It’s no secret that we’re gearing up for holiday travel here at Classic Journeys. We already told you where to go, with our selection of family and culture + walking trips across several continents perfectly timed for the holiday season. The next step is getting there, which can get difficult during such a crowded travel time. As lifelong travel experts, our in-house team came up with this list of helpful tricks, hacks and apps to ensure your holiday travel experience is as seamless as possible.

1. Plan ahead: Studies have shown that planning your trip at least two months in advance leads to the best prices from tour operators, hotels, flights and more. Since we take care of all the nitty-gritty, all we need is the “ok” from you to get your dream itinerary in order! Give us a call at 1-800-200-3887 to start planning your holiday travel.

2. Gain VIP access: Programs like Priority Pass and Lounge Buddy allow one-timers to pay for access to VIP lounge without needing airline status. At a time of year where beating crowds is the goal, never has a small upgrade seemed so necessary 

Town in Montenegro

3. Use the right credit card: Many credit cards these days have optimized spending on travel-related items, like hotels, flights, meals out, trains, rental cars and more. Many of these cards, like Chase Sapphire’s rewards program, give double points for such purchases and offer favorable exchange rates along without charging foreign transaction fees. 

4. Avoid tourist traps: Traveling during the holidays typically means crowds and long lines, not to mention higher prices — that is, unless you are traveling with your well-connected friends at Classic Journeys. With the best local guides, and a lenghthy roladex of friends in-country, we are able to bypass, and all together avoid, the headaches normally associated with holiday travel. 

Group of people and Iguanas in the Galapagos Islands

5. Leave early: When departing for the airport, getting on a train or trying to move around at all during the holiday season, bake in some extra time to ensure you won’t get tripped up during any delays or unexpected crowding. 

6. Keep it simple: Nowadays there is an app for everything (travel included). With so many options out there, somtimes it’s hard to sift through the duds. Luckily, when you travel with a tour operator like Classic Journeys, you dont have to bother with any of the fancy apps. Everything has been taken care of to ensure that you experience the trip of a lifetime in a seemless and turn-key fashion.

Woman on a river in Vietnam