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From frequent flyers to road trip queens, all travel girlies know the importance of making your trip as seamless and enjoyable as possible. That way, you can spend less time worrying about getting from point A to point B and more time enjoying yourself while you’re there. And whether you’ll be catching a flight home for the holidays or finally getting your girls’ trip out of the groupchat during winter break, we’re here to help you travel like a pro.
The first step? Signing up for an Amazon Prime membership, so you can unlock fast, free shipping on all your travel essentials, exclusive discounts on flights and hotels, and so much more. Even better, if you’re 18 to 24 years old or a current college student, you can try Prime for young adults with a six-month trial for $0, then pay a discounted rate of $7.49 per month or $69 per year (that’s over 50% in savings!).
1. Score Discounts On Flights & Hotels With StudentUniverse
Let’s be real: Traveling while on a college budget can be a struggle. Luckily, Prime and StudentUniverse are here to help you save on every trip you book. With your Prime for young adults membership, you’ll save up to 10% on already discounted flights, get 10% back on hotel bookings as an Amazon Gift Card after your trip, and get free premium customer support for all of your travel needs.
2. Keep Your Suitcase Organized With Packing Cubes
This summer, I made what some might consider a risky decision to travel with only a carry-on for a 12-day trip. To make things even more challenging, the trip also included a string of wedding-related events for a friend, meaning I had to bring multiple dresses, hair styling tools, and all my best makeup. But if there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I’ll do anything to avoid checking a bag, and that includes shoving almost two weeks worth of clothes into an overhead-bin-approved suitcase.
With that ~interesting~ experience behind me, let me put you on to the product that made it all possible: packing cubes. A few days before my trip, I decided I needed to level up my packing skills, so I ordered a set of compression packing cubes. (Shout out to Prime’s two-day shipping for ensuring they were delivered before I left!) These were such a game-changer for me; not only did they help me keep all of my things organized, but each cube also featured a compression zipper, so I could make the most of every inch of suitcase space!
BAGSMART Compression Packing Cubes for Travel
3. Plan Your In-Flight Entertainment Ahead Of Time
Bored on a flight? Couldn’t be me. Before you head to the airport, take some time to make a game plan of how you’ll stay entertained throughout the duration of your flight. That could mean picking out some eBooks to read, podcasts to listen to, or TV shows or movies to watch (and making sure your necessary devices are fully charged!).
Prime is the ultimate destination for all things in-flight entertainment. When you sign up for a Prime membership, you’ll enjoy a variety of benefits that are perfect for passing the time while traveling, including:
- Access to exclusive Amazon Originals and thousands of popular movies and TV shows at no extra cost with Prime Video.
- Ad-free listening of 100 million songs and millions of podcast episodes with Amazon Music for Prime members.
- Unlimited reading on Prime Reading, which offers a rotating selection of thousands of eBooks, popular magazines, comics, and audiobooks.
- And more!
4. Keep Your Toiletry Bag Packed (Even When You’re Not Traveling)
With so many different items to remember — from makeup to skincare, toothpaste, and beyond — packing your toiletries can be one of the most frustrating aspects of traveling, especially when you factor in limits on liquids for air travel. Instead of reaching your destination only to find you’ve forgotten your favorite foundation or paying way too much for travel-sized items at an airport convenience store, make your life easier by keeping a pre-packed toiletry bag on hand, even when you’re not traveling. That way, you can just grab your bag and head out the door feeling confident that you have everything you need.
P.S. A pre-packed toiletry bag is also a great opportunity to put your sample-size beauty and skincare products to good use!
NISHEL Travel Toiletry Bag
5. Put A Geotag In Your Checked Luggage
I don’t know about you, but one of my worst fears is losing my luggage while traveling (which explains my preference for carry-ons mentioned above). But this hack might actually inspire me to check my bag the next time I fly. All you have to do is slip any geotag with location tracking into your suitcase, and voilà! As long as you have cell service or WiFi, you can keep an eye on your bag’s location throughout your trip.
Tile by Life360 Mate (2024) Bluetooth Tracker
6. Save On Food Delivery With Grubhub+
Exploring different restaurants and cafes is undoubtedly one of the best parts of traveling, but sometimes, you just want a chill night in your hotel room with some delish takeout. Luckily, Prime members also get free Grubhub+, so you can have your food of choice delivered to your destination with $0 delivery fees, exclusive savings, and more!
7. Weigh Your Suitcase At Home
No one enjoys the anticipation of weighing your bag at the airport check-in counter (overpackers, IYKYK). Did I bring too many shoes? Are they going to charge me for being a few pounds over? Will I need to unzip my bag in the middle of the airport and try to transfer things to my carry-on?
Instead of playing a guessing game each time you pack for a trip, keep tabs on your bag’s weight at home with a portable luggage scale! All you have to do is clip it on your bag and lift it up to see how much it weighs.
travel inspira Luggage Scale
8. Dress In Layers For Your Flight
Sometimes, traveling is like experiencing every possible climate, all in one day. You might leave your cold, snowy college campus, only to land in a warm, balmy destination for winter break. Or, you might be absolutely freezing at your gate, but low-key sweating once you get on the plane. My advice? Always dress in layers, whether that means throwing a blazer over your elevated airport look or wearing a tee under your go-to travel hoodie. That way, you can adjust your fit to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the day.
With these travel hacks, you’re ready to pack like a pro, breeze through security, and make the most of your time in the air or on the road. Of course, it all starts with a Prime membership — a must-have for every type of traveler. So, before you head out for your winter break travels, don’t forget to claim your $0 six-month trial of Prime for young adults!