VocabularyBasePractice words

Everyday life

Travel vocabulary for trips and driving

Useful for ESL learners and anyone planning a trip, this list covers vocabulary for airports, hotels, and cars that comes up while booking travel or navigating an unfamiliar city. Practice the words before a flight or road trip so everyday travel conversations feel more natural.

Practice these words ↗Take a quiz

Travel vocabulary for trips and driving

32 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
itinerarynounA planned route or detailed schedule for a journey, listing places to visit and timings.Our itinerary included three days in Rome before flying on to Athens.
luggagenounBags, suitcases, and other containers used to carry personal belongings while traveling.She checked two pieces of luggage before boarding her flight to Rome.
passportnounAn official government document that certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel.She renewed her passport a month before the trip to make sure it wouldn't expire.
visanounAn official endorsement in a passport that permits the holder to enter, leave, or stay in a country.She applied for a student visa so she could study in Canada for two years.
boarding passnounA document or digital ticket that allows a passenger to board a flight, ship, or train.She scanned her boarding pass at the gate and hurried onto the plane.
layovernounA stop or short stay in a journey between two other parts of travel, especially at an airport.We had a three-hour layover in Chicago before our connecting flight.
customsnounThe government department that controls goods entering or leaving a country and collects duties on them.Officers at customs searched the traveler's suitcase before allowing him through the airport.
terminaladjectiveRelating to, or forming, an end or final stage, especially of a fatal illness.The doctors explained that his illness had reached a terminal stage.
gatenounA movable barrier that opens and closes an entrance in a wall or fence.She latched the garden gate to keep the dog from wandering into the street.
runwaynounA long, paved strip at an airport where aircraft take off and land.The plane sped down the runway before lifting smoothly into the air.
departurenounThe act of leaving a place, especially at the start of a journey.Our departure was delayed because of a mechanical problem with the plane.
arrivalnounThe act of reaching a place, or a person or thing that has just arrived.The airport screen displayed the flight's expected arrival time as six o'clock.
reservationnounAn arrangement made in advance to secure something, such as a table, room, or seat.We made a reservation at the restaurant for eight o'clock on Friday.
accommodationnounA place to live or stay, such as a room or house, especially for travelers or students.The university arranged accommodation for exchange students in a dormitory near campus.
hostelnounAn inexpensive, supervised lodging place, often with shared rooms, popular with young or budget travelers.We booked a bed in a hostel to save money during our trip through Europe.
conciergenounA hotel employee who assists guests with reservations, directions, and other personal arrangements.The concierge booked us a table at a popular restaurant near the hotel.
check-innounThe process of registering your arrival at a hotel, airport, or event before being allowed to proceed.Check-in at the hotel starts at three in the afternoon and ends at midnight.
checkoutnounThe place in a store where customers pay for the goods they are buying.There was a long line at the checkout, so we waited nearly ten minutes.
farenounThe money charged for a trip on a form of public transportation, such as a bus or train.The bus fare increased by fifty cents at the start of the year.
destinationnounThe place someone is traveling to or the final point of a journey.Our final destination was a small coastal village few tourists ever visit.
touristnounA person who travels to a place for pleasure, sightseeing, or vacation rather than work.Tourists lined up outside the museum to see the famous painting.
excursionnounA short trip taken for pleasure, education, or a specific purpose, usually returning the same day.The school organized an excursion to the science museum for all fifth graders.
sightseeingnounThe activity of visiting and viewing places of interest, especially as a tourist.We spent our first day in Rome sightseeing around the ancient ruins.
souvenirnounAn object kept as a reminder of a place, event, or experience, often bought while traveling.She bought a small carved elephant as a souvenir from her trip to Thailand.
currencynounThe system of money used in a particular country, or the coins and banknotes themselves.The bank exchanged our dollars for the local currency before the trip.
exchange ratenounThe value of one country's currency compared with another, used to convert amounts between them.The exchange rate meant that one dollar was worth about ninety yen that week.
dashboardnounThe panel in front of a vehicle's driver that holds gauges, controls, and displays.A warning light flashed on the dashboard as the fuel ran low.
odometernounA device in a vehicle that measures and displays the total distance traveled.The odometer showed just over two hundred thousand miles when we finally sold the car.
windshieldnounThe sheet of glass at the front of a vehicle that shields the driver and passengers from wind and debris.A stray rock cracked the windshield while we were driving on the highway.
ignitionnounThe mechanism or system that starts the combustion process in an engine.She turned the key in the ignition, and the engine rumbled to life.
bumpernounA bar fixed to the front or back of a vehicle to absorb impact in a collision.The delivery van's bumper was dented after it backed into a low wall.
sedannounA car with a fixed roof, two rows of seats, and a separate trunk, typically seating four or five people.We rented a midsize sedan for the road trip because it offered more trunk space than the hatchback.

At the airport

Airport vocabulary includes the terminal, the building where passengers check in and board, and the gate, where you wait before boarding. A layover is a stop between flights, customs is where officials check travelers entering a country, and the runway is where planes take off and land.

Car and driving vocabulary

Renting or driving a car for a trip means knowing basic parts, like the dashboard, which holds the controls and gauges, and the windshield, the front window. The ignition starts the engine, the bumper protects the front and back of the car, and a sedan is a common style of passenger car.

Frequently asked questions

What is a layover?

A layover is a stop between connecting flights, where a traveler waits before boarding the next plane.

What are common car parts vocabulary words?

Common car parts include the dashboard, windshield, ignition, and bumper.