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travel idioms
English blogVocabulary

20 Travel Idioms

5 min read

20 travel idioms

People around the world love to travel, and English is often the most useful language to know when you’re exploring new places. Understanding travel idioms not only boosts your English skills but also helps you blend in with locals. Travel idioms can make your conversations sound more natural and make you feel like a native speaker while you’re on the road.

Hit the road

To begin a journey.

It’s time to hit the road if we want to reach the mountains by noon.
They hit the road at dawn to avoid traffic.

Off the beaten track

In a place where few people go, far from any main roads and towns.

They found a little beach off the beaten track that was perfect for a quiet holiday.
He enjoys hiking in areas that are completely off the beaten track.

Travel light

To bring very few things with you when you go on a trip.

It’s best to travel light on a backpacking trip across Europe.
She learned to travel light after lugging heavy suitcases on one too many vacations.

Red-eye flight

A flight that departs late at night and arrives early in the morning.

He took a red-eye flight to New York so he wouldn’t waste a day traveling.
The red-eye flight was cheaper, but she arrived too exhausted to enjoy the day.

Itchy feet

A strong desire to travel or move from place to place.

After two years at the same job, she got itchy feet and took off to teach English abroad.
He always has itchy feet; staying in one place for too long makes him restless.

Road warrior

Someone who travels frequently, especially for business.

As a sales rep, he’s a real road warrior, often visiting three cities in one week.
Her life as a road warrior made her an expert at packing efficiently.

Mile-high club

The unofficial term for people who have had sexual intercourse on an airplane.

They joked about joining the mile-high club during their flight to Paris.
The movie’s scene about the mile-high club was more humorous than scandalous.

Frequent flyer

Someone who travels often by plane, usually accumulating points or miles for their trips.

As a frequent flyer, she enjoys many perks like free upgrades and airport lounge access.
His frequent flyer status helped him get a last-minute booking on an otherwise full flight.

Get the travel bug

To develop a strong desire to travel widely.

After her trip to Italy, she really got the travel bug.
Once you get the travel bug, it’s hard to stay at home for long.

Pack it in

To stop what you’re doing, often because it’s not successful, or to end a trip.

After a week of bad weather, they decided to pack it in and go home early.
If this business trip doesn’t yield any results, we might have to pack it in and try a different approach.

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Smooth sailing

An easy and unobstructed journey.

Once we got past the traffic, it was smooth sailing all the way to the lake.
The project had its challenges, but now it’s smooth sailing.

Globe-trotter

Someone who travels frequently to various places around the world.

She’s a real globe-trotter, having visited over 50 countries before her 30th birthday.
His Instagram is filled with photos from his adventures as a globe-trotter.

At a crossroads

At a point where a crucial decision must be made, often influencing one’s journey.

After college, he found himself at a crossroads: start a career or travel the world.
The project is at a crossroads, and we need to decide which direction to take.

Jet set

A group of wealthy individuals who travel frequently for leisure.

The resort is popular with the jet set, especially during the winter season.
She enjoys living like the jet set whenever her budget allows.

On the fly

To do something quickly without planning in response to a situation.

We had to change our plans on the fly when the hotel lost our reservation.
The best travel experiences often happen when you decide things on the fly.

Land on your feet

To recover well from a difficult situation, which can include traveling mishaps.

Even after missing her flight, she landed on her feet by finding a cheap last-minute deal on another airline.
No matter where he travels, he always lands on his feet, making friends and finding adventures.

Explore all avenues

To investigate or try every possible means to find a solution or achieve something, often while traveling.

We explored all avenues trying to find the best route for our road trip.
They explored all avenues to secure a visa for their multi-country tour.

Burn bridges

To permanently damage relationships with people or places, often during travels or moves.

He was careful not to burn any bridges when he left the job to travel the world.
While traveling, it’s important not to burn bridges with locals or fellow travelers.

Travel-worn

Showing signs of wear or fatigue from travel.

The travel-worn backpackers arrived at the hostel ready for a long rest.
Her suitcase looks a bit travel-worn after all those international trips.

Live out of a suitcase

To travel so much that you do not unpack because you are not staying in one place for long.

As a consultant, he often lives out of a suitcase, traveling from city to city.
During her month-long Europe trip, she lived out of a suitcase, moving from one city to another every few days.

Are you excited to start your next journey? Consider trying out some of the travel idioms we discussed on your upcoming trip. They might just make your travel experience more enjoyable and help you connect with locals in a whole new way. Safe travels!

Did you find the travel idioms interesting? Make sure to also explore our article on time idioms!

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