30 Travel Etiquette Dos and Don'ts

November 18th, 2014  |  Travel Insurance

There is no doubt that travelling has its ups and downs. It’s not uncommon to finds yourself in less than desirable situations on road trips, at the airport and in many other situations when you are away from home.

With no shortage of travel issues, rude people, less than adequate customer service, it can be very simple to become frustrated. However, it is how you react to these situations that make all the difference.

Deciding to take things in stride and not let them impact your mood or trip is the key to successful travel. If you let every little inconvenience or bump in the road get on your nerves, you could be in for a long and miserable trip.

There is a right way and a wrong way to go about doing things and the trick is to understand the dos and the don’ts of travel and travel etiquette. This information will help you successfully navigate any situation you find yourself in when travelling.

The following outlines some of the dos and don’ts when travelling:

The Travel Etiquette Do’s

1. Be polite
2. Read up on the places you will be travelling
3. Respect other cultures and observe local customs
4. Abide by local laws
5. Wait your turn
6. Keep your kids occupied at all times
7. Tip the locals
8. Be patient
9. Have all your travel documents ready and accessible in all airport lines
10. Respect other peoples personal space
11. Treat airline and transportation personal with respect (learn more about airplane etiquette)
12. Read the fine print when booking accommodations
13. Double check all travel plans
14. Get all the facts before complaining about travel delays
15. Thank others when they assist you

The Travel Etiquette Don’ts

1. Assume everyone speaks your language
2. Treat locals poorly
3. Make negative comments
4. Let your kids run wild
5. Hold up lines or hold up your flight
6. Make assumptions
7. Don’t block the aisles on planes, trains or other types of transportation
8. Blame others for your mistakes
9. Complain because things are not done that way at home
10. Chastise people if they have difficulty understanding you
11. Try to take matters into your hands, regardless of the situation
12. Be passive aggressive
13. Cut in line at the buffet, airline, or anywhere else
14. Play dumb
15. Assume you have travel insurance

Travel etiquette varies from country to country and it’s important that you always have respect for others when travelling. As a general rule, treat others as you would like to be treated yourself and you should have a much more enjoyable travel experience.

Did we miss any travel etiquette do’s or don’ts? What else would you add to the list?