Top Scary Honeymoon Mix-Ups

A little bit of planning can help you avoid these scary mix-ups for an easy, hassle-free honeymoon.

If the names on your ticket and passport don’t match, and you don’t have supporting documents to prove why, you may be denied boarding at the airport. So, should you use your maiden Name or New Name? If your honeymoon is planned for a departure date within six months of your wedding, we recommend traveling under your maiden name.

There are a couple of sound reasons for this:

• First, it takes a few days to get your marriage certificate after the ceremony, which you’ll need to change the name on your passport. Renewals and new passports can take up to 8 weeks to process, depending on the time of year.
• Second, the name on your passport should match names on all other forms of identification, like driver’s license and credit cards.

If this happens, your vacation has suddenly changed (and not for the better), until you find or replace them.

So here's what you need to do: make protecting your valuables your number-one priority by carrying them properly. Passports and wallets should not be carried in pockets; instead, consider under-clothing travel pouches and lightweight cross-body bags made by Baggalini or PacSafe, available at any of our Travel Stores. Make copies of your passport and credit card information, and leave the information with someone at home you can contact if you’ve lost them.

This is oldy-but-goody is as relevant as ever. Arrive at the airport on time, folks. In the olden days before heightened airport security, travelers could breeze into the airport 30-45 minutes before boarding and have no trouble making their flight. These days, the combination of long security lines and full flights means that major airports are nearly always busy.

A good rule of thumb for US Airports: arrive at the airport 90 minutes prior to departure of a domestic flight, and two and a half hours for an international flight, and longer during very hectic busy holiday periods.

For your return home from an international destination, arrive three hours prior to your departure. If you do miss your flight, the airline you’re flying (or your Travel Advisor) can assist you with getting on the next flight, but be prepared for additional costs.

This mishap is best avoided by looking over documents the moment they are purchased. Working with a Travel Advisor? Check his or her work, too. Booked online? Read everything carefully once it’s confirmed and emailed to you.

Take a highlighter to the important details like dates, destinations, and hotel addresses. Airlines give you 24 hours once you’ve purchased a ticket to cancel for a full refund, but after that, wrong dates means re-booking with change fees.

Most hotels will try to help you at check-in if you realize you’re booked for the wrong dates, but they are not required to if they gave you a written confirmation. If they’re full, you may be on your own to find new accommodations. And no, you don’t get your first night deposit back either, if that date has passed.

These are avoided with good old-fashioned thoughtful packing. Think about where you’re going and what you might encounter. A bad sunburn can wipe out days of enjoyment, and a hike in the woods without bug spray may leave memories of agonizing itching instead of great views. A small first aid kit is a great idea for any vacation.

Fortunately, this can best be avoided by purchasing Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance. AAA Travel Advisors are trained to offer this with every vacation, and they’ll help you understand why you need it and how much it costs.