1. Cut The Cost of Travelling from The Airport
The cost to travel from KLIA to home can be costly, especially if you have multiple luggage. The idea of having to pay an astoundingly expensive ride to get home from a wonderful holiday or a tiring business trip can be a splash of iced water. Not exactly a smooth transition back to your routine!
The answer to that problem can be found in the use of a good travel credit card. If chosen properly, you can enjoy free rides home from KLIA, free concierge and limousine service, access to Premium Lounges, and even preferential booking at luxury hotels worldwide. It is crucial for you to make a wise choice. A key advice is to carefully compare different types of travel credit cards offered by banks.
2. Pre-Book Airport Parking
Parking can be expensive at the airport, whether short or long stay. Why not get organised and park at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan for just RM4.00 per day for a car. You will have to take a bus ride to the airport but think of the cost savings you’ll get. If you were to park at the airport, you will pay RM46.00 for 24 hours parking at the short stay.
Just think of the cost saving by planning your route in advance. If you park your car in the long stay (minimum of 4 days) you would still be paying RM144.00 plus RM15.00 per additional day. Before your journey to the airport, we would suggest you call the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan to check you are able to leave your car there for the period of time you require.
3. Always Check Which Terminal You Are Flying From
While going holiday is a very exciting experience, it can be sometimes ruined by forgetting the simplest of things. There are two terminals at KUL, KLIA 1 and KLIA 2 and the train journey between the terminals takes roughly 3 minutes. It’s so easy when we are busy shopping at the airport or distracted by children to go to the wrong terminal, so make sure to check which terminal you need to go to before travelling to the airport so you are not wasting valuable time at the last minute.
4. Make Sure You Are Fully Travel Insured
You never know what’s going to happen when you’re going on holiday. It’s all well and good that your flights are booked and you’ve got all your travel accessories sorted – but what if the airline loses your luggage or your flight is delayed? Or worse still, what if you need urgent but expensive medical care while abroad?
Don’t ever travel without insurance – it’s simply not worth it. A good travel protection plan is important to cater for both healthcare discounts and travel inconvenience coverage, you’ll be covered for any unforeseen circumstances.
5. Eat Before You Leave – Pack Snacks!
Airport food and restaurants tend to be more expensive, so it’s a good idea to have a good meal before you go (especially if you have hungry kids in tow). Remember you can take your own snacks to the airport too.
Although you won’t be able to take any drinks or liquids through security, you can take your own drinks and have them before you head for the departure lounge. Many airports also have public water fountains so keep your empty bottles and fill them up for free.
6. Be Prepared For Security
There’s nothing worse than cutting it fine with your flight time and waiting impatiently to get through security – only to see the person in front of you being made to unpack their whole bag! Some Malaysian airports do have a fast track service but you will have to pay for this per person.
So leave plenty of time to get through security, and bring your own re-sealable transparent bags for liquids, as some airports in different countries charge up to £1 a bag.
7. Avoid Getting Your Travel Money At The Airport
Don’t exchange your money at the airport – although it may be advertised as ‘No Fee’ the exchange rate you will get will not be as good as elsewhere as the airport knows they have you as a captive audience. There are lots of money exchange booths and services in Malaysia, just shop around for the best rates.
8. Save Webpages Before You Go
Unfortunately, most airports still charge for WiFi – so if you’re planning to get a bit of work done while you’re waiting for your flight, why not save any web pages you need in advance – then you can view them at your leisure offline without paying a penny.
9. Don’t Go Over Your Luggage Allowance
If you’re just taking hand luggage, make sure you don’t go over the allowed limits, as you’ll be charged extra. (Weigh your luggage before you go if you’re in any doubt). There is nothing quite like getting stung on extra baggage charges and it can put a real downer before your trip really starts. There is a baggage protection service inside Kuala Lumpur airport but this does carry a fee. Also, you will need to allow extra time to check in excess baggage so be sure to build sufficient time into your schedule so you don’t get stressed.
10. Be Careful At Duty-Free
While it’s true you can get some good deals at duty-free, some duty-free shops aren’t as competitive as you might think. What’s more, how good the deal is will also depend on what the exchange rate is at that point in time.
If you’re planning on buying something expensive – like spirits, jewellery or gadgets – make sure you research what the going rate is online and on the high street first. Don’t just blindly trust that duty-free will automatically be cheaper because that’s not always the case. Read up on duty-free prices at Kuala Lumpur airport.
Conclusion
Travelling abroad can be full of pitfalls. One wrong step and your trip could be ruined by a sordid hotel room, wasted time at a tourist-trap attraction or an overnight flight crammed in the middle seat. So, guarantee yourself sufficient time to plan thoroughly for a smooth trip.
You don’t need to sell all your worldly possessions to travel. If you enjoy travelling, your Citibank credit card can be your golden-egg-laying goose. You can enjoy healthcare and travel protection plans (which includes coverage for flight delays, missed flight connection, and baggage delay). Furthermore, you can redeem complimentary flights at over 90 airlines, in-flight meals, among other fabulous privileges.
Happy Travels from the team at loanstreet.com.my
