The 10 travel mistakes you’ll never stop making

Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results… is it the classic definition of insanity, or is it just what we always seem to do when we travel? Here are some of my worst failings mixed in with others I know only too well.

1. Getting to the airport too early…

Guilty. It’s a big weakness of mine. I instinctively calculate the worst-case scenario for a delayed journey to the airport and add that to a two hour check-in. The result? I’m nearly always through security two and a half hours before take-off. Add in an inevitable departure delay… you can do the maths.

The cure: I wish I knew. These departure lounger secrets could change your airport experience though.

2. …or too late

Now this really is a sign of insanity. But we all know those eternal (and deeply foolhardy) optimists who calculate the fastest possible journey time to the airport and assume arrival an hour before take-off. The result? Perpetual stress and the occasional missed flight.

The cure: It’s obvious isn’t it? Leave home an hour earlier than your instinct tells you. Read more on what to do if you’re running late for a flight, according to an insider, in our guide

3. Flying early-morning…

It’s so tempting. That 7am departure with easyJet is not only £30 cheaper, it gets you there mid-morning so you enjoy an extra half a day in your destination. The reality is you will have to get up at 3.30am. You will probably barely sleep. Your first evening on holiday will be a write-off. And you have children? What on earth were you thinking?

The cure: Work out when you will have to get out of bed before you book the flight.

4. …or late evening

It’s so tempting. That 9.30pm return with Ryanair is, again, not only £30 cheaper, it means you can carry on sightseeing or lying on the beach until 6pm on your last day. The reality is that you will get back to Stansted at 23.45 (if it’s on time that is), and won’t be home until 2am – even later if you miss the last Stansted Express.

The cure: Just be happy to make the most of your last morning, and always fly home mid-afternoon.

5. Riding the red-eye

Two things are guaranteed if you fly overnight: you will barely sleep, groggily hating every moment of it. And you will be exhausted either when you arrive on holiday, or when you return home.

The cure: Sometimes airline schedules make it unavoidable, but there is often a workaround. If you are flying back to London from New York, for example, both British Airways (at 07.50 and 09.45) and Virgin (08.10) have flights from JFK departing on Sunday mornings, which arrive at Heathrow in the early evening UK time, and United has an 08.20 departure from Newark (times may vary according to date and day of the week). When it comes to other long-haul routes, the only solution to avoiding night flights may be through a well thought-out stopover.

6. Impulse buying in Duty Free

You have an hour to spend at Manchester Airport. You spot a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut Champagne at £33.29 (current price) in the duty-free shop. It must be a bargain, it’s duty-free. You snap it up, lug it about in your hand baggage. And then you pop into Waitrose when you get home and find it is on offer for £28.99 (current price). Even if it had been a few pounds cheaper at the airport, is the saving really worth the effort?

The cure: Google and compare prices before you buy. Better still, just don’t bother to buy duty free.

7. Packing too much

Too many clothes, too many books, too much paraphernalia. The instinct to cater for every contingency while you are on holiday often means you struggle to get the suitcase zip done up.

The cure: Lay everything out on the bed. Then put 10 things back in the drawer. And take a tiny sachet of detergent; you can always wash things out and dry them on the hotel towel rail. Or, if the worst comes to the worst, they do have shops in foreign countries…

8. Over-filling your itinerary

Cultural overload kills the joy of discovery. There is a limit to how much we can take in on one visit, but somehow the fear of missing out so often overrides it.

The cure: Remember, less really is more. Our destination guides are the best place to help your curated the perfect itinerary for any trip.

9. Assigning the wrong roles

Map-reading. Bargaining. Resolving conflicts or complaints. Usually in any couple (or group), one individual is better suited to the role than the other(s). But somehow that person often ends up sidelined.

The cure: Take a long hard look at yourself and either step back, or step up.

10. Taking your laptop on holiday

What are you doing? Are you insane?

The cure: See a psychologist. I have already booked my appointment.

This article was first published in April 2024, and has been revised and updated.