Once you’ve scrolled through all the dances and dog videos, you’ll find travel bloggers, flight attendants, and experts there to teach you how to travel smarter. They share the best days to travel and ways to save on flights, how to get great service and even free upgrades, as well as DIY cheats to overpack and still know where to find just about everything. And as the world gets moving again, it’s time to keep note of all the wonderful things Tiktok has taught us. Even before getting on a flight, there are quite a few things you can do to enjoy a hassle-free time in the cabin and at your destination. Here, we’ve compiled some of our favorite Tiktok travel tips for your next trip.
Pack Smarter, Not Harder
A category worthy of its own essay, packing is one of the most common travel complaints. Aside from having to tetris all your possessions into a cube on wheels, airlines also impose weight and size limits. So, while packing is often a headache that few people enjoy, TikTokers have endless tips to make it a little simpler, and more space-efficient, too. One TikToker, who is a flight attendant, recommends putting your heaviest items on the bottom of your suitcase to keep your luggage from toppling over. She also shared a smart tip for packing necklaces: layer them between sheets of Press’N Seal plastic wrap to keep them from getting tangled and knotted together. And for those who tend to overpack, several travel TikTokers recommend packing clothes in compression bags versus packing cubes to save on space. (Even the vacuum bags can be compressed by just using your body weight.) Be careful with this trick, though, as the room for extra items in your luggage could also result in an overweight suitcase at the airport. As for keeping your clothes clean and tidy throughout your travels, this TikToker recommends storing shoes inside shower caps to prevent the rest of your clothes from getting dirty. You can also keep a few extra plastic bags in your suitcase as well for any dirty clothing items that you might like to separate on your trip. Itching for more clever packing hacks? You can scroll under the #PackingTips hashtag on TikTok for hundreds of ideas.
Try Anti-Motion Sickness Goggles
Travel can become especially uncomfortable for those who suffer from motion sickness. Whether it happens from bad turbulence on an airplane or an extended car ride on windy roads, the nausea and dizziness from motion sickness can quickly sour a trip. Some TikTokers, however, have found relief in a pair of unusual eyewear. These anti-motion-sickness glasses have four rings on the frames, two in front of the eyes, and two on either side of the head. The rings are half-filled with liquid that calibrates and moves as you (or the vehicle you’re in) do. The moving liquid is intended to create a false horizon in your line of vision to correct a sensory mismatch and balance the information your brain receives, preventing the effect of motion sickness. Research on the efficacy of these glasses is limited, but the TikTok reviews are promising—so if you don’t mind wearing a funky pair of glasses through the airport or in the Uber, it’s worth a shot to see if this innovative eyewear can motion sickness from ruining your next trip.
Get Free Room Upgrades
If you’re hoping to get a room upgrade at a hotel, sometimes all you have to do is ask (politely). One of the most assured ways to get an upgrade is to be part of hotel rewards programs, so it doesn’t hurt to start there. However, there are some other tips that can help you get that bigger room without the upcharge, rewards member or not. For starters, when you ask for an upgrade, it may help to mention an anniversary, birthday, or whatever the special occasion and reason for your trip—the receptionist may be more willing to help you out if they know you’re celebrating something. If you are part of a rewards program, be sure to mention your membership status, too. Another tip, from luxury travel TikToker @lux_list, is to book a stay at a newer establishment. Many new hotels are rarely full and are eager to get more online reviews or social media exposure. So when asking for an upgrade, you can offer to leave a Google review or post something about your stay in exchange for a nicer room.
Swap Your Neck Pillow for a Brace
No, this isn’t so you’ll be prepared for some out-there adventure, it’s simply a clever way to keep your head up in the airplane and in the car. Neck pillows are oftentimes extra expensive (particularly at the airport), bulky, and not always that effective at actually holding up your head—especially if your neck is on the longer side. Consider using a neck brace, a product specifically designed to provide neck support and prevent motion. They’re typically more compact for packing and more affordable. (This TikToker found one for $7 at Walgreens.) With a neck brace secured, you’ll be sleeping while sitting up in no time.
Try House Sitting
Finding a place to stay can be one of the most costly parts of travel. Here’s an idea: Ditch the hotels and house sit for free on your next trip. There are plenty of websites like TrustedHousesitters.com, HouseSittersAmerica.com and MindMyHouse.com that offer safe house-sitting services in destinations all around the world. Think of it like free Airbnb. And the best part is that you get to experience a totally local, unique living situation that you wouldn’t be able to access from the viewpoint of a typical tourist. Additionally, house sitting services are very valuable to the homeowners as well as you are taking care of their property and sometimes even pet-sitting, which is another giant perk for animal lovers. The variety of options and possibilities are endless, and—for fans of the cult-classic film The Holiday—could feel like you’re living in your own movie.
Turn Your Pillow Into a Free Carry On
One of TikTok’s favorite airplane hacks seems to be a Trojan horse pillow. While airlines may charge for extra carry-ons or overweight luggage, they’re unlikely to ask you to weigh or check the pillow you’re carrying. So if you don’t have room for those extra few outfits you hoped to pack, consider stuffing them into a pillowcase and just toting it as if it’s your carry-on pillow. While it may be a lumpier alternative for a sleeping pillow, it can save you from overpaying for the extra items you’re carrying on board. If you don’t need the extra storage on your outbound flight, but plan to do some shopping on your trip, pack a pillowcase in your luggage so you can try this trick on the flight home.
Get Reimbursed for Your Troubles
One popular TikToker, money lawyer Erika Kullberg, has gone viral for sharing tips on how to get money back from various companies by reading the fine print terms—and she has several hacks for airlines. One of her viral videos details how to get reimbursed when you get bumped from an overbooked flight. She shares that, based on the terms, this is called “involuntary denied boarding,” and according to the Department of Transportation, entitles travelers to up to four times the cost of their one-way fare (if the airline can’t get you to your destination within one hour of your flight’s original arrival time). So next time an airline disrupts your travel, whether by damaging your bag or delaying your flight, make sure to scroll Kullberg’s feed to see if you can turn your inconveniences into profit.
