What Are Phrasal Verbs for Travel?

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and one or two particles (prepositions or adverbs). These combinations create a new meaning that is often idiomatic and cannot be guessed from the individual words.

In the context of travel, phrasal verbs help us describe different stages of a journey, from planning to arriving. They are very common in spoken and written English, making your language sound more natural.

Essential Travel Phrasal Verbs for B2 Learners

• Check in: To register your arrival at a hotel or airport.
  • We need to check in at the airport two hours before our flight.
• Get away: To go on a holiday or vacation, often to escape from daily life.
  • I really need to get away for a few days; I'm so stressed.
• Get in: To arrive at a destination (for planes, trains, etc.).
  • What time does your flight get in?
• Set off: To begin a journey.
  • We set off early in the morning to avoid traffic.
• Stop over: To stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey.
  • On our way to Australia, we stopped over in Dubai for a night.
• Book into: To arrange for someone to stay in a hotel or other accommodation.
  • The travel agent booked us into a lovely hotel by the beach.
• Check out: To pay your bill and leave a hotel.
  • Guests must check out by 11 AM.
• Take off: When an aircraft leaves the ground and begins to fly.
  • The plane is scheduled to take off in twenty minutes.

Examples

• We need to check in at the airport two hours before our flight.
• I really need to get away for a few days; I'm so stressed.
• What time does your flight get in?
• We set off early in the morning to avoid traffic.
• On our way to Australia, we stopped over in Dubai for a night.
• The travel agent booked us into a lovely hotel by the beach.
• Guests must check out by 11 AM.
• The plane is scheduled to take off in twenty minutes.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Spanish speakers sometimes make mistakes with phrasal verbs because they try to translate directly from Spanish or use a single verb where a phrasal verb is more natural in English.

• Using a single verb instead of a phrasal verb: You might say "The plane arrived at 10 AM." which is correct, but "The plane got in at 10 AM." sounds more natural for arrival times.
• Confusing check in and check out: Remember, check in is for arrival and registration, while check out is for departure and payment.
  • Incorrect: I need to check out at the hotel when I arrive.
  • Correct: I need to check in at the hotel when I arrive.
• Incorrect particle: The particle (preposition or adverb) is crucial. A wrong particle changes the meaning or makes the phrase incorrect.
  • Incorrect: We set up for our journey.
  • Correct: We set off for our journey.

Frequently asked questions

What is a phrasal verb?

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or an adverb, or sometimes both, to create a new meaning. For example, ‘look up’ means to search for information, which is different from ‘look’.

Why are travel phrasal verbs important for the B2 First exam?

Travel phrasal verbs are important for B2 learners because they are very common in everyday English conversations about holidays and trips. For the B2 First exam, using these verbs shows a wider range of vocabulary and helps you achieve a higher score in speaking and writing tasks, especially in topics related to travel and leisure. You might encounter them in reading comprehension or use them in your speaking part 2 or writing tasks.

How can I remember these travel phrasal verbs?

To remember them, try to:

• Group them by topic (like travel).
• Create example sentences that are true for you.
• Use flashcards or a vocabulary notebook.
• Practice using them in conversations or writing about your own travel experiences.
• Listen for them in English movies, songs, or podcasts about travel.

Are these travel phrasal verbs formal or informal?

Most of the travel phrasal verbs like ‘check in’, ‘get away’, and ‘take off’ are neutral or semi-formal. They are perfectly suitable for both everyday conversations and more formal contexts like travel reports or official announcements. They are widely accepted in general English.

Related lessons

• Multi-word verbs