✓ Free Printable Download

The Travel Booking Checklist
Smart Travelers Actually Use

9 steps to run before you book anything — flights, hotels, rental cars. Takes 10 minutes. Saves you money, surprises, and regret.

Get the free checklist

Download the printable PDF — free.

Enter your email and we'll send it instantly. No spam, no upsells, just the checklist.

No spam. One-click unsubscribe. Privacy policy →

Checklist sent.

Check your inbox — then view it here →

No affiliate links
Takes 10 minutes to run
9 AI tools included free
Print-ready PDF

9 steps. Every trip, every time.

Here's a preview of what the checklist covers — and the RouteVault tool that makes each step instant.

1
Check your credit card rewards before paying full price
Most travelers leave hundreds — sometimes thousands — in card rewards untouched every year. Before you book flights or hotels, know which card gives you the highest return on this exact booking category. The full checklist shows you exactly what to look for.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
💳 CardCompass
2
Build and sanity-check your trip budget
A trip goal without a budget is just a wish. This step helps you set a real number, break it down by category (flights, hotels, food, activities), and spot where you're likely to overspend before it happens. Most people skip this and regret it on day three.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
🧭 SpendSherpa
3
Cross-check hotel and rental reviews across all platforms
Every booking platform curates its own reviews. A 4.7 on Booking.com might be a 3.9 on TripAdvisor. This step shows you how to triangulate — TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Google Maps — before you commit to a property. The full checklist walks through what red flags to look for.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
🔍 ReviewSherpa
4
Compare flight prices across all major carriers
You're probably not seeing the best price. Airlines and OTAs (online travel agencies) personalize pricing based on your search history. This step shows you how to get the unbiased view — and which airlines are overpriced for your route that week.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
✈️ FareRadar
5
Check what other travelers actually paid for this booking
Room rate benchmarking is the most underused trick in travel. Before you book, compare what others paid for the same room, same dates. The full checklist includes the exact benchmark sources and what a "fair" price spread looks like versus a suspicious one.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
📊 BookingIQ
6
Look up local customs and cultural norms
Tipping etiquette, dress codes, gestures that are offensive in one country and polite in another, local laws for tourists — this step takes five minutes and prevents weeks of awkward situations (or worse). The full checklist has a destination-specific framework.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
🌐 CultureCode
7
Check official embassy travel advisories
Not travel blogs. Not influencer posts. Your government's actual safety ratings for your destination — updated continuously by embassy staff. This step tells you exactly what to look for and how to interpret Level 1–4 advisories before you book non-refundable tickets.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
🛡️ ShieldKit
8
Review your travel insurance policy's key exclusions
Most travelers buy travel insurance and assume they're covered. The claims process teaches them otherwise. This step shows you the four things to verify in any travel policy — the things most commonly cited in denied claims. The full checklist has a 3-minute policy scan checklist.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
🔐 ShieldKit
9
Know your flight and booking rights before you need them
Cancellations, rerouting, delays, denied boarding — every airline and OTA has legal obligations to you. Most travelers don't know what they're owed until they're stranded at 11pm in a foreign terminal. This step is the one you'll be most glad you read.
🔒 Full step in the checklist
📖 TravelLexicon

Or skip the checklist — get all 9 tools free →

Want to learn live? Join our workshop waitlist →

Get the full printable checklist — free

The 9 steps above are the preview. The full checklist has the exact questions to ask at each step, what to look for, and links to every RouteVault tool.

No spam. One-click unsubscribe. Privacy policy →

Checklist sent.

Check your inbox — then view it here →