Fear of Flying: Top Tips to Calm Your Nerves and Enjoy your Travel
Whoever said that “getting there is half the fun” must not have had a fear of flying!
On Sunday, July 25, United Airlines had yet another incident make the news. A United flight bound for New Orleans had to turn around halfway through the flight and return to Houston because a female passenger became “psychotic,” running through the cabin screaming “we are all protected and loved! This plane is going to land beautifully and kindly!” It’s unclear whether the woman was suffering from mental illness, or whether this was a case of a fear of flying taken to the extreme.
Whether your flight phobia is just a mild uneasiness, or severe enough to make you want to jump out of your seat screaming, we want to help ease your nerves. Read on for our best suggestions to calm your aversion to airplanes so you can enjoy every part of your international travel.
Fear of Flying is Common
Afraid to fly? You’re not alone. In a comprehensive survey conducted by the Boeing Corporation, 17% of Americans reported being afraid to fly. It was the third most common reason for deciding to drive rather than fly, after cost and the need for having a car at the destination.
Severe anxiety about flying is a real medical condition, known as aviophobia. It’s not unusual for people with aviophobia to have other anxiety disorders or phobias about related issues like heights or elevators. Experts estimate that less than 30% of people with a severe fear of flying seek professional treatment for that specific phobia.
Many more of us have a mild fear of flying, or experience occasional fear while flying. Even people who fly for a living aren’t immune! In a survey of flight crew on a European airline, more than 9% of them said they felt fear while flying at least once a month.
What About Flying Scares You?
If you’re trying to deal with mild anxiety about airplanes, it will be helpful to take some time and think about exactly what you find scary about the experience.
For some of us, being in the confined space of an airplane cabin can trigger a sense of claustrophobia. Or if you aren’t a fan of crowds, you might feel anxious about being in a small space with so many strangers.
Perhaps you are someone who feels most comfortable in the driver’s seat. You might be nervous simply because you feel out of control as a passenger on a plane.
Are you afraid that the plane will crash? Your fears may be exacerbated by news stories of crashes or scary scenes in movies. The security procedures you go through to the airport may make the tiny threat of terrorism seem more real and likely. And even the most stalwart traveler might get nervous when the plane hits a rough patch of turbulence!
Techniques to Conquer Your Flight Anxiety
If you have severe aviophobia, you don’t have to resign yourself to a life on the ground. Anxiety conditions like flight phobia are treatable! A professional can help you find the best treatment for your fear of flying. Treatment options include hypnosis, anti-anxiety medications, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Talk to your doctor if your fear of flying is strong enough to keep you out of the air.
For most of us, our worries and fears aren’t keeping us at home. But even mild anxieties about flying can make your trip unpleasant! We’ve compiled tips from experts and frequent flyers to help you stay calm while you fly.
If you are a nervous flyer, you will want to review these suggestions from the experts. Don’t let a fear of flying keep you from your travel dreams!
Best Baby Travel Gear: Keep Clean and Get Some Sleep!
As a parent, you know that two of your most crucial tasks are keeping your baby clean and keeping your baby asleep at night! Those jobs can be challenging enough at home, where you are armed with changing tables, cribs, swings, wipes warmers, white noise machines, ergonomic baby bathtubs, and a slew of other special items. While you are traveling, it can seem like an even more daunting challenge. Today, in the final installment of our series on the best baby travel gear, we'll look at the items you'll need for diapering, bathing, and getting some sweet sleep on the road.
Diapering Must-Haves for Travel
Diaper duty: it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it! The good thing about dealing with diapers while you travel is that you have already gotten in a lot of practice. If you've ever changed your baby in a public restroom, in the back of your car, or at your great-aunt's house, you've got the skills you need to diaper your baby on an international trip.
You've probably already decided which items are diaper bag must-haves. Those items are going to be the key to your travel diaper kit, too! Our top recommendation is a
foldable changing pad, which you can easily stash in your diaper bag, backpack, or tote. Just as you are likely to find that foreign restaurants don't have highchairs, you are certain to find yourself changing your baby in restrooms that do not have changing tables. With a folding changing pad, you can have a clean, padded surface for your baby. You'll be glad to have it every time you have to change your baby on the floor of a public restroom! Even in your hotel room, a changing pad will allow you to diaper your baby on your bed without worry of accidents.
Many folding changing pads come with a wipes container as an accessory. A wipes box or pouch is an essential item for your travel diaper bag. You don't want to lug around a whole large package of wipes, but you WILL need wipes while you are out and about! We love theUber Mom Wipeboxes, which come in a wide variety of designs from classic to whimsical.
Don't Bring: a whole mega-pack of diapers. Bring enough for a few days, and then buy more diapers as you need them. You'll find that disposable diaper sizing is the same as at home. No need to try to convert baby's weight to kilograms!
Bathing Baby in Hotels and Vacation Homes
At home, you may have a plethora of items for bathing your baby. You've probably got a baby bath tub, hooded towels, bath toys, and a selection of baby-safe toiletries.
Guess what? This is the one area in which we're going to advise you to go super minimal. The baby travel gear you absolutely need for bathing your baby consists of just one item: baby wash. For the time that you are away, you can make do without a baby bathtub or special towels. Simply bring your baby into the shower with you, and use the towels provided by your hotel.
You should bring a gentle baby shampoo or all-in-one baby wash, as the hotel soap or shampoo is likely to be too harsh for your baby's sensitive skin. Look for a product that can be used on both your baby's hair and body. A bar formulation is ideal, since there's no worry of it spilling in your bag. One option to consider isDr. Bronners Baby Mild SoapBar, which can also double as soap for mom and dad!
Baby Travel Gear for Safe Sleep
We've saved the biggest, most important, most challenging topic for last. Sleep. You want your baby to sleep well at night, so you have a chance to get some rest! It's also critically important to have your baby sleep in a safe environment.
When you travel in the US, you can be reasonably confident that major hotels will have cribs available. These are usually Pack N Plays or similar portable playpens. But when you are going overseas with your baby, you may find that many hotels do not have cribs available. If a crib is provided by your hotel, it may not be one that meets US safety standards. Be very careful, and ask a lot of questions before you rely on an international hotel to have a crib for your baby! It's a bit of a splurge, but if you want to be certain of a safe place for your baby to sleep, consider purchasing the Lotus Travel Crib. Traveling parents swear by it, and praise it for being light, easy to pack and carry on flights, and simple to set up.
If it isn't possible for you to bring a special travel crib, and your hotel or vacation home doesn't have a crib available, you may consider the option of having baby sleep with you. Just make sure to always follow the guidelines for safe co-sleeping.
Gear to Help Baby Sleep Well When Traveling
Does baby have a lovey toy or a special blanket you always use for bedtime? Bring it along... and make sure not to leave it behind on any of your stops!
If your baby uses a pacifier at night, bring extras of the kind your baby likes. Travel is not the time to try to break bedtime comfort habits.
Before you leave home, download a white noise app for your phone. You'll be glad to have it if you find yourself listening to taxis honk all night!
Finally, one of the most multi-functional baby travel gear items you can bring is a muslin swaddle blanket. These large, lightweight blankets fold up as small as a t-shirt. They're not just for swaddling. You can use them as a crib sheet, a beach blanket, a towel, a changing pad, a sunshade for the stroller, or even as a scarf or sarong.
What is your must have the piece of baby travel gear? Tell us in the comments!
You're taking your baby on an international trip, and you've got all the baby travel gear you'll need for transportation. But what about the items you'll need to feed your baby once you get to your destination? You might be looking around your kitchen in despair, wondering how you're going to transport all the myriad items you use for your baby. Don't stress out! We've consulted with expert traveling parents to find out exactly which baby feeding items are travel must-haves, and what you can leave at home. Today we'll cover the things you'll need to feed your baby while you travel. A hungry baby is an unhappy baby, and you do not want an unhappy baby as a travel companion.
Bottle-Feeding While You Travel
For babies too young to eat solid food, your travel feeding gear will be pretty simple. Babies who are exclusively breastfed don't need any special equipment at all - they just need mom! If your baby takes bottles, bring along several of the bottles your baby prefers. Fill a travel-size bottle with dish soap and bring a small bottle brush so you can clean the bottles in your hotel room. We also recommend bringing some pacifier and bottle wipes so you can do a quick clean up of bottles while you are out and about.
Don't Bring: multiple cans of formula, unless your baby takes a very special variety. The major formula brands you're familiar with are sold in countries around the world. Similac, for example, is available in 96 countries! Save the space in your suitcase, and purchase more formula from a local grocery or drug store. You'll need to go to the store to buy bottled water, anyway!
