So many of us are on the road between Thanksgiving and Christmas through New Years. We have organized email and posts from JAVA Members with clever tips to ease your mind and to make your trips easy.

Meals worth carrying on- You want more than pretzels going cross country? Bring your own meal fresh from home. Or keep your eyes open in the terminal for great quality take out like from Wolfgang Puck’s ubiquitous restaurants.

Need caffeine?- In coffee capitals Vienna and Sydney and several other big cities, the map-based Coffee (In)Touch app is a shortcut to third-wave heaven—and free Wi-Fi.

Pamper your pets- Soft-sided, lightweight carriers such as the TSA-approved Jet Sitter ($43) can help get your pet on board, even if the pooch is a few pounds over your airline’s limit. When it comes to restful flying, a chewable children’s Benadryl is as helpful for a pet as it is for a human. (But ask your vet about dosage first.) And always pull pet food out of your carry-on when going through security: Declaring it up front will help prevent confiscation.

Quiz someone else’s concierge- If you’re staying at an Airbnb and need good local advice, head for the nearest luxury hotel.

Rethink room service

Three ways to improve in-room dining:

Make it cheaper: look for menu items that are on both the kids’ and regular menus. Ordering the children’s version rarely results in a much smaller portion—but it halves the price.

Make it faster: insists your food not be placed in a hot box. That way, it gets sent to your room quickly, before it cools.

Make it healthier: Forget the menu: call downstairs and asks the kitchen for anything light and low-cal. It’s the easiest way to fight temptation after a long flight.

How do you travel? What are your hacks?

Safe Travels

xoxo

Stephanie