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Why this matters
Travel is where most learners discover the gap between their English on paper and their English in the wild. You can read a menu, but the waiter speaks fast. You know the word "gate" but the boarding announcement uses three you've never heard. The fix isn't more grammar — it's hearing real travel English at full speed and getting your mouth to move at full speed back.
These lessons drop you into the moments that matter: a missed connection, a hotel WiFi password, a taxi driver who doesn't know your hotel's name. You'll come out of each lesson with phrases you used in real conversation, not just memorised — that's the difference between airport panic and airport confidence.
What you’ll be able to do
- ✓Check in for a flight, ask about a delay, and find your gate without freezing.
- ✓Handle hotel arrival, special requests, and a smooth checkout.
- ✓Order food in a restaurant abroad — including allergies and substitutions.
- ✓Ask for and understand directions, even when the answer comes fast.
- ✓Use polite phrases that travel well across English-speaking countries.
What a lesson actually feels like
You arrive at the airline counter and your suitcase is one kilo over the limit.
Key vocabulary
Useful phrases by situation
At the airport
- “Could you tell me where gate 27 is?”
- “I'm on the next flight to Madrid — has it started boarding?”
- “Is there a charging point near the gate?”
- “Sorry, I missed the announcement — what did they say?”
In the city
- “Excuse me, is this the right way to the train station?”
- “How long does it take on foot?”
- “Could you write that down for me?”
- “I'm looking for a coffee shop — any recommendations nearby?”
When something goes wrong
- “I think my luggage is missing — who do I speak to?”
- “My flight got cancelled. What are my options?”
- “Could you call the hotel and double-check my reservation?”
- “I don't speak much English — could you say that more slowly?”
Common mistakes & how to fix them
Cultural notes
- ★In American airports, ground staff often respond fastest to specific requests ("I have 30 minutes to my connection — can you help me reach gate B14?") rather than vague apologies.
- ★British transport announcements use understatement: "minor delay" can mean 30 minutes. Always confirm with a person if it matters.
- ★Tipping at hotels varies widely. In the US a $1–2 tip per bag for porters is normal; in much of Europe it isn't expected unless service is exceptional.
Tips from our tutors
Frequently asked
How many lessons until I can travel confidently in English?+
I'm a beginner. Will travel English be too hard?+
Is this American or British English?+
What if I freeze and forget everything?+
Beginner, intermediate, advanced
Tell the tutor your level at the start of the lesson and the conversation adjusts. Same topic, different depth.
First-trip survival kit. Six airport words, three taxi phrases, one polite request. The tutor speaks slowly and accepts pointing-at-words as a valid answer.
- →Order food at the airport gate.
- →Ask "where is gate B14?" and follow the answer.
- →Show your passport and answer the standard questions.
Real conversations on the move. Recovering from a missed flight, getting directions a stranger answered fast, asking for a different room.
- →Handle a delayed or cancelled flight without freezing.
- →Negotiate a small problem (extra bag fee, allergy on a menu).
- →Make small talk with a seatmate or barista abroad.
Travel English at native pace. Cultural nuances, regional vocabulary, idioms travellers actually hear. Push your phrasing toward something a local would say.
- →Match register: formal at hotel reception, casual on a hostel rooftop.
- →Use idiomatic travel English ("layover from hell", "off the beaten track").
- →Read between the lines of a polite British "no" or American small talk.
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