Sippy Cups Are a Travel Must-Have
For older babies and toddlers, you'll want to bring a leak-proof sippy cup so you can carry water for your baby without making a mess. You probably already have a collection of sippy cups at home. For travel, choose one that is as leak-proof as possible. You'll also want to pick one that is easy to clean, without complicated valves and straws. Our favorite is the Munchkin Miracle 360 Sippy Cup
We also think that silicone sippy cup lidsare perfect for travel. You can pop these stretchy lids on to just about any glass or sturdy cup. It makes it so easy to get your baby a drink at a restaurant, without having to memorize the phrase "I'm sorry for the mess" in the local language! The silicone lids are also very easy to clean because they are just one piece. No worries about curdled milk or sticky juice lingering in the sippy cup!
Baby Travel Gear for Restaurant Meals
One of the best parts of traveling is getting to eat at lots of restaurants. But as a parent of a baby or toddler, you know it's a bit more complicated when you have a tiny diner with you!
The biggest issue you're likely to face when you eat out with your baby in a foreign country is the highchair, or lack thereof! In the US, we're used to restaurants supplying highchairs and booster seats for our kids. This is not always the case when you travel overseas. Even in well-developed countries like Italy, you'll find that many restaurants do not have highchairs for babies. When you do find a highchair, you might discover that it lacks straps or is otherwise unsafe. (We heard one story of a traveler who put his one-year-old in a restaurant highchair, only to have the back fall off of it, exposing sharp and rusty nails!)
While you certainly can hold your child in your lap while you eat, it's a lot more relaxing to have your baby secured in her own chair. If you have room for it, a portable feeding chair that straps onto a dining chair is an awesome piece of baby travel gear. The Summer Infant Pop N' Sit Portable Booster is the most popular option on Amazon. It folds up into a small package, and also has a convenient feeding tray. Another, even smaller, option is a cloth harness to strap your baby into his own chair.
Is baby a messy eater? (Are any babies NOT messy eaters?) Consider picking up a napkin clip or two so you can turn any napkin, cloth, or paper towel into a quick travel bib.
Don't Bring: baby's own bowls, plates, or cutlery. Your baby can eat using a regular teaspoon, off of a saucer or bowl provided by the restaurant.
Snacks - The Secret to Baby Travel Bliss
You wouldn't take your baby to the mall without an ample supply of snacks to keep her pacified. That same theory applies when you travel with your baby!
Make sure you have plenty of snacks with you when you board your flight with your baby. The best snacks for the airplane are small ones like puffs or Cheerios that you can slowly dole out, one by one, to keep your little one occupied.
You should be able to replenish your supply of snacks at local groceries at your destination. However, you should definitely bring a good snack container or two. The best baby snack containers for travel are ones that allow your baby to access just a piece or two at a time, without being too easy to dump out.
TSA Rules for Flying With Baby Food and Milk
You're likely familiar with the TSA's rule that you can't carry any liquids or gels larger than 3.4 ounces onto an airplane. But did you know the rules are different for baby food, formula, and pumped breastmilk?
The food and drink your baby will need for the flight are exempt from the TSA's limitations on liquids and gels. You are allowed to bring pureed baby food in a "reasonable quantity." This means you can bring enough food to get your child to your destination, so don't bring much more than you think you will need for your flight. Even if you prefer to make your own baby food, it's a good idea to bring commercially packaged jars or pouches of baby food.
You will need to pull your packages of baby food out of your carry-on bag to be screened separately. The packages may be swabbed with chemicals. Have some of those pacifier wipes on hand to clean them up before you feed them to your child. You are also allowed to bring special drinks for your baby or toddler, such as premixed formula, milk, or juice. The TSA officer may ask you to open a container so they may test a small quantity. Traveling with pumped breastmilk?
You are allowed to bring ice packs or gel-filled freezer packs to keep the milk cold while you travel. If you are flying with a large quantity of breastmilk, you may want to consider freezing it solid and checking a cooler as luggage. Although there is no set limit on how much breastmilk you may bring in your carry-on bag, we have heard too many stories of mothers being forced to throw away their "liquid gold" by TSA officers who misunderstood the rules.
Go, Baby, Go! Our Picks for the Best Baby Travel Gear
Having a baby doesn’t mean it’s the end of your traveling days. With the right baby travel gear, you can keep exploring the world. It just might be a different kind of adventure than the ones you are used to having!
In this series of articles, we’ll review the items that will make your life easier when you travel with an infant, and give you our advice on some specific brands to consider. We’ll focus on the things you’ll need to travel internationally, but you’ll find this baby travel gear useful even if you are staying in the States. Today, we’ll look at transportation items to keep your baby on the move.
Umbrella Stroller
We can’t imagine traveling with a baby without bringing a stroller. (Okay, maybe we can - if we were doing a backwoods trek, we’d skip the stroller. If that’s the kind of trip you’re taking, skip to the next section!) If your trip will involve wandering city streets, visiting museums, going to amusement parks, or anything else involving a lot of walking on flat surfaces, you’ll be glad to have a stroller. The stroller isn’t just for pushing the baby around. It can do extra duty as a place for the baby to nap, or even a secure place for baby to sit while you dine at a restaurant. Even more importantly, the stroller can help you carry all your other baby travel gear!
When shopping for a baby stroller for travel, you’ll want to look for a sturdy collapsible “umbrella” type stroller. Your stroller needs to be able to fold up into a slim shape so you can easily transport it on planes, taxis, buses, and trains. You can find extremely cheap umbrella strollers at big box stores, but it’s worth it to spend more for a stroller that will hold up, and will be comfortable for you and your baby, like the aptly named Maclaren Globetrotter. Look for a stroller with solid construction, smooth-rolling wheels, and handles that are high enough that you are not hunching over to push. A sunshade and a reclining seat will keep your tot cool and comfortable - remember, you want him to be able to nap in it while you’re out and about! You’ll also be glad to have a cargo basket on the bottom of the stroller to stash diaper bags and other gear.
Baby Carrier
Even if you’re taking our advice and bringing a good-quality umbrella stroller, a baby carrier is an important addition to your stash of baby travel gear. As you travel, you are sure to run into situations where your stroller just won’t work. Perhaps you aren’t allowed to push your stroller in to that Renaissance church you want to explore. Maybe the hilly, cobblestone streets make pushing the stroller more trouble than it’s worth. If you want to hike around a nature park, your stroller won’t do well “off-road.” And no matter where you are, you know that sooner or later baby will decide that she needs to be picked up, now!
Having a baby carrier will allow you to “wear” your baby. It keeps your hands free, and saves your arms the ache from carrying your infant for ages. Are you a nursing mom? Using a baby carrier to wear your baby on your front will allow you to discretely nurse your babe, even while you shop or sightsee.
There are a lot of different kinds of baby carriers out there, from slings and wraps to structured hiking carrier. If you’re already a babywearer, you probably have a few to choose from… or maybe more than a few! But if you are new to babywearing, a soft structured carrier like the Ergobaby is a great option. A soft structured carrier allows you to carry your baby either on your front or on your back, like a backpack. They are easily adjustable so both parents can take turns carrying the baby. There are other great options for soft structured carriers - Tula makes carriers in tons of fun patterns, and Infantino offers a well-respected budget carrier. It’s the Ergo’s large storage pocket and dirt-hiding neutral colors that make it our top pick for travel.
Car Seat
Should you take a car seat with you when you travel? That depends on your travel plans. If you will be renting a car and driving at your destination, you should definitely bring your child’s car seat. We also highly recommend that you bring a car seat if you are buying an airplane seat for your child. The safest way for your baby to fly is in his own seat, not on your lap, strapped into a FAA-approved car seat. (Almost all car seats on the market are FAA approved for air travel.)
If you are bringing a car seat for your baby, you’re likely going to bring the one you already use at home. But if you are in the market for a new car seat, and think you may use it for travel, look for a seat with great safety ratings that is very easy to install. Our top picks are the Britax ClickTight series. They install quickly - very important if you’re trying to secure it to an airplane seat with a line of impatient travelers behind you! Even better, they make an audible click to let you know it is installed properly. That will be helpful if you are trying to put it in a rental car when you’re jetlagged after an 8 hour flight.
Some traveling families prefer to purchase a separate car seat just for travel. It makes sense - if you’ve invested $300 or more in a car seat, you might not want to risk having the airline lose it! If you prefer to get an inexpensive car seat that you won’t have to worry about, consider the Cosco Scenera Next. This seat gets excellent ratings from safety experts, and costs less than $50.
How to Fly With Baby Travel Gear
Your days of hopping on a plane with just a single carry-on are over, but don’t let that stop you from flying internationally with your baby! Airlines are very generous in the way they deal with baby travel gear.
Strollers
Your stroller can be gate-checked. You can just roll it down the gangway all the way to to the door of the plane. Remove the baby - that’s a very important step - and fold it up. An airline employee will then tag your stroller and stow it for you.
