“Book A Normal Ticket First”: 30 Air Travel Tips To Make Your Flight As Effortless As Possible
Interview
Despite being a real marvel of human engineering ability and skill, air travel kind of sucks. It’s uncomfortable, irritating, and often plagued with delays and cancellations that can single-handedly ruin a trip months in the making.
So perhaps in an attempt to insulate themselves from the worst of it, one netizen asked travelers online to share their best tips and trips for the future. We also got in touch with Haley, Dog Mom, lifestyle, & dog travel expert to share her advice. So get comfortable, be grateful you aren’t on a redeye right this moment, and be sure to upvote your favorite bits of advice. And if you are on a redeye flight, be sure to comment below.
This post may include affiliate links.
Before you hand your bags over to the airlines, use your cell phone and take a couple of pictures of them, and if it has an extendable handle, shoot one with the handle up, and one down. If your bag is damaged in transit, you now have evidence that it was not in that condition before you gave it to the airline.
If you want cheap(er) first class seats, book a normal economy ticket and then check the airline’s website and most of the time, you can get a first class upgrade for $150–200. I do this for myself and even did it today for the flight I booked for my boss. I went back to check and compare for first class tickets and this method was over $1,000 cheaper. Seriously. Book normal ticket first and then look for a separate upgrade. Best value you can get for great seats.
To clear security quickly pick the checkpoint that is farthest to the left. Most people are right-handed and subconsciously choose checkpoints to their right which makes the queues on that side longer.
Bored Panda got in touch with professional traveler Haley, from Olive the travelier, who has been all over the globe, with her dog! So before talking about travel in general, we were, of course, curious to hear her best advice for bringing a furry friend on a journey, as that’s not something even most seasons travelers have experienced.
So to start with, she gave some preliminary advice. “It is crucial you train your dog to be comfortable in a travel carrier. If you do not practice the carrier with your dog, you're setting yourself up for a very long flight. There is a lot of contradicting information about flying with a dog, it's hard to know what is allowed and accepted. I have even spoken with airline employees who contradict their own airline policies, it's tough! Luckily, I have so many resources available on my platforms to answer all those questions!" You can find her Instagram here and YouTube channel here.
Empty your water bottle before security and then refill it once you get through to save money rather than buying $5 bottles of water.
Put a photo of a baby and a dog in your wallet - people are more likely to return lost wallets with either in, hedge your bets and put both.
Have you forgotten something at home like a charger or adapter? Simply go to an airlines desk and ask if they have it in the lost and found. If items are not claimed within 30 days most airlines are allowed to give them away. If you ask nicely you may just get what you need. :)
We also were curious about her take on the plethora of travel tips one could find online, so we asked what she thought of them. “Travel tips are NEVER overrated. There's a balance with it though. You need to come prepared, but there is only so much you can prepare for, especially when flying with a dog. Things always happen when you travel (with a dog or not), you need to count on it. I to this day have things happen that I never in a million years would have thought about. Know what you can and can't control, this goes a long way.”
Use incognito mode in your browser when searching for flight tickets, because if you don’t use, the airlines might make the ticket demanding and increase the price.
Be nice to the crew. Sometimes they might surprise you with a free upgrade. Else use your miles for it.
Always pay attention during the safety demonstration
Yes, yes I know these can be quite boring but the reason why I do this is because different aircraft will have differences when it comes to safety equipment (life vests and seat-belts) and though they may be slight it might make a world of a difference if needed in an emergency.
As per her last point, there are always those things even the most experienced traveler can’t account for, so we wanted to hear some examples from Haley. “One of the top horror stories though was when I was traveling with my dog and a little boy was curious about my dog. I asked him if he wanted to pet her, and he came over and kicked my dog in the face on purpose.”
When you are on a flight, and you start getting the feeling that you're getting close to your destination, the first time you feel the airplane slow down from cruising speed you will have about a half hour before landing. That would be a good time to use the lavatory, because the "Fasten Seat Belt" light will go on soon, and you won't be allowed out of your seat until the plane reaches the gate. You never know if your landing or arrival at the gate will be delayed.
It's also an excellent time to even your ear pressure. I learnt the hard way that waiting too long before evening out the air pressure in ears can result in severe pain on landing.
