(Photo: Shutterstock)You know the guy who's always holding up the plane by trying to cram five bags, a jacket, and a pillow into the overhead compartment? Don't be that guy. Read on to discover 10 warning signs that you may be a terrible traveler.
You're cutting it too close
Years ago, maybe you could have rolled into the airport a half hour before takeoff, but not these days. Always leave a little bit earlier than you think you need to for the airport, train station, or bus stop—you never know if security or check-in lines will be long, or if you'll need extra time because of getting lost, roadwork, etc. Better to kill a few extra minutes at the gate than to miss your transportation.
You have an expired passport
(Photo: Shutterstock)and you don't even know it
Some countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months after the completion of your trip just in order to enter. You may think you're in the clear if your passport expires in 2014, but if you've got a trip planned for November 2013, you'd better get it renewed before then. Always research entry requirements, including visas and vaccines, and be sure your passport is up to date.
Your bags are overweight
(Photo: Shutterstock)(and you're surprised)
If you're at the counter frantically repacking your checked bags to get under your airline's weight limit, you might be a terrible traveler. Invest in a luggage scale (or a bag with a built-in weighing system, like the Delsey Helium Ultimate 25-Inch Expandable Spinner Trolley suitcase) and never be socked with an overweight fee again. Always double-check your airline's weight allowances and make sure the limits apply to connections, especially if you're going from an international to a domestic flight.
You haven't done your research
(Photo: Shutterstock)Will things be open this time of year? What currency does your destination use? What language is spoken there? If you don't know (and you don't care), you might not be the greatest traveler. There's a difference between being spontaneous and adventurous and being foolishly unprepared—the former leads to exciting stories and fun possibilities, and the latter leaves you in tears and stranded without a hotel during a major festival.
You don't know the carry-on rules
(Photo: Shutterstock)The TSA may overlook knives and other weapons on a fairly regular basis, but they'll always find that 4-oz. bottle of shampoo you've stashed in your carry-on. Moral of the story: Know your 3-1-1 rules. Triggering a search of your carry-on bag really clogs up the line behind you.