When you land, you can wait at the bottom of the jetway (or in a designated area near the plane, if you are disembarking onto the tarmac) for an airline employee to bring you the stroller.
Most airlines don’t charge any fees to gate-check your stroller.
Baby Carrier
Your baby carrier won’t be any problem to fly with. They’re made of soft, squishable fabric, so you can easily pop them into any of your bags. You can also use your baby carrier to tote your baby on to the plane. However, you will need to take the baby out of the carrier during the flight, or at least during takeoff and landing.
Car Seat
If you bought a plane ticket for your baby, and she has an assigned seat, you can use your car seat on the flight. Airplane seats don’t have LATCH anchors like cars, but you can install the seat using the seatbelt.
You will also have the option of gate-checking your car seat if you will not be using it on the plane. Some travelers like to use a protective bag over the car seat so it stays clean and so the straps won’t snag on anything. Like strollers, most airlines allow you to gate check car seats for free.
Whether you’re gate-checking or using the car seat on the plane, a car seat can be a bulky, awkward item to haul through the airport. There’s a baby travel gear solution for that, too! You can purchase a strap that connects to the LATCH hooks on your seat to attach it to your rolling suitcase. You can then even use the seat/suitcase combo like a stroller in the airport.
What are your favorite travel items for the baby on the go?
Trump’s New Cuba Travel Policy – Will It Impact You?
Once more, Donald Trump has made news that impacts travelers. This past weekend, he gave a speech in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood that laid out the latest Cuba travel policy for US citizens.
It was expected that President Trump would roll back some of the Cuba travel liberties that President Obama put in place. Some analysts feared that he would end all travel to the island, returning Cuba travel policy to what it was before President Obama’s reform.
Today, we’ll break down what the new Cuba travel policy will mean for you.
The History of Cuba Travel Policy
Revolution and Embargo
Prior to the Cuban Revolution, there were no travel restrictions for US citizens who wanted to visit Cuba. Cuba was an appealing destination for US tourists who wanted to experience the island’s beaches and nightlife. The revolution led by Fidel Castro began in 1953, and continued off and on until the rebels finally toppled the right-wing Batista government on the first day of January 1959. With political tensions between Cuba and the US on the rise, the US government imposed a series of embargoes on Cuba in the early 1960s. These embargoes, intended to block trade between the US and Cuba, also meant that US travelers could no longer legally visit the island. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control was put in charge of enforcing this Cuba travel policy.
The US trade embargoes had huge impacts on the island nation. To this day, Cuba looks like it is “stuck in time,” with residents still driving the 1940s and 1950s cars they had before the revolution.
The lack of US tourists meant that the island never developed the kind of major tourist infrastructure you see in neighboring nations like Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. However, that’s not to say that Cuba had no tourism at all. Canadian and European travelers, unaffected by the US law, have continued to be able to visit Cuba as tourists.
Cuba Travel Policy Relaxes Under Obama
During his two terms in office, President Obama eased restrictions on Cuba travel several times. The first change came in April 2009, when he changed the absolute travel ban to allow Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba to visit family. He relaxed the ban further in 2011, allowing qualified students and religious missionaries to visit Cuba.
Obama’s major change to Cuba travel policy was announced in 2015. Under his new travel policy, US citizens could travel to Cuba without getting prior Treasury Department approval. In order to travel to Cuba, your trip had to qualify under one of twelve “general license” categories of travel. These general license categories include people-to-people exchanges and educational purposes. US travelers could now plan their own trips to Cuba. All you needed was some sort of cultural or educational explanation of your visit.
US travel companies were quick to take advantage of the new market for Cuba travel. Many tour companies began offering tours to Cuba, and major airlines like United and American Airlines began scheduled service to Havana and other cities. Airbnb even jumped on the opportunity to serve individual travelers visiting Cuba, looking for their own lodgings.
Entrepreneurs in Cuba also have capitalized on the influx of American visitors. Since 2015, many Cubans have opened their own small businesses. Not only are Cuban natives renting out rooms and opening small hotels, but there’s been a boom in restaurants, art galleries, and bars in Havana. Cuba received a record 4 million foreign tourists last year, with approximately 615,000 hailing from the US.
Trump’s Policy – Go With a Group or Don’t Go!
The good news about Trump’s new Cuba travel policy is that he hasn’t reinstated the total travel ban. Yes, you can still tour Cuba! The catch is that you can’t do it on your own. You can’t just buy a plane ticket, reserve an Airbnb room, and explore at your own pace. Under Trump’s policy, you’ll need to travel with an organized tour group.
The logic behind this new policy is all about economics. Trump is trying to keep American dollars from supporting businesses run by the Cuban military. It’s estimated that one military-controlled conglomerate, GAESA, owns more than half the tourist facilities in the country!
The new policy should work well for tour companies and cruise lines, who offer the kind of group travel that is still allowed. However, it’s likely to have a negative impact on Cuban small business owners. Taxi drivers and independent guides will lose out on business from American visitors. Boutique hotels, small restaurants, and galleries are also likely to be bypassed by group tours.
When Will the New Policy Go Into Effect?
The precise date for the new travel policy hasn’t yet been announced, but the goal is to have it in place within 30 days. That would mean that the rules would change on July 15. However, the new travel policy regulations haven’t even been written yet, and they can’t be enforced before they are written!
Should You Travel to Cuba?
If you’re interested in traveling to Cuba, you should go! Cuba is only 103 miles away from the US, but a world apart in culture. It’s a travel experience unlike any other you’ve had.
No matter what you are interested in, you’ll be able to find a Cuba tour to suit you. All tours need to have either an educational or “people to people” cultural exchange focus, but you’ll find a wide variety of tours. There are yoga tours and food tours; photography excursions, art immersions, and architecture explorations. Whether you want to learn to salsa dance, speak Spanish, or cook perfect black beans, you can find a program in Cuba!
Here are some of our top tips for Cuba travelers:
Bring lots of cash in US currency, more than you think you’ll need. You won’t be able to withdraw cash from banks or ATMs, or use credit cards or traveler’s checks.
Save all your receipts, even those from restaurants and bars. It’s very rare, but your trip could be audited after you get home.
You’ll need to have a “tourist card” to enter Cuba. This is similar to a tourist visa. Your tour group or airline will help you arrange it.
You’ll need to have two blank pages in your valid, signed passport for your entry and exit stamps.
Biometrics Update: More Biometrics Technology at the Airport
Biometrics enthusiasts tell us about a world where travelers no longer need to use physical documents like passports, credit cards, and boarding passes. Instead, biometrics devices would be able to scan your face, eyes, or fingerprints and quickly clear you to go straight to your flight. Does that sounds like science fiction? It's science reality! Biometrics technology exists, and more and more airports and airlines are incorporating it into security and boarding procedures.
Read on for the latest news about biometrics technology at the airport!
JetBlue Testing Facial Recognition at Boarding
JetBlue has just become the first US airline to test biometrics technology at boarding gates. Starting on June 12, they have been running a test at Boston's Logan Airport. On some flights from Boston to Aruba, they are allowing travelers to use biometrics instead of presenting their passport and boarding pass at the gate.
The biometrics used by JetBlue rely on facial recognition. Passengers who agree to try the program will have their photo taken before they board their flight. Their facial features will be checked against data provided by US Customs and Border Patrol. It takes just 5 to 7 seconds for the facial recognition data to be analyzed. When it shows that the face is a match for the passport and airline ticket data in the system, the passenger is allowed to board.
JetBlue's testing in Boston will run for 45 to 60 days this summer. If the program is successful, the airline will look to expand it to more flights and more airports.
Delta Airlines has also announced that they will test biometrics boarding. They will run a test in Washington, DC, using fingerprint-based biometrics. Their test will be limited only to members of their SkyMiles loyalty program who are also enrolled in the CLEAR system.
Dubai Airport Aims to Go Passport-Free with Biometrics Technology
Dubai is well known for having one of the world's most beautiful airports. Dubai International Airport is also the world's busiest airport for international arrivals and departures. To keep travel moving smoothly, the government of Dubai is investing heavily in biometrics technology.
Dubai's government has signed a major agreement with the UK-based technology company ObjectTech. The company has been tasked with creating a system to eliminate the use of passport books at Dubai International Airport. It's part of Dubai's "10x Policy," which embraces digital technology in an effort to keep the nation 10 years ahead of the rest of the world.
When the new technology is fully developed and rolled out, passengers arriving at Dubai International Airport should be able to get off their flights and go directly to baggage claim, without stopping to have their passports reviewed. Instead, passengers will all be pre-approved for entry using an electronic system. We imagine this pre-approval system will be similar to an eVisa process, applied for online. Biometric scanning will allow passengers to be verified quickly, either at boarding or on arrival.