How would one do this? I get terrible ear pain when ascending/descending?
Load More Replies...
it's also a great time to start situating your stuff so that you can leave once the plane has arrived at the gate instead of making everyone else behind you wait while you repack your bag
I always have my stuff situated so I know which to grab first. I also let the other passengers go ahead of me as it makes it easier to get off.
Load More Replies...
Unfortunately, this doesn't always pan out. I got caught out on a flight with only one working lavatory. The queue was unbelievable, and I was literally next in line when the fasten seatbelts sign came on and the cubicle was locked. That was a very uncomfortable hour. And I'm pretty sure I must have looked ill as well, because descent really messes me up. I've surprised cabin crew (on a different flight) because I noticed we were descending before they did - they saw me suddenly go pale and clammy and rushed over to check on me. Take off and climbing doesn't have the same effect, just descending. Very weird.
While waiting for everyone to board, I download a bunch of articles to multiple browser tabs on my phone before I have to put it in airplane mode
Try to wear the heaviest clothes eg: Jackets, Jeans etc that u need on u. Once u have weighed your luggage and got your boarding passes, u can stuff them into ur bag or hang them on ur luggage handles. That big jacket doubles up as a pillow when u try to catch a nap at the airport, becomes a blanket for u inside the plane (it gets colder inside the aircraft) and gives u free luggage space to pack other stuff.
Yes. This is especially important if travelling to a place where the temperature is above 90F. I dressed very light and got trapped mid-route without weigh-in luggage in a place below 50F and nearly died.
“Luckily my dog was okay, but I was enraged, mostly because the parents never even said anything. The airline employee had to get security over, and he gave us direct access to the front of the TSA line (that was nice). I am VERY aware of children now with my dog when flying,” she added, which, again, is not an experience almost anyone could have predicted until they traveled with a dog for the first time.
Charge electronics before leaving. There is no guarantee that outlets at the airport will be available, especially in the holiday rush.
In packing I choose two colors of clothing to take so everything I have is mix and match.
Never exchange money at the airport. They have the highest fees and worst exchange rates. Research online, and most probably the bank you are currently with should have good exchange rates.
So if you plan to travel “off the beaten path” in any way, it can’t help to seek out those few people who have done it before you. There can be a certain degree of adventure to just winging it, but a foreign country without a plan or a two-day layover is going to suck a lot more in person than it seems on the drawing board. Fortunately, the internet allows us to do all sorts of preparation beforehand, so it would be a bit silly to not use such a useful tool.
If your connecting flight is in another timezone, change your watch to that timezone as soon as your current plane takes off. This keeps you from missing your next flight because of a false sense of punctuality.
Write a pack list a week or so before you go. Update it as you remember extra things. Pack according to that list. Keep the list as a template for the next trip.
On your phone!!!! That way you have it when you randomly think of things and we aren't going anywhere without the phone
It never hurts to ask. If you are friendly and patient you'd be amazed how much leeway gate agents, car rental counters, hotel receptionists, etc. have. If they like you and have the inventory it's easy for them to help you out, give you a better room, car, seat, etc.
Just remember, don’t beg for something and be polite regardless :)
Zip-loc bags. Lots of them, in different sizes. Use them to bag your clean undies and socks, your dirty laundry, your cables and chargers, anything else that makes sense. They weigh almost nothing, but you can compress the air out of them once filled, to make packing more efficient.
Bonus life hack: if you’re bringing an iPad or other tablet, a double-zip bag big enough makes an excellent way to use the tablet safely in the hotel bath. Or put the tablet in one bag, and that in another bag.
For dirty laundry, a cloth bag with draw string is better. For one thing they're a lot easier to de-air than a zip-loc, and can hold 100 times as much clothes.
For years I didn’t sleep on planes: too noisy, too uncomfortable, too everything disruptive. I can’t afford first-class (more’s the pity) but on the overnights I splurge on “economy plus” (or whatever the airline calls their slightly-roomier-than-plain-cabin-class).
I get a window seat (I can’t worry about people on the aisle - if I need to get up, I ask them) because I need something to lean against when I sleep. Aisle seats don’t work for me. (Someday maybe I’ll try one of those weird neck pillows that supposedly really support your head.)
