Travel English: Essential Phrases for Your Summer Adventures
Level: A2–B2
Skills Focus: Speaking, listening, practical vocabulary
Theme: Useful English phrases for summer travel – at the airport, hotel, restaurants, and more.
Introduction
Planning a summer holiday abroad? Whether you’re flying to London, exploring New York, or relaxing in Sydney, it helps to know key English phrases that travellers use every day. In this blog, you’ll learn real-life English for travel situations – with model dialogues, useful vocabulary, and a mini role-play challenge!
At the Airport
Useful Phrases
- “Where is the check-in desk for British Airways?”
- “Can I see your passport and boarding pass, please?”
- “Do I need to take off my shoes?”
- “Where is Gate 27?”
- “Is this your hand luggage?”
Mini Dialogue
Staff: Good afternoon! Where are you flying today?
You: Hi! To London, with British Airways.
Staff: Great. Please put your bag on the scale and show me your passport.
You: Sure! Here you go.
At the Hotel
Useful Phrases
- “I have a reservation under [Your Name].”
- “Can I check in early?”
- “Is breakfast included?”
- “Could I have an extra towel, please?”
- “What time is check-out?”
Tip:
Polite language is key! Use “Could I…” or “Would it be possible to…” for requests.
At a Restaurant or Café
Useful Phrases
- “A table for two, please.”
- “Could I see the menu?”
- “I’ll have the chicken salad, please.”
- “Can I get this to go?” (US) / “Can I take this away?” (UK)
- “Could we have the bill, please?”
Mini Dialogue
Waiter: Hi there! Are you ready to order?
You: Yes, I’ll have the grilled fish, please.
Waiter: Great choice! Would you like anything to drink?
You: Just water, thank you.
Asking for Directions
Useful Phrases
- “Excuse me, how do I get to the train station?”
- “Is it far from here?”
- “Go straight ahead, then turn left at the lights.”
- “It’s about a 10-minute walk.”
- “Can you show me on the map?”
Vocabulary:
- crossroads, traffic lights, roundabout, pedestrian crossing, street corner
Handling Problems While Travelling
Useful Phrases
- “I think my luggage is lost.”
- “There’s a problem with my room.”
- “I missed my flight. What should I do?”
- “I need help. Can you speak English?”
- “Can I speak to the manager, please?”
Tip:
Stay calm and polite – use “I’m sorry to bother you, but…”
Speaking Practice Challenge
Choose a travel situation (airport, hotel, restaurant, asking directions).
Write your own short dialogue (4–6 lines).
Use at least 3 of the useful phrases from this blog.
Extra challenge: Record yourself reading it aloud!
Bonus: Your Travel Phrase Checklist
- Where’s the check-in desk?
- I have a reservation.
- Could I see the menu?
- How do I get to the museum?
- I need help, please.
Further listening & Final Tip
We cover a bit of travel on our podcast with A trip to London – useful phrases and vocabulary. Another useful episode you can also listen to is Talking about travel on the BBC Learning website.
Learning travel English is like packing your language suitcase—it prepares you for smoother, more confident adventures abroad. Practice a little every day, and soon, you’ll travel with ease!
