Google Maps secret: This one’s perfect for planning sneaky surprises like checking out a vacation spot. In the app, tap your avatar, select Turn on Incognito mode and look for the Incognito icon in the search bar. When you’re done, tap the Incognito icon again and select Turn off Incognito mode.
Traveling for the holidays? Best days to book
It’s beginning to look a lot like … fall. Before you enter a pumpkin-spice stupor, do your future self a favor and get this year’s travel plans organized.
From the best times to book to how to search for flights, I’ve got everything you need to score the sweetest deal on your holiday season trip.
🎁 Staying put? Share this with a friend or family member who hits the road for the holidays. Hey, maybe they’ll buy you an extra present with all the money they save.
Just in time
If you want to get the cheapest airline ticket, timing is everything. Let’s start with the basics: How far in advance you should book.
Domestic flights: Prices are the lowest at 38 days before departure, with the lowest price range between 21 and 52 days prior to your trip.
🦃 For your annual Thanksgiving trip to Grandma’s, the best time to book the most affordable flights is 45 days before, or early October.
🎄 For Christmas, book at the end of October or early November. You’ll get the lowest fares when you book 58 days prior.
International flights: Aim to book at least 50 days before your departure. Your best bet is around 101 days before your trip to get the lowest price. For the Carribean or Mexico, the low-price range is between 26 and 68 days out.
✅ Pro tip: Stop counting days on your fingers. This calculator is the best.
Come fly with me
Now that you know the ranges, let’s get specific. Sunday is the best day to book; you’ll pay about 5% less on domestic flights and up to 15% less on international.
⚠️ Traveling overseas? No bueno: There’s a terrifying new trend happening all over the globe: Kidnapping tourists for ransoms. A Venezuelan man, for instance, used a dating app to lure in three American tourists over a month-long stretch in the Dominican Republic. He’d arrange a date, pick up the person in his car, and then an accomplice would hop in to help him restrain his dates. All three victims were held at knifepoint and forced to call friends and family for money. So scary.
🔒 Keep your passport safe: Don’t carry it around with you on vacation. A photo of it is good enough in almost all cases, so snap a pic and show that on your phone. Bonus: The pic will make getting a new passport much easier if you lose it or it gets stolen. If you truly need the real thing, secure it close to your body. I like this option.
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Traveling solo? Share your location with your family and friends. On iPhone, open the Find My app and tap People (bottom of the screen) > + (plus icon) > Share My Location. Then, select a contact, hit Send and choose the duration. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon (top right) > Location sharing > New Share and send the link through your messaging app. Safe travels!
✈️ PSA for if your holiday flight is canceled: You’re entitled to a full refund or compensation for any controllable cancellation caused by the airline, like a maintenance or crew issue. The weather, though, is a wholly different beast. Be sure to download your airline’s official app for alerts and notifications about flights and gate changes.
✈️ Flying away? Uber has three new features to make your airport trips easier. The first, UberXXL, gets you a bigger car with extra trunk space for groups. The second, UberX Share, allows you to pay 25% by sharing a ride with someone heading your way. It’s available now at select airports. And finally, with Uber Reserve, you can have a car waiting for you when you land.
🌲 Over the river and through the woods: See the best time to leave for Grandma’s house (or anywhere else) without arguing. In Apple Maps, press the Now button on the left to open a calendar. In Google Maps, tap the three dots at the top right. For both, select Leave/Depart at or Arrive by and hit Done.
Skip the lines at U.S. Customs: The Mobile Passport app is your secret weapon. It’s free, secure, and lets you submit your passport and customs info right from your phone — no forms needed! Plus, you get access to fast-track lanes at participating airports and cruise ports.
📍 Explore along your route: Make your road trip more scenic with a hidden feature in Google Maps. Enter your destination, tap Directions and press Add stops. It’ll show you the best places to eat, shop and other gems along your drive.
Binge-watch at 30,000 feet: Just download a movie or show while you’re at home. For Netflix, click the title > Download (down arrow icon). For kiddos watching Disney+, open the app and hit download below the title. You’ll see a checkmark when it’s done. Heads-up: Not all content is downloadable.
Traveling soon? Track your luggage with your airline’s app. Open the app’s Menu > Track my bags. The naming will vary depending on the airline. Enter your reservation or tag number, and you’ll get updates along its journey. If you’re an Apple fan and have an AirTag, toss that in, too. On an Android? Try Chipolo.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
When your luggage is MIA at the airport carousel: Apple now lets you share your AirTags’ location with your airline (or anyone else). Open the Find My app, tap on your lost item, then tap Share Item Location > Continue > Share Link. If your bag is found, stop sharing its location anytime; otherwise, the link will expire in seven days.
🛣️ Hitting the road? Download a map of where you’re going in case you hit a no-service zone. Make sure you’re connected to the internet and not in Incognito mode. Then, open the Google Maps app and search for your destination or city. Tap the name or address > the three dots > select Download offline map > Download.
How far is it? Use Google Maps to find the direct distance between two places, rather than the driving or walking distance. On the web, right-click somewhere on the map and pick Measure distance, then click on a second spot.
✈️ Travel hack: Google Flights is rolling out a “cheapest” tab for rock-bottom fares. On your phone, search flights.google.com, and you’ll see the “best” options. Now there’s a “cheapest” tab to the right, focusing strictly on price. The catch: Inconvenient times, layovers or returns to a different airport. Hey, but you’ll save money!
Give yourself extra time before your next flight: After attacks on Hezbollah, aviation authorities in Lebanon banned travelers from boarding planes or checking luggage with pagers and walkie-talkies. Expect the TSA to increase their screening for explosives (paywall link).
