Spend a few minutes each day for a week, and you’ll have decades of easy travel. All you need is your passport, wallet, and phone (and ideally desktop for a couple).
1. Make a personal docs photo album on your phone
5 minutes
Include a picture of your:
- Passport
- Passport-style photo
- Global Entry card
- Health insurance card
- Drivers license
- Car license plate
- Car insurance details
Repeat in a separate folder for your spouse/kids, if applicable.
Note: When you delete these photos from your phone, the folder pics go away too. Create a Google Drive or Photos too as a backup, for easy replenishment.
2. Set a calendar appointment and phone reminder for the date 3 months prior to your passport expiration date
30 seconds
- Repeat for your TSA/global entry expiration
- Repeat for your spouse/kids, if applicable
3. Save all of your frequent flyer numbers as a phone contact
5 minutes
Include your password as a note in the contact
- Repeat with your passport number
- Repeat with your TSA/Global Entry number
- Repeat with your family member’s info
4. Log in to each airline’s frequent flyer account and go to your profile. check for any Discrepancies or outdated info.
30 minutes Desktop Activity!
This is where most problems occur when booking flights!
- Make sure your name matches your name exactly as it is on your passport. Middle name and initial included. <– biggest trouble maker
- Upload your passport photo. Delete any outdated information.
- Add your TSA or Global Entry numbers to each profile. If you have Global Entry, delete your old TSA number as it can override Global Entry if saved in your profile.
- Add a credit card number to your account for fast bookings
5. Save your frequent travel companions to your airline profiles
10 minutes Desktop Activity!
Log in to your airline accounts, and go to Profile –> Travel Companions.
Note: This saves so much time when booking and can move flight booking from a desktop activity to a cell phone activity!
6. If you have status with an airline, save that dedicated customer service line to your contacts
1 minute
The hold time is like 3 minutes vs. 45 minutes!
