Maybe you embrace the term procrastinator. Maybe you prefer to think of yourself as "deadline driven." But whatever you call it, there's no denying that procrastination leads to a particular set of travel challenges understood only by people who — by choice or compulsion — leave everything to the last minute.
Here are some hard truths that travel procrastinators should know, and some tips for making the most of a trip when you've waited too long to plan or book.
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TRUTH: You might get the worst seat on the plane.
You know who hates middle seats on planes? Everybody. In the current age of advance seat assignments, window and aisle seats get snatched up early, leaving the dreaded middle seats to the procrastinators and anyone else who needs to book at the last minute.
Procrastinator Tip: Fly a no-advance-seat-assignment airline like Southwest. As long as you can check in 24 hours in advance, you should be able to get into a boarding group that will allow you to score an aisle or window seat.
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TRUTH: You will probably pay more.
Yes, we're all — procrastinators and advance planners alike — intrigued by stories of bold bookers who waited until the last minute to book and scored an amazing deal. But most of the time, if you've got a specific destination and a specific date range in mind, you're going to end up paying more to book at the last minute.
Procrastinator Tip: If you can be flexible with your destination or your travel dates, there's a whole world of good last-minute deals out there. Sign up for airfare alerts from SmarterTravel (we do that!) or another last-minute fare aggregator. And find same-day hotel availability with an app like HotelTonight.
TRUTH: Your destination country might not even let you in.
Procrastinators with an international trip on the horizon, heed this warning: If your passport is soon to expire, you may find trouble ahead. Dozens of countries have six-month (or three-month) passport validity rules, meaning that if your passport expires within six months, that country may refuse you entry. In general, it's always a good idea to renew your passport a bit early, both because of this validity rule and because passport renewal wait times are longer in the winter, spring, and summer.
Procrastinator Tip: Some passport agencies allow travelers who have foreign travel booked within two weeks to schedule in-person expedited passport services. Note that this option won't work for everyone because it's subject to appointment availability and the proximity to a passport agency.
RELATED:Why You Need to Renew Your Passport Right Now
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