Perhaps you prefer to identify yourself as “deadline driven”. But procrastination and travel do not mix well, and it’s no surprise that being unorganised and leaving everything to the last minute will bring about a particular group of travel challenges. Whether it is triggered by compulsion or choice – people guilty of travel procrastination should hear the difficult truth of their actions and how they can avoid it in the future.

Longer Travel Times

Booking your flight at the last minute might mean any direct flights are already fully booked. Connecting flights can add hours to your travel time turning a 4 hour flight into an unbearable 12 hour flight especially if there is a long layover. This will inevitably take time off your holiday and you’ll be faced with a very uncomfortable and long flight trapped in economy.

Tip: It’s as simple as this; don’t leave your flight booking until the last minute or you could face missing your chance of a flight altogether.

You Will Forget Something

It’s inevitable isn’t it? Packing at the last minute significantly increases the risk of forgetting something important. Not only that, but procrastinating with your packing will result in you not having the time to do it efficiently and strategically. Not only could you forget a key item, you could over-pack and end up paying up to £50 for overweight luggage.

Tip: Plan your packing – make a checklist, plan your outfits, and only take the essentials. Keep your passport, visa, and other key travel items in your hand luggage and have it on your person at all times. But most importantly, give yourself time to do it properly.

It’s More Expensive

We’ve all heard of people leaving their booking to the last minute and getting themselves an amazing holiday deal, but if you’re someone who has a specific destination, date, and airline in mind – you will be paying considerably more. If you’re not fussed over the holiday destination and aren’t too worried about the specifics, this probably won’t matter much to you and you will more than likely score a good deal. But for those travellers who have their heart set on somewhere special, it might not happen when and where you want which ultimately leads to you paying more or having to fly from an airport half way across the country if you give in to travel procrastination.

Tip: If you truly want to save money and aren’t fussed about where or when you go, then last minute deals might actually work for you. But for those with a specific date and location in mind – be prepared and book in advance to avoid having to pay more than you need to.

The Middle Seat

So, you were lucky enough to book seats on the flight you wanted despite leaving it until the last minute due to travel procrastination, but you’ve ended up with a middle seat – so was it really worth it? No one wants to be trapped between two strangers or a crying baby on a long haul flight hence why aisle and window seats are always snapped up first.

Tip: Some airlines have a no-advance-seat-assignment system which could give you the chance to grab a window or aisle seat if you check in early. Or you can book your flights more in advance – on a recent holiday to Turkey we booked our flights so early we were able to have front row seats which meant plenty of leg room and being the closest passengers to the toilets.

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