Tips and Tricks to Tackle Pre-Travel Anxiety

Let’s get one thing straight: even seasoned travelers feel pre-trip anxiety. I know I do. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been on the road for years or you’re gearing up for your very first big international adventure. The jitters will come. It’s like an unwritten law of travel, right up there with “your suitcase will never close as easily on the way back” (truth).

The thing is, those pre-trip butterflies aren’t a sign you’re not cut out for this. Quite the opposite, actually. They mean you’re about to do something exciting, something outside your usual routine, and your brain’s just trying to make sense of it all. So, instead of letting those pesky worries derail your wanderlust, I’m here to share my best tips for conquering pre-trip anxiety—tried, true, and battle-tested (because I’ve been there, many times).

1. Accept That Anxiety Is Normal

First up: let’s stop pretending that feeling anxious means something’s wrong. Anxiety before a trip is as normal as that one person who tries to stuff their oversized bag in the overhead bin (you know the one). The key is not to fight it. Acknowledge that it’s totally okay to feel nervous—heck, it’s expected! You’re about to leap into the unknown, which is kind of the whole point of travel.

Instead of spiraling, remind yourself that pre-trip nerves are just part of the process. The goal isn’t to eliminate the anxiety—it’s to manage it. And spoiler alert: you’re way more capable of handling things than your anxious brain is giving you credit for.

2. Get Organized

One of the best ways to calm your pre-trip nerves is by doing a little prep work. You don’t necessarily need to go the color-coded spreadsheets route (unless that’s your jam—no judgment because sometimes I actually do that). But I mean the basics: make sure you’ve got your passport, book your accommodation, and maybe jot down a rough plan of things to do.

I personally love a solid checklist. Something about checking off boxes makes me feel like I have my life together, even if I’m still mildly freaking out on the inside. Just try not to get too hung up on all the details. Travel rarely goes according to plan, and honestly, the best moments often happen when things go a little sideways. So, prep what you can, then let the rest fall into place. Trust me, you’ll figure it out as you go.

3. Pack Early (and Try to Pack Light)

If there’s one thing guaranteed to spike my anxiety levels, it’s last-minute packing. Nothing says “panic” like trying to cram your life into a suitcase at 2 a.m. the night before your flight, deciding you’ll definitely need six pairs of pants and seven pairs of shoes for a three-day weekend. So, do yourself a favor and start packing early. Lay everything out a few days before, give yourself some time to breathe, and make sure you’re not stuffing your passport into a last-minute pocket as you run out the door.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the suitcase: packing light. Full disclosure—I’m terrible at it. I mean, I know I should, but somehow every trip turns into a personal challenge. Should you try to pack light? Absolutely. Should I be the one giving you this advice? Questionable.

But let’s aim high anyway! The trick is to try. Do your best to cut down on the “what if” items, ask yourself if you really need that extra sweater, and try to embrace the idea that less is more. Even if you don’t succeed, at least you’ll have tried—and that’s what counts, right?

4. Focus on the Excitement, Not the What-Ifs

Pre-trip anxiety has a sneaky way of making you focus on worst-case scenarios. What if I get lost? What if my flight gets canceled? What if I accidentally insult someone’s grandma in their native language? (That one might be a little specific, but you get the idea.) A trick here is to flip the script.

Instead of dwelling on everything that could go wrong, focus on what’s exciting about your trip. You’re about to explore somewhere new, try foods you’ve never heard of, and meet people who will probably restore your faith in humanity. It’s an adventure! Channel that nervous energy into excitement. After all, it’s not every day you get to jet off to somewhere unknown and make a whole collection of “remember that time?” stories.

5. Have a Go-To Calming Ritual

When all else fails, it’s good to have a tried-and-true calming ritual in your back pocket. For me, it’s being completely ready to go at least 30 minutes before I need to head out the door so I can sit and relax (admittedly, my success rate is not 100% but when I can manage this it makes a massive difference in my frazzled energy level heading to the airport). Maybe for you, it’s listening to a favorite playlist, doing some light stretching, or binge-watching videos about your destination until you feel that familiar wave of “let’s do this.”

Find whatever works for you and make it a pre-trip tradition. Having a go-to ritual can ground you, and bring some calm to the chaos before you embark on your next adventure.

6. Remember: You Can Always Come Home

Here’s a little nugget of wisdom that always helps me when my pre-trip anxiety kicks into overdrive: you can always come home. The world isn’t going anywhere. If you find yourself really struggling out there (which honestly probably won’t happen once you get there, but humor me), it’s not the end of the world. Flights go both ways.

But I can almost guarantee that once you’re out there, living your adventure, you’ll realize just how capable you are. The nerves will fade, and what you’ll be left with is the rush of exploring new places, meeting new people, and becoming just a little braver than you were the day before. Or, at least, that’s always been my experience.

7. Take It One Step at a Time

Finally, let’s keep things in perspective. You don’t have to have everything figured out right this moment. Take it step by step. Focus on packing today. Get through the airport tomorrow. Once you’re in the air, the hardest part is behind you. And once you land, well, that’s when the real adventure starts. So, breathe, trust yourself, and take it one step at a time.

Traveling isn’t about having everything under control—it’s about embracing the fact that you can’t. And honestly? That’s when the magic happens.

The Bottom Line

Pre-trip anxiety is completely normal, but it doesn’t have to derail your excitement. A little bit of planning, some deep breaths, and the occasional pep talk (from yourself, obviously) can make all the difference. At the end of the day, remember why you’re traveling in the first place: to experience something new, shake up your routine, and learn a little more about yourself along the way. You’ve got this. Now go pack your bags—you’re about to create some epic memories.

Do you have any pre-travel rituals not listed here that help you tame travel anxiety? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!