Photo by CC user Shrinkin’violet on Flickr.

Are you thinking about or have already mapped out a dream vacation for you and possibly family and friends to join you?

If so, you likely know all the planning that can go into such excursions.

While the ultimate goal is to have fun and relax, it can sometimes seem as if all the planning going into the trip wears you out.

That said do your best to make planning of the trip as stress-free as possible. Remember, the last thing you want to do is get yourself all stressed out before you’ve even left home.

Taking to the Air

In order to get to many destinations (especially if you are traveling out of the country), you’re going to have a couple of options, one of which of course is the airlines.

So that you can make vacation flights a little less turbulent (except of course for the actual turbulence you may encounter in the air), keep these five tips in mind:

1. Plan ahead – First and foremost, try and book your airline tickets as far in advance as possible. This does a couple of things, both of which will work in your favor. For starters, you stand a much better chance of getting an ideal price on your reservation if booked as far out as you can. Waiting until literally the last minute to make an airline reservation will leave you likely emptying out your wallet or purse (see more below). Whether you want romantic excursions to Europe, vacation package deals for Chile, perhaps even setting off for the Orient, don’t procrastinate. Secondly, making an early airline reservation typically gives you a better selection of not only destinations, but also what times you want to leave and arrive. When you throw in better seat selections for an early booking on most airlines, you end up winning;
2. Pack properly – As you probably know airlines these days are getting stricter about what exactly they allow on flights, including how much your bag or bags weigh. That said be sure to investigate exactly what you can take on your flights as far as the main luggage, carry-on luggage etc. Doing so ahead of time will save you hassles at the airport, especially when there are long lines awaiting you;
3. Avoid illness – One of the “fun” parts of flying is doing your best to avoid getting sick. When you’re sitting with potentially 200 to 300 people at 38,000 feet, it doesn’t take long for germs to start flying around the air. Do your best to get plenty of sleep and eat properly leading up to your flights. Also consider wearing a mask if you’re that worried about catching some on a flight.

Flexibility Does Help

4. Flexible flying times – If flexibility is an option (see more below), consider taking flights during different hours. For example, you can at times save money by doing a redeye flight, though keep in mind your sleep patterns may be off for a day or so afterwards. Before millions of other travelers caught on, flying first thing in the morning used to be a good thing to avoid traffic. Now, however, don’t be shocked to find airports nationwide (and in many other countries) packed at dawn;
5. Voucher rewards – Finally, although you likely want to get to your vacation destination stat, are you willing to push your flight back a few hours, maybe even a day or so? If so, you could be eligible for a voucher (in some cases the entire price of round-trip ticket). Although you may be tempted to take a later flight after already being at the airport, make note that your luggage typically stays on your original flight. That said you may not want to earn the voucher and be separated from your luggage for perhaps even a day.

As you consider where your next airline trip may take you, think about ways to make it less turbulent.