So redditoru/tomsawyertravelsasked, “What’s your best obscuretravel hack?”

“Southwest Airlines starts drink service at rows 1, 8, 15, and 22.

If you have a choice of row 9 or 15, go to 15.

Four Southwest Airlines planes parked at airport gates, with baggage carts and workers nearby

You get your drink first and have a better chance at getting more than one.”

“Always carry a sarong with you when traveling.

Its basically an all-in-one lightweight tool.

Airport terminal with people walking and signs indicating directions for Departures, Arrivals, and Toilets

u/PurplePiglett

3.

“Use the bathrooms by the baggage claim.

Theyre always clean and empty.”

Crowded city street in downtown Tokyo, with people walking in all directions. Bright neon signs and tall buildings fill the background. No celebrities are present

I can fit 2-3 shirts per pocket.

u/tomsawyertravels

6.

“Most flights won’t give you a refund on basic tickets.

Luxury airplane first-class cabin with reclining seats, entertainment screens, and ambient lighting

Upgrade them to a higher class ticket then cancel for a full refund.

I’ve done this with United and JetBlue, but I can’t speak for other airlines.”

Then call the next day and cancel it penalty-free.”

A row of rental bicycles parked at a bike-sharing station on a city street lined with trees and buildings

u/Blu3fin

8.

“We once racked up over 20,000 Capital One points in a very unconventional way.

We were in Paris and rented Velib bikes to get around the city.

A woman in a white sweater and jeans walks down the aisle of an airplane cabin with several passengers seated

The best part was that the bike rental was free if you rented it for less than 30 minutes.

We did this an absurd amount of times and got rewarded handsomely.”

“Consider using an eSim card.

A cozy bedroom with a wooden beamed ceiling, bed with blanket, desk and chair, wicker chair, chest of drawers, and curtains covering a window and door

you might shop online for the best deal on a temporary sim before starting your trip.

I installed the eSim before heading to the airport.

Was in my Uber 10 minutes after leaving customs, it was great.

A picturesque narrow street lined with colorful houses and lush plants on both sides, leading to a modern building in the background with the sun shining brightly

Not all phones support it, but for those that do, they are extremely convenient and cheap.”

u/pentox70

10.

“If flying between the US and Canada, ALWAYS look at buying separate one-way tickets in each direction.

A person is preparing to eat an airline meal consisting of pasta, bread roll, dessert, and side dishes on a tray in an airplane

More often than not, you’ll save $100+ due to their strange exchange rate and tax calculations.

I hate checking in luggage and I will have plenty of extra room to bring things back.”

u/fitDEEZbruh

12.

A person washes a multicolored bowl under a kitchen sink faucet

“I use hotel room hangers to clip the curtains together to black out the room.”

Its an app and takes 30 seconds to do.

Its just as fast as global entry.

Three people using smartphones while crossing a street with a pedestrian crosswalk. One phone displays a map application

Ive passed 100s of people waiting at passport control."

u/Inpleinsite

14.

“I always create a Google map list and save items to populate my map.

u/macedaace

16.

“I always bring baby shampoo and an entire unopened box of ziploc bags.

“One of my favorite obscure travel hacks is to use Google Maps offline.

Before my trip, I download the maps of the areas I’ll visit.

This way, I can navigate, find attractions, and even search for restaurants without an internet connection.

It’s beneficial in places with spotty Wi-Fi or when I want to save on data usage.

Plus, it relieves stress and helps me feel more confident exploring new places.”