire journey. Travel Coaching is a way for you to talk to a destination expert and answer any questions you have about your trip from airport and transportation questions to the best restaurants to eat at and where to shop.

Travel with us around the world on one of our multi-day small group food tours. Check out our itineraries to Italy, Japan, Peru, and more! Join us as we visit tea farms in Japan, sip on limoncello in Italy, and savor ceviche in Peru.

If you’re traveling abroad and don’t know where to start or want to tap into our travel expertise to make the most of your trip, check out our Travel Coaching and Private Trips with booking service.

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No matter where you travel, we always recommend purchasing travel protection to safeguard against sudden changes or cancellations. If you don’t already have a preferred vendor, you can check out ours - Travel Insured - which offers a “Cancel for Any Reason” policy.

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