New Year’s Resolutions for Travelers

While you’re making your New Year’s resolutions for 2026, why not add some of these travel-inspired ones to your list? I promise they’re all way more fun than quitting sugar or going to the gym more!

First things first, either get your passport or make sure it doesn’t need to be renewed.

Before I even get into the other resolutions, we should address the most important (and probably least fun) one first. If you do not have a passport, take this as your sign to get one now instead of waiting. They last ten years, so even if you don’t have an international trip coming up in 2026, wouldn’t you rather have one less thing to worry about when you do?

And for those of you with passports, take it out right now and check both the expiration date and how many blank pages you have left. Time flies, and a lot of countries have specific entry requirements when it comes to both. For example, many will require your passport to be valid 2-3 months starting the day you arrive AND have 2 blank pages.

Plan for your whole year of travel NOW!

If your goal is to maximize your travel opportunities this year, then I would sit down with a calendar and start mapping out your vacation days now. 

Americans are the WORST when it comes to taking the vacation time we are owed, and so many people I know end the year with unused time off that doesn’t carry over. One analysis estimated Americans had more than $312 billion in unused vacation days in 2023. Make this year the year you do not do that and take every single day you’re owed!

Mapping everything out now when you’re in that “new year, new me” mindset will make you much more likely to actually go on those trips when the time comes.

Plan your trip using REAL people.

If you’re the type of person to plan a trip with ChaptGPT or some other AI robot… Please let this be the year you utilize REAL people and their experiences! Besides the damage AI data centers are doing to our planet, ChatGPT is only as good as the information it can pull from the internet. Whether you use a travel agent or research posts from bloggers and content creators online, just get your advice from actual, living, breathing human beings this year.

Make sure you’re healthy.

I don’t know about you, but as I get older, I find I’m paying more attention to my body’s overall health – and it’s not just because I want to be fit for the camera. It’s more like I want to make sure I can handle the physical toll a trip can take. Imagine visiting the Great Wall of China and getting too winded to walk more than ten minutes? Or worse you pull something in the middle of your tour!

I generally just want to make sure my joints move the way they’re supposed to and that I have enough strength and endurance to enjoy wherever I go. Part of that means doing more weightlifting at the gym but also just stretching more and committing to warming up in the morning.

Plus health is more than just physical fitness. Now’s the time to check on your internal health as well – think heart, stomach, etc. You do NOT want to learn you have a heart condition halfway around the world.

Travel alone.

I love to travel alone and find it incredibly rewarding. With no “partner in crime,” I open up to meeting new people and seeking new experiences, plus people find me more approachable as well. Not in a creepy way either. 

Alone you go where YOU want, see what YOU want to see, and wander to your heart’s content. It’s a fantastic way of getting to know yourself better and challenging yourself in a variety of ways. There’s something both liberating and empowering when you are 100% in control of your schedule even if it’s just for a day trip or a full vacation.

Expand your bucket list.

Here’s a little challenge for you – expand your bucket list. By that I mean pick maybe 2-3 random places around the world and do a little research on them. See if they make your travel bucket list. Go for really far off places from where you live or, hey, look around your state and see if there’s a town or region you’d never looked into before. Part of what makes travel so fun is being curious, so keep growing your curiosity!

Plan that trip you’ve been dreaming of.

Have you been daydreaming of wandering the cobblestone streets of Italy for years and years… and years and years? Well, there’s no time like the present! So plan that trip, and start doing it now. Did you know the psychologists say that just planning a vacation puts you in the same happy zone as going on one? Planning gets you ever closer to your dream (and is free) and then you’ll have planned so much of your trip it will eventually happen. Think “if you build it, they will come…” but instead it’s “if you plan it, you will go.”

Stop over-packing.

Here’s a resolution for you overpackers. Make a plan to pack better. I’ll never forget the craziness of dealing with luggage lost in Europe one summer. It made me tell my mom we were only taking carry-ons for our 9-day winter trip later that year. Trust me it’s doable. Sure, in the beginning I was worried I didn’t have enough clothing options, but, you know what? I was just fine, and by mid-trip I was so happy we were traveling light. No lugging 50lb suitcases for us!

Master the art of airline miles and credit card points.

Unless you have a long-term plan, why hoard your miles and credit card points? Use ‘em! From deals on flights to hotels and rental cars, make your miles and points work for you instead of collecting proverbial dust. If the thought of figuring them out feels daunting, let me make it as simple as possible.

Put everything on your credit cards and pay them off immediately. Every dollar spent will go towards points, and the key is figuring out which credit cards make the most sense for what you want. I recommend looking up some beginner tutorials or asking a friend who’s well versed in points and miles to “explain it to you like you’re five.” The key is to keep it simple and not get too into the whole “open up 5 different cards to maximize your points” scenarios. At most you need 1-2 to take full advantage of their offerings.

Plus many cards have added perks like lounge access, Global Entry or TSA Pre-check reimbursement, and rental car insurance!

Travel outside your comfort zone.

Do you visit the same resort every February? Do you only book cruises because they’re easy? Do you only ever eat the same ten different foods? Why not change it up? Pick your favorite port town and spend a week there. Rent a house in your usual place to get more of a feel for the local vibe. And if ease is important to you, work with a travel agent. 

Travel is a natural environment for challening your comfort zone. Whether you’re somewhere completely new or a place you’ve visited many times, pushing through the discomfort of something you aren’t used to and coming out the other side still alive will reward you with not only self-confidence, but often a fulfilling travel experience. This applies when you aren’t traveling too!

What’s your best travel-related New Year’s resolution? Share in the comments below!