Twice the cash, half the clothes
Experienced fliers travel light. Here are some travel-tested strategies.
- 1. "My favorite travel tip of all time: Bring twice the cash and half the clothes," Brown says. "I never get to the bottom of the suitcase, but I always have to go to the ATM."
- 2. Skip the hair dryer. "Every hotel has a hair dryer," Brown says. Ditto soap and shampoo. (Another plus: You don't have to pour products into those 3-ounce travel bottles.)
- 3. Travel with a tablet instead of a laptop, Brown says. "It's lighter, it's great, and it's better on the airplane."
- 4. "For me, traveling light means, ideally, that your bag will fit under the seat in front of you, instead of the overhead bin," Stallings says. "If you can do that, you'll be a lot happier. Everybody stuffs the bin overhead, and it's madness."
- 5. Ditch the wheel bags. Sometimes the only difference between a bag you can carry on and a bag you're required to check -- especially with regional airlines -- is wheels, Stallings says. Opt for something without wheels, preferably with a back strap, he recommends. "That can make a big difference if you want to keep your bag with you."
