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.
1. Hit the road
To begin a journey.
They hit the road at dawn to avoid traffic.
2. Off the beaten track
In a place where few people go, far from any main roads and towns.
He enjoys hiking in areas that are completely off the beaten track.
3. Travel light
To bring very few things with you when you go on a trip.
She learned to travel light after lugging heavy suitcases on one too many vacations.
4. Red-eye flight
A flight that departs late at night and arrives early in the morning.
The red-eye flight was cheaper, but she arrived too exhausted to enjoy the day.
5. Itchy feet
A strong desire to travel or move from place to place.
He always has itchy feet; staying in one place for too long makes him restless.
6. Road warrior
Someone who travels frequently, especially for business.
Her life as a road warrior made her an expert at packing efficiently.
7. Mile-high club
The unofficial term for people who have had sexual intercourse on an airplane.
The movie’s scene about the mile-high club was more humorous than scandalous.
8. Frequent flyer
Someone who travels often by plane, usually accumulating points or miles for their trips.
His frequent flyer status helped him get a last-minute booking on an otherwise full flight.
9. Get the travel bug
To develop a strong desire to travel widely.
Once you get the travel bug, it’s hard to stay at home for long.
10. Pack it in
To stop what you’re doing, often because it’s not successful, or to end a trip.
If this business trip doesn’t yield any results, we might have to pack it in and try a different approach.
11. Smooth sailing
An easy and unobstructed journey.
The project had its challenges, but now it’s smooth sailing.
12. Globe-trotter
Someone who travels frequently to various places around the world.
His Instagram is filled with photos from his adventures as a globe-trotter.
13. At a crossroads
At a point where a crucial decision must be made, often influencing one’s journey.
The project is at a crossroads, and we need to decide which direction to take.
14. Jet set
A group of wealthy individuals who travel frequently for leisure.
She enjoys living like the jet set whenever her budget allows.
15. On the fly
To do something quickly without planning in response to a situation.
The best travel experiences often happen when you decide things on the fly.
16. Land on your feet
To recover well from a difficult situation, which can include traveling mishaps.
No matter where he travels, he always lands on his feet, making friends and finding adventures.
17. Explore all avenues
To investigate or try every possible means to find a solution or achieve something, often while traveling.
They explored all avenues to secure a visa for their multi-country tour.
18. Burn bridges
To permanently damage relationships with people or places, often during travels or moves.
While traveling, it’s important not to burn bridges with locals or fellow travelers.
19. Travel-worn
Showing signs of wear or fatigue from travel.
Her suitcase looks a bit travel-worn after all those international trips.
20. Live out of a suitcase
To travel so much that you do not unpack because you are not staying in one place for long.
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!