I also have downloaded several versions of “nature sounds” - you know, ocean waves, falling rain, nighttime forest sounds. As soon as it’s bedtime (remember, on these kinds of flights there’s at least one and sometimes two meals served) I turn off my overhead light, turn off the seatback screen, pop in the earbuds, and start the nature sounds on a continuous loop.
Yes definitely try those "weird neck pillows". Since they go slightly around your head they also trick you into the perception of more privacy
If travelling internationally, find a debit card account that offers no withdrawal fees from foreign ATMs and no fees for transactions in other currencies. I use the UK’s Starling offerings; there are several others available. Your country may vary, so research what’s around. Internet-based banks are ideal for this.
Headphones, noise-canceling ones, are your best friend.
And if you can afford those or don’t want to worry about losing them, normal old foam earplugs (the roll and stick kind) make a big difference
Bring your everyday pillow from home instead of a travel pillow. airplane policies mention that you are allowed to bring a pillow onboard, however they fail to mention which type of pillow is allowed which is to your advantage as this allows you to stuff extra clothing inside the pillow. I even had my pc keyboard stuff in there on a couple of occasions and never had any problems.
If you are going to have an extended layover in an airport between flights, ask the flight attendants for a recommendation on the best place for food. Chances are we have some great suggestions. Just don't ask us where baggage claim is, as the odds are we have NO idea, that's better asked of the gate agents.
I like to use the location trick - faking your location to get the best deals. As many airlines are targeting certain countries, making them think you are actually somewhere else may decrease price a lot! Worked several times!
How would this work? Flight prices depend on departure and arrival airports. You can fake your location all you want, but unless you actually fly out of the fake location, i doubt it would make a difference
You can sometimes raise the aisle handlebar by finding a latch that moves back and forth on the underside of the arm, towards the connection point.
Sometimes, it's a button. This helps me a lot, especially since I prefer the aisle seat.
Try to travel in the ‘shoulder’ season (that’s right before or right after the high season). Not only is travel less crowded, it’s also more affordable.
Presumably fewer families on board too because kids will be in school. My daughter is just coming up to school age now and it's depressing how expensive everything is now going to be. Will probably only see family once a year.
Turbulence is known to be the lowest near the wings of aircraft.
One time I flew to CT by myself for my best friends moms funeral. I was scared cause I never flew alone. I was in the middle and the man that had the window seat was pretty robust and took the armrest. It was February and there was a lot of blustery weather up north so we hit the worst turbulence I ever felt. I panicked so bad I thought I was going to die for sure. Never felt terror like that except when I rode those trolley things in Pittsburgh that go up the side of a mountain on a pulley cord. Big boy laughs hysterically the entire time so hard that he is jostling me around and then he started slapping the armrest i desperately wanted to grab cause he was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. Worst flight ever.
For security pack your keys and other metallic objects in a single clear zip-lock bag so you can hand them over easily and pass through the metal detectors.
If only they made something that could hold all of those things already that naturally can go on an x-ray belt… 🤔 (Clearly written by someone who more often than not, has pockets! 🤣)
Seats next to the emergency exits have more leg room.
The photo is wrong, though. You won't be allowed to keep your bag with you in the emergency exit seat. It goes to overhead box.
Wear comfortable clothing that won't restrict movement, as well as layers in case of temperature changes during the flight or at your destination airport/city.
Think "emergency evacuation" when choosing cloths/shoes. Nothing that will melt (polyester/spandex/etc) or cause problems moving/running (high heels/sandals/etc.).
Always check in online. The queue for the online check in is always much shorter.
Being flexible on your travel days is the most important trick for getting the best airfare. If your dates are flexible, try booking your airline tickets BEFORE you book time off work. This way, you can work around your savings instead of your time schedule. Generally speaking, travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is 20-30% cheaper than travel on Friday and Saturday.
I carry my own snacks & coffee sachets. The cafes at waiting lounges are ridiculously over priced and budget airlines dont offer free food. Why bother with that ? I always carry cookies, cup noodles and coffee sachets with me. Most airports provide free boiling water. This way, your tummy stays full, your wallet still has money, and as the travel proceeds, your hand luggage gets lighter and lighter.
