Now that the clocks have gone back and the days are getting shorter, we’ve been plunged into darkness from late afternoon to early morning. Travelling in unknown destinations can be unsafe at the best of times, let alone in the dim light of the Winter months. So, when you’re planning travel this Winter, think about booking flights which land in daylight hours, especially if you’re travelling alone or to somewhere you’re not familiar with.

Have a think about where you’re travelling to and what the climate might be like. Winters in the UK can be reasonably mild, but head abroad and you might be landing in the thick snow! Make sure to bring plenty of warm layers and consider appropriate footwear.

Are you travelling by car, or perhaps arranging a hire car for the other end of your trip? Make sure you’re prepared for difficult driving conditions, depending on your destination. If you’re driving in treacherous conditions, make sure you have a warm coat, gloves and a hat left in the car, and perhaps even a shovel.

The bad weather can cause havoc with delays and cancellations, so don’t leave for your flight or train before double-checking that everything’s running on time. We recommend following airports and airlines on social media, as this will often be their first port of call to announce delays. We’ve compiled a list of all airport travel alerts in one handy list to follow on Twitter here. Train travel alerts can be found on this list here.

If you’re booking accommodation throughout the Winter months, think carefully about cancellation policies. Booking a hotel with plenty of leeway on cancellations could save the day if you need to rearrange your trip due to bad weather. Consider the location you’re staying in, and how possible it is that a storm or heavy snow could happen on the dates you’re travelling.

As important it is to keep your own energy up, we actually mean your phone too! In severe Winter weather, there is a possibility that you could end up stranded at an airport, at a train station, in your hire car or at your hotel. So make sure you think of all eventualities! We recommend keeping a portable phone charger to hand at all times.