TSA Trials Fingerprint Screening at Two Airports
This week, the Transportation Security Administration has begun testing fingerprint screening at two US airports. Passengers at Denver International Airport and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport can try the biometric fingerprint screening at the PreCheck security lanes.
The fingerprint screening will occur at the point in the security process when you'd normally pull out your passport and boarding pass. Actually, during the trial, you still do need to show your passport and boarding pass, in addition to having your fingerprints checked! By using the physical documents as a backup, the TSA will be able to test how reliably the biometrics technology is working.
Trials may be extended to other airports. The ultimate goal would be to revamp the initial screening by a TSA security officer. Instead of having passports and tickets manually reviewed, passengers would be able to touch their fingers to a pad and quickly be green-lighted through to the next stage of security.
Have you experienced any of these or other biometrics technology at the airport? Tell us in the comments!
Trump’s Plan to Privatize Air Traffic Control – What Will it Mean for You?
On Monday, June 5, President Trump announced a plan to privatize air traffic control in the United States. Air traffic control is currently a function of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the US Department of Transportation. Air traffic controllers are unionized federal employees. Under Trump’s plan, air traffic controllers would become employees of a non-profit private corporation. This non-profit corporation would also take over the modernization of the air traffic control system.
This week’s announcement doesn’t mean that the plan to privatize air traffic control will go into effect immediately. Instead, the plan will likely be included in legislation to reauthorize the FAA. It will have to pass Congress before it will become a reality.
Assuming that the privatization of air control goes into effect, what will it mean for you as a traveler?
What Does Air Traffic Control Do?
When you travel by air, you will encounter quite a few people whose job it is to keep you safe. You’ll have your ticket, passport, and carry-on bags checked by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers. You’ll see police officers patrolling the inside and outside of the airport. You may get to greet the pilot and co-pilot as you board your flight. And don’t forget about flight attendants! They’re not just there to bring you Diet Coke and pretzels. A flight attendant’s most important duty is making sure that safety regulations are followed in the cabin of your flight, and to take charge in case of emergency. But you won’t see some of the people with the most crucial role in keeping you safe in the air – the air traffic controllers and other employees of the Federal Aviation Administration.
In a nutshell, air traffic controllers are in charge of directing aircraft traffic both on the ground and in the air. They supervise all civil aviation. Civil aviation comprises all non-military flights, both commercial aviation (passenger airlines and major cargo operations) and general aviation (private, charter, and corporate aircraft). They monitor all flights to make sure that aircraft don’t collide either in the air or on the ground. They maintain communication with pilots to help aircraft avoid hazards like thunderstorms. The FAA also sets aircraft routes — if you don’t have noisy airplanes flying over your house all day, thank the FAA!
Controllers monitor air traffic in a number of ways. At airports, some air traffic control is done visually. Controllers both on the tarmac and in the air traffic control tower will literally keep their eyes on the planes. The FAA also requires all flights, commercial and private, to file a flight plan in advance of takeoff. But by far, the most important way that the FAA monitors flights is by radar.
Why Does Trump Want to Privatize Air Traffic Control?
In his speech on Monday, Trump minced no words about the Federal Aviation Administration. He called the current air traffic control framework “an ancient, broken, antiquated, horrible system that doesn’t work.” (We would argue with that, as US commercial aviation is a remarkably safe way to travel!) The biggest complaint about the current state of air traffic control is that modernization efforts have not gone as quickly as some in government would have hoped.
The FAA has been working on a multi-faceted modernization program called NextGen. One major part of NextGen will be to replace the radar-based air control with a GPS-based system. Under the current radar system, aircraft can’t fly directly from point A to point B. Instead, they have to fly from one radar waypoint to another, so that the FAA will never lose track of them. With a GPS monitoring system, more direct routes would become possible. This would also make it possible to have more flights in the air at once, and those flights would be shorter and more fuel-efficient.
Sounds great, right? The only problem is that it’s a very complex set of systems that have to be put into place, for a very important purpose. The life of every air traveler depends on it! But Trump is disgusted that NextGen has not been pushed through quickly, and he believes that a private corporation could do the job faster.
The US would not be the first country to privatize air traffic control. Germany, Italy, and Luxembourg are among the countries that have air traffic control run by a government-owned private corporation, which is funded by user fees included in air ticket prices. The plan that has been put forward by the US presidential administration is very similar to the system currently used in Canada. Canada’s private non-profit air traffic control company, Nav Canada, has been successful in bringing out new technologies quickly, without government red tape. This has allowed for shorter, more fuel-efficient flights while maintaining safety.
Would Privatizing Air Traffic Control be Good for Travelers?
Experts are split as to whether Trump’s plan to privatize air traffic control would be good for travelers and the aviation industry. Of the two major air traffic controller unions, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association is in favor of privatization, but the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union opposes it. Most of the major US airlines have backed privatization plans, with the notable exception of Delta.
We know what you’d results you’d like to see. We want air travel to remain extremely safe, but we’d all love to have shorter, more efficient flights. It would be great to have our ticket prices drop because the airline’s fuel cost is less. But would we see lower ticket prices? Delta Airlines released a study last year suggesting that privatization of air traffic control could result in a 20+ percent increase in passenger fees.
Privatizing air traffic control is far from a done deal. Attempts at privatization have been made since the Clinton administration, and none have yet succeeded. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the development of this story. If there is news that affects travelers, it’s important to us, and we’ll bring it to you!
The passport woes recently faced by NBA star Enes Kanter have put a spotlight on US Travel Documents. Kanter, who plays center position for the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team, is a Turkish citizen and a legal resident of the United States. He's lived in the US for six years, playing for the Thunder and the Utah Jazz. Earlier this month, he ran into major passport problems while traveling in Europe.
Today, we'll take a look at what happened to Enes Kanter, and learn more about the travel documents available to non-US citizens who live in the US.
What Happened to Enes Kanter?
On Saturday, May 20, Enes Kanter was traveling on an international tour on behalf of his non-profit foundation. He arrived in Bucharest, Romania on a flight from Germany, and was stopped by Romanian officials. The officials told him that his Turkish passport had been canceled by Turkish authorities. Kanter, who has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, believes his passport was canceled for political reasons.
Because his passport was no longer valid, Kanter was not able to enter Romania. He remained in the airport until he was able to board a flight to London. He arrived back in New York on Sunday, May 21. It doesn't hurt to be a well-known NBA player — Kanter was able to get help from inside the Department of Homeland Security so he could return to the US even though he doesn't have a valid passport.
Enes Kanter is a legal resident of the United States, holding Permanent Resident status. (This is commonly known as having a "green card.") He's said that he's interested in becoming a US citizen. But it can take up to five years for a permanent resident to become a citizen and get a US passport. Since Kanter no longer has a passport from his home country, what will he do if he needs to travel internationally?
US Travel Documents for Non-Citizens Without Passports
Enes Kanter's situation made the news because he's a star athlete, not because it's a unique scenario! There are a lot of non-US citizens who legally live in the US but don't have passports from their country of citizenship. Some don't have passports because they fled their home country and came to the US as refugees. Others, like Kanter, have had their passports revoked because of political issues. There are even people who can't get their passport renewed simply because of administrative issues, like the closure of a consulate.
Luckily, the US government provides options to legal residents, so they can still travel internationally and return to the United States. Legal residents like Kanter are able to apply for a US travel document. US travel documents for non-citizens look like passport books, with a lighter, slightly greener cover. Unlike US passports issued to citizens, which are issued by the Department of State, travel documents are issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Types of Travel Documents
Prior to 2003, there were two different types of US travel document book. The two types of travel document, the Permit to Reenter the United States and the Refugee Travel Document, were issued as passport-style books. Reentry Permits had a white cover, while Refugee Travel Documents had a blue cover. (It was a lighter blue than the navy covers of US passports, so it could easily be distinguished from a citizen's passport.) Both types of travel document were issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which was part of the Department of Justice.
In 2003, the INS was dissolved, and immigration services were moved over to the new Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), part of the new Department of Homeland Security. BCIS streamlined the application procedure for travel documents and began issuing both types of the document as a single style of book. This new book had a green cover, and was simply labeled "Travel Document."
Although the BCIS is now known as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Travel Document's Cover is now more blue than green, the rules surrounding travel documents remain the same. All of the travel documents discussed below can be applied for using government form I-131.
Reentry Permit
Reentry Permits are formally known as Form I-327, Permit to Reenter the United States. They are issued to people living in the United States as permanent residents or conditional permanent residents. Once issued, the Reentry Permit is valid for two years. It can't be renewed, but you can apply for a new one when it expires.
For people like Enes Kanter, who are not able to get a passport from their home country, a Reentry Permit can be used just like a passport for international travel purposes. You can even use it to get visas!
