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I want to travel solo, but I don't have much experience traveling internationally and am nervous to visit a country where I don't speak the language. I'll learn the basics, but I'm afraid I'll miss out on the culture or get taken advantage of. Any tips?
- Member Anna L.
Solo travel can be daunting, especially if it’s your first time setting out on your own. Beyond safety, will you be lonely or bored with all that time alone?
The good news: 168,000+ members of
Going’s Travel Community on Facebook agree that solo travel can be one of the most liberating experiences you’ll ever have. Seeing the world on your own terms, learning about yourself in the process, snagging the perfect flight deal, and not having to worry about coordinating schedules. It’s all part of the experience.
Here are some tips from our own community on how to make the most of your solo travels, as well as how to prepare properly and, maybe most importantly, stay safe out there.
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Bilt is the loyalty program for your home and neighborhood that turns one of your largest monthly expenses—rent—into valuable points. Bilt members earn points by paying rent each month through Bilt. These points transfer to leading airline and hotel partners, such as United, Hyatt, and Marriott. They can also be redeemed toward things like future rent payments or a down payment on a home.
Your Bilt membership also unlocks exclusive benefits at local restaurants, fitness studios, Lyft rides, and pharmacies in your neighborhood when you pay with any debit or credit card linked to your Bilt account.
It's free to join, so become a Bilt member today to earn rewards on rent and discover the best benefits your neighborhood has to offer.
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Stay in hostels for built-in company, but know when to take time out for yourself.
Hostels can be an excellent way to make friends—and from diverse backgrounds, no less. You don’t have to stay in a communal dorm if that’s not your style, as many hostels also have private rooms. Look for the ones with organized events and activities or large common areas.
At the end of the day, don’t feel pressured to surround yourself with people all the time. Learning to love your aloneness is one of the best things you can do for yourself on the road.
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Sign up for group tours.
Depending on where you’re traveling, there’s a good chance that tour guides and other members of the tourism industry will speak some degree of English. While it is helpful—and even respectful—to learn some of the local language, it can put your mind at ease knowing there’s someone who can introduce you to the area and culture, be it through a bar crawl or a walking tour, in an accessible way.
If you’re worried about the language barrier, download a translation app (e.g., Google Translate) as a backup. For written words, hover your phone over the menu or sign—Google Translate will create an overlay with the English translation. If you’re having a real-time conversation with a local who speaks a different language, speak into the app and have it translate your words into their language, or vice versa. (The new AirPods also offer live translation for some languages.)
Note that the translation isn’t always perfect, but it’ll get you pretty close. Depending on whether you have internet in your destination, you may need to download the necessary languages so you can use them offline.
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Stay alert, trust your instincts, and don’t be a target for pickpockets.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new destination, but always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t flash around expensive jewelry or gadgets, and don’t travel with anything you can’t afford to lose. Also, don’t ignore any bad feelings. If it feels wrong, don’t do it. If someone you’ve just met is giving off weird vibes, excuse yourself politely and move along.
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Start small and build your confidence.
If you’re hesitant to try solo travel, ease yourself into it. Start with a place that won’t be too challenging for you. There’s no shame in taking it slow.
Join our Travel Community, and start poking around to learn more about the best places to go as a solo traveler. Or do a quick Google search to find destinations that align with your travel goals. Some example searches might include:
- Best places to travel solo
- Best places to travel as a solo female
- Top LGBTQ or gay-friendly travel destinations
- Best places to travel as a solo Black woman or person of color
Read all of our tips for solo travel.
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Protect your trip in 60 seconds with Faye travel insurance.
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If I book my flights months in advance and the airline changes the timing of one of the flights, what rights do I have to change or cancel without a fee?
- Member Allison O.
Most airlines have policies that if they change your itinerary in a significant way after booking, they'll rebook you—free of charge—on a different flight of your choosing. Significant changes include (but are not limited to):
- A delay of 3+ hours for domestic flights
- A delay of 6+ hours for international flights
- Changes in your departure or arrival airport
- Switch from a nonstop to a connecting flight
First things first: Go online to see what other flights are available from that airline, and select the best option for your schedule. Don’t worry if the fare for the new flight is higher than what you paid for yours; if there's an open seat, the airline will likely move you to the flight you requested for free. Once you’ve decided on a new flight, contact the airline to get your itinerary switched.
You may have to do this over the phone, but in the past few years many airlines have made it far easier and quicker to rebook yourself through the website or mobile app.
If the change is significant enough and there are no other flights that work with your schedule, you do have the option to request a cash refund in exchange for your ticket (even with a normally nonrefundable basic economy fare).
Check out our guide for more details.
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Is it true I should be looking for flights in an incognito window? I’ve heard airlines track your search using cookies, then jack up the prices for flights you’re looking at.
- Member Lindsay B.
File this under false. Airlines are not manipulating individual prices based on past flight searches. If they were, we wouldn't exist. Or at least we’d have a much harder time finding deals. We run thousands of searches every day, and if the price of a particular route or flight rose because we searched it multiple times, we'd see that.
Airline prices are highly volatile, and sometimes a price does increase in the few minutes between searches. There's no harm in clearing your cookies or searching for a flight in your browser’s incognito mode, but it's not a magic bullet that's going to help you get a better price.
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