How to Make Travel
Better? Do It Yourself
Better? Do It Yourself
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2026 --
Want to make your life on the road better? Simple solution: Do it yourself and pay your own way.
The airlines, it has been proven over and over again, will not take care of us. Hotels, it is now clear, do not care enough anymore. Airports stink, car rental firms are deteriorating. Everything, everywhere conspires to make things worse. The weather, politics, the Internet, even the government. They're all against us--or at least it seems that way.
So stop waiting for someone or something else to come to our rescue. We are on our own and we need to start acting that way and fending for ourselves.
STOP CHECKING BAGS. PERIOD.
You need to understand this: At best, checked bags slow you down. At worst, they get lost and cause endless chaos, off-the-charts stress and profound unhappiness. You can travel literally weeks with a carry-on bag if you pack strategically: Choose a monochromatic palette for each trip. Pack items that serve multiple purposes. Carry what can be washed rather than dry-cleaned. Google laundromats closest to where you are staying. Worst case, wash out items in the sink and blow dry as appropriate. Traveling only with carry-on bags can be done. It takes only the will and your commitment.
SHIP WHEN NECESSARY
Despite your best efforts, there may be times when you simply have too much clothing or too much gear to carry-on. The solution is not to trust airlines. Ship your bags (or golf clubs or other equipment) with FedEx or UPS instead. Yes, it will cost more than your "free" bags with premium travel. But what's your sanity worth? What is your time worth? And if you fly coach, shipping bags will not cost much more than paying what airlines charge. FedEx and UPS offer worldwide service, often from storefronts like the UPS Store domestically and Mail Boxes Etc. worldwide. Best of all, FedEx and UPS permit the kind of online tracking that the airlines refuse to provide. And, yes, of course, use AirTags and Android tracking tags even with FedEx and UPS.
IGNORE THE ALLEGED FREEBIES
The two most tiresome arguments in travel? Whining about wall-mounted hotel bathroom amenities and complaining about the abysmal quality of airline food. Stop. Just stop. Pack travel-size supplies of whatever you prefer to use--soap, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner--in your amenities bag. Ignore the wall-mounted hotel stuff. Problem solved. As for airline food, c'mon, you know better. Even in premium cabins, you're being served what are essentially leftovers. The food has been prepared up to 24 hours earlier, frozen or refrigerated, transferred to tiny airline galleys and then reheated in convection ovens by overworked, mostly under-motivated flight attendants. The odds of a good meal are minuscule. So either pack your own victuals and snacks, eat ahead of your departure or after your arrival.
STOP CHASING STATUS
You still think airlines will give you upgrades? What decade do you think this is? They've monetized every facet of their frequent flyer programs and much prefer to sell you upgrades for TODs (tens of dollars) than award them to you for loyalty. Delta, to take just one example, is proud that it has reduced its level of freebies to around 10% of its premium-class inventory. Hotel status? No matter what the big lodging programs promise, getting elite perks is dependent on what local properties are willing to do. And the chains increasingly turn a blind eye when a local hotel denies you the late checkout, upgraded room or free breakfast promised with your elite status. No matter how loyal you are to airlines or hotel chains, no matter what status level you achieve, they will conspire to welch on the promises they make. Stop expecting better. Stop chasing the status that won't yield much of anything.
BUY WHAT YOU NEED
Once you abandon the fantasy of elite perks, you're free to buy what you need. Want to fly up front? Buy it. Want a suite? Buy it. This may sound like giving up, but it's not. Once you've liberated yourself from the travel industry's false promises and fake perks, you're free to buy the travel experience you want to have. And your stress level will decline accordingly.
ROOMS WHEN YOU WANT THEM
Once upon a time, there was hope that the lodging industry would switch to 24-hour rooms. That's not happening although there are remnants of 24-hour rentals in places around the world. Which does not mean you must remain locked into the hotel industry's rigid systems. Hotels often sell early check-in and late checkout as you make reservations. If you need the time and the buy-up price is right, do it. If not, consider the alternatives. Services now exist to book hotel day rates. Try Dayuse or HotelsByDay. Or deal direct with hotels. Marriott's day-use rates are available by placing ZDY in the corporate-code box. Hilton.com will generate day rates by using the same check-in and check-out date when you book. Other chains don't have specific procedures, but check with the hotel you need.
BE VIP FOR A DAY
Airports are increasingly vast and complex affairs, especially international ones that must coordinate customs and immigration formalities. Did you know you can be a VIP for a day? Every global airport now has at least one third-party service that can meet you at your arrival gate, whisk you through the formalities and deliver you to your connecting flight. Some even offer electronic buggies to get you to your connection. They can arrange club lounge access and ground transportation, too. And, naturally, they also can meet you at the terminal door and get you to a departing flight. How do you find these VIP services? Check your airport's Web site for links to a particular service or simply google "airport VIP service." American, Delta (1-855-2FLYVIP) and United also offer VIP airport services, but I find they generally promise more, deliver less and cost much more than the third-party providers.
Finally, a promise: News permitting, I'll focus more columns on out-of-the-box thinking for making life on the road easier. More often than not, all that's required is a creative approach. A ludicrously simple personal example: I've stopped moaning about tiny hotel trash cans. I toss a few small plastic garbage bags in my carry-on and now I have all the trash disposal space I need.