Reentry Permits can also be issued to people who do have valid passports for their home country. If you are a lawful permanent resident of the US, and you need to travel outside the US for an extended period of time, you may want to get a Reentry Permit. Otherwise, if you are out of the US for a long period of time (usually a year or more), you might lose your permanent resident status.
Refugee Travel Document
People who have come to the United States as refugees seeking asylum are especially unlikely to be able to get passport services from their home country. Perhaps your country does not have diplomatic relations with the United States and thus doesn't have an Embassy here where you can apply for a passport. Maybe your country doesn't have a functional government due to civil war or other events. Perhaps your country would refuse to issue you a passport because you are a political dissident. Refugee Travel Documents (Form I-571) are the answer to all these situations.
Like Reentry Permits, Refugee Travel Documents can be used just like a passport. They are only valid for one year, though, and are only issued to people who have refugee or asylee status, or who have become permanent residents after entering the US as a refugee.
Although Enes Kanter has had his passport canceled due to his political activity, he would not qualify for a Refugee Travel Document. This is because he was already a permanent resident of the US, and he didn't come here as a refugee — he came here to play basketball!
Advance Parole Document
The final type of travel document issued to non-US citizens is not a passport-style document at all. Form I-131 is also used for applications for Advance Parole. Advance Parole documents are issued to non-US citizens who are not permanent residents, but who are seeking to adjust their status to become a permanent resident. In order to apply for Advance Parole, you need to have a valid passport from your country of citizenship. Advance Parole is used if you are in the US, waiting to gain "green card" status, but you want to travel internationally. The Advance Parole document gives you permission to travel outside the US without giving up your request to become a permanent resident.
Medical Tourism: Should You Travel For Your Healthcare?
No matter what your position is in the healthcare debate, we can all agree on one thing: medical care in the United States is expensive. Even if you have good health insurance, you can find yourself paying a pretty penny for medical procedures. You'll definitely feel a pain in your wallet if you need extensive dental work, or want to get cosmetic surgery! It's no wonder that more and more Americans are turning to medical tourism.
Today, we'll look at the reasons you might want to give medical tourism a try. We'll also review some of the most popular procedures and destinations for medical tourists.
The Benefits of Medical Tourism
Save Money
Healthcare costs in many countries are far lower than in the United States! You can easily save 20% - 60% or more by getting medical treatments overseas.
Of course, you will have to factor in the cost of travel. You'll need to pay for flights, hotels, and meals. If you're bringing a companion to help you during your treatment, your costs for flights and meals will be doubled.
Many medical tourism experts recommend using the "$6,000 rule" to decide if you should seek treatment overseas. If your medical procedure would cost $6,000 or more to have done in the United States, you'll likely save money if you travel for your healthcare. But if your procedure will cost less than $6,000 out of pocket, it's probably not worth the travel costs to go outside the US.
High Quality Care
Are you concerned that medical facilities overseas might not live up to US standards? You'd be surprised! You'll find that many private hospitals and clinics that cater to medical tourists are up to date and even quite luxurious compared to many US hospitals.
You'll also be able to have access to English-speaking doctors, many of whom trained in the US, United Kingdom, or Europe. Patients also report that nurses and other caregivers are kind and attentive.
Combine Treatment and Travel
Medical tourism gives you the opportunity to combine your treatment with a vacation! Especially if you have traveled for a procedure that doesn't require a lot of recovery time, like dental work, you'll be able to sightsee, shop, and enjoy yourself on your medical trip. Planning a trip for some serious surgery? You may still be able to arrive early to explore the city before you check in to the hospital. After your procedure, you can check in to a nice hotel to enjoy some pampering and relaxation before you fly home.
Save Face
Don't want anyone to know you're getting a facelift? Medical tourism to the rescue! All you have to tell your friends is that you're taking a relaxing vacation. You'll be able to spend your recovery time in a city where no one knows you. When you get back to the States, you can just smile and nod when everyone says how "rested" you look after your trip!
Popular Medical Tourism Procedures and Destinations
Name any medical specialty or procedure, and there are people traveling overseas for it. Medical tourists cross borders for treatment for problems as minor as cavities or as serious as cancer. No matter what kind of treatment you need, you will be able to find highly-recommended, accredited doctors and medical facilities.
It's estimated that almost 1.5 million Americans travel to other countries for medical care every year. You might want to join them, especially if you need a treatment that isn't covered fully by your medical insurance.
Dental Care
Most US health insurance plans don't cover dentistry. Even if you're lucky enough to have a separate dental insurance policy from your employer, you're likely to have high out-of-pocket costs if you need extensive dental work. It's no wonder that dental care is the most popular reason for medical tourism!
Costa Rica and Mexico are among the top destinations for dental care. It's estimated that 50,000 Americans travel to Mexico for dental care every year! Both Mexico and Costa Rica have the advantage of being near the United States, with lots of flights every day from US airports. Your travel costs in both countries will be relatively low, with reasonably priced hotels and restaurants readily available.
Cosmetic Surgery
Your medical insurance isn't going to cover the elective plastic surgery. If you want a nose job, breast implants, a tummy tuck, facelift, or any other cosmetic surgery, you'll have to pay for every penny of it yourself. With treatment costs that easily reach into the tens of thousands of dollars, you can save a lot of money by going abroad for your plastic surgery.
You can choose from clinics and hospitals all over the world that specialize in cosmetic surgery. But it's Brazil that is considered to be the "plastic surgery capital of the world." Out of all the cosmetic surgery procedures performed around the world each year, a full ten percent are done in Brazil!
Fertility Treatments
If you're struggling to conceive a child, you probably already know that fertility treatment can be incredibly expensive. Procedures like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) involve a lot of pricey medications, lab tests, and visits to the doctor's office. To add to the stress of this emotional time, many health insurance plans don't fully cover reproductive medicine. Some don't cover it at all!
It's worth considering medical tourism if you need fertility treatment. The average cost of one round of IVF is $12,000 in the US. Compare that to the treatment prices in India, where an IVF cycle can be had for under $3,000, including all drugs. If India is too far away, there are highly-rated fertility centers in Argentina and Colombia where an IVF cycle will cost you less than $5,000. Some of these clinics in South America even give a 50% refund if the cycle is unsuccessful.
Weight Management
Are you fighting the battle of the bulge? Medical tourism might be the answer to your problems. If you are thinking about bariatric surgery for weight loss, your insurance company may or may not cover it. You'd be able to save money on your surgery if you travel to a hospital abroad. Mexico is a top destination for US medical tourists who want weight loss surgery. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are also noted for their high-quality care and low cost of bariatric surgery.
If you've been successful in your weight loss, whether through surgery or other means, you may find you have a new issue: loose skin. That plastic surgery you want to tighten up the skin on your new, smaller body is another reason to pull out your passport for more medical tourism.
Looking for a less extreme way to drop a few pounds and get fit? Try a vacation to a weight loss retreat overseas. No one likes going on a diet, but you're sure to enjoy it more if you are at a spa retreat in Italy or on a fitness adventure in Senegal!
Practical Concerns for Medical Tourism
Do Your Research
We've only just scratched the surface in this article. You'll want to do your homework before you book your tickets for a medical tourism trip!
There are many factors you should think about beyond just the price tag of your treatment. You'll want to calculate the total price you expect to pay for your trip - not just doctor's fees, hospital costs, and medications, but also airfares, hotels, meals, and entertainment. Even more important, make sure you choose a good doctor and medical facility! Look for hospitals and clinics that are accredited through an international organization like the Joint Commission International. When choosing a doctor, don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. Does your doctor and his staff speak English fluently? Where did your doctor train? What kind of follow-up care can you expect?
Is this all too much to handle? Don't worry. You can engage the services of a medical tourism facilitator, or a travel agent who specializes in arranging medical trips.
Passport and Visa Concerns for Medical Tourists
By now, you know that you're going to need a valid passport for any trip outside the US. But don't forget to check if you will need a visa for your healthcare trip!
Of the countries we've mentioned, both Brazil and India require visas for all US visitors, including medical tourists. Other popular destinations for medical tourists, like Mexico, don't require any visas for US citizens. Make sure to check how long you can stay without a visa, though! Mexico will allow you to stay for up to 6 months with just your valid US passport. No worries if you need a long course of treatment there! But on the other hand, there are countries like Thailand. US citizens don't need visas to enter Thailand, but only for a stay of up to 30 days. A longer stay requires a visa, or a visit to a local immigration office to request an extension of stay. That's important to keep in mind if you are doing a lengthy treatment or if you need extra time to recover from surgery.
Have you ever traveled abroad for medical reasons? We'd love to hear about your experiences!
