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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Marriott Rewards Premier and United MileagePlus Credit Cards from Chase. All opinions are 100% mine.
We have been having so much fun this past year with all the traveling we have been doing. Along the way, we’ve learned a bunch of tricks that have really helped us to maximize our holiday travel.
We want every moment of our vacations and holiday travel to count and this is how we do it…
1. Take an early flight or red-eye the night before. We learned pretty quickly that the best vacations start as early in the day as possible. By planning your vacation start time to coincide with hotel check-in you get more from your vacation days!
2. Maximize your time spent driving. If you are driving to your destination leave the night before after the evening traffic and get to a point where you are past the traffic and the rest of your day will be smooth sailing (or driving). When we are heading to Northern California we always drive up past Los Angeles the night before and that saves us hours of LA traffic.
3. Plan out as much as you can before you go. We have spent way too much time planning out our days while on vacation when we could have been doing something else. Not a good use of our time.
4. But don’t plan too much. Remember to leave some time unplanned for adventures you didn’t know you wanted to take till you got there. Some of the most exciting things we have done have been spontaneous!
5. Download a weather and map app before you go. You don’t want to miss any of the fun because of rain or snow… or get lost while you are out having fun. Both of these tools will be priceless while you are away from home.
6. Look for ways to double dip on your vacations.
I love when one vacation can help with my next vacations… or maximize the one I’m taking. A great way to do so is with the Double Stay, Double Go promotion, happening in the month of November, when using your Marriott Rewards Premier and eligible United MileagePlus Credit Cards from Chase to earn you double points when booking your trip. Double points mean more towards your next vacation!
If you are thinking about booking your holiday travel, remember that during the month of November, Marriott Rewards Premier card members earn double points on United purchases and United MileagePlus Explorer, Club and Presidential Plus card members earn double miles on Marriott purchases. You can visit the Double Stay, Double Go website before November 30, 2015 for more details.
Where are you traveling this holiday season?
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I am a major planner. I always have my agenda planned before I go.
These are great ideas for us. I get too stressed if every last part of the vacation is scheduled. I like having some freedom!
These are all good tips. I’m all for anything that makes travel easier – especially during the holidays.
These are great tips. We usually stay local around the holidays. We will go over to Orlando and got to Universal and Disney.
These are all great tips. I’m all about saving money wherever I can or at least earning some sort of points when I do have to spend money. I’ll keep this program in mind.
I’m all about maximizing driving when we road trip. I like to leave at night, so the roads are relatively free of traffic. You can make excellent time that way.
Having a weather and traffic app on my phone has saved me on so many trips! I like to get going as early as possible too.
I’m incredibly lucky that I don’t have to travel during the holidays. These are good tips for those who do.
Thanks for the suggestions. Marriott is my favorite hotel brand… and we are in the process of planning a trip but waiting to hear when my Mom can watch the kids.
I love these tips. I always make plans, but make them quite flexable cause you never can tell what may come up.
These are excellent tips, especially since holiday travel can be extra stressful. I actually leave on a trip Saturday morning and saved a pretty penny by booking a super early flight.
This is great idea to everyone who is planning to travel. All this tips is really helpful.
My husband always plans out every detail of our trip before we go on vacation. It really does make for smooth sailing when you aren’t trying to plan out stuff to do during your trip.
We may see my parents in Florida. I’m not sure yet.
Right now I don’t have any holiday travel plans. If I do decide to go somewere I will keep your tips in mind.
Ah, thank you! We are actually leaving on Friday – these tips will help!
These are great tips. I hope to go on a trip soon!
These are really great tips! I am getting so excited for the upcoming holidays!
I’m the sort who likes to plan as little as possible. That’s why I love cruising. I don’t want to stress over making appointments or planning things like meals and transportation, I just want to relax.
These are awesome tips. I like to plan weeks before we leave, so we can make the most out of our vacation.
#4 used to by my favorite but when we travel with kids you have to plan but be open to change. All great tips. Thanks!
We recently learned that it is true to leave early. Why check in so late and waste perfectly good time exploring.
We always drive when the kids fall asleep. It makes for a quiet drive and allows us to spend the whole next day at our destination.
We will be heading to Orlando this season and the best advice I can give to travelers (especially those with young children) is get yourself up and ready before everyone else wakes up. Also have showers completed the night before and clothes out ready for the day.
I love these tips! It’s important to plan ahead, to save time, money, and sanity 🙂
These are some awesome tips! We’ve been traveling a lot lately (which is usual) but I’m loving it!
Leaving early makes a big difference. You don’t have to worry about rushing or being late.
These are great travel tips. Im a big planner, plan out the whole thing, mileage, gas stops, places to stay… thank you for sharing.
These are some great tips when it come to holiday travel. We try to do a lot of these too!
These are great tips. I really agree that you shouldn’t overplan. Just enjoy the vacation and let it happen!