Summer 2025 may have come to an end already but that probably means for a lot of people, the planning has started for your 2026 Summer holiday! It’s never too early to book a Summer holiday – in my humble opinion – not only because there’s a lot to plan (especially if you have children) but also because I believe it’s good for the soul to have something to look forward to.
Whether you’re jetting off on a city break, to an all-inclusive resort (helloooo unlimited cocktails) or you’re doing something adventurous like hiking or water sports, travelling plays a big part in your plans and arguably, is always the most stressful and unpredictable part of the holiday.
Unfortunately we don’t have transportation machines which can just pop us on a beach of our choice in some far-flung exotic location, we actually have to go through the hassle of airport taxi’s, long security lines, overcrowded airports, potential delays and more to get to our place of relaxation and luxury.
And of course, travel is like I said, unpredictable at times. There are always going to be elements out of our control. But there are a few things we can do to make flying more stress free for ourselves, our families and those around us.
So whilst eliminating all stress when it comes to travelling is virtually impossible, here are some tips on how to make your Summer 2026 flights more stress free; down to what you wear, how you think and having delay services like AirHelp on hand just in case.
Consider flying from a smaller airport (if possible)
Flying from a smaller airport can be a game changer and can get your holiday off on the right foot before you’ve even reached your destination. Obviously this will depend on where you’re travelling to but do a bit of research into smaller airports – even if the journey there is a bit longer – because it can save a lot of stress.
Give yourself TIME
There’s a lot of sitting and waiting around in airports – none of us WANT to be there hours on end twiddling our thumbs – but the alternative is running around trying to find your terminal, being at the back of endless queues and not having time to grab something to eat and drink before the flight. Give yourself time. Yes, it can be boring. But it’s better to be bored and relaxed than frantically running around with 5 minutes to spare.
Factor in food and drink breaks
And getting to the airport early will also allow you plenty of time to get a decent meal down you before your flight. With airport queues, this can also take up a chunk of time, which is good but it’s also important to stay hydrated and to make sure you feed yourself and give yourself energy for the day. Travel days always take it out of you, so fuel yourself efficiently.
Have entertainment ready to go
Don’t wait to get to the airport before you buy books, magazines or new headphones to watch a movie with. Make sure you have your entertainment on hand ready to go and you can always buy more if you can and if it’s needed.
Have delay compensation services on hand
We all hope and pray that our flights aren’t going to be delayed but it’s entirely out of our control and all we can do is just that – hope! It’s just part and parcel of travelling sometimes but one thing we can do is have somewhere where we can get compensation for delayed flights on hand as back up, just in case.
Don’t over-plan
The majority of things that happen in an airport are out of our control and we can plan but when that plan goes wrong, it can set us on edge. So next time, try to not over-plan your day. Give yourself a time window, instead of a specific time. Give yourself a few options of where to eat, instead of settling on one. And just try to go with the flow a little more.
Stay informed
If you check in to your flights online before you leave the house and make sure you’ve downloaded the airport app, then you’re halfway there! Downloading the app the airport offers can allow you to check the progress of your own flight instead of relying on the boards or airport staff.
Don’t wear anything too hot or uncomfortable
When you’re stressed, the last thing you want to be wearing is uncomfortable clothes that are too hot. Wear loose layers like loungewear to the airport and pack an extra layer in your bag just in case. It’s easier to warm up than it is to cool down.
Change your mindset
And finally, if you’re someone who stays quite tight in their plans and easily gets stressed when things go a little bit wrong, try and slacken off a bit and change your mindset. Not everything is always as stressful as you think it is. Plenty of things sound like a massive problem when really they’re just a slight inconvenience which you can easily deal with if you stop and breathe.
Of course there’s always going to be occasions where stuff happens that you have no control over and that does genuinely put a downer on the first part of your holiday but you just can’t go into every holiday waiting for the worst to happen.
These tips will help eliminate any stress you ARE in control of, making your journey through the airport and onto your well deserved Summer holiday for 2026 as stress free as you can possibly manage.