How to Plan a Trip: A Travel Planning Guide with 7 Simple Steps
As someone who enjoys traveling as much as possible, I have go-to rituals for travel planning. In this guide, I'll share my secrets for how to plan a trip in 7 simple steps.
From deciding where to go and booking the trip to making the most of the experience once you’re there, keep reading for everything you need to know.
How to Plan a Trip
Planning the ideal trip varies for different kinds of travelers. However, you always need to do certain things like booking flights and accommodations, deciding what your budget is or if you have one at all, and actually going on the trip. Below, I’ll share the steps I take when preparing for and taking a trip.
Step 1: Decide when and where to go.
If you ask me, the most fun part of planning a trip is deciding when and where to go! To start this step, it’s best to create a list of possible dates you can travel. Then, search for locations that are appropriate for those dates. Weather plays a BIG part in this as weather conditions can make or break a trip.
Google is an easy resource for finding the best places to go at different times of the year. If you search for “best vacation destinations for May,” there’s a good chance you’ll quickly get great suggestions.
If your schedule is flexible and you have a place in mind already, you can always do a quick Google search to find out the best time of year to go.
Peak season vs. low season also plays a role. If you’re traveling on a budget, you may want to take your trip during the low season.
Step 2: Research your destination.
Once you’ve narrowed it down and chosen your destination, it’s time to do some research – the next exciting part in how to plan a trip. While I’ve been traveling a lot over the last 20 years, I still have a lot of places to visit and tips to learn. Here are my go-to ways to research various destinations:
YouTube: There are so many location-based and travel YouTube channels out there. More than likely, you can find a video created by someone who’s traveled to the place you plan to visit.
Trip Advisor: This is an excellent place to check for top restaurants and activities and to verify hotels. With that said, I'm a firm believer that people are more likely to leave negative reviews than positive ones, so don't take everything at face value.
Independent Travel Sites: A great way to find independent travel sites is by searching your destination on Google. I also like to watch travel vlogs on YouTube, then visit their website for additional information.
Step 3: Come up with a budget.
I spent most of my earlier years traveling on a budget. I’ve always believed that it’s best to spend money on experiences, not first-class flights and hotels. I don’t visit new places to spend time in the hotel. However, we all have different travel styles.
Here are the main aspects to consider when deciding on your budget:
Flights: While I love first class, I tend to go for the shortest and cheapest flight. Getting to my destination in a short time period is my main priority. If you can find a good deal for first-class, take it. But, why pay for more when you use that money on experiences during your trip?
Accommodations: While I prefer to look for budget hotels, I don't hold back to ensure I'm in a safe and comfortable location. I always recommend staying close to the area you plan to visit while looking at reviews to ensure it's not too noisy. To me, rest is essential on a trip, and I've stayed in plenty of nice hotels that are too close to the "action," making it difficult to sleep well.
Activities: Don’t let your budget get in the way of planning a trip. If you’re working with a smaller budget, there are always free and affordable activities to enjoy. Like I said, if you’re able to splurge, I always suggest doing so on your experiences.
Step 4: Find flights and accommodation.
Now that you have a better idea of what you can and want to spend on flights and accommodation, it’s time to book.
There are several ways to find flights. I suggest using a couple or all of these when looking for flight options. You can always book with the airline specifically once you know which flight works best for you.
Kayak: This is my favorite site to get an idea of flights. I don’t always use it to book the trip, but it gives you a good idea of what flight times are available.
Google Flights: This is similar to Kayak. You can see flight times and prices for multiple airlines to your destination.
Hopper: This also shows you various airlines and departure dates/times. It always predicts how prices will change to let you know if you should book now or wait. While it’s often accurate, sometimes it isn't.
In terms of accommodations, there are also many ways to find your ideal place to stay. Again, it doesn’t hurt to check out several different options.
Trip Advisor: Not only can you find hotel deals here, but you can also book experiences and find other activities nearby.
Booking.com: This allows you to find and compare various hotel options in an area. It shares great deals, too.
Airbnb: If you’d rather private book vacation rentals, Airbnb is a great option. There can be some not-so-great options here, so always use the message feature to ask the host questions and read reviews before booking.
Step 5: Leverage travel cards.
Using a travel credit card can be a great way to save money on your trip. There are many travel cards to choose from, but I typically only carry 3 cards. I also like to have a backup card just in case I lose my wallet or it gets stolen.
Here’s what I use for travel cards:
American Express Platinum: This is my go-to card for traveling and even while at home. It's meant to be paid in full each month but has some fantastic benefits, including credits for hotel bookings, digital entertainment, Uber, and airlines. There are also no foreign transaction fees, and you get access to the Centurion Lounge along with Priority Pass.
Chase Reserve: I know it’s pricey to have two travel credit cards, but it can be worth it if you travel enough. I travel so much on Delta each year that I get full use of multiple cards with travel benefits and using Delta lounges. American Airlines has something similar.
Chase Debit: I rarely use debit cards on trips unless I need to get cash from an ATM. It's always nice to have this option, even though most places accept credit cards. Chase Debit does charge foreign transaction fees, so I don't recommend taking out more cash than you need.
Backup Cards: It’s always a good idea to travel with a couple of spare cards in case of an emergency. I tend to never use my backup cards, but I’ve been stuck in a country before without cash or credit. This can be difficult to handle, so it's best to have a few cards stashed away.
Step 6: Plan dinners and activities.
The next best exciting part of how to plan a trip? Deciding on dinners and fun activities. You can always look into this before your trip if you like planning ahead, or you can plan as you go when you arrive at your destination.
I’ve never been one to book dinner reservations for a trip. However, I’ve noticed it’s been more difficult to find seating in leading restaurants as travel picks back up. With that said, I highly suggest going through Trip Advisor to get restaurant rankings and book a few spots for your trip.
When it comes to planning activities, preparing before your trip is the way to go. If the goal of my vacation is to unwind, like when I went to Tulum, I only plan a few activities. When I know there's a lot to see and do, I do a lot of planning.
Travel Tip: Be sure to have some free time to relax or check out experiences recommended by locals.
Step 7: Purchase travel insurance.
I'm still 50/50 on this one, and I suggest looking into it to decide if it's right for you. Travel insurance can be costly, so I would really dig into what it covers before you make a decision. There are various travel insurance options. Most travel credit cards offer insurance if you use the card to purchase the flight and other things, but there are limitations.
A big reason to have insurance is in case of a canceled flight since that's usually the largest or one of the most significant expenses. However, most of the time, an airline will reschedule you for a new flight whether you have insurance or not. With that said, this can cause issues, especially if the flight is several days later, causing you to lose out on money you've spent on accommodations or from taking time off work.
I recently had a flight canceled on the way to the airport when I was visiting the US Virgin Islands, and I had to pay for the replacement flight, so I didn't miss out on the villa we had booked. Travel insurance can help with this kind of situation.
You can read this article to learn more about travel insurance.
And, enjoy the trip!
Of course, the final step goes without saying – enjoy your trip. Even if there are mishaps along the way or the experience isn’t what you expect, it’s always nice to visit a new place, try new foods, and meet new people.
How to Plan a Trip: Final Thoughts
Planning the ideal trip can take a lot of work, especially if you like to travel in a particular way. However, it becomes relatively easy and fun after a few times. After 20 years or so of frequent traveling, I find that these steps allow me to make the most of every vacation.