News Roundup: Laptop Ban, Miami Passport Agency, and More
This month, the laptop ban once again dominates the travel news! In our May roundup of the most important travel stories, we'll take an in-depth look at the ban on electronics in airplane cabins. (This is a hot topic - stay tuned for more updates from PassportInfo.com!)
We've also got an update on the status of the Miami Passport Agency, which flooded last month. Finally, if you are traveling to Europe, you'll want to check out the latest news about entry procedures for Italy and France!
Will the Laptop Ban be Expanded?
This week, news broke that the United States is considering extending the ban on laptops in carry-on luggage. US officials have been in talks with European Union representatives in Brussels, discussing the potential terrorist threat of bombs hidden in laptops or other electronic devices. As of now, there are no immediate plans to expand the existing laptop ban, but talks will resume next week.
What is the current laptop ban?
In March, both the United States and the United Kingdom enacted a ban on electronic devices larger than a smartphone in the cabins of some flights. Travelers flying into the US or UK from selected airports in the Middle East are not allowed to bring their laptops, tablets, portable DVD players, large cameras, or other devices into the cabin of the airplane. Instead, all of these devices must be checked and stored in the aircraft's baggage hold.
This ban remains in place, with no sign that it will be lifted soon.
Replacing one danger with another?
The current laptop ban was put into place due to intelligence information that indicated that terrorists are developing bombs that can be hidden inside a laptop. The highly classified information that Donald Trump shared with Russian officials recently included many sensitive details about this plot. The threat is being taken seriously enough that the Department of Homeland Security is considering extending the in-cabin ban on electronics. Proposals to enact a laptop ban on US-bound flights originating in Europe, or even on all international flights to the US, have been discussed.
Although placing laptops into the cargo hold would make it more difficult for terrorists to trigger a bomb, there are other dangers to be considered. The most serious threat is that of fire. Laptops contain lithium ion batteries, which can overheat and self-combust, especially if they are tightly packed or compressed. There have been several plane crashes caused by laptop battery fires, though none of them during the laptop ban.
Travelers also worry about the more mundane threats of theft and damage. Not only are laptops and other devices quite expensive, they often contain sensitive data.
We are monitoring the news closely and will bring you any updates about the laptop ban as they break.
Miami Passport Agency Remains Closed
Nearly a month after the April 23 flood, the Miami Passport Agency remains closed for repairs. The water damage to the passport office was more extensive than originally recognized. The State Department has not yet announced when the Miami Passport Agency is likely to reopen.
While the agency is closed, several temporary Passport Acceptance Facilities have opened in downtown Miami to help travelers apply for passports. However, none of the temporary facilities can actually process passports on site.
Until the agency reopens, travelers in Florida who need urgent passports can either travel to a different Passport Agency (such as the ones in Atlanta or New Orleans) or use a passport expediting company to submit their application.
France and Italy Tighten Entry Requirements
Italy Temporarily Increasing Border Control
Through May 30, all travelers entering Italy will be subject to passport checks at borders. This includes travelers entering by land and sea as well as those who arrive at airports. The increased security is a temporary measure. It has been put in place because Italy is hosting this year's G7 summit on May 26-27.
If you'll be entering Italy between now and the end of the month, allow yourself more time to go through the border, and make sure to have your passport handy!
France Requiring Business Travelers to Register
France now requires business travelers to register themselves with the Système d'Information sur les Prestations de Services Internationales at the French Ministry of Labor. This registration process is meant to keep foreigners from working illegally in France.
Business travelers who will only be conducting meetings, attending conferences, or being trained do not need to register. However, all other business travelers are required to register, even if they will only be in France for one day. This includes travelers who will speak or present at conferences and those who will conduct trainings in France.
This registration should be made online prior to travel.
We don't know anyone who likes standing in line. Whether you're waiting in line for Hamilton tickets, or for pastriesat the trendiest new bakery, or trying to get a new passport, you'll want to get what you came for in as little time as possible! Arecord number of passport applications are expected this summer, and that means that the lines at Passport Acceptance Facilities are long and getting longer. Today, we'll bring out our best tips to make your visit to the Passport Acceptance Agent a quick and successful one. Everyone behind you in line will thank you, too!
Tip 1: Make an Appointment
There are two types of Passport Acceptance Facilities: those that require appointments, and those that take applications on a walk-in basis.
With so many people now applying for passports, you may think it would be easier to go to a walk-in facility. However, you might face a long line of other applicants! It's worth it to call around first to see if you can get a slot at an appointment-only facility. Having a reserved time to see a Passport Acceptance Agent will mean you'll be able to get in and out quickly.
If you do need to go to a walk-in facility, try to go early in the morning. You may even want to get there before they open, so you can be at the front of the line! Some facilities will even start turning people away before their closing time if they know they have more people in line than they will be able to service in one day.
Tip 2: Bring the Right People
Applying for a minor passport for your child?Make sure you have the right people with you when you go to the Passport Acceptance Facility!
Many people don't know that the child needs to appear in person in order to submit a passport application. Even if you are applying for a passport for a newborn, the child applicant must be present when the application is reviewed by the Passport Acceptance Agent.
Both parents also should be present when the passport application is submitted. It's mandatory that at least one parent must be there in person. If you aren't able to have both parents go with the child, the parent who isn't there must have signed and notarized Form DS-3053, the statement of consent. (Your family doesn't fit the traditional mold of mother, father, and kids? No problem. Check out our article on parental consent for different family situations.)
You don't want to wait in line to submit your child's passport application only to be turned away, so make sure you havethe right members of your family with you.
Tip 3: Fill Out Forms in Advance
One of the services that Passport Acceptance Facilities offer is that they give out free copies of US passport applications. But don't wait until you get there to fill out your application! You'll save time at the Acceptance Facility if you have already filled out your passport application before you get there. You can either download copies and fill them out by hand or fill them out online and print them.
You'll want to make sure that your passport application is filled out completely and correctly. If you make any mistakes on the application, you will have to fill out another one on the spot, while the line behind you keeps growing.
Just don't sign your passport application until you are instructed to do so by the Passport Acceptance Agent. The agent needs to witness your signature.
Tip 4: Have Your Photos Ready
Many Passport Acceptance offices offer photo services on-site. This can be a convenient option for people who haven't had time to go and get their photos beforehand. Most facilities that offer this service charge between $10 to $15 for photos.
But if you're trying to get in and out of the passport office as fast as possible, you won't want to wait to get your photos there. Instead, get your passport photos in advance and bring them with you to the passport office. There are many places where you can get passport photos, so you're sure to find an option that works for you and your schedule.
The other advantage to getting your passport photo in advance is that you'll have more control over it. If you get your photo taken at the drugstore and you hate it, you can always go get another photo. But if you wait and have your photo taken at the Passport Acceptance Facility, you're going to be stuck with that photo for the next ten years, good or bad!
Tip 5: Make Your Own Photocopies
You probably already know that you need to bring photo ID with you when you visit the Passport Acceptance Agent. But did you know that you also need to submit a photocopy of your identification?
It makes sense — you can't send your actual driver's license in with your passport application. You are going to need it to drive home! Instead, the Passport Acceptance Agent will review your original ID and will seal a photocopy of it into the envelope with the rest of your passport application materials.
If you didn't bring your own photocopy of your ID, the agent will have to take extra time to photocopy it for you. You'll also likely be charged a few bucks to have photocopies made. It's faster and cheaper to make your own copies before you go to the passport office.
Your photocopy of your driver's license or other ID must show both the front and back of the ID.
Have you been to a Passport Acceptance Facility this spring? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
Wondering where and how to get a passport for your child? Minor passport application process is slightly different from an adult passport application process. Minor passports are issued to US citizens age 15 or younger and required both parents’ presence/consent while applying for the passport.
Here is an infographic that has simplified the complete Minor Passport Application process along with a breakdown of required fees and documents.
Money-Saving Tips for Travel: Stretch Your Dollar, Euro, Peso, or Yen
At PassportInfo.com, we believe that travel is one of the best things you can spend your money on. Cars break, clothes go out of fashion, but travel creates incredible memories that you can enjoy for the rest of your life! We don’t want limited funds to keep you at home, so today we’re going to share some of our favorite money-saving tips for travelers. Even if you are a well-heeled luxury traveler, check this out – many of the ways you can save money while traveling are also ways to enhance your experience of your destination!
Tip 1: Travel Off-Season
Almost every destination has a “high season” when it seems like everyone wants to visit. Sometimes those peak times are based on the weather. For instance, most tourists prefer to visit Russia in the spring and summer, rather than the cold and snowy winter. Other high seasons are based on holidays and events, like the flood of travelers who flock to Brazil for Carnaval, or to Mexico for spring break. During those popular times of the year, you can expect airfares and hotel prices to be at a maximum.
