‘Travel hacker’ shares high-end tips for trips

There are people who love to give travel advice, and then there are travel hackers. They are road warriors who love to share their high-end hacks, tips and off-the-wall experiences.

David Alwadish is one of them. He is the founder and chief executive officer of ItsEasy, which specializes in expediting travel-related paperwork such as passports and visas. The company has processed over 2 million such documents in more than four decades, and it’s authorized by the U.S. State Department to provide passport services to the public for a fee. It can also review applications to ensure they won’t be rejected at the last moment, and it can intervene if issues arise.

The 67-year-old executive commutes between two homes — one in Great Neck, N.Y., and the other in Boca Raton, Fla. — which influences his airline of choice. “I travel so much on JetBlue, because they have the latest flights to get me to Boca Raton,” he said. “I can leave my office late and make their last flight.”

Alwadish’s schedule — back and forth to Florida every other week or so — means he racks up around 60,000 miles per year, even more if he and his wife and two sons venture overseas on a trip or two.

Alwadish has a go-to gadget when he’s heading anywhere cold: “The durable, double-duty Ocoopa Hand Warmer is a little cheat. It’s great for keeping my hands warm on the go. I love to take it with me on cold-weather trips. In 2015, I had a heart valve replacement; since then, I get a little chilly. With three temperature settings, it can be tailored to your specific needs, whether you’re outdoors in the cold or indoors in a chilly environment. Because it’s rechargeable, you don’t need disposable hand warmers, making this an environmentally friendly choice.”

The best way to score a better seat on a plane

“I’m absolutely the last one onto a plane. All those people doing this barbaric dance of rushing to board — it’s as if they want to get to Florida before me, but of course, they’re not going to. I just sit there, waiting, and then board the plane after all of them. I might be in a middle seat at the back of the plane, but if you’re the last one on, you can see which other seats are open once they’ve closed the boarding doors — say, an aisle closer to the front. If you know no one’s behind you, you can take that instead. Walk down last, and you’re able to check out everybody’s seat.”

How to save on your 3-1-1 liquid allowance

“Try this hack. Portable soap sheets are a must-have for me. My wife brought them to me, because she wants me to have Purell — to not get COVID or get sick again — but I don’t like having bottles in my hands. These are more TSA-friendly, since you don’t have to use up any of your liquid allocation in a carry-on for them. They’re easy to fit in my pocket.”

Where to find a friendly, live resource on any destination

“Browse or join expat Facebook groups in your destination for local travel advice and insights. I went to South Korea a while back to try to get Samsung to do something with a patent I have, and I studied the expat groups. They told me to go to Seoul’s market district, which is open 24 hours a day pretty much, for food — kimchi for breakfast, rice cakes all day long. It’s better to use those groups than Google, because you can ask the questions you might have when you land but of someone who’s already done it. It’s a preview of what your experience might be: real people, real questions, real timely things. And Facebook is a lot friendlier than, say, Twitter.”

This simple garment eases social interactions

“I usually wear my FBI hat to travel. I got it in Washington. I think there’s no doubt that it makes people look and wonder. And when they’re wondering, they err on the side of respect. I’m looking at everybody, and they’re looking back at me very carefully. Listen, I walked on to the plane one time, and I couldn’t believe it. The lovely flight attendant said, ‘Thank you for all you do.’ And so, what else was I going to say? I just said, ‘You’re welcome. And the same thing to you. I think we both have very responsible positions, and you should not be second-rated for what you do.’”

Simple advice for making friends while traveling solo

“The first trip I took on my own was to Acapulco, Mexico, a long time ago — I was in my 20s. I went because I was a jilted lover, and I was feeling sorry for myself. I just decided to jump on a plane and go. I learned a lot about myself on that trip. And I met so many people by myself. One hundred percent, without question, the best way to meet people is to focus on other solo travelers. They’re the ones who’ll want to meet someone, too.”

What to check when picking the smartest time to fly

“We all know how busy the airport of departure is going to be, but Google when your destination will be busy, too, to avoid landing congestion: Heathrow is busiest after 10 a.m., for example. The reality of traveling and then coming back is not easy. When I was in Lisbon recently, so many planes just landed at Lisbon during a certain time, and it was daunting getting on buses to get to the terminal. It was hours of checking in and checking out.”

Lean into the social spaces on a train

“Even if you’re not traveling in a group of four, take the four-top on a train, with the table. Don’t shy away from sharing that space on a regional train or Acela. I had to go to Washington, D.C., with my attorney, and we sat there. Right across from me was this gentleman who works for McKinsey who travels almost nonstop. He took my card, because he loved the fact that I could help him with passports. We had a great time, and it was all because of the setup on the Acela, like four people around a kitchen table, which meant you couldn’t help but talk. We didn’t stop talking for three and a half hours.”