caption: Slide 2 of 16: If you're crying in your beer over a canceled vacation, it can help mitigate the disappointment if you start planning a new one right away. You don't necessarily need to know when you plan to travel. Just pick a place you've always wanted to go and begin the research process. Look into the best award or paid flights; what hotels are a perfect match for your travel party; and what sights and restaurants are a must. Now that you have more time to plan, you can also seek out the best tour operators and travel advisors. You'll even have time to make customized Google maps that showcase the spots you plan to visit. (I explain how to do just that in this post about the six things I do before every trip.) The gift of time will help you craft incredible itineraries -- no matter where or when you want to travel. Another advantage of planning is that you now may have time to earn enough miles or points to drastically reduce the out-of-pocket costs on your upcoming trip. Not only that, but award availability may be better for your travel dates than it has historically been in the past.