What airport gives you free boiling water unless you are a baby needing forumula? Been to 45+countries, never saw that.
Install and use a flight tracking app on your phone.
The tracking apps get their data directly from the FAA while airlines update their own systems at their own pace.
True story: I went to the airline ticket counter at Burbank airport (BUR) to verify arrival of my girlfriend’s incoming flight. The flight tracking app said 20+ minute delay. The airline employee checked his terminal and said no delay but admitted they would update the arrival time at the last minute. She arrived 20 minutes late.
If a bus is taking you to your aircraft from your gate, be the last to board the bus, you will be the first to get out and board the plane.
The pilots are the only ones who can turn off or on the seatbelt sign, not the flight attendants. If you have to go to the bathroom and the seatbelt sign is illuminated, we flight attendants cannot stop you, but must discourage you being up. You can disarm us, by saying, “This is an emergency, I know the seatbelt sign is still on.” Essentially this is tantamount to saying, “I know Im breaking the rules”. We cannot stop you. And we dont usually take it personally (ie get mad). But really, if its not an emergency, you should just hold it.
However there are exceptions to this. If the plane is still on the ground, or in Final descent or havent yet reached 10,000 feet, we are supposed to call the pilot to let him know. The pilot is not supposed to move the aircraft if we are on the ground and any passengers are out of their seats. Additionally, if the pilot sees bad weather ahead, and has asked US to take our seats, you had better believe we will be forceful in our words that you need to stay seated.
It IS against a federal Aviation Regulations for you to be out of your seatbelt when the sign is on, or when we have told you not to be. Generally though our job (with some exceptions) is to inform not enforce. Also, if you are sitting in your seat and your seatbelt is NOT fastened while on an aircraft you are acting like a halfwit. Planes can and DO drop THOUSANDS of feet unexpectedly and people are injured every year. It is rare, but it happens. Google Clear Air Turbulence. The pilots do their darndest to keep you safe but stuff still can happen, so why play that lottery? Loosen your belt if you must, but keep if fastened the same as we do when we travel.
I was in a plane that did drop like that. Everyone had their seatbelt on and the only casualty was a can of coke that poured itself upwards onto the overhead locker. Aviation seatbelts save lives, folks.
Put important numbers in your phone: numbers of any hotels you are staying in, your airline, the airport, and people picking you up from the airport.
And write them down and keep them safely in your wallet and luggage. Also email them to yourself
Take a recent photo of yourself. Then add your email, first name and flight itinery at the bottom of your photo.
Then put this photo onto your phone’s locked screen.
In case you’ve lost your phone during international travel—before you got the local sim card then you still have a way of people reaching out to you and let you know they have found your (locked) phone. Your photo would also help a caring person to find you easier, possibly in the first 30 seconds you’ve lost your phone.
You can also add emergency contact on your Android and Apple phone. While it’s better than nothing, a lot of people don’t know to look for it since it’s a new feature and most people are not used to it and even if they do still finding your friend at a different timezone may not be of immediate help.
Most theft occurs on the plane
I have read several times that most of the items stolen during air travel are the result of passengers going through other people's carry on luggage while they're sleeping. When you're sleeping nobody will notice a passenger going through your luggage, they'll just assume it belongs to that person.
I am in the aviation industry, most theft occurs after you check in your luggage and it sits in a baggage carousel waiting to be loaded onto a tug. If you check in 2 hours early, it sits there fully accessible for 1.5 hours. Never keep jewelry in an outside zip pocket and make sure you don't have a crappy main zipper.
Choosing the seat of the plane is always a subject, but “the best seat” will depend on your needs.
If you do not want to be surrounded by so many passengers, choose the tail of the plane, an area that is usually alone when the flights are not full. If you are lucky, you could even use 2 or 3 seats for yourself.
If you want to take a little more space to stretch your legs, we recommend the seats next to the emergency exit. These rows are usually a little more separated than all the others.
The window seat is ideal for sleeping and relaxing, also for those who fly for the first time.
If you suffer from vertigo and you know you will need to get up to stretch your legs, you should preferably choose the aisle seat.
