Travel Q&A: How do I pack smarter for my next trip?

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Each week, Paste BN Travel reporters and editors answer timely travel questions in a short video. If you have a question you'd like us to cover, please e-mail it to travel@usatoday.com or send a tweet to @usatodaytravel .

Travel Q&A: Why should I make a direct booking?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains when you should book your travel directly with the airline, cruise, train or hotel company.

Travel Q&A: What do I need to know about booking through an online agency?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains what you need to know about booking through an online travel agency, like Priceline or Hotwire.

Travel Q&A: When should I get a passport?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains when you should apply for a passport before your trip.

Travel Q&A: How is my travel agent compensated?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains why it's important to know how your agent is getting paid -- beyond your transaction fee.

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How do I choose the best travel agent?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains how to find a good travel agent.

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Travel Q&A: When should you book a trip without an agent?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains which trips are okay to book without assistance.

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Travel Q&A: When should I use a travel agent?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains why it's a wise decision to hire a travel agent.

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Travel Q&A: When it comes to travel advice, who can you trust?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott discusses whose word-of-mouth recommendations to take.

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Travel Q&A: What to do when your hotel stay goes bad

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains how to handle situations that adversely affect your stay.

Travel Q&A: How do I find the best food at the airport?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains how to discover a good meal beyond the fast food stands.

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Travel Q&A: How do I choose a travel credit card?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains what you need to know when choosing a travel credit card.

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Travel Q&A: How to resolve a hotel dispute

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains your rights as a consumer staying in a hotel.

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Travel Q&A: How much cash should I carry on my trip?

Columnist Christopher Elliot explains how to calculate the right amount of currency to carry on the road.

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Travel Q&A: How do I handle a credit card dispute on a travel purchase?

Christopher Elliott explains the best way to handle credit card disputes on travel purchases.

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Travel Q&A: Why should I book a package?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains why guided tours can be a great way to see a new place.

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Travel Q&A: How do I find the best hotel deals?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains the best tactics for booking a hotel.

Travel Q&A, Paste BN, Kaveh Rezaei,

Travel Q&A: What if they don't have the car I reserved?

Christopher Elliott explains what to do when car rental companies don't have the car you reserved.

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Travel Q&A: How can I avoid 'gotcha' hotel fees?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains how to deal with extra hotel fees.

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Travel Q&A: How do I undo a nonrefundable hotel booking?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains how to undo a booked nonrefundable room.

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Travel Q&A: How do I say 'no' to a TSA full-body scan?

Christopher Elliott explains how to say "no" when it comes to full-body TSA scanners.

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Travel Q&A: How do I replace a lost passport?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains what to do when your passport goes missing.

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Travel Q&A: Amazing airline amenities

If cost were no object, which airline should you choose?

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Travel Q&A: What you can do to ensure a safe flight

Paste BN's Bart Jansen explains the best precautions to take each time you travel.

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Travel Q&A: Should I buy optional car rental insurance?

Paste BN's Christopher Elliott explains how to evaluate whether your've covered in a rental car.

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Travel Q&A: Is Southwest Airlines right for you?

Southwest Airlines has many loyal fans, and some vocal critics. Paste BN's Ben Mutzabaugh weighs the pros and cons for prospective passengers.

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Travel Q&A: When should I buy trip insurance?

Columnist Christopher Elliott outlines the scenarios where travel insurance is worth the added expense.

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Travel Q&A: Breeze through airport security with 'Pre-check'

Paste BN's Bart Jansen explains the benefits of 'Pre-check' and how frequent fliers can get expedited screening at larger airports.

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Travel Q&A: Why should I use Priceline and Hotwire?

Paste BN's Ben Abramson explains how you could save on your next trip using "opaque" booking sites.

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Travel Q&A: What are your rights when your flight is canceled?

Paste BN's Nancy Trejos explains your options if your flight is canceled.

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Tips for traveling with your dog

Paste BN's Candyce Stapen gives tips for traveling with your dog.

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Travel Q&A: How can TripAdvisor help me find the best hotel?

Paste BN's Laura Bly explains how to decipher TripAdvisor reviews to make the best travel choices.

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Travel Q&A: How do I choose an all-inclusive resort?

Paste BN's Kitty Bean Yancey explains what you should consider when choosing an all-inclusive resort.

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Travel Q&A: Do I have to pay for hotel Wi-Fi?

Paste BN's Barbara DeLollis explains the best ways to avoid Wi-Fi charges on your next hotel stay.

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Travel Q&A: How can I eat healthy on the road?

Paste BN's Nancy Trejos shares expert tips to help keep off the pounds when you travel.

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Travel Q&A: When's the best time to go to Europe?

Paste BN's Ben Abramson discusses the best times of the year to plan your European vacation.

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Travel Q&A: How do you sleep on a plane?

Paste BN's Laura Bly explains how to catch a few winks on a flight even if you can't sit in first class.

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Travel Q&A: Where's the safest place to sit if a plane crashes?

Paste BN's Bart Jansen explains which part of an airplane cabin is safest in the event of a crash.

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Travel Q&A: Is it safe to travel to Mexico?

Paste BN's Jayne Clark explains why travelers shouldn't be deterred from taking a trip to Mexico.

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