The airlines, it has been proven over and over again, will not take care of us. Hotels, it is now clear, do not care enough anymore. Airports stink, car rental firms are deteriorating. Everything, everywhere conspires to make things worse. The weather, politics, the Internet, even the government. They're all against us--or at least it seems that way.
So stop waiting for someone or something else to come to our rescue. We are on our own and we need to start acting that way and fending for ourselves.
STOP CHECKING BAGS. PERIOD.
You need to understand this: At best, checked bags slow you down. At worst, they get lost and cause endless chaos, off-the-charts stress and profound unhappiness. You can travel literally weeks with a carry-on bag if you pack strategically: Choose a monochromatic palette for each trip. Pack items that serve multiple purposes. Carry what can be washed rather than dry-cleaned. Google laundromats closest to where you are staying. Worst case, wash out items in the sink and blow dry as appropriate. Traveling only with carry-on bags can be done. It takes only the will and your commitment.
SHIP WHEN NECESSARY
Despite your best efforts, there may be times when you simply have too much clothing or too much gear to carry-on. The solution is not to trust airlines. Ship your bags (or golf clubs or other equipment) with FedEx or UPS instead. Yes, it will cost more than your "free" bags with premium travel. But what's your sanity worth? What is your time worth? And if you fly coach, shipping bags will not cost much more than paying what airlines charge. FedEx and UPS offer worldwide service, often from storefronts like the UPS Store domestically and Mail Boxes Etc. worldwide. Best of all, FedEx and UPS permit the kind of online tracking that the airlines refuse to provide. And, yes, of course, use AirTags and Android tracking tags even with FedEx and UPS.
IGNORE THE ALLEGED FREEBIES
The two most tiresome arguments in travel? Whining about wall-mounted hotel bathroom amenities and complaining about the abysmal quality of airline food. Stop. Just stop. Pack travel-size supplies of whatever you prefer to use--soap, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner--in your amenities bag. Ignore the wall-mounted hotel stuff. Problem solved. As for airline food, c'mon, you know better. Even in premium cabins, you're being served what are essentially leftovers. The food has been prepared up to 24 hours earlier, frozen or refrigerated, transferred to tiny airline galleys and then reheated in convection ovens by overworked, mostly under-motivated flight attendants. The odds of a good meal are minuscule. So either pack your own victuals and snacks, eat ahead of your departure or after your arrival.
STOP CHASING STATUS
You still think airlines will give you upgrades? What decade do you think this is? They've monetized every facet of their frequent flyer programs and much prefer to sell you upgrades for TODs (tens of dollars) than award them to you for loyalty. Delta, to take just one example, is proud that it has reduced its level of freebies to around 10% of its premium-class inventory. Hotel status? No matter what the big lodging programs promise, getting elite perks is dependent on what local properties are willing to do. And the chains increasingly turn a blind eye when a local hotel denies you the late checkout, upgraded room or free breakfast promised with your elite status. No matter how loyal you are to airlines or hotel chains, no matter what status level you achieve, they will conspire to welch on the promises they make. Stop expecting better. Stop chasing the status that won't yield much of anything.
BUY WHAT YOU NEED
Once you abandon the fantasy of elite perks, you're free to buy what you need. Want to fly up front? Buy it. Want a suite? Buy it. This may sound like giving up, but it's not. Once you've liberated yourself from the travel industry's false promises and fake perks, you're free to buy the travel experience you want to have. And your stress level will decline accordingly.
ROOMS WHEN YOU WANT THEM
Once upon a time, there was hope that the lodging industry would switch to 24-hour rooms. That's not happening although there are remnants of 24-hour rentals in places around the world. Which does not mean you must remain locked into the hotel industry's rigid systems. Hotels often sell early check-in and late checkout as you make reservations. If you need the time and the buy-up price is right, do it. If not, consider the alternatives. Services now exist to book hotel day rates. Try Dayuse or HotelsByDay. Or deal direct with hotels. Marriott's day-use rates are available by placing ZDY in the corporate-code box. Hilton.com will generate day rates by using the same check-in and check-out date when you book. Other chains don't have specific procedures, but check with the hotel you need.
BE VIP FOR A DAY
Airports are increasingly vast and complex affairs, especially international ones that must coordinate customs and immigration formalities. Did you know you can be a VIP for a day? Every global airport now has at least one third-party service that can meet you at your arrival gate, whisk you through the formalities and deliver you to your connecting flight. Some even offer electronic buggies to get you to your connection. They can arrange club lounge access and ground transportation, too. And, naturally, they also can meet you at the terminal door and get you to a departing flight. How do you find these VIP services? Check your airport's Web site for links to a particular service or simply google "airport VIP service." American, Delta (1-855-2FLYVIP) and United also offer VIP airport services, but I find they generally promise more, deliver less and cost much more than the third-party providers.
Finally, a promise: News permitting, I'll focus more columns on out-of-the-box thinking for making life on the road easier. More often than not, all that's required is a creative approach. A ludicrously simple personal example: I've stopped moaning about tiny hotel trash cans. I toss a few small plastic garbage bags in my carry-on and now I have all the trash disposal space I need.