For distinguishing your luggage, tie a ribbon or place a name card.
For many years I have been traveling with the same black luggage and black is quite popular. I used chalk to put smiley faces on all sides. No one has copied me (so far) and it's really easy to spot mine amongst all the other black ones
While the crew at the plane cleans everything before take-off, flyers are still recommended to carry their own sanitizer and wet wipes.
Delta doesn't clean between flights - like at all. Best to bring a pail and a mop too, if not a vacuum.
Be aware that seats in front of any exit row do not recline. In planes with double exit rows, you may end up with lots of leg room but you have to sit up straight for the whole flight.
Use seat guru to find the best seat on the plane. this is especially important when some seats on the plane might have a AC/DC outlet for plugging in your laptop. just imagine how quickly time flies on a plane if your playing games like Fallout 4 or getting your work done while you travel without having to worry about running out of battery
Get a good credit card with complimentary lounge access at airports. Food sucks in planes and since it's the age of low cost carriers, it can be very expensive if you’re hungry on your flight. So get a card with lounge access, eat good food before flying.
Sitting for a long duration will make your feet swollen. If u removed your shoes, you will find it tighter and more uncomfortable to put on later. Either put on a pair of sandals or wear a bigger shoe. Same goes for clothes. Wear comfortable ones. There's no point in wearing a slim fit full sleeve shirt with formal shoes on the flight.
I'm tall and always remove shoes during a flight. That extra inch or so of leg space can be the difference between comfort and leg cramps.
Gym before your flight. It helps reduce stress and releases endorphins which keep you calm and happy.
Invest in a neck pillow. Especially the one with a flat part that goes behind your neck. Most neck pillows push your head forward and it's just not comfortable. That hoody or sweater can also become a pillow in a pinch
Neck pillows are meant to be worn with the cushion in front, under your chin.
If your stomach gets bothered easily, bring some NON-FLATULENCE producing food with you onto the plane. For some reason, airlines are not sensitive to the fact that sitting for a long time after having served you a meal with beans or broccoli is not ideal.
Prepare everything you need 5 days prior to your flight. The reason why most people fail to make it to the airport on time is because they have last-minute packing. You want to be up and out within 15 mins of your alarm.
The reason I fail to make it to the airport on time is either a full-on two hour traffic jam, or when jet lag kicks in and I wake in the afternoon rather than the morning.
Stay mindful of security regulations: Familiarize yourself with the current airport security regulations to ensure a smooth and efficient screening process. Follow the guidelines regarding prohibited items, liquids, and electronic devices to avoid delays.
I just wish they'd put up a sign - Shoes off or on? It's different at every airport!
Make sure all important documents are easily accessible - passport, boarding pass etc., so that they're easy to find when needed!
For me this is a hard one. I'm a manual wheelchair user and I cannot get airports to understand I cannot move forward while also holding things. My lap is already busy holding baggage so I keep dropping everything. Trust me when I say it saves nobody any time to have my things out of my bag, they are way better in my waist pack when I can get them out on demand and not scatter them like a Hansel and Gretel trail
Try to not use the seat pocket in front of you - we usually have a small bag under the seat where we keep everything. This helps with ‘forgetting’ things at your seat.
Bring a scarf. Bring a set of slippers. Bring a lot of entertainment. Bring snacks. Wear compression socks. Bring earplugs. Bring candy for the flight crew. Be nice to everyone. Bring extra pens, as many people will forget theirs. I bring a wind up toy and a cheap set of brand new headphones in case there is a cranky toddler, or a kid playing a noisy game without headphones.
If you are planning to have nice sleep, board the flight last and check for empty seats, no one will bother if you sleep there.
You still have to get flight crew/attendants to ok your seat move. They will not be happy if you just move from your reserved seat without checking with them first.
If you don't want to pay baggage fees, but don't mind checking a bag, take it to the gate with you and offer to gate check it. Generally, gate agents are happy to gate check bags as it opens up more overhead bin space, and they'll gate check it for free.
This depends on the airline. Some of them charge extra for checking in a bag (Ryanair for example definitely do) and gate agents will not go against airline policy
Leave your shoes on until about 5 minutes after the plane has taken off, and then put your shoes on again before landing. It's just simple, easy risk reduction. Takeoff and landing are the most likely times for a crash or incident; you don't want to be in socks or stockings if you are trying to get out in a hurry, and there may be broken glass or whatever.
