9 Tips for Safe Travel in 2025

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to prepare for a new year of travel. What travel disasters or mishaps did you navigate last year?

Have you ever had a panic moment when you were stuck in a long security line, or your credit card was declined overseas? How about a dead phone battery when you need to give the hotel address to the Lyft driver?

We’ve all been there – and 2025 is the year you’ll leave these travel headaches behind.

Instead of scrambling before each trip, take an hour now to set up systems that will serve you all year long. These practical steps aren’t just good travel habits – they’re your insurance policy against common travel mishaps that can derail even the best-planned adventures.

From creating a ready-to-go travel health kit to ensuring you’re never caught without backup power, these preparations might seem simple, but they’re the difference between “I wish I had…” and “I’m so glad I did.” 

Let’s get started with the essential travel prep that will make every trip this year smoother and more enjoyable.

1. Pack a travel health kit

If you don’t already have one of these, now’s the time to get one and stock it with the basics. My family has two: one for the medications and vitamins we take every day and a second for emergencies. Prescriptions are tossed in their original containers, and vitamin packs are made up and tucked into little plastic baggies.

You know what medicines you reach for at home, so have those on hand in your travel health kit too. You’ll thank yourself if you wake up with a headache in a foreign country or one of the kids starts to run a fever.

Set it up now, and repack it after every trip.

2. Tuck in some laundry sheets

Use your preferred form of zippered bag and tuck a few laundry detergent sheets in. It takes almost zero space, and you’ll be glad when you need to wash more than a pair of socks, like the time my daughter tossed her lunch up on her favorite dress on a trip. 

3. Back up critical documents

Scan and store copies of your passport and credit cards, along with the bank phone numbers and/or passwords, in case you need to report a stolen or lost card online. We once had a wallet stolen at the Zurich airport during a stopover on our return flight from Europe.

Luckily, we still had the passport, so we could board the plane, and we spent the layover reporting the cards stolen. If we hadn’t had those things backed up, we’d have had to wait ‘til we got back to the States, and who knows what damage could have been done by then?

4. Apply for a new travel card

You always want to have more than one form of payment available in case one gets stolen. It’s key to keep a second credit card on hand, tucked into your suitcase or backpack away from your wallet. 

To keep track of the cards, I keep a simple spreadsheet in my cloud drive with the date the zero percent interest ends and/or the annual fee is charged. I set a reminder in my calendar to call the card company the month before the annual fee is charged, and they usually waive the fee for another year. If they don’t, I cancel the card and apply for another with a good signup bonus. Rinse, and repeat the process in the new year.

5. Put together your ‘flight pack’

To be comfy on the plane, I typically have a flight pack with an eye mask, face mask, and earplugs. I keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, face lotion, and contact case (pre-loaded with overnight solution). This way, I can simulate a night-time routine that helps me sleep. I also have melatonin supplements and a light travel blanket. The earplugs have saved me more than once on a noisy flight or hotel.

6. Apply for or update your security access

If you haven’t already signed up for TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry, now’s the time to do it. It’s one of the best ways to speed up the security process both coming and going. If you sign up for Global Entry, it includes TSA PreCheck, and many travel cards will refund the fees to get the program. 

I can’t tell you how many times we thanked ourselves for having TSA PreCheck when something as simple as traffic delayed our airport arrival.

7. Buy an external phone battery

There’s nothing worse than watching your battery slowly die while trying to get a Lyft to the hotel. An external battery that can recharge the phones as you go is critical. 

Pro tip: A power strip is a great travel tool to have on hand. It can also make you instant friends at the airport or hostel.

8. Tuck a reusable shopping bag in too

In many countries, you’ll need to bring your own shopping bags, but it’s slowly becoming more critical across the US as states ban single-use plastic shopping bags. Tuck one in your suitcase, and you’ll thank yourself when you need to pick up a few snacks or souvenirs.

Pro tip: Find one that is strong and folds up into a tiny pouch, if you can, so it can easily fit into a pocket or your daypack.

9. Buy a reusable water bottle

At home, in your regular routine, you likely have a water bottle nearby when you’re working, walking the dog, gardening, etc. When you travel, you need to keep up that steady water intake even more. 

Airplane travel is a dehydrating experience, and it affects more than the appearance of your skin. Dehydration increases the effects of jet lag and makes it difficult for your circadian rhythm to get settled into the new location. 

Staying hydrated helps you avoid getting sick by supporting your immune system, allowing your body to naturally flush toxins, and maintaining healthy mucous membranes that trap pathogens, making it harder for viruses and bacteria to thrive. Essentially, proper hydration helps your body fight off potential infections.

Pro tip: A reusable bottle that can manage both hot and cold fluids is recommended. You can fill it with hot tea or coffee in the morning, and water in the afternoon (double the reuse).

Related topics

• How to become a one-bag traveler, or else
• Tips for handling a lost or broken phone while traveling
• How to get the best seat for any trip