As I plan the next trip, not long after returning from epic adventures in Canada, I’ve realised that there are so many little hacks that can help when it comes to travel arrangements that make life so much easier. I thought I would try and publish a few every month as I think of them, so to get us started, check out the four below:

Skipping The Visa

So many countries require a visa and these can take a lot of time and patience to arrange, even the ones you apply for online. Give yourself plenty of time in advance and check out whether you need a visa or not here: http://www.projectvisa.com and if you’re staying in places on or near a border, make sure you aren’t planning any trips that cross that border. My first stop in Canada was Gannonoque and I took a boat tour of the Thousand Islands, but as I didn’t have a visa for America, I couldn’t do the stop at Boldt Castle. If you are planning on visiting the States, you can use a site like https://www.official-esta.com to make life easier and organise the visa online, just remember it could take days rather than weeks to come through.

Maximum Space And More Comfort

If you want some extra space on the plane, and don’t want to pay for business class, just choose a seat by the emergency exit. If you do this, you get a little extra leg room at no extra cost. You’ll have to be quick getting your seats, though so make sure you choose them as soon as they are available. Does that mean that I’ll have to open the emergency door? Trust me, if the plane does go down that will be the least of your worries.

Showing Up At The Airport Without A Reservation

As long as you don’t mind where you go, try rocking up at the airport without a reservation You can ask at the desk of any airport to find out which passengers have not shown up for their flights. If you’re lucky, you’ll get those seats at a discounted price. The problem is you’ll never know where you might end up. You could find yourself on your way to Hawaii. Or, you might get a one-way ticket to Russia.

Save on Your Flight

If you want to try for a cheaper flight, you can call the flight carrier directly. Although it costs money and time to do this, you might just get a cheaper flight. We’re not talking small savings here either, you could slice three-quarters off the price! Check this out on http://www.forbes.com

These are just the first four I can think of, as I carry on planning the next few trips, there are bound to be more, so will keep adding as I go – stay tuned!