We don’t pack towels or normal size toiletries either. I use a hair wrapping towel and a microfibre tea towel in case there isn’t one at a hostel. I use a large thin weave sarong as a beach mat.
Pack a large empty lightweight bag to bring your dirty clothes home in, we’ve just done that. We have travelled 16 nights in Japan with 20kilos of checked luggage between us.
Or pack fewer clothes to begin with and sink wash/launder your clothes as you go.
If your flight is delayed and you’re getting hotels and food passes, ask for a better hotel and more food passes, they will give it without a second thought.
No they mostly won't. You can't afford cheap companies ticket and get that kind of benefits, budget Airline companies don't give a f**k on customer, their marketing plan is cheap tickets, not customer satisfaction
Sometimes if you are trying to go somewhere popular it can be very expensive but a ticket to somewhere further than your destination may be way cheaper and have a stop over in the expensive popular destination.
The idea is to only take on hand luggage and skip out on the last sector.
Except the airlines are cracking down on this, which is called "skip lagging." The airlines can and do ban people from ever flying on their airline ever again for doing this. They don't worry about a surcharge or warning any more. They just go straight to banning.
When entering the parking garage at the airport turn in the opposite direction of the suggested traffic flow. The closest parking to the door will usually be found this way.
Reach the airport at least 2 hours before your scheduled time. You should have time to come back home and again get back to airport if you have forgotten something important.
That's ridiculous. I'm not going back home 2 hours by train no matter what happens. Check your packing list the day before you leave and that's it.
Don’t wear make-up. Instead, apply a heavy layer of moisturizer / vaseline.
Rather than a "hack", this is a potentially life-saving tip for people of any age: Get up and move around about once an hour, and rotate your ankles and stretch every half hour. You can try tracing the letters of the alphabet in the air with each foot in turn, for example. Wear compression stockings if you have varicose veins or are at higher risk of DVT. And DVT doesn't just affect the elderly and infirm. I had it once at the age of 27 and my friend died as a result of it at the age of 35 (we were both fit and healthy at the time).
Deleted, because I just found it was only about air travel ;)
Put some basic clothes in your handbag. In case your luggage goes 1000 miles away, you at least have some underwear, t-shirt, etc.
If you have clothes you don't want to get wrinkled, lay them flat inside of one of those thin plastic bags they put your clean clothes in from the dry cleaners. Then you can fold or roll it up and pack it. When you unpack and take it out, *boom* no wrinkles. Just make sure it's spread flat inside the plastic bag (don't fold it before putting it in the bag) before you fold or roll it and put it in the suitcase. I do this with button-down shirts, slacks, etc. Works every time 👍
Why am I reading this while watching World's Worst Flights? Not purposely.. I was already watching when this happened to pop up on my feed. More proof my phone and TV are in cahoots
Rather than a "hack", this is a potentially life-saving tip for people of any age: Get up and move around about once an hour, and rotate your ankles and stretch every half hour. You can try tracing the letters of the alphabet in the air with each foot in turn, for example. Wear compression stockings if you have varicose veins or are at higher risk of DVT. And DVT doesn't just affect the elderly and infirm. I had it once at the age of 27 and my friend died as a result of it at the age of 35 (we were both fit and healthy at the time).
Deleted, because I just found it was only about air travel ;)
Put some basic clothes in your handbag. In case your luggage goes 1000 miles away, you at least have some underwear, t-shirt, etc.
If you have clothes you don't want to get wrinkled, lay them flat inside of one of those thin plastic bags they put your clean clothes in from the dry cleaners. Then you can fold or roll it up and pack it. When you unpack and take it out, *boom* no wrinkles. Just make sure it's spread flat inside the plastic bag (don't fold it before putting it in the bag) before you fold or roll it and put it in the suitcase. I do this with button-down shirts, slacks, etc. Works every time 👍
Why am I reading this while watching World's Worst Flights? Not purposely.. I was already watching when this happened to pop up on my feed. More proof my phone and TV are in cahoots
