Everybody has some from favorite luggage, saving money, packing light (or what you can’t do without!). Feel free to give tips on specific destinations also.
One of my favorites is a Travelon purse that has lockable zippers and anti-slash pockets. Great organizer and keeps you safer from pickpockets.
We are quite fond of our Briggs & Riley 2 wheeled roller board suitcase. We especially liked the $139 Costco clearance price. It’s held up well over the years, whether it is carried aboard or checked as luggage.
Previously we liked the Delsey Helium 2 wheeled roller board suitcase. We used that for maybe 15 years.
I also love compression packing cubes and mesh bags so I can see what I’ve packed.
Because I get cold easily, I love Onmiheat jackets from Columbia that help me keep warmer with less bulk.
My best travel tip…and I know some folks just can’t do it…
Pack Light.
Never check a bag.
Do your research before your leave (nothing worse than arriving somewhere and finding out you need advanced tickets and they are sold out for the entire time you are there.)
Don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path.
Nordstrom tissue weight wraps work as lightweight, warm blankets on airplanes and also can be used with more formal dress when needed. I got a lot of airline mileage out of mine. And they can be handwashed (cold/cold) and air dried.
Pack carry on snacks. I often get to an airport and look at the food offerings and just say “nope”! Snacks get me through wasting time at the airport, delays, in plane snacks and any delays when I get to my arrival place. And then have hotel room snacks for the trip. For morning flights I will prepare a loaded bagel sandwich w/protein so I don’t have to fit in breakfast at home and it can be eaten anytime during the travel day - even parts at a time!
Don’t forget gum (helps to chew during take off and descent) and mints if you can’t brush.
Finally, a reusable flexible water container to fill after security. We used this one recently and it was so, so handy our entire trip.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085QBVVV9
For a couple/family traveling with multiple suitcases, don’t pack one person per suitcase. Mix it up with some of your clothes in each suitcase. That way if one suitcase gets lost, no one is completely without clean clothes.
But don’t rely on peanuts as your snack on a plane because of allergies.
I never pack our swimsuits into checked bags when traveling. Swimwear is a pain to replace and a must have item for a beach vacation! 
Pack light! I used to pack for every possible scenario and I wouldn’t end up using half the stuff I brought!
Also, buy tickets for attractions ahead of time! It saves you so much time and hassle. A lot of places require it and even if they don’t require it, they strongly encourage it! If you’re a fan of Rick Steves, this is something that he really emphasizes! He says there are two types of travelers: “those that wait in line and those that don’t!” A lot of the lines you see at attractions are to buy tickets, not get in!
Yes yes and yes! And always call to confirm and double check! Call the hotel to make sure your reservation is confirmed! And have an up to date guidebook too…
The classic cruise tip is probably good for other travel: Pack half the clothes and twice the money.
When we travel anywhere there is a beach, I use a swim bag as my carry on and pack it with a swimsuit, sunblock, cover up, etc. so that when we get there I can change (even if the room isn’t ready) and hit the beach.
In general, I always pack my carry on with a change of underwear and socks, a clean top and something to sleep in. Saved me a few times when luggage did not arrive on time.
If you’re traveling on your own around Europe and need train tickets do your research early and reserve what you can. Prices can go up drastically the closer you get to date of travel. There are many different classes of trains (but all very much the same in experience).
In France we got tickets very early going one direction on Ouigo (the “cheap line”) and a ticket was about 26 euros (which dramatically increased just a few days later). Coming back it was 111 euros on a different train line (all very similar in experience).
Not just trains…
Save EVERYTHING as screenshots/photos on your phone as you make reservations. Capture ALL the QR codes/reservation/confirmation numbers you get along the way. Saved us numerous times. Train tickets, covid tests, hotel reservations, airline check ins, museum passes etc. Share them with your partner. Make screen shots as you go along–delete after you get the final codes etc. Not all the websites are “user friendly” and having that screenshot can save a whole lot of time and trouble.
I pack differently depending on travel domestic vs. international. For both, I roll my clothes. Domestic I check a bag and use packing cubes. International, I only do carryon and roll without packing cubes as they take up too much space.
You have to do a bit of research to decide if it’s worth the extra money but “skip the line” tours can be totally worth it. We’ve done a few over the years our latest being the Louvre in Paris. We could have done without but it did save us a ton of time and definitely was educational and just worth it for that aspect alone.
Our best “get a guide and be done with it” tours were in Rome for the Colosseum and the Vatican.
Always as keep printed copies of all your reservations and have them handy. They are invaluable when you have glitches and higher prices at checkin counters. Stay calm but have your backup in writing. I’ve always gotten them to honor my written printouts.
Also charge travel with a card that gives you insurance, like chase sapphire. It has paid for trip interruption coverage and also broken read window.
Also the Tripit app (free) can hold all travel details, confirmation numbers, reservations, times, maps, including navigation, and it is easy to import them into the map. You can electronically save a copy of your documents in there as well. I love it so I’m not digging through my travel bag for specific papers but just get out my phone.
I keep things electronically but also a paper printout, in case the power is down or internet or whatever. It has helped us at hotels, car rentals, airlines.