When booking a flight, it’s tempting to zero in on the itinerary that gets you from Point A to Point B as quickly—or cheaply—as possible. A 45-minute connection instead of two hours? Sold. An itinerary that shaves $100 off the fare? Even better.
But according to travel advisors, those savings in time or money may not always be worth what you’re giving up in return.
As travelers get older, priorities can shift. Getting the absolute lowest fare or fastest itinerary may matter less than arriving rested, building a little breathing room into the journey and avoiding unnecessary stress along the way.
So, we asked four travel advisors for the #1 flight habit they think travelers over 50 should drop immediately. Interestingly, two independently gave us essentially the same answer: Stop booking the shortest possible connection.
From overly ambitious layovers to sacrificing convenience for a slightly cheaper fare, here are the habits they say are worth reconsidering before your next trip.
Related: 8 Wellness Trips Every Woman Over 50 Needs, According to Experts
Stop Booking the Shortest Possible Connection
For Halie Brarda of ETK Travels/SmartFlyer, one of the biggest mistakes is assuming the fastest itinerary is automatically the best one.
“Stop booking the shortest possible connection,” Brarda says. “I’d much rather have a client spend an extra hour having a coffee in the lounge than sprinting through an unfamiliar airport and worrying about whether their bag will make it. The easiest itinerary is often better than the fastest one.”
Travel advisor Brian Rooney, founder of GetCruiseInfo.com, agrees. At 60 himself, he says he approaches his own flights the same way he advises his clients to.
“A 40- or 45-minute connection might technically be a legal itinerary, but that doesn’t mean it’s a smart one,” Rooney says. “Airports are large, gates change, inbound flights run late, and sometimes getting to the next gate means a long walk, a train ride, or changing terminals.”
Instead, Rooney generally prefers a connection of around 90 minutes or more when possible, with even more breathing room when traveling internationally, navigating a large or unfamiliar airport or catching a flight tied to something you really can’t afford to miss, like a cruise departure.
Those extra minutes also leave time for the decidedly less glamorous realities of flying: using the restroom, grabbing something to eat and dealing with an unexpected gate change without watching the clock.
As Rooney puts it, “The goal shouldn’t be to find the itinerary with the fewest minutes between flights. It should be to find the itinerary that gives you the best chance of arriving at your destination without unnecessary stress.”
And if that means an extra hour sipping coffee instead of sprinting through the terminal? Consider it time well spent.
Related: A Minimalist Carry-On Packing List for Women Over 50
Stop Adding Connections Just to Save Money
A tight connection isn’t the only itinerary choice that can make a trip unnecessarily exhausting. Rachel Peavy, travel advisor and owner of Let It Be Travels, says travelers over 50 should also stop flying around the world just to save a few dollars on airfare.
“Their time is as valuable as their money,” Peavy says. “The more connections you make, the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong with travel.”
She’s seen that play out firsthand with her clients. One traveler returning from Portugal booked an itinerary with three connections, only to have their luggage go missing in Boston on the way home. By the time they finally made it back, Peavy says, they were exhausted.
“No one wants to come back needing a vacation from their vacation,” she adds.
Peavy’s advice is simple: Take a nonstop flight whenever it makes sense, or at least minimize the number of connections. While an itinerary with multiple stops might look like a bargain when comparing fares, the potential savings are worth weighing against the additional hours in transit and the extra opportunities for delays, missed connections and baggage problems.
And if price is the reason you’re considering the more complicated itinerary, Peavy recommends using airfare tracking tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to watch fares instead. That way, you may be able to snag a better price without turning what should be a straightforward travel day into an endurance event.
Related: The 7 Best Destinations for Women Over 50 to Visit Right Now, According to Travel Advisors
Stop Skipping Compression Socks Because You Think They Look “Medical”
One habit Kristin Freeman, founder and CEO of FlyOver Travel, would like travelers over 50 to leave behind has nothing to do with which flight they book. It’s what they wear once they’re on board.
Freeman says some travelers still resist wearing compression socks on long-haul flights because they associate them with medical wear. But these days, she points out, options range from colorful prints to pairs that look just like ordinary dress socks.
“The flight is one day, don’t let it steal the next two,” Freeman says.
Spending hours sitting in the same position can leave travelers with swollen, uncomfortable legs and ankles, something Freeman recently saw come up during a hosted trip to South Africa. Rather than waiting until discomfort sets in, she recommends keeping a pair of compression socks in your carry-on and putting them on before a long flight.
She also encourages clients to get up and walk around periodically and stay hydrated during the journey.
“Coupled with walking around on the flight and drinking water, this helps keep you at the pool on vacation rather than in a hotel room with your feet up,” Freeman says.
And if vanity has been holding you back? Freeman says today’s versions are discreet enough that your seatmate may never know you’re wearing compression socks at all.
After all, arriving feeling ready to enjoy your vacation beats sacrificing the first day recovering from the flight.
Related: 10 Best Travel Tips for Women Over 50, According to Travel Advisors
The Bottom Line
There’s a common thread running through all four advisors’ advice: Stop optimizing every flight solely around getting there faster or spending less.
A longer connection, a nonstop flight that costs a little more or even a pair of compression socks tucked into your carry-on may not seem like a big deal when you’re planning a trip from your couch. But on travel day, those small decisions can mean less rushing, fewer logistical headaches and a more comfortable journey.
As Brarda puts it, sometimes “the easiest itinerary is better than the fastest one.”
And when you’ve waited months for a vacation, getting there shouldn’t be the part you need to recover from.
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