Hawaii big-wave surfer Kai Lenny lays out how he packs and books flights on short notice, useful for anyone who travels often.

• He just spent a month in Indonesia and is now switching to quick one- or two-day trips built around incoming swells.
• His fix for lost luggage: keep a full set of essentials in a carry-on, learned after competing abroad with borrowed gear.
• He splits his gear across bags instead of one heavy one, since baggage handlers treat light bags better and boards get damaged less.
• He uses a travel rewards card that pools points across airlines and covers TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, which matters when he books a flight two hours before takeoff.
• His oddest item is an inflatable 1960s-style surf mat that doubles as a backup board and an airport mattress during delays.

Outlook: A La Niña winter could bring big surf to Hawaii and the wider Pacific, meaning more last-minute trips ahead.