You can save a lot of money by choosing to travel off-season. You’ll be able to snag a lower price on your airfare. If you’re lucky, you might even hit a big off-season sale on your air ticket! You’ll also find that hotels and resorts charge less for their rooms during the low season.
Benefits beyond saving money: Traveling off-season means that you aren’t going to be fighting through crowds at every attraction. You’ll get a more authentic experience of your destination since it won’t be full of other tourists. And we hear that Russia is beautiful in the winter!
Tip 2: Avoid Airline Add-On Fees
We’ve already looked at one of the ways you can save money on your air ticket, by flying with a low-cost airline. But what you see as the price when you book your ticket might not be the final price you wind up paying! Airlines make a lot of money in what they call “ancillary revenue” and we call fees. It pays to read the fine print before you book your ticket so you will understand exactly what your flight will really cost you.
One of the most important things to check is what you will be charged for luggage. Airline fees for luggage range wildly. Some airlines allow you free checked bags, and others will charge you even for your carry-ons! Whether you have to pay for your bag or not, don’t overstuff it. Every airline has weight limits for baggage. If your bag is too heavy, you will wind up paying an extra fee at the airport. (Bonus money saving tip: keep your bag light by wearing your heaviest items of clothing. Even if you just have your thick sweater tied over your shoulders, it won’t count toward your baggage weight!)
Keep your eyes open for other possible fees, such as:
Phone purchase fees. If you book your ticket over the phone with the airline, you might get dinged with a fee you could avoid if you book online on the airline’s website.
Desk check-in or boarding pass fees. Print your boarding pass at home to save yourself a fee for having your pass printed at the check-in desk.
Seat selection fee. On some airlines, you are given the choice to pay extra for a preferred seat, such as a bulkhead seat or a seat in an exit row. On other airlines, you’ll pay a fee just to pick out any seat! You can bypass this fee by rolling the dice and allowing the airline to choose your seat.
Onboard snack charges. $5 for a 2-inch high can of Pringles? No thanks. Bring your own snacks from home to avoid getting gouged for food in the air. You might even find it less expensive to buy a meal from an airport restaurant and carry it on board than to pay airline prices.
Benefits beyond saving money: Packing lightly to avoid being charged for a checked bag means that you won’t have to struggle with heavy suitcases during your trip. You might make a new friend if you accept a random seat selection on the plane, and we can guarantee that any snacks or carry-out meals you bring on the flight will be tastier than anything that comes out of the galley kitchen.
Tip 3: Ride Public Transport
If you’ve got the means to book a limousine to chauffeur you around during your vacation, more power to you! But for most of us, that kind of expense is way beyond our travel budget. Even rental cars (and gasoline!) and taxis can add up to a huge chunk of your vacation funds.
That’s why one of our favorite money saving tips is to ride public transport! You will save a ton of money by riding local buses, trains, trams, and subways instead of using cabs or renting a car. Do some research on public transport in your destination before your trip. You may be able to save even more money by buying a pass rather than purchasing individual tickets.
Benefit beyond saving money: Riding urban public transport really lets you experience the city like a local. It also frees you up from the stress that comes with dealing with a rental car in a foreign country, and having to navigate traffic, find parking, and read road signs that might be in a foreign language. Using trains and buses to travel between cities also gives you the chance to relax and take in the scenery, and time to chat with your fellow passengers.
Tip 4: Eat Like a Local
Even if your travel plans include reservations at Michelin-starred restaurants, we’d encourage you to eat some of your meals outside of a dining room!
Don’t get us wrong, we love eating at restaurants, and exploring local restaurants is one of our favorite things to do when we travel. But three meals a day at a restaurant can get to be expensive, especially if you are traveling with a family! One great money saving tip for travel is to eat the way that local people do, instead of going to restaurants for every single meal.
Shop for food at local grocery stores. If you are staying at a place with a full kitchen, like an Airbnb apartment, you’ll be able to shop at supermarkets to make meals at your home-away-from-home. But even if you are staying at a hotel, you can use local groceries to stock up on bottled water and snacks to avoid paying tourist-trap prices when you are out and about.
Explore local markets. Street markets are a vibrant, exciting way to shop for food the way that locals do. There’s no better way to discover local ingredients and flavors! They can also be a great place to pick up souvenirs at much lower prices than you’ll find in shops.
Eat street food. From New York hot dogs to Mexico City tacos to Shanghai dumplings, some of the most iconic food experiences can be found on the street! Look for stalls or carts that have a line of locals, and you’ll be sure to find something tasty, authentic, and inexpensive.
Benefits beyond saving money: Shopping at local groceries, bakeries, and street markets is a fun way to explore the local culture. Getting meals from street vendors is not just inexpensive and (most likely) delicious, but is a time-saver, too. If you are trying to cram a lot of sightseeing into a few days, you can grab something awesome to eat on the go.
Also: tacos. How can you go wrong with tacos?
What are your favorite money saving tips for travel? Tell us in the comments!
On Sunday, April 22, the Miami Passport Agency flooded. Unfortunately, the damage to the building was extensive, and the facility has temporarily been condemned. The US Passport Agency in Miami will not be able to reopen until full repairs have been made. At this time, it’s estimated that it will take several weeks to complete the repairs.
If you had planned to visit the Miami Passport Agency to submit a passport application, or if your passport application was already in process, read on to find out what to do. We’re here to help you get your passport fast!
I had an appointment at the Miami Passport Agency for next week. Now what do I do?
If you have an appointment scheduled at the Miami Passport Agency for any time during the last week of April or the first two weeks of May, you should assume your appointment is cancelled. You’ll need to find a different way to submit your application for a rush passport.
One option is to try to make an appointment at a US Passport Agency in a different city. The nearest regional passport agencies to Florida are in Atlanta and New Orleans.
Don’t want the hassle and expense of traveling out of state to get your passport? A much more convenient option is to use a passport expediting company to submit your passport request. You can send your application packet to the expediting company using a delivery service like FedEx or UPS – no traveling involved! The passport expeditor will be able to have your new passport issued in as little as 24 hours.
I already submitted my passport application to the Miami Passport Agency. How can I get my passport now?
If you already submitted your application in person at the Miami Passport Agency, call the National Passport Information Center now (888-487-2778). Explain that your passport application was submitted in Miami, and ask to speak to a supervisor for assistance.
In order to get a passport issued now, you’re going to have to use the lost passport procedure. Unfortunately, you will need to pay all the government fees again, but keep your receipts! You will be able to submit them for reimbursement later.
A few tips to help you get your new passport issued quickly:
If you don’t have an original birth certificate or an old passport to submit as proof of citizenship, you can request a file search. There is a $150 fee for this, but you will be reimbursed.
Consider using a passport expediting company to help you submit your new passport application, so you can get your passport fast without having to travel to another city to go to a US Passport Agency in person. (Expediting company service fees won’t be reimbursed by the government.)
Do you have extremely urgent travel? You may want to call your US Senator or Congressional Representative to see if their staff can help you.
I live in Florida, and I sent my passport application in by mail. Will I still get my passport on time?
Don’t worry! Passport applications that are sent in by mail aren’t processed at the regional passport agencies. Instead, they all go to the National Passport Processing Center in Philadelphia, PA. The flooding at the Miami Passport Agency won’t have any impact on the processing time of your passport.
Although the flood in Miami won’t cause any issues for your passport application, the State Department has been reporting an unusually high volume of passport applications recently. Expect your passport to take a full 8 weeks to process for routine service, or 3 weeks for expedited service by mail.
Looking for a way to get greater exposure to your articles? Share your knowledge and travel experience with the wider audience in the US. Increase the visitors on your personal blog/website by posting your guest blogs on PassportInfo.com
In the first article in our series on budget travel, we looked at low cost airlines, which can help you get to your destination for as little cash as possible. After air tickets, the next biggest line item in your travel budget is accommodations. Depending on the length of your trip - and your taste in hotels - you could easily spend more on your accommodations than on your airfare! If you’re looking to maximize your trip and minimize your expense, we’ve got some alternatives to hotels that may save you some dough.
Rent a Room or Apartment
Vacation rentals are nothing new, but the internet has made it easier than ever to rent a room or a whole private home instead of booking a hotel. AirBnB is one of the best-known ways to rent a place for your next trip. On their website, you can search for rentals in destinations all over the world. You’ll find lots of options, from large luxury homes to shared rooms in small city apartments. AirBnB is far from your only option, though. Other websites like VRBO.com, HomeAway.com, and even TripAdvisor offer similar rental listings. We even know travelers who have found vacation rentals through Craigslist!
Vacation rentals are an especially good budget travel option for families and groups. The more people you have sharing the cost of the rental, the less each one of you will pay! Families may also find that renting a home or apartment is more comfortable than staying at a hotel. It’s awfully nice to let the kids have their own room, without having to pay a fortune for extra hotel rooms.
