As the saying goes, you learn from your mistakes, but mistakes are the last thing you want when you are traveling.  Last-minute flights, extra costs, or canceled trips are all things that are best avoided. But when it comes to avoiding common mistakes, it’s better to learn from somebody else’s bitter experience.

Here is a list of the top 10 mistakes Travelers make:

1. An overdue passport.

Before leaving abroad you should check your passport and its validity. When the period of validity expires, a new passport should be obtained.

2. The long queue near the luggage carousel is par for the course on every traveler’s trip.

But experienced tourists consider carry-on luggage a more reasonable choice to avoid queues near the carousels.

3. Getting engaged in disputes with airport security.

Conflicts with officers will hardly assist you in reaching your destination. Learn from the experience of supermodel Naomi Campbell, a supermodel, who insulted security representatives in the Heathrow Airport. It led to her being arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer at the airport’s Terminal 5.

4. Stopover duration.

Your rest may be postponed if you get stuck in an airport waiting for a transfer to another plane. Sometimes such a stopover lasts for more than eight hours, so it’s better to check the duration of a stopover before buying tickets. Otherwise, a few extra hundred dollars may prevent you from being bored in a waiting room by flying directly to your destination.

5. Check the number of airports your destination has.

If you have some stopovers during your trip always check the name of the airport you arrive at and the one you depart from. They may be different.

6. Leaving things in the seat pocket in front of you.

It’s common practice that many tourists leave their mobile phones, wallets, and even notebooks onboard when leaving a plane in hurry. But experienced business travelers usually have an online backup of their files.

7. Missing flights is a bad practice, but it happens sometimes.

A common reason to miss a flight for a foreigner is traffic conditions. You need to consult a hotel concierge about rush hours and the easiest way to reach an airport.

8. Jet lag.

A travel transfer is only a part of your travel experience, but further comes an adaptation to living in a new time zone. If you want to make it easier then check your alarm clock, put it out of reach not simply turn it off and ask for a wake-up call.

9. Insurance.

When leaving for a foreign country you should ensure you have insurance coverage including medical and for your baggage.

10.  Alcohol in flight.

Alcohol is commonly perceived as a way to calm stress and disturbances, but on an aircraft, it can cause problems. Flights usually dehydrate and consuming alcohol will make it worse. You might find yourself nursing a hangover soon after landing and that hangover will only make any jet lag more crippling.

By Olga Leleka, who is part of a team of writers at the hotel reservation website www.booked.net. The website includes a comprehensive listing of hotels worldwide including hotels near London airports.