Whether you are a seasoned world explorer or planning a first-time getaway, prospective travelers face numerous decisions to be made. Planning a trip does get easier once you know how to start and what to do. Read on for great information to get you started on your travel plans.

Always know where your luggage is. Airline and bus employees have been known to steal items out of cases when they are checked in. Additionally, other travelers might “accidentally” pick up your bag in hopes of finding expensive items. This also allows you to move between transit options faster, instead of standing around waiting for your luggage.

Make arrangements for your pets while you will be away. Have a neighbor or friend come over to feed, walk and check in on them, at least once per day. They will feel more secure knowing that they will have fresh food and water and will be less stir crazy than if they were left alone for a long period of time.

Know the rules for your airline’s baggage check policy. Some airlines will make you go and claim your baggage and recheck it for connecting flights. Be aware of this so you can schedule flights accordingly. You do not want to get caught running across an airport to catch a flight because of baggage!

If you’re going to be driving to your destination, especially if it’s a long trip, try to travel at night. There’s a lot less traffic on the roads so you can most likely get their faster. And if you’re traveling with kids, they can curl up in the back seat and sleep the drive away.

Double check your reservations. It may seem obvious, but there have been many cases where reservations suddenly disappeared from the databases, leaving you and your family with no place to stay. To prevent this from occurring, check with your hotel several times throughout the process to make sure that your reservation is still right where it should be.

Sometimes the cleanliness of the linens in your hotel room is questionable. Rather than risk it, use your t-shirt as a pillowcase. After a long day of business meetings or sightseeing, turn your shirt inside out and use it over the hotel pillowcase. You can wash your shirt later, and it’s infinitely more appealing than putting your face on suspicious linens.

Shopping for airline tickets online isn’t always the best deal. In general, you will find the same price by buying online as you will from the airline itself or from agencies. At times you can find great airline deals online but they are limited and contain restrictions. If you don’t mind the limits, buying your tickets online may be for you.

One way to do vacation planning is by utilizing the power of the Internet. Booking travel has never been easier. The site you book your travel through should offer sample itineraries for your convenience. You can book hotels, rental cars and flights easily from your computer! You can find photographs and customer reviews of many of the hotels and other lodgings in which you are interested. You can also find excellent deals on good travel sites. For example, you might find a good discount for travel plans made at the last minute.

You will have to plan ahead and make important decisions before you travel. If you have some ideas of what you need to do, you can plan a trip easily. Use the ideas you have learned to help you plan your next trip.