Beyond the potential savings, renting a room or apartment allows you to experience your destination in a whole new way. You really get the chance to "live like a local." You can stay in residential neighborhoods, rather than just in tourist areas. You can shop for food at local markets, instead of eating all your meals at restaurants. You can get a feel for the pace of life, as your neighbors go about their days all around you. It’s a fun way to travel!
Hostels: The Budget Travel Classic
When you hear the word "hostel," do you automatically think "youth"? Think again! Although some hostels are specifically for young travelers, many others accept travelers of all ages. Some hostels even cater to families, offering private rooms with multiple beds, big enough for the whole family. Hostels are a great option for budget travelers who want to meet other travelers from around the world.
You’ll find a wide range of accommodations all calling themselves "hostels." They range from bare-bones dormitories, where you’ll bunk with strangers, to places much more like a traditional hotel with private rooms for guests. Many hostels offer both dormitories and private rooms, at varying price points. What all hostels have in common is that they are less expensive than hotels, and won’t offer all the amenities of major hotels.
Our favorite site to find hostels around the world is the aptly-named HostelWorld. When booking a hostel, it’s important to read the fine print to find out exactly what is included. Will you get a private bedroom or a bunk in a dormitory? Are there restrictions on who can stay, like a women-only hostel or one that doesn’t accept children under 18? Is there a bar, a restaurant, or a kitchen you can use? Do you need to provide your own linens or towels?
It’s also a very good idea to read reviews of the hostel from other travelers and do a bit of research on the neighborhood. You don’t want to book a super-cheap hostel only to find that it’s in a crime-ridden neighborhood, or way out on the outskirts of town with no transportation!
House Swapping
Would you like to be able to stay somewhere for free on your next trip?
Yes, we said FREE.
House swapping or home exchange programs make it possible to stay somewhere for free. The basic premise is that you’ll find someone in your dream destination who wants to visit your town, and you can arrange to swap houses. They’ll come stay in your house while you stay in theirs! When it works, it’s the ultimate in budget travel accommodations.
You’re likely to have the most success with house swapping if you live in a desirable location that many people want to visit. If you’ve got an apartment in Manhattan or a beach cottage in Florida, you’re likely to find plenty of people who would like to trade houses with you for a week.
The best way to go about house swapping is to sign up with a program like
HomeExchange or HomeLink. You’ll then have access to their network of other potential house-swappers, and you can search for a match based on where you want to visit. You will have to pay a membership fee - HomeExchange charges $150 per year - but that’s a small charge compared to the expense of a hotel!
Couchsurfing
If you’re devoted to budget travel, you’ve probably already spent plenty of nights crashed on the sofas of your friends in other cities. It’s great to visit a new place when a friend already lives there - you get a place to stay, someone to hang out with, and a built-in tour guide to show you the sights! But this only works when you already have a friend who lives in the place you want to visit.
What if you had a way to make new friends, anywhere you wanted to go? Everywhere in the world, you could have a new friend waiting for you, ready to open their home and let you stay over. That’s where Couchsurfing comes in.
Couchsurfing is a social network for travelers. When you sign up, you agree to host travelers in your own home, and in exchange, you can stay with other Couchsurfing members when you travel. You don’t even have to have a guest room to offer in your home - as the name suggests, all you have to have is a sofa where your new friends can sleep!
This is a great budget travel option for solo travelers, or at least for outgoing solo travelers who enjoy meeting people. If you’re an introvert who needs to be totally alone to recharge at the end of the day, it’s probably not a great fit for you.
Are Budget Travel Alternatives to Hotels Worth It?
There’s no doubt that you can save a lot of money by CouchSurfing, hosteling, house-swapping, or AirBnB-ing on your next trip. But is it worth it? That’s subjective. Budget travel accommodations are never going to give you the same experience you can have at a luxury hotel, an all-inclusive resort, or a fancy spa. You’ll be giving up daily maid service, chocolates on your pillow, and towels twisted into the shape of swans. But on the other hand, you might gain new friends and a greater insight into how the locals live. If you’re more into exploring and making connections than relaxing and being pampered, give these hotel alternatives a try on your next trip!
Travel can be expensive. Of course, we firmly believe that it’s worth every penny and more! But we also believe that travel shouldn’t just be enjoyed by the wealthy – everyone should have the opportunity to see the world. Most of us don’t have unlimited travel budgets. That’s where low cost airlines come in. Their appeal is simple: inexpensive plane tickets, which leave you more money to spend on the rest of your trip!
The Growth of Low Cost Airlines
With budget carriers like Norwegian Air in the news, you might think that low cost airlines are a new phenomenon. They’re not! In fact, the very first discount airline launched in 1949. Pacific Southwest Airlines was the world’s first budget airline. It flew a limited number of routes within the state of California. It was followed by other low cost domestic airlines serving destinations in the United States.
The first no-frills long haul airline was Laker Airways, which started a discount transatlantic service called “Skytrain” in the 1970’s. The Skytrain service operated between New York and London from 1977 to 1982. Unfortunately, the airline couldn’t survive the global recession of the 1980s and competition from legacy carriers like Pan Am and British Airways.
Since then, low cost airlines have really taken off in the US. You’re probably very familiar with many US-based no-frills airlines, like Southwest, JetBlue, and Spirit. These airlines offer service both on domestic and international routes.
Discount airlines with long haul international routes are a growing trend. With airplanes becoming more efficient, and the internet providing easy access to customers, more airlines are focusing on budget intercontinental flights. Norwegian Air, for example, started offering service between the US and Europe in 2013. The airline has flown more than 4 million passengers since then. It’s not hard to understand why they are popular – they offer fares to Europe for as little as $69 each way!
How Do Low Cost Airlines Keep Prices Low?
Just because an airline offers discount fares doesn’t mean they aren’t making money! In order to keep ticket prices competitively low – while keeping profits up – low cost airlines have to focus both on lowering their operating costs and finding extra sources of revenue.
Some ways that budget airlines keep their costs low are:
Efficient Aircraft. Airplanes are chosen for their fuel efficiency. Although some no-frills airlines used to buy aircraft second-hand to save money, most now purchase aircraft new to keep down their maintenance costs. They’ll also often have fleets of just one or two types of aircraft, to simplify their maintenance routines.
Seats. Lots of seats. Unlike full-service airlines, which will offer First Class or Business Class seats in addition to having a Coach cabin, low cost airlines have only economy class seats on their planes. Budget airlines will try to fit as many seats onto the aircraft as they reasonably can… don’t expect generous legroom on a $69 flight!
Fewer Amenities. Not only are there lots of seats on budget carrier aircraft, but those seats may not offer the same luxuries you’d find on other airlines. Airlines may keep costs low by scrapping amenities like reclining seats or back-of-seat entertainment screens.
Labor Costs. Budget airlines keep their personnel costs low by having employees fill more than one role, such as having flight attendants also clean the cabin between flights or work as gate agents. They also use technology like online check-in to limit the number of employees they need to check passengers onto their flights.
Airport Choice. Like legacy carriers, budget airlines also focus their flights through “hub” cities, which allow them to serve a larger network of cities with a limited number of flights. Low cost airlines may also opt to use smaller secondary airports in major cities – for instance, a discount flight to Houston may land at Hobby Airport rather than the larger George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Nickeled and Dimed
The allure of discount airlines is that the base ticket price is low, but you may wind up paying more than you expect in extra fees. Low cost airlines try to increase their profits with “ancillary revenue.” On some budget carriers, you may feel like you’re being hit by a new fee every time you turn around! The undisputed king of ancillary revenue is Ryanair, a no-frills airline based in Ireland. It’s most famous for proposing to charge passengers to use the toilets on their aircraft.
While you may still be able to use the lavatory for free on low cost airlines, you can expect to pay extra for services like:
Baggage. Almost every airline charges for checked baggage these days, but some airlines like Spirit now even charge for carry-on bags.
Assigned Seating. Want to choose your own seat when you buy your ticket, and make sure you can sit next to your honey? Expect to pay some money.
Desk Check-in. If you didn’t print your boarding pass at home, you may get hit with another fee.
Food and Drink. Not only is there no free lunch, but you’re going to have to pull out your credit card if you want that Diet Coke.
Frequent Flyer Programs. You may need to buy a membership in order to earn frequent flyer miles or access the special “club” airfares.
Are Low Cost Flights Worth It?
We all like saving money, but only you can decide if flying with a low cost airline is the right choice for your travel plans. When you are comparing the prices of flights, make sure you consider hidden costs, like the fees you will pay for baggage, or the transportation costs to get to a smaller, out-of-the-way airport. You should also consider how important it is to you to be comfortable on your flight. Is it better to save money on a long flight, only to arrive at your destination cramped and sore, or to spend the extra for a more luxurious flight? It’s your choice!
