I travel a lot for business and for pleasure. It seems that my schedule seems to find me traveling approximately every two months or so. At any given time, I may be traveling more often or less often but the fact of the matter is always the same: I know travel. In fact, as I write this, I am sitting at a client’s office in Charlotte, NC.

I also happen to be one the unluckiest travelers ever. If you are reading this and may have the opportunity to travel with me, let’s hope YOU have some luck because when it comes time to jet set to somewhere new, my luck runs out… I’ve had lost bags, missed flights, horrible weather delays, rental cars that weren’t paid for (but should have been), hotel rooms given to me that already had people inside of them (no joke!), cell phone service quitting… You get the idea.

I’ve decided to put together some helpful tips for you so that you can avoid having my luck and if you do find yourself with a case of bad luck, you can be prepared for it.

1. Make sure there is at least 2 hours for your layover regardless of where you are traveling.

If you travel a lot, you know that flights are hardly ever on time. Most run at least 30 minutes behind while some are an hour or more behind. There can be delays with the plane coming in, delays with attendants not being in the airport yet, equipment delays, safety check delays, etc. When booking your travel, always schedule a two hour layover regardless of where you are traveling. You may be thinking, “Do I really have to spend that extra time in the airport?” but speaking from my own experience, it will actually save you time if you find yourself missing your next connection.

2. Check to see if the flight you are booked on is the last flight out – if you happen to miss your connection due to delays, you want to make sure you can always hop onto another plane.

This has happened to me more times than I can count and as a result, I’ve spent A LOT of time sleeping overnight, usually alone, in the airport. Most recently, after coming home from Las Vegas and flying from LV to Newark, NJ, I found myself delayed due to weather and once I reached Newark, I had missed the last flight out to Ottawa. When my husband and I traveled to New York City, we got caught in the great snow storm of 2006 and slept in both La Guardia and the Philadelphia airports. We arrived home two days later than we should have. When booking your flight, if you can, book a mid-afternoon flight so that you always have the option to jump on another plane if you miss yours.

3. Pack a good carry-on or just carry-on one bag (depending on how long you are traveling) so that if you do get stuck in the airport or having to spend the night at hotel, you are prepared.

I never used to do this. I suppose I thought I was invincible. But, after traveling so often and having so many travel delays, I got smart and began to pack a really great carry-on. In my carry-on, I make sure I have: toothbrush and toothpaste, change of underwear (yes, this is vital), shampoo (travel size will do), baby wipes, a really good book and an MP3 player. If you’re a girl, I also recommend packing a small cosmetics bag. Having this stuff on you while you travel will save you so much stress and will ensure that even if you spend hours in the airport (sleeping over or otherwise), you’ll arrive at your destination refreshed.

4. Always carry cash on you – even on the way home. That way, if you do get delayed, you have cash to grab dinner or a taxi to a nearby hotel.

If you’re anything like me, I tend to “forget” about carrying cash with me on the way home. I always think, “I’m just heading home, what am I going to need?” Well, I’ve learned my lesson and now, I always carry cash while traveling. If you need a cab or you need to grab dinner at someplace where they do not accept plastic, you need to be prepared. Having a bit of cash on you all the time will save you a lot of stress and potential hunger pains!